BIMINI DOLPHINS
Magical, Majestic and Mysterious
Since the beginning of recorded time, the world over, stories of human-dolphin encounters arouse wonderment and a sense of profound connection. Lucky witnesses are often left delighted, even euphoric, and many have reported inexplicable healings. Few are left unchanged.
When dolphins interact in their own natural environment they seem to revel in obvious joy. Jumping, splashing, twirling, flipping and diving. Dolphins emit a high-frequency sonar though the water, which to us sounds like a bunch of clicks and whistles. When you swim with them it’s as if they ‘sonar scan’ you, which many people report has a positive therapeutic effect, physically, physiologically and spiritually.
Feelings of elation are not uncommon, as you get back in touch with all that is good and well within you, uplifting your capacity to live life to the fullest.
We see dolphins as our equals. We support the growing movement that dolphins (cetaceans) are classified as ‘Non-Human People’, a form of legal personhood which recognizes these ‘people of the sea’, with large brains and a span of consciousness like ours.
We invite you to come and enjoy these magnificent sentient beings in their own home, on their own terms and to share the mutual joy of being together in the crystal clear, warm waters off the Bimini coast.
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
(Stenella frontalis)
These are the dolphins that WildQuest originally came to Bimini for, because when they are in the mood, they want to connect very closely with our human pods, in these warm clear waters surrounding Bimini. Born spotless, these dolphins’ sleek gray babies become adorned with black, dark grey and white spots as they grow older.
Highly social and sensual with one another, Spotted dolphins often travel in pods of mixed ages and genders. Curious youngsters swimming alongside protective elders may zip over with excited pink bellies to check out human pod members.
And if you are able to free dive down towards the sea floor, you may just find yourself embraced in a swirl of Spotted dolphins as you dance your way back up to the ocean’s surface. They also stay at the surface and connect eye to eye with us — a very magical experience!
Bottlenose Dolphin
(Tursiops truncatus)
Larger and stockier than the Spotted dolphins, they have more of a warrior like energy. They definitely have more shark bite scars! Over the past ten years, we have been increasingly invited to observe pods of Bottlenose as they crater feed upon the ocean floor.
Using sophisticated sonar to locate fish which are hiding under the sand, Bottlenose use powerful tails to pump their rostrums into the sand in pursuit of their prey. Rising to the surface then, to breathe, these dolphins may swim very close to sonar and connect with human pod members.
Sometimes, we also witness amorous Bottlenose males mingling among energetic pods of Spotted dolphins, with successful breeding efforts resulting in hybrid dolphins that we like to call “Spottlenose”.
Code of Conduct
WildQuest is part of a group of veteran dolphin swim operators around Bimini who created this code of conduct with the long-term well-being of the dolphins in mind. The aim is to foster a feeling of all operators working together with the same understandings and with the protection of the dolphins into the future being paramount. Download and read the basic principles of swimming with the wild dolphins in Bimini waters.
