Kids Help Track Dolphins off Florida Gulf Coast and Get Naming Rights for $27

Instead of lazing about on the beach this year and watching the wildlife from a distance, get an up close experience with the 10,000 Islands Dolphin Project in the towns of Marco Island and Naples, in southwest Florida.

Combining the idea of tourism and volunteering, the program gives passengers the chance to help track and record the behavior of bottlenose dolphins in the 10,000 Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in the Gulf of Mexico.  

The project seeks to provide information on dolphin trends and whereabouts, while raising awareness of marine life, the environment and conservation. By participating in a three-hour excursion, guests can photo identify dolphins and help record their activities.

The Dolphin Challenge gives kids 12 and under the opportunity to learn all about the dolphins and the Florida ecosystem with games and trivia questions during the voyage. At the end, participants’ efforts are rewarded with the coveted official Survey Team Patch, an accomplishment of which they can be really proud.

Also, if a new dolphin should be identified on an excursion, passengers have the chance to name it. Some fun recent ones being “Ging-Ging,” “Captain Hook,” and “Mamawane.” During the trip, the boat will make a 45-minute stop on Barrier Island, where “voluntourists” can hunt for shells to take home as souvenirs.

On the water or land, guides will point out any of the area’s birds of prey, including ospreys, great blue herons, pelicans and egrets. Manatees may also be spotted during boat outings, mainly in the period between May and September.

Tickets for this excellent eco-experience go for an average $54 per adult and only $27 for children 3 to 12. Children 2 and under can even board for free. Travelers can board the Dolphin Explorer at either Rose Marco River Marina or Naples Port O’ Call, depending on ticket details upon purchase. There are two survey trips daily, one in the morning departing at 9am and the second departing in the afternoon at 1pm.  Advance purchase for these excursions is strongly recommended.

Interested? Visit The Dolphin Explorer website or call at 800/979-3370 for reservations. So far, the 10,000 Islands Dolphin Project has managed to photo-identify, name and catalogue over 240 dolphins with the help of tourists from all over. Experts and passengers identify the dolphins by observing distinct markings on the dolphins’ dorsal fins, markings caused by encounters with other dolphins and wildlife.

If you’d like to get an even closer look at the project’s goals and learn more on what you can do to help, visit the website or contact Captain Chris Desmond at dolphinproject@comcast.net. Captain Desmond is the founder and director of the Dolphin Project and is among the conservation-devoted and passionate four-man survey team of the Dolphin Explorer.