dolphin Swim

[cruiseLMG]

We will be on the Summit with our teenagers Nov 15. The kids want to do the dolphin swim(in Cozumel). We generally prefer to book our excursion through the ship, but is there anyway to have the kids do the swim and we just go along and watch?

[Cindy-Sue]

If you log onto Google, put a key word search in of "dolphin cozumel" and it will bring up the website. You can book in directly on line. I haven't done it, but two of our friends did, on separate cruises, and it worked out perfectly. It's not too far from the cruise ship terminal, so the taxi fare isn't overwhelming.

Bon Voyage!

Cindy Sue

[newtocc]

Try this link D olphin Discovery!

[CruisinDoug]

With all of the political correctness on this board, I'm surprised that we haven't had many posts regarding the treatment of the dolphins at these facilities. It is my understanding (not experience) that these places are worse than third world zoos. I hope I'm wrong!

[mcnichol]

that's because dolphins don't smuggle booze on board, bring kids, smoke, change seatings, and tip the butlers. all taboo subjects on cruise critic.

[CruisinDoug]

Ahhh, but they do dress properly!

[CruisinDoug]

Sorry to prolong this, but I remembered seeing the following post on a St. Maarten message board when they were considering a Dolphin Swim Attraction.

 

"During the sixties, I captured and trained dolphins for the Miami Seaquarium, including the five dolphins that played the role of "Flipper" in the American TV-series of the same name. I have witnessed firsthand the suffering imposed on dolphins during the violent capture process and their subsequent lifelong confinement. I have also seen a great many captive born die in captivity. Fact is, captive dolphins that were born in captivity suffer as much as those that have been captured.

 

I made a lot of money as a dolphin trainer but chose to leave this business because, after realizing what we were doing to the dolphins in the name of profit, my conscience wouldn't have it any other way. Since Earth Day 1970, I have worked to educate the public to what really goes on behind the glittering surface of the captive dolphin industry. Today, I work for the French animal protection organization One Voice, an organization dedicated to stopping the traffic and commercial exploitation of dolphins worldwide.

 

Ironically, Dolphin Discovery is telling the public and the media that they confine and exploit dolphins because they want to teach people respect for nature! This is the hypocrisy that the dolphin captivity industry is based upon. The capture, confinement, and captive breeding of dolphins does represent a form of education, but it's a form of bad education in that it teaches the public that exploiting nature in the name of profit is acceptable. If the tourists that visit your lovely island want to see dolphins and get a real education about the complex lives of these animals -- as opposed to seeing them in a distorted and unnatural environment -- they have the unique opportunity to do so, in a respectful, non-invasive manner.

 

Having captured, bred, and trained dolphins in the past, I know exactly where the people at Dolphin Discovery are coming from: I used to come from the same place. In consequence, I know that the captive dolphin program at Dolphin Discovery will never be able to tell the public the truth about the capture, captive breeding and training of dolphins. If they did, the people of St. Maarten would revolt against it. In other words: They wouldn't buy a ticket.

 

Having spent the last forty years working with dolphins, I have reached the conclusion that these are complex and self aware creatures. They routinely make choices and decisions regarding the details of their own lives. They are entitled to freedom of choice; thus they are entitled to freedom. Capturing or breeding dolphins in captivity and sentencing them to a monotonous, unnatural existence in a sea-cage in St.Maarten is simply wrong."

 

Respectfully yours,

 

Richard O'Barry

 

http://www.onevoice-ear.org/english/index.html

.

[muffin]

thanks cruisin doug for the other side of the story. It has made me definitely rethink my wish to swim with the lovely creatures.....believe now, my interest would best be served from a more natural sighting such as a boat trip to see them at a distance in the wild. On Vancouver Island we do see them quite regularly, and I must admit the idea of getting "up close and personal" was tempting. Thanks for the heads up, and the challenge to rethink what is really important in the world.

[sweetair]

cruisin doug,

as a child i remember a white dolphin named snowball at the miami seaquarium....Did you have a chance to work with this beautiful creature? I seemed to have this connection to her that i could never explain. She is my most distinctive memory of my childhood.

i understand what you have done and have seen while training and working with these amazing mammals. But i think my awareness and love for dolphins was because of "meeting her". You just can't get that same connection dolphin watching off a boat or watching a movie or documentary.

 

maybe you can recommend a place where people can get close enough to touch/educate themselves and get that connection where there is no mistreatment of these mammals.

*sweet*

[chessbriar]

The Dolphin Swim is done at Chakanab Park. It's a flat rate to take a taxi there and believe the entrance fee to get into thepark is $10/pp. They have a small botanical garden, beach, a seal show, you can rent snorkel gear, and of course the dolphins. If ou do this, plan to spend the day. I don't remember the cost of the dophin swin as I have not been there since March 2003.

[CruisinDoug]

Sorry Sweetair,

 

The post I made included an article by Richard Berry who used to train dolphins.

[cruiseLMG]

Thank you chessbriar

[Lilitchka]

Thanks Doug, for the information about the dolphin experience. I am an animal lover, first and foremost and would NEVER do anything, in any way, that would be abusive to any animal. So you sure convinced me that I will not do the dolphin excursion.

[lougee1043]

on the dolphin excursiion i took we were taken by boat the the dolphin area--since you will be taking a seat on the boat i doubt if they will let you do that without a charge- also as i recall there was no check in as to who could go in the water with the dolphins -- i guess the rule of thumb is that if you have a seat on the boat you plan to go in the water