Introduction to swimming with wild Dolphins
It is very important to remember that a wild Dolphin is nothing like a captive Dolphin. It will not behave in the same manner and will not respond to your actions in the same way as a Dolphin that has been bred in captivity. We refer to this as 'flipper syndrome'. As a result of the 1960's tv show 'Flipper' people have been falsely led to believe that wild Dolphins are almost human in their behaviour, when in fact they are not. Yes, they are beautiful intelligent creatures but they interpret things differently to us and for this reason we must learn about their world if we are to enter it. After all you don't enter someones home and do whatever you like, no, you follow their rules.
Before even thinking about stepping into the water with a friendly wild bottlenose Dolphin. There are a few necessary steps you must take in order to have a secure and safe swim with your new fin friend.
Purchase a good book on Dolphins and learn about the anatomy, behaviour and habitat of Dolphins. This will help you to understand the Dolphin a whole lot more. (see my recommendation page)
For your first visit, why not sit on the beach and just watch, get familiar with how the Dolphin behaves and interacts with others.
Talk to people in the area who are regular swimmers and have been with the Dolphin many times. They will guide you and tell you about the habits and behaviour of the Dolphin. Remember regular swimmers(like us) are always on the side of the Dolphin. and they will not give you all the information the first time you meet with them, like the Dolphin we need to know we can trust you. We want the Dolphin to be safe and happy!
So having read our introduction please get familiar with our guidelnes below or you can e-mail us with any questions you may have.
Guidelines
1) Always remember you are entering the water on the Dolphins terms.
2) If a Dolphin does not approach you, do not pursue it. Just wait your turn and be patient. A wild Dolphin will approach you when it is ready.
3) Never try to grab a wild Dolphin. This may result in the dolphin feeling threatened and they may bump you with their beak. Would you want a stranger to grab you, of course not.
4) Never touch the blowhole or the area around the eyes. The skin in these areas is very sensitive and can be damaged easily.
5) Only bring objects into the water (boogie boards, camera's etc) that you do not mind parting with. Dolphins are very curious creatures and may try to take your water toys.
6) If a Dolphin attempts to take your water toys. Just give it to them, or remove the temptation from the water immediatly. This is a tug of war you will not win! ever!
7) If you are with a group of people. Create a large circle in the water and stand a good distance apart from each other. Stay in your spot. This will allow the Dolphin to move freely in and out of the circle and they will not feel threatened.
8) As far as we are concerned 99% of Dolphin aggression and hosility is caused by human error. Learn to recognise the signs listed below.
A)Calving- If you see a young calf with a dolphin, never approach them. The mother will be very territorial and you do not want to cause them any distress.
B)Tail-slap - If a dolphin raises its tail above the water and slaps the surface hard, please leave the water.
C)Breaching on Flanks - If a Dolphin jumps clear of the water and lands on its side over and over again. please leave the water.
The above B & C behaviours are clear signs of agression and need to be taken seriously. However if you have educated yourself well and follow the guidelines it would be very rare to have the Dolphin act this way towards you.
We have never experienced any negative behaviour with any Dolphin we have encountered and why? because we respect them and the environment around them, we act as guests in their world and so we follow their rules and we take the time to listen to those who have years of experience with the Dolphins.
WARNING
NEVER SWIM WITH ANIMALS THAT ARE STRANDING
Happy swimming friends!!
RECCOMENDED SWIMWEAR
We do recommend that if you decide to embark on interaction with a wild dolphin in Irish waters you will need the proper clothing to do so. You will need a full body wetsuit 3mm thick neoprene and socks or boots of the same thickness are suitable for the summer months.
For the winter we advise that you wear a full body wetsuit 5mm thick along with socks or shoes of the same thickness as well as a full hood of 6mm thickness to protect your head from the severe cold weather. We also advise that you wear gloves of about 3mm to 5mm thickness.
Do not swim for any longer than 35 mins during the winter months and do not swim out to deeper waters unless you are a very confident and skilled free diver or swimmer.
During the summer months you will be able to stay in the water for up to an hour in the correct clothing.
Be warned you can become hypothermic even in summer waters in Ireland, so as soon as you feel a chill coming on get out!
e-mail us if you would like discuss any of the above points or if you have questions