Dolphin Swimming

Dolphin Discovery “Trainer for Life”

// August 24th, 2010 // View Comments // Locations, Riviera Maya

Looking for the ultimate experience with marine animals in the Mexican Caribbean?  Join us at Dolphin Discovery Puerto Aventuras for the “Trainer for Life” program and enjoy an incredible adventure that you’ll remember for a lifetime!

The “Trainer for Life” program brings you and your family a full day of educational fun and excitement.  Puerto Aventuras in the Riviera Maya is your “classroom”, a lovely ocean-side village just south of Playa del Carmen with protected lagoons, waterways and a taste of the jungle flora and fauna.  You’ll start your morning with a delicious continental breakfast, charging up your batteries and getting to know your trainer/guide/friend who will accompany you throughout the day.  Now grab your hat and life jacket and let the festivities begin!

This is not just a swim with dolphins program, as a V.I.P.  you’ll be invited to “trainers only” areas like the “fish house” to assist in preparing meals for the dolphins, you’ll take part in the daily physical exam of the marine animals and you’ll learn the signs and signals used by trainers.  Your trainer will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about dolphins, sea lions and manatees.  Your day includes the Dolphin Royal Swim, a Baby Dolphin Experience, the Sea Lion Encounter and the Manatee Encounter, a well rounded education in marine animals and a big big WOW of an experience.  Participants in the “Trainer for Life” day receive a graduation photo with a dolphin friend, a t-shirt and a special certificate in recognition of your accomplishments and completion of the program.  This is a day you will never, ever forget.

We invite you and your family to join us for this unique full day program.  It’s open to anyone over 3′11″ tall, though unfortunately pregnant women are not permitted to participate.  We ask you to please use biodegradable sunscreen to protect your skin and the environment, bring a hat and a wetsuit if you have one.  The use of lifejackets is mandatory for all activities in the water.  Breakfast and lunch are included, but bring a little extra cash for any extra cravings you may have and to purchase photos, videos and souvenirs.

We at Dolphin Discovery look forward to your visit and to sharing our love of marine animals with you!

Isla Mujeres: Destination Paradise

// August 5th, 2010 // View Comments // Cancun / Isla Mujeres, Locations

photo courtesy www.isla-mujeres.com.mx

Laid back island life, coral reefs, stunning vistas,and gorgeous beaches, Isla Mujeres is a true paradise in every sense of the word.  This tiny island off the coast of Cancun has a long history, going back to when it was a sacred sanctuary named “Ekab”, a place for the Maya people to honour Ixchel, the goddess of the moon and fertility.  When the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, they named the island “Isla Mujeres” or “Island of Women” after discovering numerous clay figures and imagery of the Mayan goddess.  In later years, Isla (as it’s affectionately known) became a refuge for pirates, including Henry Morgan and Jean Lafitte.  The island’s most famous pirate was Fermin Antonio Mundaca, who left Spain and settled on Isla Mujeres in 1858.  Mundaca fell in love with a much younger local woman and tried to woo her with his riches, but the young woman refused his advances.  Legend states that Mundaca slowly went insane and died alone, leaving his large estate on Isla Mujeres to tell his tale for years to come.  Modern day visitors can visit the grounds and ruins of the “Hacienda Mundaca” and walk the gardens of this old pirate land.  For many  years Isla Mujeres was a peaceful fishing village, sparsely inhabited and undeveloped until the tourism industry began to bring more and more travellers seeking relaxation to her shores.

Punta Sur Isla Mujeres

Today Isla Mujeres is a popular destination for travellers and a top day trip for visitors to Cancun and the Riviera Maya.  The island is still a functioning fishing village, making it an ideal place to find some of the freshest, tastiest seafood in the Mexican Caribbean.  While the island has grown to keep up with the demands for hotels and amenities, it still retains its small town charm.  Getting around the island means golf carts, mopeds or taxis, self guided golf cart tours are a great way to see the island.  “Downtown”is a few cozy streets that were built for walking, with intimate restaurants and local artisans selling their wares.  The famous “Playa Norte” (”North Beach”) is by far one of the best beaches in Quintana Roo, soft white sands, palm trees and calm, crystal clear waters that offer the perfect place to float and forget the daily stresses.  Beach bars offer lounge chairs and umbrellas and waiter service on the sand, everything at your fingertips to enjoy a relaxing day (or week or month).  Visit “Punta Sur” (”South Point”) for some of the most spectacular scenery on the island, perch on the rocky cliffs, listening to the waves crashing on shore as you admire the huge iguanas that populate the rocks and the multitude of blues of the Caribbean Sea.  Garrafon Park, on the west side of the island, is an ideal place to spend a day snorkeling, kayaking, zip lining or just hanging out in a hammock under a palm tree.  The turtle sanctuary on Isla Mujeres allows visitors to get up close and personal with sea turtles and learn more about marine animal preservation and conservation.

Dolphin Discovery Isla Mujeres

Dolphin Discovery is thrilled to be a part of this island community.  Getting to Isla is easy on our quick ferry from the hotel zone, our modern boats will bring you to the island in about 15 minutes.  Our Isla Mujeres location has over 10000 square feet of natural ocean area for our family of dolphins, sea lions and manatees to frolic with fish and guests.  Visitors to Dolphin Discovery Isla Mujeres are invited to enjoy our seaside pool, hang out in our hammock garden, have a few drinks at the palapa bar and enjoy a delicious buffet lunch as part of their day.  Guests may also take tours of the island, snorkeling trips to the reef, or a jaunt down the road to Garrafon Park.  Leave your worries behind on your all inclusive day at Dolphin Discovery Isla Mujeres, enjoy the sun and sea and live the experience of a lifetime in paradise!

Sea Lion Facts

// July 19th, 2010 // View Comments // Cancun / Isla Mujeres, Cozumel, Riviera Maya, Sea Life, Vallarta

Everyone loves sea lions, aside from being so handsome, they seem to have a great sense of humour, always making us laugh.  So, what do you know about sea lions?  Let’s have a look at some facts….

–Sea lions are found all over the world, from the Arctic to New Zealand, usually found along rocky coasts where there are rich food sources such as sardines, herring, capelin and squid.

–Sea lions can be distinguished from seals by their visible external ear flaps.

–Sea lions are “pinnipeds’, meaning they have “winged feet”.

–Sea lions are amphibious, they live on both land and water.

–Sea lions are “marine mammals”, meaning they do not lay eggs but do in fact carry and give birth to their young.  Males are “bulls”, females are “cows” and babies are called “pups”.

–Sea lions have a lifespan of 10-15 years in the wild, but in a healthy zoological environment can live 25-35 years.

–Sea lion mamas gestate for 10-12 months.  Their pups are born on land and will nurse from their mother from 4-12 months.

–Sea lions are warm blooded, covered in a layer of fat to protect them from cold temperatures.

–Sea lions breathe air, but can remain under water for up to 40 minutes if hunting for food, accomplished by squeezing their nostrils shut tight.

–Sea lions are very communal, usually living in large colonies of up to 1000, with smaller communities appearing within the group.

–Sea lions aren’t lazy, but they sure do love to hang around on the rocks and bask in the sun.

–Sea lions are intelligent and easy to train, the military has been training them for years for rescue operations in the sea.

–The biggest dangers to sea lions are fishermen, pollution and climate change.  Their predators are killer whales and sharks, though they can swim faster than both they can be taken by surprise.

Dolphin Discovery invites you to get up close and personal with these sweet creatures, our sea lion friends can be found in the following destinations:

Sea Lions Isla Mujeres

Sea Lions Cozumel

Sea Lions Riviera Maya

Sea Lions Puerto Vallarta

Get a hug, a fishy kiss and you will most definitely walk away smiling from your Sea Lion Encounter with Dolphin Discovery!

Please remember to keep our oceans and beaches clean, plastic bags, six-pack rings, garbage of all kinds is very damaging to the sea lions and their environment.  Do what you can to protect our precious marine life, go for a walk on the beach and pick up trash, educate your children, spread the word that if we each do our small part, all earth’s creatures will have a brighter future.

Grand Cayman Open Water Flowers Sea Swim

// June 25th, 2010 // View Comments // Grand Cayman, Locations, News

World Cup Soccer may be making headlines these days, but for folks on Grand Cayman Island the 18th annual Flowers Sea Swim was the focus last Saturday, June 19th, 2010.  The one mile open water swim race had it’s most successful year ever, with a record setting 777 participants hitting the ocean and racing to the finish.  Swimmers from around the world took to the waters of the famous Seven Mile Beach, vying for almost $100 000 in prizes, including swim with dolphins packages from Dolphin Discovery.  The event attracted some of the world’s top athletes, including Olympians Shaune Fraser and Ian Crocker. As in past years, proceeds from the event went to charity, this year supporting the Sunrise Adult Training Center.

The overall winner of the 2010 race was Alex Meyer, a tremendous young athlete from Harvard University clocking in a spectacular time of 17.18 minutes, with 16 year old Eva Fabian coming in a very close second place at 17.47 minutes, both athletes setting records with their performances.  Dolphin Discovery Grand Cayman would like to congratulate all the participants on their remarkable achievements and we thank organizer and founder Frank Flowers and his daughter Dara Flowers-Burke for their incredible efforts in creating  a world-class event for our island community.  We look forward the future of the Flowers Sea Swim!

Boatswain’s Turtle Farm Grand Cayman Island

// June 23rd, 2010 // View Comments // Grand Cayman, Locations, Sea Life

Grand Cayman Island is famous for many things, the beautiful stretch of Seven Mile beach, great scuba diving, snorkeling at Stingray City, swimming with dolphins at Dolphin Discovery (of course!), rum cakes and Boatswain’s Turtle Farm.  The history of the Cayman Islands is closely tied to turtles, the turtle appears on the flag, seal and currency of the islands.  The relationship with the Caymans and turtles goes back to the 1600’s when Caribbean ships would stop at the island for provisions and to stock up on the abundance of turtle meat.  The 17th century saw the beginnings of settlements in the Cayman Islands and turtling became a a main source of income and food for the new islanders.  By the 1800’s, the population of turtles was in serious jeopardy and by the 1960’s they were all but extinct.  In 1968 the Cayman Turtle Farm was established to raise turtles commercially and to research and preserve the sea turtles of the wild. While many of the turtles are still raised for food, thousands of sea turtles born at Boatswain’s are released to the sea, replenishing the wild population of these beautiful creatures.

Dolphin Discovery Grand Cayman is pleased to have such a wonderful neighbour in West Bay and we invite you to pay them a visit before or after you swim with dolphins.  The entrance fee to Boatswain’s Turtle Farm is included in all dolphin swim programs, allowing you to enjoy the turtle enclosures, the education center, the breeding pond, the touch tanks and all animal exhibits including the predator tank with sharks! If you wish to snorkel or enjoy the pools, these “wet” activities are available at a small extra charge.  Boutiques and restaurants will satisfy your shopping and dining needs, purchase souvenirs for loved ones back home or simply sip an ice cold rum drink in paradise while nibbbling a Caribbean delicacy. Dolphin Discovery and Boatswain’s Turtle Farm are the ideal combination for a perfect day on Grand Cayman, a unique shore excursion for Caribbean cruisers, book now and make it an unforgettable part of your Caribbean vacation!

Happy Birthday to Robert the Baby Manatee!

// June 3rd, 2010 // View Comments // Locations, News, Riviera Maya, Sea Life

May 30th, 2009, Dolphin Discovery received a call from Ecosur to come to the assistance of a baby manatee discovered alone in a river in the state of Yucatan.  He was only one or two days old and had been abandoned by his mother, without help there was no way he was going to survive.  A team of veterinarians and marine biologists from Dolphin Discovery hurried to rescue this sweet creature and brought him to the facilities in Puerto Aventuras in a critical state.  He was dubbed “Tuuch”, the Mayan word for “belly button” as his umbilical cord was still attached.

Tuuch was introduced to Julieta in Puerto Aventuras, a mature female manatee who was still nursing her one year old baby.  Despite efforts to get Tuuch to nurse, Julieta could not produce enough milk and the team had to resort to bottle feeding the baby manatee to provide him the nutrients he so desperately needed.  Over the next few months, the veterinary team monitored Tuuch, treating digestive issues and continuing with the bottle feeding.  Despite his failure to grow over the first two months, the team did not give up, they gave him the highest levels of medical care, nutrition, stimulation and love, working with him 24 hours a day.  He learned to socialize with the other manatees who accepted him into their little family and he learned how to play, he loves his toys!  By September, he began eating lettuce and vegetables and a whole new world opened to this beautiful little guy.  In January of 2010, he was able to permanently join the other manatees in their lagoon in Puerto Aventuras and he continued to improve and thrive.  In February he was renamed “Robert” after head veterinarian Dr. Roberto Sanchez.

In November the Dolphin Discovery “Team Tuuch” was honoured by IMATA, receiving awards and recognition for their team work and conservation efforts with their rescued manatee.  All of us at Dolphin Discovery are proud of the team, we are grateful for their expertise and tireless dedication in the rehabilitation of Robert.

One year later and Robert is doing great!  He’s participating in encounters with our guests, eating well and continuing to grow.  This week Dolphin Discovery threw a little party for Robert, bringing him a cake of lettuce and fruit, singing “Happy Birthday” and inviting local school children to join in the festivities.  Local artist Allan Vazquez created a beautiful portrait of Robert and invited the children to add their handprints for posterity.  We wish Robert a very happy birthday and many, many more!

Join us in Puerto Aventuras for our Sea Life Circle Manatee program and you can get a kiss from our dear Robert!  Enjoy some time swimming with him, giving him a hug and share a little lettuce with him.  He will welcome you with open flippers!

Please take a moment to enjoy this video dedicated to Tuuch/Robert, it’s a moving journey of love, dedication and hope….

“Por la Libre 2010″ a Huge Success

// June 2nd, 2010 // View Comments // Cancun / Isla Mujeres, Locations, News

Por la Libre- The Race Begins

Saturday May 29th, 6:30 am and it is already hot in Cancun.  There is excitement and tension in the air as more than 500 anxious athletes await the start of the 10 km open water race from Cancun to Isla Mujeres.  This is the fifth annual “Por la Libre” and it’s a gorgeous day for it, sunshine, no wind, no waves, just crystal clear turquoise waters and blue skies.  The swimmers hit the water at Punta Cancun and the race begins, with a flotilla of boats, kayaks and jet skis following along to ensure the safety of the athletes and to cheer them on to the finish at Garrafon Park on Isla Mujeres.

Por la Libre 2010 Finish Line at Garrafon Park

As the swimmers make their crossing, supporters head to Garrafon and the organizational teams take their places at the finish line.  The recovery area is set up with refreshments, the massage tables are in place and the offical time keepers are ready to receive the finishers.  The radios start to buzz as the first swimmer is seen approaching the island, the excitement mounts and the cameras start clicking!  First out of the water with an incredible time of 1 hour and 33 minutes is 17 year old Fernando Betanzos, a proud moment for this incredible young athlete.  Finishing first overall for the women’s category is Alejandra Merizalde with a great time of 1 hour and 43 minutes, another young swimmer from the 15-19 year old group.

Fernando Betanzos first to the finish line

It was an exciting day to be at Garrafon, the swimmers were greeted with rounds of applause as they exited the water and crossed the mat.  Racers and their fans enjoyed the shady hammock garden, lounged in the pool and sated their appetites with icy cold drinks and a tasty lunch.  Many took advantage of the calm waters to snorkel the reef and go for a spin in the kayaks on this beautiful day.

Televisa Verde presenting mangrove plants

“Por la Libre 2010″ is pleased to announce that for the first time the race was done to benefit a great cause.  Televisa Verde donated 6000 mangrove plants in the names of the first 200 registered swimmers, with the goal of revitalizing the Nichupte Lagoon which suffered serious damage during Hurricane Wilma in 2005.  Dolphin Discovery and Garrafon Park are proud to be sponsors and we would like to congratulate all the athletes and give thanks to Televisa Verde for their contribution to the ecology of Cancun. Thanks and special congratulations to Rafa and Carmen from Starc Producciones for organizing this great event, let’s do it again soon!

Por la Libre Official Results

More Por la Libre 2010 photos on Flickr

Interview with a Dolphin Trainer

// May 31st, 2010 // View Comments // About Dolphins, Cancun / Isla Mujeres, News, Riviera Maya

Dolphin Discovery’s trainers are used to hearing “You’ve got the best job in the world!” from guests and this week I had the pleasure of sitting down with one of our trainers to find out if indeed that is the case.  Alex Mata invited me to experience life as a trainer for a morning and was gracious enough to sit down with me and tell me about himself and his life as a marine animal trainer.

Alex Mata is the Corporate Educative Trainer for Dolphin Discovery.  He’s originally from Spain and began his career in Europe before coming to Dolphin Discovery in Mexico six years ago.  He chose Dolphin Discovery for its outstanding corporate training department with over 100 educational courses, an ideal place to develop and grow in his career. He now works alongside expert veterinarians and biologists who push everyone to be better trainers and better people, something that sets Dolphin Discovery apart from other organizations in the world. With his expertise, knowledge and true passion for the animals and the organization, he is now in a position to train the trainers and realize his dream of devoting his life to marine animals.

We asked our fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter to post their questions for Alex, here’s what we discovered.

1.  How do you become a dolphin trainer?  What makes a good dolphin trainer?

First and foremost, being a dolphin trainer is not a job, it is a career and a calling.  It is not necessary to have a degree, though it is beneficial to have studied marine biology, veterinary medicine or psychology.  Trainers must have excellent swimming skills, a love for dolphins, the ability to speak English, a great personality for customer service and most importantly, passion.  It takes about three years to obtain the title of “Trainer”, with hours spent in educational courses, 1 1/2 years as an apprentice and 1 1/2 years as an assistant.  Dolphin Discovery has approximately 100 different educational courses and trainers are required to constantly be expanding their knowledge and improving their skills.  Long days, hard work, sleepless nights, hot sun and pouring rain, the work isn’t always easy but for those who truly love what they do, it’s always a pleasure.

2.  Do you love the dolphins?  What’s the best experience you’ve had at Dolphin Discovery?

Alex smiled when I asked these questions and replied quickly to the first with an “Of course, absolutely!”.  For the second question he pondered for a moment and then replied “Swimming with ten baby dolphins at the same time in Puerto Aventuras”.  He described the ten babies as super playful, swimming circles around him, vocalizing loudly and teasing him into joining in their games.

3.  How do you communicate with the dolphins?  Can you tell if a dolphin is happy/sad/angry?

Since humans have yet to be able to translate the language of dolphins, the trainers communicate with them through body language, hand gestures and whistles.  The dolphins regard the whistle as a “reward”, for them it means “Good job!” and they love to hear it.  Dolphins express their emotions through their own body language and vocalizations, each in their own way.  Once a trainer gets to know a particular dolphin, they can see when they are feeling excited or are getting frustrated, if they are eager to play or if they prefer to be left alone.

4.  What’s the worst part of the job?

Being in Cancun during hurricane season adds extra pressure to the staff to work together, think quickly and stay calm as they move the animals to a safe environment.  The dolphins come first, as a dolphin trainer at Dolphin Discovery you are commited to the animals and in an emergency they are the number one priority.

5.  After feeding fish to the dolphins all day, do you still enjoy eating fish?

“Ummmm, no, I don’t eat fish anymore.”

6.  What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

It seems Alex’s home life is not that much different from his work life.  He lives in Cancun with his girlfriend (also an animal trainer, specializing in birds) and their 2 dogs, a chameleon, an iguana, a cockatoo, a macaw and 3 toucans and spends his days off hanging at home with the animals.

So, is it the best job in the world?  It sure seems that way!  Alex spoke enthusiastically about his “family” at Dolphin Discovery, he eagerly answered even my most basic questions and he patiently walked me through the routines of the day.  It was an honor for me to spend time with someone so knowledgeable and so obviously in love with dolphins (and manatees and sea lions and stingrays and sharks and animals in general!)  I learned so much and am inspired by his passion, thank you so very much Alex, can we do it again soon?