Why You Should Visit Marineland
At Marineland’s Dolphin Conservation Center, a former showplace for dolphins to entertain the public with tricks through hoops and other antics, you can now swim with these creatures that are today part of a conservation movement by the renovated park.
When I was celebrating my 40th birthday a few months back, my sister decided to surprise me with a gift of a swim beside these creatures, something I have always wanted do.
When we first arrive, I am put into a small class of visitors like me who are learning all about dolphins before we go out into the water. Then we are directed to a locker room where we put our clothes away and emerge, given masks and lifejackets and a briefing as we join two other classes beside us, already engaged with the dolphins. Me, being the only one who opted to don a wetsuit over my swimsuit (the choice is yours) listen fascinated along with the others as we step into the water and are introduced to the dolphins who are mostly female – three pregnant.
We are taught tricks to teach the mammals like raising our hands to get them to perform certain tasks and feeding them baby fish which they gobble up eagerly before their next feat. Their skin feels like the fiberglass on a boat, smooth as silk, and their mouths look like they are fixed in a permanent smile. Known for their high intelligence and affection, they swim toward us, back and forth, rolling over for their bellies to be rubbed, swimming underneath us, gliding as effortless as melting butter.
We even learn sounds to make to encourage the dolphins to engage in various tricks and watch as one “paints” a picture for a group with its fin. For $75 you can get your own specially created painting if you are at least five years old. Despite their massive pregnancy state, some of the dolphins jump through hoops entertaining the crowd, splashing water at onlookers. All participants in the dolphin interaction are photographed by the center’s professional photographers – pictures you can purchase as you leave.
What makes this swim unique also is learning about how to and how not to interact with these creatures, some of whom have been victims of poachers. One of the things we learned is if you are out in open water and a dolphin approaches you not to feed it anything on your boat because it can make them sick, especially if the fish you’re feeding them has been sitting out on your ride all day in the sun, ripe for spoiling.
Marineland is described as the first oceanarium built in the 1930s, taking great care with the dolphins including when they’re about to give birth. Staff rotates round the clock to keep an eye on females about to become moms, making sure they’re kept warm and incubated.
General reservations are not required by the facility.
In the Flippers & Fins Program for $75 you can engage in a ten-minute interactive program learning all about the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin. The age requirement is three years old. Those seven years old and under must be accompanied by a paying participant adult or paying attendee who is at least 13.
The Discover Dolphins Program, $120, lets you step into the water with a trainer and other classmates. You will be in shallow water throughout the demonstration.
In The Immersion Program, which costs $150, you will swim with the dolphins in shallow and deep water. Those nine years old or under must be accompanied by a paying participant 16 years old and up.
With The Quest, only available Fridays and Saturdays, plenty of swimming with the dolphins is available without waiting your turn – at a cost of $275.00. You can even be part of the creative planning and join the crew for the time you’re in the water.
Marineland is located at 9600 Oceanshore Boulevard.
For more information on Marineland, go to marineland.net or call 904-471-1111.
