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The Ultimate Package: the Dolphin and Sea Lion Experience in Oahu!

Animal Excitement in Oahu

Swimming with dolphins and sea lions is just fun with a splash of excitement and a lot of laughter mixed in; from the second you step onto the platform and see the splashing dolphins to the sea lions barking their hellos. Two of the most graceful creatures will be swimming and playing with you. It truly is a most memorable experience in Oahu Hawaii!

Animal Excitement in Oahu
Animal Excitement in Oahu

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Almost time to play!

After the walk to the platform and the anticipation building up inside you, there is the sound of water splashing and high pitch squeaks. The dolphins are already jumping and splashing in anticipation of your arrival. An excitement builds up inside of you as you approach. There is a moment of orientation with the trainer to better understand these creatures and how to have the most fun with them. All the while there is a twitch in your stance and shuffle in your feet as the dolphin pokes his head out from the water by your foot on the platform. The dolphin will start to nod and playfully splash, as if asking you “why are you not in the water yet?” “Aren’t I much more interesting than that scrawny human talking to you”. It is a bit comical to think a dolphin would speak this way to us, but there body language and high pitch squeaks basically translate to roughly that conversation; especially when they see new and interesting people they have not played with before.

Dolphin Swim Oahu
Dolphin Swim Oahu

Playtime! Finally! *squeak!*

The orientation will be over and the trainers will ask you to step into the water. Although this is a group swim with the dolphins, and there might be the fear that it might not be as personal between you and the dolphin, there really is nothing to fear. Because the group is bigger and the dolphins are more numerous, there is an independence the dolphins take for themselves and you can interact with the dolphin more freely versus a trainer staring right at you the entire time. The group vibe builds the excitement and chatter, feeding the dolphin with positive energy and feeling more and more energetic as he jumps and dances with you.

Book Your Dolphins or Sea Lions Oahu Hawaii Programs >>

The trainer will teach you some hand gestures to better communicate with the dolphin and the dolphin will swim and dance as you guide him. The dolphins then recollect in the center and perform tricks for you. They show off their amazing balance by swimming on their hind fins and acrobatic synchronization as they swim in unison and flip through the air. As the tricks come to an end they will go back to you and dance, splashing you with water as they squeak with joy. They will roll over on their bellies and have you give them a belly rub and show off their super speed as they dart to and fro before you. The swim will conclude with a kiss from the playful dolphin on your cheek.

Sea Lions waiting in Oahu
Sea Lions waiting in Oahu

Our turn now! *BARK!* *BARK!*

As they make their way out for a rest you float there wondering what’s next. But you don’t have much time to ponder, it as their barks start closing in on you. The sea lions shoot through into the open water and circle around the platform, as if to say, ok the junior party is over, let the real entertainers do the work. In addition to letting you pet them and feel there shinny cool to the touch coats, they perform many tricks, jumping in the air over your head and allowing you to play ball with them. They bark and splash, with joy at having playmates. They sneak around in the clear, beautiful water and pop their heads out, lunging towards you in a hug, their whiskers tickling your neck and shoulders. Then one of them will swim very gracefully in front of you and just float there. You might try to move away but they will be having none of that. They want you to hold them, and they hold their flipper up and snuggle up against you.The swim will conclude with their giant faces up against yours and their flipper around your shoulders, in a warm, loving kiss and hug. The time will come that you have to leave and they will bark and splash, letting you know they expect you back, there new found friends.

Sea Lion Kiss in Oahu
Sea Lion Kiss in Oahu
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Dolphin Paradise in Nassau Bahamas

Dolphin Swim Nassau Bahamas

You will get to experience a magical and unique opportunity that is likely to surpass anything you could have previously conceived with respect to interacting and swimming with dolphins during the dolphin encounter. This is something most have only dreamt about, but you are about to experience it first hand here at Blue Lagoon Bahamas. You get to love and bond with these delightful creatures, play with a dolphin in a natural saltwater lagoon habitat.

Blue Lagoon Island Nassau Bahamas
Blue Lagoon Island Nassau Bahamas

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Getting Set Up!

Blue Lagoon is where it all start

The beginning of the experience will begin with a small orientation where you will learn about the dolphin’s habitat and the ocean. Best part; no matter how young or old you are, you can participate in the dolphin encounter! It is also during this time that accommodations will be made for wheelchair guests, should there be any, and the trainer will prepare you the grand entrance of the dolphin.

Watch the Fun Dolphin Encounter Video

A Grand Entrance on Blue Lagoon

The fun starts once the splashing will begin and the dolphins will leap high in the air, displaying their acrobatic skills for you. They will splash around and circle you as they introduce themselves. They will rub against you, rolling on their bellies, asking you for a belly rub. Dolphins are extremely playful and friendly and they will bask in the attention and love they receive from you, so remember, be generous. They will also hug you and kiss you, squeaking in delight at the new friends they have just made. The fun is just beginning as the positive energy and excitement you are feeling is absorbed by them and given back as his tricks and swimming continue. By the end of it all you can’t help but smile from ear to ear as you have just interacted with one of the most intelligent  beautiful and adoring creatures in existence and they gave you their undivided attention, afterall you are now their lifelong friends.

Dolphin Swim Nassau Bahamas
Dolphin Swim Nassau Bahamas

Photos and Videos – a Memory for Life

Throughout the entire experience a Blue Lagoon photographer and videographer will be recording your entire experience so that when it is done, you will be able to take it with you and relive the joy you felt in this paradise over and over again.

This experience is unique and almost impossible to recreate. The helpful staff and the fun dolphin is unique to only Blue Lagoon. The beauty of the island and the majesty of the dolphin is unmatched and only here can you find this paradise where you forget the world.

The innocence and excitement of the sea creature will captivate you and mesmerize your soul. The bond formed with this graceful loving creature will be with you for the rest of your life. And no matter what, rain or shine, you will have that bond there waiting for you; waiting to be created and the dolphin waiting to befriend you.

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Meet and Greet the Marine life with Ron Hardy

Learn About Dolphins in Panama City Beach

Ron Hardy is a retired high school band director. For 15 years he spent his time teaching students how to bring the gift of music to the world and when he started getting close to retiring, he decided to try to find a way to give back to his community. He decided to start working at Gulf World and spends his days ensuring the you and your family have the best visit you could possibly have and walk away from Gulf World wanting to come back again soon.

The facility offers first and foremost an environment that not only pleases you as the visitor and ensures you have a good time but the employees as well. Ron Hardy does believe that if the employees are happy, the visitors are happy and therefore tries to do his part in making everyone’s day a little better. The goal that he likes to have is to make sure that everyone he encounters on his day is having a good time.

Meet Ron Hardy in this Video

Educational Fun: Understand the Animals

At the facility you can have a fun and learning experience. It is important to enjoy your vacation but if you do not take anything away from what you have seen and interacted with, the memory is not complete, in the eyes of Ron Hardy. Along with all the entertainment – the tricks the animals perform and the games you get to play with them – there is always some sort of educational insert so that you as the visitor can better understand and connect with that beautiful dolphin or sea lion you are playing with. When you understand something better, you can connect with it on a much deeper and profound level.

Many Different Animals to Discover in Panama City Beach
Many Different Animals to Discover in Panama City Beach

Too Much to Enjoy!

The facility offers a wide variety of attractions for the entire family to enjoy. There is going to be something that you like no matter what. There are performances with sea lions and dolphins, as well as sting rays. You get to feed the animals and really come to see them with a fresh look and better understand their role in the environment.  They also offer a very large selection of birds – from parrots to penguins and flamingos! You get to see them up close and they perform tricks as well for the bird lover in you! And just to be sure they have all the bases covered, they also have more reptilian attractions with crocodiles and sea turtles also making an appearance! It really is unique in that they really want to give you as much of a snapshot of the ocean as possible.

Large Bird Exhibit in Panama City Beach
Large Bird Exhibit in Panama City Beach

Mission Statement

The purpose of Gulf World is to ensure that you and your family have a good time. From the unique animal life they present to you to the performances and entertainment they provide, Ron and his staff want that when you leave the facility, every single memory you have is wonderful. They want you to remember that dolphin you bonded with and sea turtle you pet. They want you to come back and relive that very special moment because a bond between you and a dolphin is something that can never be undone or forgotten.

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Animal Education for the Whole Family in Panama City Beach
Animal Education for the Whole Family in Panama City Beach
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Dolphins and Snorkeling near Key Largo Marine Sanctuary!

Dolphins and Snorkeling

Just a short drive from Miami is the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park with America’s only living coral reef. It is celebrating its 50th anniversary and its success in protecting and conserving its natural resources. This is the jewel of the Florida Keys because of its live coral reef.

When you visit the sanctuary you visit America’s first underwater preserve. The live coral reef and abundance of sea life is truly breathtaking and unique. When you ride in the boat with the glass bottom, you can see the coral reef up close and admire its beauty.  Also, the Florida Keys is one of the few places where you have Dolphins and Snorkeling in one place.

Video of the Snorkel Boat We Use – Get a Taste of What You Will See

Dolphins and Snorkeling in One Day

Many visitors want to snorkel and swim with the dolphins while in the Florida Keys, well, you can do this with Dolphin World. We offer the 1 Day Dolphin Swim Mini Workshop where you can do both fun filled activities.  It will be a full day where half of the day you will get the 30 minute dolphin swim in Islamorada.  During your 30 minutes, you will get to know your bottlenose dolphin where you get to pet, play and swim with them in deep water. This experience will entail a  snorkel and free swim with them in an all natural salt water lagoon.   Included in your day, you can snorkel in John Pennekamp Coral Reef park in Key Largo.  Your experienced boat captain will take you and your family to the best spots of the reef to explore all the wonders of the colorful tropical fish and coral structures.

Florida Keys Dolphin Encounter

 

Attractions of the Greenery and Animal Life

When you visit the marine sanctuary you will get to explore the nature trails with the lush greenery, walk the beautiful sandy beaches, and admire and learn about the abundant wildlife that inhabit the state park. The beautiful blue water gives you the perfect window to view the fish and coral reef in its natural habitat.

You get to scuba dive with the fish and get up close and personal with the only live coral reef in America along with all the beautiful fish. There is a rainbow of life under the water waiting for you to explore it. The beauty and peace felt when faced with such a unique and majestic sight is truly unlike anything you will ever experience. There is the beauty and peace felt when in paradise and then there’s the beauty and peace you feel when in a totally different world, away from the world and sound of land life.

Book Your Florida Keys 1 Day Dolphin/Snorkel Program >>

The Christ of the Abyss

Below 25 feet of turquoise water stands a nine foot bronze statue of the Christ of the Abyss, an exact replica of which rests in the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded by living coral reef formations and highlights the miracle of America’s only living coral reef. When you scuba dive you can get up close and see the entire ecosystem that has grown onto the statue. The beauty of the adaptation of the organism is truly breathtaking.

Florida Keys Snorkeling

Miles of Beauty and Paradise

The sanctuary covers 2800 square nautical miles of the waters throughout the Florida Bay, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean. There are coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove swamps that adorn the sanctuary waters. There is an infinite amount of wildlife that coexist and live in this giant span of water. The fish, birds, marine life, and land animals that grow and inhabit the lush greenery and water are numberless and beautiful.

The sanctuary is open year around and offers the visitors an experience unlike any other. The park has two man made beaches, kayaking and boat rentals, nature trails and 47 camping sites. You get a chance to experience the park on many different levels and in so many different ways you don’t miss a thing. You get to experience the nature and wildlife of so many different environments there is no park that can match the beauty and intimacy you experience at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

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Swim with Dolphins in Florida – This State has it all

Dolphin Encounter in Florida

Imagine swimming next to an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin in a sunlit salt water lagoon or natural salt water pool. Arms at your sides and flippers covering your feet, you glide through the water. Touching the dolphin’s back, you take a deep breath through your snorkel and dive down, side-by-side, into an underwater paradise.

The dolphin anticipates your every move and follows closely beside you. Your eyes meet and an unwavering feeling of camaraderie, admiration and gratitude overtake you. This is the dolphin’s world and for just a moment, you are a welcome visitor.

The swim with dolphins in Florida is the most sought after and coveted of human-marine animal interactions. Cousins to whales, dolphins are incredibly intelligent and capable of understanding complex language. Dolphins have long intrigued humans with their playful, friendly nature and “smiling” rostrum.

Most marine parks and dolphin swim facilities in Florida have programs to match the needs and expectations of individual participants, families and small groups. These include a meet, encounter or swim with dolphins encounter, resulting in a variety of interactions and experiences.

Book Your Dolphin Programs in Florida Online Now >>>

Meet the Dolphin in Florida

Meet the Dolphin in Florida
Meet the Dolphin in Florida

“ Meet the Dolphins” is a session in which participants have the opportunity to touch and interact with the dolphins from a floating dock or platform, while the trainer guides them through a series of basic interactive behaviors. These can include rubs, kisses and cradles, toy retrieval, singing, eye contact and many excellent photo opportunities.

This is a chance to become acquainted with dolphins and in a more comfortable setting and  you don’t need to go into the water at all. It is an excellent precursor to a dolphin encounter or swim with dolphins, and an ideal session for young children and those with limited mobility or an aversion to water. With the dolphins being an average length of 6-9 feet and weight of 500 lbs., the mere size of these gentle giants is surprising for anyone.

Dolphin Encounters in Florida

Dolphin Encounter in Florida
Dolphin Encounter in Florida

A “Dolphin Encounter ” program is great for children as young as 3 and up and with parent or guardian participation in water with the child. A wade is perfect for senior citizens or those not yet comfortable with a full swim encounter.

Participants stand in 3 to 4 feet of water and are approached individually for various contact-based dolphin behaviors, with full direction from the trainer. These can include a swim-by, kiss, rostrum rub, hug, toy retrieval, and a choice of additional interactions outlined by the trainer. Many photos will be taken by the park photographer and will be available for review and purchase after your wade. You don’t need to worry about any swimming in this program. This program is great for almost anyone!

Swim with Dolphin Florida Experience

Swim with Dolphins in Florida
Swim with Dolphins in Florida

The “Swim with Dolphins” encounter is like nothing else. Champion of encounters, a swim with dolphins session, provides a rare opportunity to experience the human-marine animal connection.

The swim takes place in a pool or lagoon with water depths of 15-20 feet. It is important to be adept as a swimmer to feel comfortable during this activity and experienced with a snorkel to dive underwater side-by-side.

The swim will include individual or paired activities like rubbing and kisses, participator tricks with props such as a hoop, cradles, dorsal tows and foot pushes (much like skiing, with the dolphins providing the push power), imitative behaviors and finally a side-by side swim. You will also get a first hand look at the close relationship between trainer and dolphin, which often lasts for many years.

Whether a Dolphin Encounter or swim with dolphins in Florida is right for you and your family or group, you can depend on Dolphin World to help you find the best dolphin swim programs for your destination vacation.