dolphin swim in Cozumel

[lisaoakmnt@aol.com]

Has anyone done the dolphin swim in Cozumel? How long are you actually stay at the facility? Can you stay longer or must you return with your group?

[Surfgirl]

Has anyone done the dolphin swim in Cozumel? How long are you actually stay at the facility? Can you stay longer or must you return with your group?

 

Please do some reading on this before you go. These types of excursions are extremely cruel to the dolphins. Please see:

 

http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/B6216E894BF0D274802570B900510DB6

 

http://www.wildlifepimps.com/feat-SwimWithDolphins.htm

[Gingee]

Gad, now I am debating on whether to do our dolphin swim.

[Gingee]

Does anyone know the conditions that the dolphins have in Cozmuel?

[Surfgirl]

Well, I have never been there.. however.. I can tell you that Cozumel uses wild caught dolphins. Please read about how they are captured.. very cruel. They are taken away from their pod mates and families. Dolphins are highly developed social animals, and mourn for their missing families. Here is the info on Cozumel and Wild Caught Dolphins:

http://www.thedolphinsview.com/aboutDols/aboutDolsNews.shtml

 

One Voice, a leading French animal protection organization that is working to stop the capture and traffic of dolphins in the Caribbean, applauded the OFAC decision. Richard O'Barry, Marine Mammal Specialist for One Voice, has asked the US Treasury Department to investigate Mike Wood and other US Citizens who operate Dolphin Discovery. O'Barry has evidence that Dolphin Discovery has purchased at least 33 captured dolphins from Cuba, although the number could go as high as 70. The evidence has been turned over to the US Treasury Department. Dolphin Discovery of Cancun has been in business since 1994 and they are expanding into the Caribbean at an alarming rate. They have captive dolphin facilities in Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Aventuras Mexico, Tortola BWI, Antigua and Anguilla. “We have reason to believe that all of their facilities are holding Cuban dolphins," O'Barry said

 

There was a discussion on this on another travel forum. You can see it here:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=6&tid=34926539

[Gingee]

So basically if you go to any shows like Sea World or anything that has a captured mammal like a dolphin, seal, etc. you are contributing to their death? That's what I understand from the information I read.

[Gingee]

You might want to check this out. Of course they will tell the public anything. I don't know what to believe.

 

http://www.*****teens/info_how-dolphin-learn.asp

[newt98]

i just got back from coz. we did the royal swim. we did it independently from the ship, so we were able to stay. the whole thing lasts a little more than an hour. and it was so worth it. the dolphins are there doing this, whether or not you go. don't let anybody elses view point sway you away from doing this, if this is what YOU want to do. we did ours at Chankanaab park, but i believe both are nice facilities. enjoy!

[newt98]

sorry, i guess dolphin discovery is the one i did.

[Gingee]

We are signed up for the swim adventure. The one in the middle of their three choices.

[Surfgirl]

i just got back from coz. we did the royal swim. we did it independently from the ship, so we were able to stay. the whole thing lasts a little more than an hour. and it was so worth it. the dolphins are there doing this, whether or not you go. don't let anybody elses view point sway you away from doing this, if this is what YOU want to do. we did ours at Chankanaab park, but i believe both are nice facilities. enjoy!

 

The point is that when you pay your money to these places, you are supporting the capture and imprisonment of dolphins.

 

I'm sorry that you haven't read any of the links that I provided. Then you would know how many dolphins die from being captured in the wild.. how they mourn their missing pod mates and families.. how the small facilities don't let them use their sonar.. how the trainers keep them semi-starved so they will do anything for a fish.

 

It's sad. If people would spread the word and boycott these places, there would be no demand.. hence the dolphins would be left to swim where they belong.. in the open sea.

[Surfgirl]

This is an article from the NY Times about the Dolphin Discovery. Anyone thinking about doing one of these swims.... PLEASE read this.

 

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9904E4DA163CF931A35753C1A9659C8B63&sec=travel&spon=&pagewanted=1

[newt98]

different people feel strongly about different things. yes a dying dolphin is a sad thing, and i wish no dolphin ever died, and i wish there is not war. but the reality is, i have three kids, my new wife has two, i run a business, she runs a law office, and i don't feel as passionate about the dolphin issue as you. i have bigger fish to fry other than worrying about the dying dolphins. we do need people in this world to be concerned about these kinds of issues, and i appreciate that you are one of them.

[fandiguy]

I did the Dolphin Swim in Dec. It was nice. You spend a little over an hour in the water however your individual time with the dolphins is about 15 minutes. You do 3 different activities with the dolphins and then the dolphin swims around you for about 5 minutes. My wife and I enjoyed it but I would not do it again. It is rather pricey and the pictures and video afterwards are not cheap

[tazdeb]

Dont let these tree-huggers diswade you from doing the swim. If these nut jobs get their way we would'nt ride horses, have zoos, keep dogs as pets or eat any meat. I'm all for the safe and gentle care of animals and would'nt want any of them mis-treated but these PETA goofs go over the line...The dolphins I swam with looked healthy and happy. People have to realize that most animals are'nt Disney characters with happy little feet that sing and dance. They are animals, we are the dominate species and if this is a humane way to teach people about them then I say the way they are caught is worth it as long as they are then treated well, which these dolphins are...tAZ

[Surfgirl]

Dont let these tree-huggers diswade you from doing the swim. If these nut jobs get their way we would'nt ride horses, have zoos, keep dogs as pets or eat any meat. I'm all for the safe and gentle care of animals and would'nt want any of them mis-treated but these PETA goofs go over the line...The dolphins I swam with looked healthy and happy. People have to realize that most animals are'nt Disney characters with happy little feet that sing and dance. They are animals, we are the dominate species and if this is a humane way to teach people about them then I say the way they are caught is worth it as long as they are then treated well, which these dolphins are...tAZ

 

The mere fact that you have to resort to name-calling discredits your post.

[BeachBumMama]

Dont let these tree-huggers diswade you from doing the swim. If these nut jobs get their way we would'nt ride horses, have zoos, keep dogs as pets or eat any meat. I'm all for the safe and gentle care of animals and would'nt want any of them mis-treated but these PETA goofs go over the line...The dolphins I swam with looked healthy and happy. People have to realize that most animals are'nt Disney characters with happy little feet that sing and dance. They are animals, we are the dominate species and if this is a humane way to teach people about them then I say the way they are caught is worth it as long as they are then treated well, which these dolphins are...tAZ

 

I don't think Surfgirl is hugging any trees, she's merely trying to provide information for people to be aware. An educated person is more apt to make a good and moral choice about some things as opposed to someone who doesn't know any better.

 

Personally, I was always wanting to do a dolphin swim and we'd booked a cruise where I would finally have the chance. I'd heard a few grumblings etc. and like you, merely thought it was probably a few 'nut jobs' as you put it. They looked happy, they swam, jumped, etc. etc. Appeared well taken care of...

 

I saw a segment of 20/20 or Dateline, can't remember which, and those thirty minutes didn't make me question again whether I wanted to swim with the dolphins anymore. It was out of the question. Since then, I've paid more attention. Just read an article recently where the dolphins were moved due to a hurricane coming in and placed in small plastic pools and basically starved so they wouldn't go to the bathroom because doing so in their smaller confines of a kiddie pool would certainly kill them. I don't know, what do you think is a more humane way for a dolphin to die? Starvation? Or actually poisoning itself with its own waste?

 

I think before you automatically call someone names you might want to educate yourself a little better. It might 'diswade' you from swimming with the dolphins also.

[chicagojayhawk]

BeachBum...I think that tazdeb was saying that because SurfGirl had an abundance of posts trying to get her to focus on the negative facets of the dolphin swim. Sure...she's passionate, and I realize that many will appreciate that. It's one thing to speak your mind on the issue and let it rest. It's another to keep on pushing the issue like surfgirl has. :rolleyes:

 

I, for one, am looking forward to experiencing my first dolphin swim.

 

I could sit here and preach about how the car you drive is contributing to the death of our environment...but I don't. And let's not even begin to discuss the way animals are treated that eventually end up on your dinner plate...or your face for that matter with cosmetics.

 

Is it unfortunate? Yes. It really is. And while I applaud the efforts for "education and awareness," I do feel there would be more appropriate avenues rather than jumping on someone who was merely looking for excursion information.

 

The OP innocently asked a question about the dolphin swim. She didn't ask about the quality of care of the animals...or whether she'd be contributing to their death...or your personal opinions on wildlife. Rather than receive the response she was looking for, she was bombarded with stats and stories intended to sway her tentative cruise plans. And that's uncalled for.

 

We're here to help each other plan our vacations. I sincerely hope that the OP doesn't let this hinder her decision on whether or not to participate in the dolphin swim.

 

...and hopefully someone who has personal experience with the dolphin swim can chime in and provide her with the unbiased information that she initially requested.

[BeachBumMama]

BeachBum...I think that tazdeb was saying that because SurfGirl had an abundance of posts trying to get her to focus on the negative facets of the dolphin swim. Sure...she's passionate, and I realize that many will appreciate that. It's one thing to speak your mind on the issue and let it rest. It's another to keep on pushing the issue like surfgirl has. :rolleyes:

 

Point well taken. However, my post was basically in defense of the name calling and such. Just because a person feels a certain way doesn't make them a 'nut job'. Educate yourself, and then judge. I don't post on the dolphin swim. I normally pass by those threads because I don't have any input, haven't done it. I just happened across this one and I put my .02 in because the name calling annoyed me more than someone posting about something they are passionate about. But yes, someone can appear a zealous tree hugger, but they are entitled to their views on it.

 

 

I, for one, am looking forward to experiencing my first dolphin swim.

 

And I am jealous. As I posted, this was something I'd always wanted to do, but after seeing what I did, I can't in good concious ever do it. However, they do have a few places (not sure which islands off hand, it's filed away for future use), that actually take you out in a boat to their natural habitat, the sea, and you snorkel with them. Now for that, I will be the first one in the boat.

 

I could sit here and preach about how the car you drive is contributing to the death of our environment...but I don't. And let's not even begin to discuss the way animals are treated that eventually end up on your dinner plate...or your face for that matter with cosmetics.

 

No, you don't have to preach, I think these are things people are well aware of and choose to ignore, myself included. I'm not going back to horse and buggy (takes too long to get anywhere). And I'm not a vegetarian, I enjoy my food too much (my scale will tell you). But I have to say, I do use mineral makeup and non-animal tested products. Only because the cosmetics companies have come to market their products in that way.

 

 

Is it unfortunate? Yes. It really is. And while I applaud the efforts for "education and awareness," I do feel there would be more appropriate avenues rather than jumping on someone who was merely looking for excursion information.

 

The OP innocently asked a question about the dolphin swim. She didn't ask about the quality of care of the animals...or whether she'd be contributing to their death...or your personal opinions on wildlife. Rather than receive the response she was looking for, she was bombarded with stats and stories intended to sway her tentative cruise plans. And that's uncalled for.

 

Not to nitpick, but this seems a little contradictory to me. You applaud the efforts for "education and awareness", yet what better way to educate and make people aware than a message board on a 'dolphin swim'? BUT, in your defense, you are right when you say that one should speak their mind and let it rest (which was my intent), rather than push the issue as Surfgirl has. I don't know her, maybe she is a nut-job tree hugger (no offense Surfgirl):) , and maybe she did go a little overboard which was probably uncalled for. But then again, she seems passionate about it and I can applaud her for that. I am also one to just tend to roll my eyes and ignore some people rather than resort to nasty name calling.

 

We're here to help each other plan our vacations. I sincerely hope that the OP doesn't let this hinder her decision on whether or not to participate in the dolphin swim.

 

...and hopefully someone who has personal experience with the dolphin swim can chime in and provide her with the unbiased information that she initially requested.

 

I too hope the OP doesn't let this hinder her decision on whether or not to participate in the dolphin swim. Just DON'T watch anything on t.v. about it or read the articles about it and you'll have a great time. And I truly, truly am not being sarcastic about that. I would be there happily swimming away with the dolphins and all of ya'll had I not seen that 20/20 special. Ignorance is bliss:p And again, I'm not being mean, sarcastic or anything when I say that. I just hope I don't see anything about the food I eat, the car, my cosmetics, etc. etc. Once I see something and get it in my mind it changes things for me. And I like all the bad stuff!:D

 

And I do sincerely hope you all have fun! And I am sincerely jealous!:(

[tazdeb]

I call thse people nutjobs because they are hypocrates. Lets look at the "expert" quoted in one of the above articles. He was the trainer for the TV show Flipper. You know the show from the late 60s where a kids best friend is a "wild" dolphin (yea right). Flipper was like Lassie, the kid would get into trouble and Flipper would save him. This show is probably responsible for most peoples love of dolphins, but lets look at the facts. Did flipper just show up at the set each morning?...NO HE WAS CAPTURED AND TAKEN AWAY FROM HIS LOVING POD......Did Flipper just know instinctivley how do do those tricks?.....NO HE WAS TRAINED BY THE ARTICLES EXPERT.....Could Flipper leave and go home each night......NO HE WAS HELD CAPTIVE IN SEAWORLD IN FLORIDA....... and most importantly....Did Flipper get the money for being on the show?......NO, THE TRAINER DID....... Now the trainer is old and needs some income and the PETA people need an "expert" so they contact this guy, pay him alot of money to say thse things and print up these papers and get gullible people to belive it. I agree with the above poster, maybe this person should quit posting the same message about cruelty to dolphins everytime someone asks about it....maybe she could then focus on something important....maybe children in poverty on the islands we visit....TAZ

[tazdeb]

Oh, and one more thing......These people won't be happy until ALL the swim with dolphin places across the globe are shut down. Now are there some fly by night places here and there that abuse dolphins, probably, and those are the places that should be shut down. But you dont take away peoples rights because of some isolated incident. Should we not own dogs because some people abuse theirs? But these tree huggers want to control what you can do based on some bad operators in Costa Rico......The Chankanaab swim program is located in a Mexican National Park. Yes its a National Marine Park. I dont think they would be abusing the Dolphins just as I dont think SeaWorld in Orlando is abusing there dolphins or any other reputable place....But the poster doesn't care about those 'facts" she just keeps putting her "tainted" propaganda out there for everyone to see....If you dont like the idea of how they are captured and trained for our benefit dont go, but it doesnt bother most people...... so dont take my right away and I promise I wont force you to go....Also, I dont believe shes a real treehugger just a paid instigator......TAZ

[sharecruises]

I agree....also I live in Florida and sometimes Dophins beach themselves for no apparent reason and people go out and try to save them. I think there are some bad places that are cashing in on the Dolphin craze but I think most of these parks on our cruises are good parks

 

As for the Dolphins in little pools to be saved from the hurricaine...seems that the park people took better care of them than the gov of Louisiana and the Mayor of New Orleans took care of their own people??

 

Wilma devastated Cozumel...where I live we had no power for several weeks thanks to Wilma and just the past 6 months new street lights, many signs replaced....there are still stores around me that closed, houses condemned...some people still have blue roofs

 

I say Bravo to the park people who saved the Dolphins. I am a huge animal lover btw. I don't think the good parks are cruel to dolphins.

 

I am also really sick of every dolphin thread being hijacked by this junk

[Gingee]

Well thanks for the feedback everyone. We have made our decision - for now anyway.

[lgerrish]

Please do some reading on this before you go. These types of excursions are extremely cruel to the dolphins. Please see:

 

http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/B6216E894BF0D274802570B900510DB6

 

http://www.wildlifepimps.com/feat-SwimWithDolphins.htm

 

Thank you for the links - I never gave it a thought as to how the dolphins were caught and penned up for these excursions. Guess we'll do something else while at Cozumel. Poor little creatures.

[sharecruises]

I call thse people nutjobs because they are hypocrates. Lets look at the "expert" quoted in one of the above articles. He was the trainer for the TV show Flipper. You know the show from the late 60s where a kids best friend is a "wild" dolphin (yea right). Flipper was like Lassie, the kid would get into trouble and Flipper would save him. This show is probably responsible for most peoples love of dolphins, but lets look at the facts. Did flipper just show up at the set each morning?...NO HE WAS CAPTURED AND TAKEN AWAY FROM HIS LOVING POD......Did Flipper just know instinctivley how do do those tricks?.....NO HE WAS TRAINED BY THE ARTICLES EXPERT.....Could Flipper leave and go home each night......NO HE WAS HELD CAPTIVE IN SEAWORLD IN FLORIDA....... and most importantly....Did Flipper get the money for being on the show?......NO, THE TRAINER DID....... Now the trainer is old and needs some income and the PETA people need an "expert" so they contact this guy, pay him alot of money to say thse things and print up these papers and get gullible people to belive it. I agree with the above poster, maybe this person should quit posting the same message about cruelty to dolphins everytime someone asks about it....maybe she could then focus on something important....maybe children in poverty on the islands we visit....TAZ

 

Excellent points ! I agree about the hypocrisy

 

I love cats and dogs...some parts of the world cook and eat cats and dogs...maybe even some parts of the world where some of our ship staff come from

 

If a new chef was serving cats and dogs I would not go on the ship...

or the cruiseline

if I knew a port was serving cats and dogs , I would not go there...

 

If people really feel that strongly about Dolphins, then don't go to states where Dolphins "perform"...including Florida

 

Don't go on any cruiseline that offers dolphin excursions, and don't visit any port that offers dolphins

 

I can respect true convictions, but not this wishy washy stuff.

 

As for the dolphins....years ago they were captured. I think nowadays most of these places use ones born at the dolphin place ...

there IS a difference between places. I have read that the ones in Mexico and also the one in the Bahamas are excellent. Also there is a very good one in the Florida Keys.

 

These places know the scrutiny they are under. I think most of the ones currently operating do so with the utmost care for their "stars" and really most of the trainers adore the dolphins they work with.

 

Look at the trainer who had the "Shamu" attack him... it is really a large form of dolphin! He was right back in there in the tank, right back at work with them, and he did not hold a grudge or anger against the creature for attacking him, he called it an accident. There was video all over the web of him being attacked!

 

Keeping them in pools during the hurricaine was great...more care given to them than to the residents of New Orleans...or even to the elderly in Florida who need help to put up boards/storm shutters or who don't have them and can't quickly buy and lug them and put them up

 

As someone else said : the dolphins are there, whether you like it or not. I don't think they are mistreated, they are the stars of a show, they have names and favorite trainers and are given lots of attention and love.

 

They seem to be social animals and it is not like they are "worked" for hours every day. They get praise and love and attention.