Swimming with dolphins

[mabber]

Very well said, Denisea!!!

Ditto. Mea culpa, I don't have a mammal in this fight.

I did the Royal Swim at Aventura last Friday....it was Awesome!! As for the folks critisizing others for taking the time to enjoy the experience and actually learn something about what an incredible animal the Dolphin is, your entitled to your opinion....as I am entitled to mine.

Originally Posted by james

you've got to be kidding me. The dolphins were always smiling???

Have you ever seen one frown or look dejected?

This dolphin appears to be smiling too.

Biggest thing is "not to go over board reading into posts" take them at face value. Most times on any board 9 of 10 posts are good and that 10th not worth the read but, it's somebodies opinion and might be thier pet peeve. The dolphin in the pic link isn't pretty but, I figure they can find pictures of the best or worst of any topic you want in this world. I'll take the ones I have from our time with them. As far as them being in a marina, I think Dolphin Discovery does the best with what they have to work with. Like I said it's not something you'd do every trip but, for those who want to get closer than just watching them it is an awesome experience.

[Rissask]

Thanks Denise.

As someone said, it is a pet peeve (of which I have a few, LOL). It just seems wrong to me to capture them and put them in captivity for our selfish enjoyment, no other reason. And it is hard to just say 'to each their own' when saying that means it keeps happening, KWIM?

[denisea]

Originally Posted by Rissask

Thanks Denise.

As someone said, it is a pet peeve (of which I have a few, LOL). It just seems wrong to me to capture them and put them in captivity for our selfish enjoyment, no other reason. And it is hard to just say 'to each their own' when saying that means it keeps happening, KWIM?

De nada Rissask.

What bothers me is the fact that you seem to have been singled out for your opinion although you were not alone in your opinion nor the first to voice it. Sun Seekers posted before you and then Jeevers posted shortly after your initial post, yet no one jumped all over them. IMHO, the response you received was totally unwarranted... however, I think perhaps some of the communication may have been misinterpreted by all of us, as can often be the case when we're expressing ourselves online.

[Rissask]

Psssst Denise.

I think the fact is...I seem to have ticked off a certain someone (or two, or three) and now he jumps all over anything I say even in unrelated threads.

I certainly am not innocent...when you have strong opinions are are female, as you well know - some people tend to label you a b&t%h and discount everything you say. But that is okay, because I am a b&t%h I have very thick skin!

[Jacko]

Originally Posted by Rissask

Psssst Denise.

I think the fact is...I seem to have ticked off a certain someone (or two, or three) and now he jumps all over anything I say even in unrelated threads.

I certainly am not innocent...when you have strong opinions are are female, as you well know - some people tend to label you a b&t%h and discount everything you say. But that is okay, because I am a b&t%h I have very thick skin!

Rissask...I think you pretty routinely hold your own !!! Keep it comin'

[sctx]

Originally Posted by Rissask

I think the fact is...I seem to have ticked off a certain someone (or two, or three) and now he jumps all over anything I say even in unrelated threads.

James reads all your PM's

YOU GO GIRL. Old joke. women are like pianos, if they are not upright they're grand.

[Ginger]

Originally Posted by Rissask

some people tend to label you a b&t%h and discount everything you say. But that is okay, because I am a b&t%h I have very thick skin!

Nothin' wrong with THAT label, I wear it myself with pride!

Don't forget our "Bitch's National Anthem"

When I stand up for my beliefs,they call me a Bitch.
When I stand up for those I love, they call me a Bitch.
When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts,
Or do things my own way, they call me a Bitch.

Being a Bitch entails raising my children to be strong people
who have a solid sense of personal & social responsibility,
who are not afraid to stand up for
what they believe in
& who love & respect themselves for the beautiful beings that they are.

Being a Bitch means that I am free to be who I am,
with all my own utricles, contradictions, quirks & beauty.
It also means I won't compromise what's in my heart.
It means I live my life MY way.
It means I won't let anyone step on me.

I am proud to be a Bitch!
It means I have the courage & strength to allow myself to be who I truly am
& won't become anyone else's idea of what they think I should be.
I'm outspoken, opinionated, & determined.
I want what I want & there is nothing wrong with that!
If that makes me a Bitch, So be it!
I embrace the title & am proud to bear it.

BTW, I agree with ya', taking those wonderfully intelligent animals from their wide open ocean and families (they live in families much like we do, with aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.) and throwin' them in a small cage of fuel-filled water for our simple amusement and pleasure sure seems selfish, sad, and just plain stupid to me. But hey, to each their own. I'm sure I do things that other people think are stupid too!

Oh, and I left it up to my kids to make the choice to do it if they wanted to or not. BUT...I made sure it was an INFORMED decision. I told them all of the factors involved, from BOTH sides, and then let them make their decisions.

They both decided not to swim.

[Rissask]

Your children sound pretty amazing Ginger! Pretty cool when kids would give up an experience like that (because I am sure it is a wonderful experience).

(from one bitch to another. )

[NorthMinnesota]

I don't usually jump in to the fray on "controversial" subjects but I do have some interesting info. Several years ago we vacationed in the Bahamas and participated in a dolphin program. We did not swim with the dolphins but got to be in the water with them and touch them as they swam around us. There was also an extensive informational/educational part of our "adventure". The dolphins were not penned in during the day or at night but could come and go and always came back! Some of the dolphins were ones that had been in some Vegas resort and were released to this group so they could try to go back to their natural environment. I also have a relative who is a dolphin trainer at the Minnesota Zoo.( a new baby dolphin is expected soon!) She has an interesting perspective on this debate and doesn't find the swim with the dolphins offensive at all.
As always there are some good programs and bad programs. An interactive educational program connects people to the environment and they learn about the dolphins in a way that truly touches them. Having a close and personal encounter with the dolphins gave us a deeper appreciation for these mammals and their environment.

[Rissask]

That program where the dolphins come in to swim and then are free to leave sounds a lot better. I know there is a beach in Australia where you can swim with free ones too.


The same argument can be made for zoos and Seaworld type places. And I have been to some zoos where the animals are very well taken care of, have nice enclosures with lots of room to roam, etc. They seem very humane. Now circuses, on the other hand....

But the question is, is it 'right' for humans to capture wild animals and keep them in captivity? Merely so people can be 'educated and informed' on them?

Books and videos and trips to their natural environment seems like a more ethical choice to me, is all. Even though the latter is not always feasible, it is still preferable.

I would rather see the millions of dollars spent on zoos every year in first world countries, go to programs where they try to improve the chances of endangered animals or the other problems that come with us sharing the planet with them. Like the elephants in Sri Lanka who are being driven out of their habitat by encroaching farmland, the gorillas being hunted to extinction in the Congo, rhinos being killed for their horns, etc. But we humans have largely ignored stuff like that in favour of going and gazing at them in pens....just seems so selfish.

The thing with the SWTD programs is that, while some are well run and the dolphins looked after well, some aren't. And they are largely unregulated.

[Ginger]

Yah, it's a hard subject to know what is right and what is wrong. We went to the San Diego Zoo on our trip. I hated it, mainly because ALL of the animals were in such small enclosures, especially the jungle cats whose enclosures were barely as large as my living room. We stayed barely half a day, and really didn't enjoy it much, the kids a little more than us, of course.

HOWEVER, it is a fact that the San Diego Zoo puts a lot of money towards the conservation of animals on our planet, even in their natural habitat, such as trying to save endangered species all over the world, so in a way by visiting the zoo we are supporting this as well. You see how hard it is and complicated? *sigh*

I don't know the answer, I wish I did.