General Information Archives - Swimming with Dolphins 1-800-667-5524

Posted on November 17, 2016August 6, 2017 by Dolphin Man — Leave a comment

Dolphin Print Fleece Blanket and Turquoise Blue Sofa Throw

Dolphin Blanket - Perfect Christmas and Holiday Gift

Have you ever wanted to be around a dolphin all the time? Well you can if you purchase this Dolphin Dance Fleece blanket. This colorful and soft fleece blanket will keep you warm and toasty all winter long and is a great addition to any bed or couch. The blanket’s large size will help you wrap up with your own personalized dolphin at home. The bold colors and bright dolphin painting will bring a smile to your face every time you use it.

What is Polar Fleece?

Polar fleece is a soft-napped insulating fabric made from a type of polyester called polyethylene terephthalate or other synthetic fibers. Other names for this fabric are “Polar Wool,” “Vega Wool,” or “Velo Wools.” Despite names suggesting the product is made of natural material, polar fleece is 100% polyethylene terephthalate.

Polar fleece is used in jackets, hats, sweaters, sweatpants, cloth nappies, gym clothes, hoodies, inexpensive throw blankets, and high-performance outdoor clothing, and can be used as a vegan alternative to wool. It can be made partially from recycled plastic bottles and is very light, soft and easy to wash.

A lightweight, warm, and soft fabric, fleece has some of wool’s good qualities but weighs a fraction of the lightest available woolens. Polar fleece garments traditionally come in different thicknesses: micro, 100, 200, and 300, with 300 being the thickest and least flexible.

It is hydrophobic, holding less than 1% of its weight in water, so it retains much of its insulating powers even when wet. It is machine washable, dries quickly, and is a good alternative to wool (of particular importance to those who are allergic or sensitive to wool, and to vegans). Despite its fuzzy appearance and feel, it is not flammable, but instead melts when exposed to flame.

Video Review

Product Information

You may be wondering the details of the blanket. It is 13.5 x 10.8 in size, weighs only11.2 ounces and, as we explained before, is made of Fleece material. The many glowing Amazon reviews by former customers will help you purchase the blanket without hesitation. This blanket received 4 Stars out of 5. Here a few of the Amazon reviews…

Photo of Blanket

Customer Comments – all these reviews are verified by Amazon, so they are legitimate.

By Laurenon

I love dolphins, and wanted a really nice dolphin blanket. I came across this one, and loved the image. And when it finally came I was so pleased. Its nice and warm, and the image was more beautiful then it looked in the picture. I love this blanket.

By lady dion

My daughter thinks this is the best blanket she has ever had and wishes she has many more, it is warm and toasty on cold days and very soft.

By Dan Haywardon

I bought for my wife and she loves it and got here in no time

By Sharon Saboon

We loved the colors of these dolphins & the quality of this fleece blanket exceeded my expectations. It was heavier than I thought it would be!

By katjtyleron

My daughter in law loves Dolphins. I got this blanket for her for christmas. She absolutely loves it. Thank you.

Most of the reviews are 5 and 4 star reviews out of the 44 reviews on the website but there were a few 3 star and under reviews where the customers were saying the deliver and packaging was not up to their standard.

Dolphin Blanket Review - Watch the Video — Dolphin Blanket Review – Watch the Video

Perfect Christmas and Holiday Gift

With Christmas only a few months away, if you’re looking for a way to keep your dolphin lovers warm, happy, and completely satisfied, then you need to consider this Dolphin Print Fleece Blanket as the perfect gift.

Click here to view this gift on Amazon and you will see the price is really reasonable. Plus, if you are an Amazon Prime member, shipping will be free!

Posted on September 6, 2016August 27, 2016 by Dolphin Man — 6 Comments

Fast Track Your Way to A Career with Dolphins!

Many of us, when we’re young, have big dreams about what we’d like to be when we grow up. Some of us want to be professional athletes or singers, others astronauts or firefighters, and still others have a passion to somehow work with animals when we get older.

Nicki LaPierre was one of those kids who knew at a very young age she wanted to work with dolphins. At seven years old her parents gave her a dolphin necklace and she instantly fell in love and set her mind on having a career with dolphins. She had such a love for these graceful animals that nothing was going to stand in her way of making that dream come true. Not only did Nicki realize her dream, but she did it in record time, becoming one of the youngest dolphin handlers in the entire state of Florida.

Each and every day when Nicki gets up for work she does so with a big smile on her face because she gets to hang out with the magical creatures she’s been in love with since she was a little girl.

If you also have a passion for dolphins and would love nothing more than to make a living training and interacting with them, then the fastest way to reach your dream is to go to school for a marine biology degree.

Is Marine Biology a Good Career?

If you asked Nicki (and countless others) she would give you a resounding “Yes!”

What most people don’t realize is that marine biology is a term that is used to cover a whole host of disciplines and jobs in the marine sciences. Although they all deal with the study of marine life, they can vary greatly.

For instance, with a marine biology degree you may go on to become a biological technician, marine mammalogist, fishery biologist, microbiologist, and of course, a dolphin trainer, to name a few specific careers. Heck, even economists and sociologists who deal with marine resource issues work within what is considered the field of marine biology.

A Fun and Exciting Career - Marine Science — A Fun and Exciting Career – Marine Science

Getting a Marine Biology Degree

There are many universities and colleges that offer degrees in marine biology, many of them located on the Pacific Coast. A good resource to find academic programs is www.oceancareers.com or look at this book ” How to become a Marine Mammal Trainer“.

Some good schools on the west coast to consider are the University of California programs at San Diego (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), Davis, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz, the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife or Department of Oceanography at Oregon State University in Corvallis; and Humboldt State University in California. On the east coast there are quality programs at schools like the University of Miami, University of Rhode Island, and the University of Massachusetts.

Courses to Consider

For a career in marine biology you can expect to take preparatory classes in basic biology, zoology, chemistry, physics, biometrics, mathematics, and statistics. You may be surprised to learn that you’ll have to take some English classes as well, because marine biologists write a lot of scientific papers with the hopes of getting them published.

You will most likely take courses in oceanography as well as ichthyology and fishery biology. If you hope to eventually have a career where you will often deal with the public or public policies, courses in social sciences are also recommended.

You Must Love Water and Marine Animals! — You Must Love Getting in the Water and Marine Animals!

Marine Biologist Salary

On average, marine biologists earn $37.00 per hour, or $77,630 as an annual salary. These salaries typically start at $39,000 and can go all the way up to $124,680. Pay will vary based on the level of education (get those degrees!), amount of time in the industry, and the size and location of the company.

Train Dolphins for a Living

If you’d rather wear a wetsuit to work instead of a suit and tie, then being a dolphin trainer is the career for you. But you might be wondering what exactly dolphin trainers do each and every day.

Generally, dolphin trainers get to work very early, typically before 7AM, and when they arrive they are instantly greeted by thousands of pounds of frozen fish. So one of your first tasks might be to sort all of these fish into buckets (you didn’t think it was all glamorous work, did you?!) and then weigh each bucket carefully to ensure each dolphin is getting the right amount of fish for the day’s activities.

After a bit of cleanup, you might find yourself heading into meetings with coworkers to discuss all of the animal’s health and well-being. After the meeting everyone grabs some buckets of fish and heads over to the pool to say good morning to the dolphins and give them their breakfast.

You might have a show later in the morning and have to set props and get into your costume and then give the audience what they came for, a spectacular show they’ll never forget.

After the show you and your dolphin pals will take a lunch break, but then head back to the pool for for some training sessions where you may teach the dolphins to do flips and other new tricks for upcoming shows. We would highly recommend that you try a Dolphin Interactions in one of our location and speak with a trainer directly. They will always give you great advice.

Work Hard to Get This Career

Becoming a marine biologist and going on to be a dolphin trainer will not happen overnight, and the work will be hard and often exhausting. But it will be equally rewarding. Like Nicki, you may also want to consider doing an internship at an animal park. Dolphin training is a coveted position and there are only so many in the country, so to have the most chance, go for an internship.

You Too Can Have a Career with Dolphins!

Nicki will be the first to tell you it’s not glamorous, the work is hard and you don’t get paid, but you get a chance to learn from the best and if they see potential in you, they just may hire you like they did Nicki.

If you have the same passion that Nicki has and would love to work with dolphins one day, find a good school and get the right degree, work toward that internship, and never give up!

Your Marine Animal Experience and Feed Back

We would love to hear from you and what you did to get involved with Marine Animals. Did you do any of these suggestions that we have listed here? In fact we are so interested in hearing what you have to say that we will entice you to comment, the first 5 comments will receive a $5 Amazon Gift card by email. The only thing we ask that you comment has something to do about Marine Animal Careers or Marine Science.

Posted on December 29, 2015November 1, 2015 by Dolphin Man — 2 Comments

Say Yes! A Dolphin Proposal in the Florida Keys

Men, when you know the woman you want to marry, buying her the perfect ring can be a challenge, but figuring out how exactly to do the proposal is definitely the hardest part! Should it be at a football game, at church, during a family function, on a cruise ship, on the beach? There are so many places to choose from but they have all been done! You need to find a way to show her how much you love her in a unique and fun way! And after being stuck for what seemed like forever, Mike found just that, a proposal to his girlfriend, Jodi, at the Dolphin Swim in the Florida Keys.

For ages, dolphins have been a symbol of love and peace, which is perfect for wishing good fortune for your marriage. Also, being outside and by the water is a perfect location for a proposal to nature lovers! Another benefit is that you both will be in front of a large crowd, which will lessen your chance of her saying “No.” JUST KIDDING! After Mike made his decision, he contacted Dolphin World right away to start putting his plan into action.

Book Your Dolphin Programs in Florida Keys Online Now >>>

The Preparation

Dolphin World booked the Dolphin Encounter and contacted the trainers to let them know of Mike’s plans.

Dolphin Engagement Preparation in the Florida Keys

Then Mike contacted the trainers directly to make the final arrangements for the proposals, including where, when, and how it would happen. Mike was given the choice to do the proposal during the dolphin wade, which was private and intimate, or the dolphin show, which was public with many people present. Mike chose the dolphin show.

When the big day finally arrived, Mike and Jodi set off to the Upper Florida Keys from Fort Lauderdale.

The plan was set for Mike to propose during the dolphin show that was part of their day and later on they would both experience the dolphin WADE program. The Dolphin WADE program is in waste deep water with the dolphins, where they get to hug, pet, and kiss the dolphins a lot during a 30 minute session in the water.

The Proposal

After talking with the Dolphin Handler, Mike arranged to pass off the ring to the instructor of the dolphins, who in turn worked it out with the photographer to film it and to get the ring to Mike during the show.

So the day seemed normal to Jodi, they did the park tour and saw the marine life tour, parrot show, and seal lion show. All the shows had put the couple in a happy and relaxed mood until the next show, the dolphin show. Mike knew it was about to happen. His palms of his hands were getting sweaty because he did not know exactly how everything was going to happen. He left it in God’s hands and he was ready to go.

The couple sat in the stands waiting for the cue from the trainers who asked for volunteers to interact with the dolphins on stage. They intentionally picked too many people and separated them into 2 groups. The last group was Mike and Jodi only. So the first group went up and did their interaction with the dolphins and then they announced for Mike and Jodi to go up on the floating stage. Jodi was expecting the same experience as the first group.

Jodi bent over expecting a kiss from the dolphins but instead the dolphin brought her an engagement ring with a watertight cup around the rostrum (nose). The trainer informed everyone that this was strange and that the dolphin had something for Jodi. They instructed Jodi to take the enclosed cup off the dolphin and to open the cup, behold nothing was in the cup!!!! Then they told her to turn around to look at Mike and there he was on one knee to ask that one question that every woman wants to hear “Will You Marry Me?” The crowd was hushed and eagerly waited for her response. Jodi got a little nervous but God gave her the peace to say the magical word “ YES.”

The Ring

In his nervous state and condition, Mike accidentally put the ring on the wrong hand. Jodi whispered in a

loving voice “Honey, you put it on the wrong hand.” Mike quickly fixed his mistake and the couple kissed with passion knowing that they would soon be husband and wife. The crowd rejoiced with approval by clapping and cheering. The newly engaged couple walked off the stage with the knowledge of their new commitment and were congratulated by several guests throughout the day.

They enjoyed the rest of the day with the Dolphin Encounter program and then it was capped off with great professional dolphin photos and video of the entire day.

Mike recommends that if you are stuck on where to propose to your potential spouse, this is a homerun and a sure thing to satisfy her childhood dream. This was a day Mike and Jodi will never forget and Mike turned out to be Jodi’s hero for the day. For more information contact Dolphin World.

Wedding Proposal with the Dolphins

Posted on December 2, 2015November 1, 2015 by Dolphin Man — Leave a comment

Nicki’s Story: A Career in Marine Biology

You have probably heard the saying, “Find a job that you love and you’ll never have to work another day

Nicki Marine Biologist — Nicki the Marine Biologist

in your life!” For many of us, it is hard to imagine having that kind of love for a day job, but for some like Nicki LaPierre, this statement couldn’t be more true. Nicki is a perfect example of how a little determination and a lot of hard work can lead to great success, even at such a young age. At the age of 21, she found her dream job in the beautiful Florida Keys and now, three years later, Nicki is one of the youngest and most talented dolphin handlers in the State of Florida. Her cheerful attitude clearly displays the passion she has for what she does for a living and the excitement she exudes when talking about the beauty and grace of dolphins commands respect of all participants in the dolphin swims. But her greatest skills are seen in the way she interacts with the dolphins-she loves them and they certainly love her!

Where It All Began

Nicki’s love of dolphins started when she was only seven years old, and her parents gave her a dolphin necklace. She fell in love with the necklaces and with dolphins and from that moment on, she knew that marine mammals were always going to have a special place in her heart. In high school, her favorite classes were the ones having to do with the outdoors and with oceans. Once, while vacationing in Florida, Nicki’s parents took her to SeaWorld in Orlando. It was during the time in this park that her love for dolphins was strengthened and she became convinced that her career would somehow involve dolphins and maybe even swim with dolphins in Florida too! After she graduated from high school in Centerville, Virginia, Nicki moved to the University of Tampa to study Marine Biology.

Marine Biology in Florida — Start a Marine Biology Career

Though many of the Marine Biology courses were extremely difficult, Nicki was able to stay focused and study hard with the help of Dr. Rice, one of her college’s guidance counselors who recognized Nicki’s strong will and heart for dolphins. Even though she knew the odds of working with dolphins were against her, she kept persevering, remembering how valuable Dr. Rice’s support was.

A Life Changing Summer

Since there weren’t any specific programs at her school for dolphin handling or care giving, Nicki realized that her best chance was to try to get an internship. She spent one semester interning with dolphins in the Florida Keys, and that semester changed her life forever. Nicki described her internship, saying, “Some people have a glamorous idea of what an internship is. They think it’s a vacation, time away from Marine Biology school. But it’s not like that at all. It’s definitely hard work, and you don’t get paid. It was a real eye-opener.” She remembers those times fondly, as she had a lot of fun and made several new friends. Nicki impressed the dolphin trainers at the facility so much that they offered her the first dolphin handler position that became available.

Where She Is Now

Today, Nicki recognizes that without her perseverance through her college years and that internship, she probably would not be where she is now. She is proud to be one the of the youngest dolphin handlers around and happily admits that she is living her dream.

Even though she is not in the water all the time, Nicki feels she has been accepted into the dolphins’ world and is a part of their family. Nicki loves her job and has a rare passion for what she does, telling us that she doesn’t see herself giving it up any time soon. Her biggest future plans is to work with special needs children as they get the chance to swim with dolphins. Nicki’s final words of advice to everyone who is trying to figure out what do for a living is, “do what you truly desire and follow your dreams.”

To read more about how to get a job or internship with dolphins and other marine animals, Dolphin Internship.

Posted on June 25, 2014June 25, 2014 by Dolphin Man — Leave a comment

5 Fun Facts about Sea Lions

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t think sea lions were pretty adorable. With their long whiskers, winged feet and funny little shuffle-walk, they are one of the most unique creatures on the planet. But there are many things people don’t know about sea lions. For instance, they’re highly intelligent. In fact the US Navy has trained sea lions to help protect the waters off the coast of California from terrorist activity. Sea lions were actually used during the Vietnam War and Operation Iraqui Freedom.
Here are 5 other fun facts about sea lions you may not know.

Bulls and Cows and Pups, Oh My!

Male sea lions are called bulls, females are called cows and their babies are called pups. Sea lions are very social creatures and live in large groups called colonies or pods. These colonies can consist of thousands of sea lions all living in relative harmony, with a few skirmishes here and there.

And the Gold Medal Goes to…

Despite how oddly-shaped they are, sea lions are actually fantastic athletes able to complete rather astounding physical feats. For instance, they can dive to depths of 800 feet in order to find food. And, although they’re air breathers, they can remain under water for up to 30 minutes and can swim at a top speed of 25 miles an hour. Look out Michael Phelps.

5 Fun Fact about Sea Lions - They dive down deep — 5 Fun Fact about Sea Lions – They dive down deep

There are 7 Different Species

There are 7 different species of sea lion found in the waters all around the world. There is the Steller sea lion, also known as the northern sea lion and found in the North Pacific Ocean. The Steller sea lion is the largest of all the species. Next is the South American sea lion found along the west coast of South America; the Australian sea lion – which is a small species found along the south and west coasts of Australia; the California sea lion, which is considered the most intelligent of the species; the New Zealand sea lion found around the south island of New Zealand; and finally the Galapagos sea lion found only around the Galapagos islands and thought to be related to the California sea lion.

Mmm, Mmm, Good

So, what do sea lions eat? Sea lions are carnivores and primarily live on fish. Some of their favorite fish are herring, mackerel, squid and sardines. Although they do have teeth, they tend to be rather piggish and swallow their fish whole.

How do they DO That?

We’ve all seen sea lions balance a ball on their nose, but did you ever really wonder how they do that? Well, they’re kind of cheating. You see they don’t actually balance the ball on their nose, they actually balance it using their stiff whiskers – it just looks like it’s on the tip of their nose. Pretty sneaky.

Get Up Close and Personal

Would you like to learn more about these amazing animals and see (or rather sea) them up close? At Ocean World Adventure Park in Cofresi, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, you can swim, play, hug, kiss and feed the sea lions in their natural habitat. It’s an experience like no other you’ve ever had. Here is a video to see the Sea Lion Encounter in Puerto Plata program. We also offer swimming with the Sea Lions in Miami, Nassau Bahamas, Punta Cana Dominican Republic, Florida Keys, Panama City Beach, Oahu Hawaii, and Cancun Mexico.

Category: General Information