The Best Tours & Excursions

Fabienne - The Nervous Traveler -in Jamaica 3

Next stop was the Dolphin encounter. My body was tensing up again at the very thought of swimming in deep water with some animals I had never been close to before, life jacket or not. “Deep water” was the key word here, and it’s all I could think about. So when we gathered by the water to learn about our interaction with these lovely sea creatures, I was literally on the verge of a breakdown. You see, I had observed a group of swimmers earlier during their encounter, and I had heard them yell and scream and splash and laugh hysterically. Could I do this?

No. I chickened out. I found a way out of this experience as soon as I found out that Dolphin Cove has a program for “touchers,” which only requires for guests to be in knee-high water and touch and kiss the dolphin. THANK GOD! The lovely guide quickly escorted me to the front desk so I could change my plans. I finally could breathe again. And as I waited for my group’s turn to touch the dolphins, I watched Deuce plunge in the blue waters and wait in line for his turn at adventure. First, Misty and Pepe (his dolphins) performed some clever tricks. Then, they swam with the guests who held on to their dorsal fins and let themselves be pulled around. Deuce fell in love with a dolphin and thoroughly enjoyed petting her.

Later on, it was time for the big event. Floating on the surface of the water, Deuce spread his legs and let the dolphins push him with force with their beaks against his heels. Soon enough, he was coming up from the water, standing on their beak. Then, they push with full force and let you fall into the water. That looked like pure, genuine, awesome fun. They were having a blast. And here I was, just touching…

My dolphin encounter was rewarding. I came close enough to a dolphin without having to deal with my greatest fear, and that turned out to be alright. My group was assigned Calypso, one of their Mexican dolphins (Dolphin Cove has 14 dolphins altogether). She was a true beauty, with dreamy wet eyes and amazing agility. Her skin was the smoothest thing I had ever felt to the touch, smoother than velvet or silk. I too had fallen in love with a dolphin.

Calypso danced, splashed, twirled, and swam at the speed of lightening. When she was done, she let us pull her head out of the water and kiss her on the lips. What an experience! I was thrilled. For the first time, I was touching a dolphin, and I could tell everyone I knew about it.

On the other side of Dolphin Cove, the school children who came in for a field trip were having a blast. Two little school boys were dancing and playing the maracas with the drummer, while little girls pulled up their uniforms to dip their feet in the water. They sat under the huts and share some treats, and the girls who didn’t sit were running from the boys who chased them around vigorously.

Lunch time was upon us. I was hungry, and a warm, Jamaican meal was all I wanted to taste. Dolphin Cove had that covered, too: rice and beans, greens, and a choice of chicken or pork with potatoes. Right next to us, staff members were holding the beverages in their cooler. In this thick Island heat, what better to cool you down than a bottle of Red Stripe? And this is coming from someone without much taste for beer. It was the perfect conclusion to a day in the life of a nervous traveler. Little did I know that the worse (or best) was yet to come…

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Fabienne - The Nervous Traveler - in Jamaica 2

July 3, 2007

It’s there, but you can hardly see it. Not from the street, anyways.

To get to Dolphin Cove, you first need to tell your driver where you’re going. Then, once at destination, they pull over to the side of the road, let you out and escort you past the entrance door down a set of numerous steps, all leading to a corner of paradise. Because that’s what Dolphin Dove is. Paradise on earth.

Once you’ve made your way through the exquisite tropical foliage into the main office, the front desk guides you to your orientation, where you are offered several different tours to choose from. If you’re like me, then the orientation guide’s beautiful smile and sweet voice won’t suffice to soothe your sudden heart palpitations (the minute she said the words swim, deep water, and dolphins, I quietly hyperventilated).

After you sign up for your tours, then you’re in for the experience of a lifetime. We take a lengthy tour of the property, visiting the shark tanks, the stingray tanks; the dolphins’ swim area, as well as the mini-boat and kayak section. Along the pier, you can stop and shop for souvenirs at the gift shops, peak into the jewelry store where a pirates’ treasure chest is appropriately nestled in a cave, fitting with the name Treasure Reef, which Dolphin Cove is being re-branded as. Dolphin Cove is a part of Treasure Reef, and will soon adopt the name Treasure Reef, namely because of its vast array of activities found onsite. If you have a taste for the spirits of Jamaica, the rum shop is an excellent destination.

When you’re ready to start your adventure, you can start with the Jungle Trail, which takes you straight into the tropical rain forest that surrounds this four-acre property. Hiking through the woods, you’re headed for encounters with magnificent iguanas  in their petting center, goats and geese, snakes, macaws and other exotic species. You can even head for a cup of coffee under the Jablum Coffee Hut. Every stop is a learning experience, as the well-trained guides and trainers offer you a wealth of information on the subject.

My first nerve-wrecking experience at Dolphin Cove was with the mini-boats. Those three-seaters are fast and the ride can be a bit bumpy for a fraidy cat like me when cruising on the waves. They’re powerful, and yes, you will get splashed. I was clutching my towel the whole time. A little after we passed the reef area, the guide hands the wheel over to Deuce, who finds it amusing to take steep turns that churn my stomach. The guide looked over and smiled.

“Ya not drivin’ ?” he asked.

“No. Not me.”

There were only so many words that could come out of my mouth. But after a few minutes, I found my muscles relaxing, and all the tension slowly melting away. Our guide made sure we were comfortable the whole time while showing off the exquisite scenery around. Jamaica is truly a gem, as it spread before my eyes like a splendid emerald, flaunting its lush foliages and diamond waterfalls (Rio Chico is right next door, offering luxurious villas; its waterfall cascades down into the ocean and can be seen from Dolphin Cove).

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