Dolphin Cove

The first time I saw a Dolphin was at the beach in Malibu at sunset. It was a magical experience even from so far away. I saw them jump and play in the ocean with a gorgeous orange and purple sunset right behind them. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever be close enough to swim with one, let alone dance with one in the Caribbean sea. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the itinerary and saw that we were going to visit the Dolphin Cove in Ocho Rios.

As we arrived at the Dolphin Cove we headed down a few flights of stairs surrounded by these gorgeous vine filled trees and native plants. We received our wristband and headed out of the building to an outdoor pool that overlooked the turquoise ocean.

We were instructed not to bring our cameras into the water with us but that there would be a photographer to capture the special moments. We were also advised not to wear sunscreen to protect the dolphins and the ecosystem.

Once we got to the cove they had us grab a life vest. This is always a concern for me as I’m a Plus Size babe and know that some places are not as accommodating to people of size, but to my surprise they had a variety of sizes.

Our marine specialist introduced us to our dolphins and had them do a few tricks to welcome us. I quickly learned that dolphins love to be praised. We clapped and cheered for them as they jumped out of the water performing tricks. It really set the energy for the experience.

We stood in a line with our hands out as they swam by us allowing us to pet them. They’re very much like puppies and love the attention. We took turns interacting with the dolphins and they performed their tricks

The last interaction with the dolphin had me so nervous because the dolphins lifted you out of the water in a standing position. I thought there was no way these dolphins were going to be able to lift me, I almost backed down on the experience before I reminded myself that I was in Jamaica and who knows if i’ll ever get another chance to do this! So I swam out and was instructed to lay face down in the water with my feet shoulder width apart. The dolphins then swam right behind me and lifted me up from my feet. I did not lock my legs so I barely came out of the water. The second time however, I locked in my knees and before you knew it I was in the air screaming! That was such an adrenaline rush! Turns out dolphins can push up to three times their weight!

Everybody was so encouraging, clapping and cheering each other on. I overheard comments like ”Can you believe this is our life?” “You’ll remember this experience forever!” and they were absolutely right. This was an experience I will never forget!

If swimming with dolphins is not your thing you can also check out the iguanas and caribbean birds or have an encounter with a shark! If you find yourself in Jamaica I would highly recommend you check out The Dolphin Cove in Ocho Rios.