Anthony's Key vs. CoCo View vs. Inn of Last Resort

[smokey braden]

misty89,
i took my family to akr a couple of years back.
the way it was explained to me was that the pod of dolphins could leave anytime they wanted.

the enclosure they are in only comes above the water about one foot.
it was explained to me that they choose to stay because they feel protected from their predators.

i do know that there is a dolphin research facility on the akr property.
we enjoyed interacting with them while snorkling and diving.
regards,

 

[Doc]

September is in the middle of the rainy season. Go, you were wet anyway.

Some may condemn AKR for their Dolphin "Research Institute", but there are good arguments on several sides.

Bottom line for AKR, the Dolphin program brings in the bulk of their revenue. It draws hundreds of cruise ship tourists each week. It makes the place very inviting to parents of families, because those parent were raised on Flipper... you know Flipper... the kind, gentle, super bright fish that was always rescuing Bud?

We all have our little images of how the world should be.

Reality? Dolphins are apex predators. They probably find little need for 'security' of the pens provided. Apex also means that they are fairly bright and easily habituated. Food here, go here. That simple. They go where the food is reliable and plentiful... back to the pens for chow.

Best bet? Do the snorkel. Much more interaction. The dive has repeatedly garnered wishy-washy reports. The dolphins come in for a quick look-see and off they go. Rarely little more.

Some may argue that it does something in the education level of the un-knowing. Give them a little dolphin, at the arguable expense of an individual creature, look at the overall good that is done. You can argue that one till the sea-cows come home.

CCV had a similar program with Hawksbills. They did fine with a hatch and release program, releasing dozens within the first 2 years. Then a Caribbean basin-wide disease relating to the eye hit the entire pen full of turtles. They ended the program immediately. Good? Bad? I don't know.

For our every touch on nature, we do a detriment. Does this mean that we should quit visiting paradise and its wonders? Should we withold tourist dollars?

I trty to pick the most eco-sensitive operation and do my best to haul my trash (batteries and cxyalume sticks) ourt with me.

 

[smokey braden]

roatanman,
thank you sir for this additional info and setting the record straight.
your contributions are always appreciated.
regards,

 

[Ain'tDeadYet]

thanks to all for this informative thread. AKR is where my local club's November trip is heading, and what i've read here lets me know it's definitely not for me.

here's my two cents on dive with dolphins programs:

whether the dolphins are penned, or bribed with food to come swim with the humans, it's still an affront to these our beautiful brothers and sisters of the sea. a dolphin who has been taught to beg for food, to overcome its natural intincts in order to meet our TV-fed fantasies of what cute dolphins do, is a dolphin who is no longer viable as a wild animal. mendicant dolphins are held captive as surely as those within more visible restraints.

as divers, we are taught not to touch or otherwise harm the marine environment. we learn to treasure the brief moments when we are welcomed by turtles who swim alongside us, or challenged by damselfish making their minute aggressions toward our masks. dolphins who are coerced to interact with us are not behaving as they would naturally. we do our beloved friends a grave disservice when we support programs like this.

i propose that we be patient and accept with gratitude the beauty that the ocean offers us whenever we dive. if there are no dolphins on this dive, then perhaps tomorrow... and besides, look at all these creole wrasse! and did you see that enormous midnight parrot fish??
peace,
ADY

 

[mjh]

Can't speak to FI but here was our feelings about CCV vs AKR

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=66281&highlight=two+weeks+coco

 

[Dee]

thanks to all for this informative thread. AKR is where my local club's November trip is heading, and what i've read here lets me know it's definitely not for me.

here's my two cents on dive with dolphins programs:

whether the dolphins are penned, or bribed with food to come swim with the humans, it's still an affront to these our beautiful brothers and sisters of the sea. a dolphin who has been taught to beg for food, to overcome its natural intincts in order to meet our TV-fed fantasies of what cute dolphins do, is a dolphin who is no longer viable as a wild animal. mendicant dolphins are held captive as surely as those within more visible restraints.

as divers, we are taught not to touch or otherwise harm the marine environment. we learn to treasure the brief moments when we are welcomed by turtles who swim alongside us, or challenged by damselfish making their minute aggressions toward our masks. dolphins who are coerced to interact with us are not behaving as they would naturally. we do our beloved friends a grave disservice when we support programs like this.

i propose that we be patient and accept with gratitude the beauty that the ocean offers us whenever we dive. if there are no dolphins on this dive, then perhaps tomorrow... and besides, look at all these creole wrasse! and did you see that enormous midnight parrot fish??
peace,
ADY

Amen!