Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the waters of the Bahamas to learn about the most well known marine mammal in the world: The bottlenose dolphin!
Bahamas dolphins are Atlantic spotted dolphins, a small, extremely friendly and sociable dolphin species. People have been swimming with the wild dolphins around the Bahamas for so long now that the Bahamas dolphin is virtually fearless.
For those of us who grew up with Flipper, many of us have held the dream of swimming with those playful, sociable creatures. The mutual fascination between people and dolphins has existed for thousands of years with stories of people being saved from drowning and the delightful puppy-love personalities common to dolphins. Well, dream no more.
Dolphins have long interested, puzzled, and held mankind transfixed. From their above average intelligence to their social and easygoing nature, man has had a soft spot for these majestic creatures for many generations. Movies like Flipper and Free Willy have given us a stylized glimpse into their world while sports teams like the Miami Dolphins have kept them in the forefront of our mind.
“What in the world is a Bahamas dolphin encounter?” You ask yourself. Images of sleek, playful sea mammals swimming next to you as you are buoyed by warm, salt water under a clear, blue sky pass through your mind and you decide to give it a try.