A Parrothead's Journeys

A way cool experience. Swimming with dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center. Before they allow you into the water, you'll go through a 90 minute presentation that will tell you about the work going on at the center and also a fews do's and don'ts about what to do while your in the water with the dolphins.

For example, if a dolphin swims up to you and offers you their dorsal fin, do take a hold of it and allow them to pull you through the water. Sometimes two dolphins, one on each side of you, will do this. Grab the dorsal fin on both dolphins and prepare for a fast and fun ride.

If however a dolphin swims up to you, rolls a little and offers you their belly, do not, rub their belly. This is ..... how shall I put this ..... a turn on for the dolphin. You do not want a sexually excited dolphin in the water with you. They are surprisingly large creatures.

It was a lot of fun, and a learning experience. You can float flat on your back with your feet together and a dolphin will swim up to you and push you by the feet. What amazed me most was making eye contact with a dolphin. I definitely felt as if I was communicating with a very intelligent animal. Now I loved my Golden Retriever. We've made eye contact together thousands of times and played together plenty .... but the level of intelligence is just not the same as what I saw with the dolphins.