Taking a camera for Royal Dolphin Swim?

[jamie0483]

Has anyone taken an underwater camera to their dolphin swim? We are doing the Royal Swim at Chankabaab and were wondering if you were allowed to take your own pictures. Would a camera get in the way or could me and DH just pass it back and forth? Thanks!

[qualtek]

I just booked my royal swim at the same place a couple of days ago for our November trip. That was one of the questions I asked. They said it wasn't allowed.

[Brentonsmom]

We did the royal swim this past July 4th. I took a disposable underwater camera and was allowed to use it. I mainly took pictures of the dolphins as they were swimming nearby us or doing tricks. Took up all 27 shots there in the water. They came out pretty good too. The pictures that they take and you buy are excellent. No way will you get a shot like those! There were some others in our group that had them too. The only thing the trainer said about using them was not to have them in your hand when you are interacting with the dolphins. They don't want, nor do the dolphins enjoy, getting hit in the face with a camera! The camera has a long rubber band like strap on it so I just unhooked one of my lifevest straps and put the band over one side of the strap and then hooked my vest back. I tucked it in between my body and the vest and could pull it out and put it back with no problem. Have a good time, it was great!!

 

Tina

[mics pics]

I did the Royal Swim at Chankanaab on July 11th, and brought my digitial underwater camera. I took all sorts of photos and just handed it to someone in the group when it was my turn for the foot push and dorsal tow.

The photos and video the staff photogs shoot are excellent, though, and I bought those as well.

I'd just second the not hitting the dolphins with the camera. If I did it again I wouldn't even bring the camera because I was so busy taking photos I didn't get to touch the dolphins much. My priorities were out of whack. Oh well....

[temple1]

We will be in Cozumel in November. Here is the dumb question of the week - is swimming required for the dolphin swim? :confused:

 

Sounds like a great experience to me, but DH doesn't swim.

[Brentonsmom]

The only swimming we did was when you swim out into the water for the push and the dorsal tow. You swim out until the trainer tells you to stop and then the dolphins bring you back to the platform that is in the water. You do go out into the water as a group and the dolphins swim around you. I don't know how deep it is but I never felt the bottom. You just float and tread water to stay in place. I don't know how a person that doesn't swim would feel in that situation. Being a swimmer I know how to tread water and do not panic in the water. A non-swimmer may feel uneasy.It all depends how comfortable he feels in the water being a non-swimmer. The life vest will keep you afloat. I never went under at any point. It is such a great time that I hope ya'll are able to do it.

 

Tina

[Kiera99]

We will be in Cozumel in November. Here is the dumb question of the week - is swimming required for the dolphin swim? :confused:

 

Sounds like a great experience to me, but DH doesn't swim.

I swam with the dolphins and I don't swim. The life vest kept me afloat. One of the trainers helped push me out into the water. I put my hands out to grab the dorsal fins and the dolphins pulled me back to the platform. I just hung on to the metal fence, most of the time. It was awesome and I'm glad I did it.