Dolphin Encounter and Stingray City

[gtuck11]

Carnival has this expedition listed for 100.00 Doed anyone know who operates this excursion and has anyone had any experience with it?

 

My wife does not swim so "swimming" with the dolphins is out but standing on a platform would be ok.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated. :)

[BurtonJackson22]

We've been to Grand Cayman a couple of times, just found out they added a couple dolphin parks a year or so ago.

 

Before you go, you should read a little about how dolphins are taken from their home in the ocean. I found one site here that explains the whole thing really well...

http://www.caymandolphinpark.com

 

Personally, we like the Stingray city place the best anyway. We used a company called Sotos twice, we liked them so much the first time we went back. Their website is... http://www.sotoscruises.com

 

There are a lot of the stingray companies, one time we saw about a dozen boats out there, at least 2 of them had OVER 150 PEOPLE on them! I am NOT exaggerating, there may have been even more!

 

We were really glad we picked Sotos, there we were with about 10 other people on our boat! We found them at the website for one of the local magazines, it's the Activity Guide, but I can't remember the website. Google the words Cayman, with Activity or Guide and you'll find it, they have a huge forum with videos and lots of things to save, not just the stingrays.

 

I hope I helped, have a great time in the Caymans. We're going back in a few months, trying to time it with their Pirate Week festival. It's sort of like a Madi Gras, or that one in Rio, but a lot tamer!

[BurtonJackson22]

I forgot to mention, about the dolphin places, one of them just had a baby dolphin DIE! And they've only been open less than a year. So whatever they're doin with all those dolphin parks there all of a sudden, evidently they are not doing it very well, if one of them is already DEAD!

 

Anyone going should just go to the site I mentioned or just go to Google and research a little about how the dolphin are captured. I'll bet no one would go if they knew about all the horrible deaths that it takes just to get ONE dolphin into one of those places! It's really brutal, senseless and all that. But the main thing that I read that really made me think was at that site, they said something about when we get older, our kids get older, sooner or later, it's just a matter of time, everyone is going to figure out these places or at least the way they get them there is just plain grotesque! Then what am I supposed to tell my kids when they ask me why I ever brought them to a place like that? Kids are getting smarter all the time, I swear my 10 year old is smarter than me already, but that's not saying much!

 

Just had to add that. Sorry for the rant, but once you start reading this stuff it's really hard not to become involved, or at least stay away and not give them money with ticket prices to keep up the torture on those poor dolphins!

[capncarp]

I have to jump on the bandwagon here. DW and I met the stingrays on our stop in the Caymans in '05. One of the best experiences in my life! The 'rays are not "tame" but they are not unused to human presence and will interact peaceably with you.

From what I've learned about the performing dolphins, where and how and from whom they are obtained, and the effects of their habitat and training upon them, I have rethought my previously earnest desire to have a canned "dolphin encounter". I'd love to meet them in the open water, but I'll be shunning any dolphin excursions.

[sunluva7]

I agree, a trip to Stingray City is an amazing experience!

 

On the subject of dolphin exploitation, I just watched "The Cove", the movie about the capture and killing of bottled-nosed dolphins in Japan. I've never been one to get emotionally charged over documentaries, but that was enough to change my dolphin excursion to a Stingray & Reef snorkel instead. ;)

[capncarp]

I agree, a trip to Stingray City is an amazing experience!

 

On the subject of dolphin exploitation, I just watched "The Cove", the movie about the capture and killing of bottled-nosed dolphins in Japan. I've never been one to get emotionally charged over documentaries, but that was enough to change my dolphin excursion to a Stingray & Reef snorkel instead. ;)

 

Thank you, I'd forgotten the name of the film. The one that the Japanese government is currently trying to stifle out of their nation's public's consciousness. And at the head of the film project is Ric O'Barry, who was "Flipper's" trainer, a job he now grieves to think has helped to lead untold numbers of dolphins to either death or a stressful unnatural existence in captivity.

[sunluva7]

Thank you, I'd forgotten the name of the film. The one that the Japanese government is currently trying to stifle out of their nation's public's consciousness. And at the head of the film project is Ric O'Barry, who was "Flipper's" trainer, a job he now grieves to think has helped to lead untold numbers of dolphins to either death or a stressful unnatural existence in captivity.

 

Exactly. Now if only I can convince the rest of the family to skip the dolphin entertainment...:rolleyes:

[capncarp]

Exactly. Now if only I can convince the rest of the family to skip the dolphin entertainment...:rolleyes:

 

Well, you could load the family DVD player with "The Cove" and turn it on when they are all in the mood for a "spy story with lots of violence and bloody action, with a massive sea animal assault". You don't have to say that the assault was _upon_ the sea creatures....:cool: Or if they are fond of the horror genre, you can tell them it's about an evil place where people congregate to commit evil bloody sacrifices. :D

[sunluva7]

Well, you could load the family DVD player with "The Cove" and turn it on when they are all in the mood for a "spy story with lots of violence and bloody action, with a massive sea animal assault". You don't have to say that the assault was _upon_ the sea creatures....:cool: Or if they are fond of the horror genre, you can tell them it's about an evil place where people congregate to commit evil bloody sacrifices. :D

I have convinced everyone to take a jeep tour.:) Actually, O'Barry says it best in this article, doing so without the drama: http://www.solomonstarnews.com/viewpoint/private-view/6132-of-dolphins-and-decency