For visitors to the Florida Keys, the focus is on relaxing in the south Florida sunshine, spending some time on the water and finding the perfect spot to celebrate the sunset. But those in the know will want to meet one of the ocean’s most popular ambassadors, the dolphin.
The Florida Keys has a long association with the playful mammal, thanks to the 1960s movie and television series Flipper, and offers numerous options for humans to get up close and personal with dolphins.
The Dolphin Connection, found on Duck Key, near Marathon, is located adjacent to Hawks Cay Resort. For guests, The Dolphin Connection provides a daily bonus of being able to see the resident dolphins, but there’s more to do than take snapshots from the viewing platform.
The Dolphin Connection has several options to meet their dolphin family – Hastings, Nemo, Lucky, Balla and Sebastian – from dockside to in-water.
Participants learn general information about the dolphins and have the opportunity to ask as many questions as possible before heading out to the enclosures. During the class, the instructor hands out wet suits, a necessity for the 30 minutes spent in the cool sea water.
We’re instructed to wait on the dock for a few minutes, until descending into the water, standing in our wetsuits on an underwater platform. Three of us are on one side of the massive enclosure, another three on the other, with the two playful dolphins alternating between groups, quickly appearing when called by each staff instructor.
I marvel at the lightning speed at which the dolphins travel, wishing I could move that fast in the water. The instructor uses a whistle and hand commands to communicate to the dolphins, who are rewarded with fish for understanding instructions to move, jump or come close to us.
Being so close to the dolphins, I’m far from scared – I want be as close as they’ll let me. My fascination for the ongoing communication between all of us although not easily described puts smiles on all our faces.
I see how the dolphins are interacting with us and I’m overjoyed by the experience. There’s a connection made, without anything more than a smile and a touch, and the bond of friendship has expanded to another level.