Swimming with Dolphins and Sea Lions in captivity is an incredible experience

One more thing to check off your Bucket List

Do you have a Bucket List? If you said “yes” I can bet Swimming with Dolphins and Sea Lions is on that list.

Swimming with Dolphins and Sea Lions is an incredible experience. My dream finally came true while in my 50’s. Better late than never. What an incredible experience it was.

Swim with the Dolphins in Cabo

Traveling to Los Cabo Mexico is where we were first introduced to swimming with the Dolphins as traveling was a rare occurrence with us.

At our Hotel, we sat with our excursion director as he went over what all that Mexico had to offer. Swimming with the Dolphins was on the list so of course, we jumped on it. On the day of, we got picked up at the hotel by a canopied truck with seats in the box. Not something legal in our country for sure.

I remember seeing a Dolphin place on the side of the road driving to our hotel aside from the ocean. I figured that is where he was taking us but soon passed it and arrived in Cabo San Lucas Marina, this to me felt like a real ocean swims with these magnificent creatures.

Anxiously waiting our turn as we lined the marina dock, we had little fish nibbling our feet was much like having a fish foot spa. The water was dark and a bit mirky being ocean water so it was kind of creepy not knowing what fish thought of us as a delicacy. lol

Our Puerto Vallarta vs Cabo swim

Our second trip to Mexico was to Puerto Vallarta where we brought my son, he was 14 at the time. Being my son’s first time we decided to do a Dolphin swim again as well as a Sealion swim, on a separate excursion. Both swims were quite similar although the Cabo swim was in ocean water. The ocean water had it’s drawbacks as it is darker, therefore, a bit harder to see the Dolphins clearly as well as fish that kept nibbling on our feet.

Puerto Vallarta was in saltwater pools much like a regular swimming pool. Mad it much easier to view the captivating smooth-skinned creatures in the clearer water.

Swimming with Dolphins

Once at the swim site, we put on our life jackets and followed our guide to the pool area. Walking along the deck it was so surreal seeing them up close and realizing that we were about to get even closer gave me goosebumps. As the keepers divided us into groups we were given a brief safety course to protect us as well as the Dolphins.

Jumping in the water with the Dolphins was an incredible experience. Being able to touch them, kiss them, and actually swim with them was just amazing to me. This only happens on tv right?

I swam out into the middle of the pool. The Dolphin is then asked by the trainer to find you out in the pool and push you to shore. With a paddleboard in hand, you straighten your legs out with feet crossed while the Dolphin comes up behind you with its nose and pushes you to shore. What a rush. Then you are asked that when the Dolphin swims by to grab on to its fin and it will pull you around upside down.

A few more hands-on with the Dolphins and then you are taken to the next pool to watch a Dolphin Show. Incredible how smart, friendly, and trainable they are.

Swimming with the Sea Lions

I thought swimming with the Dolphins was exciting, but swimming with the Sea Lions was equally as exciting if not more. We jumped on a boat that led us to a little island paradise called Las Caletas, Home to the Sea Lions, which was the biggest pool although I do believe this is just where they did the encounter but had a larger area for their regular routine.

Once through the safety protocol and into our suit ( not mandatory), we entered the pool. Three of the Sea lions greeted us. I said to myself this is really a one on one experience. The Sea Lions are free to swim around you and if they wish to stop and visit you for a kiss, hug, or a pet you are free to do so. I found the Sea Lions so inquisitive, smart, and friendly.

My god, they made us laugh just doing silly little things. This was such an incredible experience I will never forget.

Is it wrong to keep these animals in captivity?

This is a very controversial question for many. I believe there are Pros and Cons.  Over 600, million people visit zoos and aquariums each year. It may be safe to say that there is a vast majority in favor of Marine Life in Captivity than people against it.  A great article on the pro’s, The Debate, Pro Capture with their view as well as The  WSPA has a Con’s  PDF on their view on this subject.

In my opinion, I believe marine mammals serve a necessary educational purpose, although I do feel that marine animals must be regulated to protect them, such as having limits to how many are caught, How they are caught and once in captivity are they left in captivity to breed, etc and are not to be released after being in captivity.

The Dolphins and Sea Lions I witnessed seemed happy and very well cared for. In most cases, they are safe unlike the mammals in the natural ocean environment where they can come in contact with many dangers such as Pollution, Oil spills, Prey, Climate Change, Fishing, Hunting, and Boat encounters.

Protecting all Marine Mammals should be of utmost importance. I did learn a lot from having my one on one encounter. Like I mentioned prior I did not see anything that would cause a concern for the well-being of these mammals.