The Dolphin Explorer

06/19/2024

SpinnerDolphins, Big Island, Hawaii!

06/19/2024

Naturalist Bob and his wife Cathy are in Hawaii for a few weeks and Cathy captured this Spinner Dolphin having some fun Tuesday morning!
dolphin-study.com

06/13/2024

A sure sign that birthing season in near for our dolphins!

The markings on this adult female lets our team know that this is adult female Darwina. Her calf, Jersey, just left mom’s side last week at 33 months old. This is a very strong sign that Darwina is VERY PREGNANT, most likely giving birth to a new baby in September! Jersey had a great teacher in Darwina and will be on his own for the rest of his life
The same is true with mom Payton. Her calf Mary Sue just left mom’s care in the last week as well.
WE ARE LEADING UP TO A FANTASTIC BIRTHING SEASON THIS FALL,
Stay tuned! dolphin-study.com

06/13/2024

The markings on this adult female lets our team know that this is adult female Darwina. Her calf, Jersey, just left mom’s side last week at 33 months old. This is a very strong sign that Darwina is VERY PREGNANT, most likely giving birth to a new baby in September! Jersey had a great teacher in Darwina and will be on his own for the rest of his life
The same is true with mom Payton. Her calf Mary Sue just left mom’s care in the last week as well.
WE ARE LEADING UP TO A FANTASTIC BIRTHING SEASON THIS FALL,
Stay tuned! dolphin-study.com

06/09/2024

Shooting the moon at 10,000 feet

My favorite photo so far, this trip! On vacation, Big Island, Hawaii, descending from 10,000 feet after watching the sunset on Mauna Kea, and a sliver of a moon, just a day after the June 6 new moon, came into view! Absolutely beautiful terrain and tons, I mean TONS, of stars in the night sky!
Naturalist Bob dolphin-study.com

06/09/2024

My favorite photo so far, this trip! On vacation, Big Island, Hawaii, descending from 10,000 feet after watching the sunset on Mauna Kea, and a sliver of a moon, just a day after the June 6 new moon, came into view! Absolutely beautiful terrain and tons, I mean TONS, of stars in the night sky!
Naturalist Bob dolphin-study.com

05/30/2024

WATCH THE 4th of July Marco Island fireworks from the water! The Dolphin Explorer will be heading out at 7:30 PM to have some fun celebrating our independence! Only 20 seats left as of May 30th. Reserve your seats TODAY! Call 239-642-6899 or book on our website dolphin-study.com

05/28/2024

Nice local news article about this Fall’s birthing season for the Dolphin Explorer survey team!

Dolphin Birthing Season Preview

05/28/2024

Record number of dolphins identified on a single trip today!

Well, isn’t this SOMETHING! Surveying our local dolphin population for more than 18 years, we have a record of identifying 33 different dolphins on a single 3 hour excursion…….UNTIL TODAY!!! Marine Biologist James and Master Naturalist Jen SHATTERED THE RECORD TODAY, documenting 38 DIFFERENT DOLPHINS IN ONE TRIP…..IDENTIFYING ALL OF THEM! WHOOP WHOOP! We LOVE breaking records with guests on board!
dolphin-study.com

05/28/2024

Well, isn’t this SOMETHING! Surveying our local dolphin population for more than 18 years, we have a record of identifying 33 different dolphins on a single 3 hour excursion…….UNTIL TODAY!!! Marine Biologist James and Master Naturalist Jen SHATTERED THE RECORD TODAY, documenting 38 DIFFERENT DOLPHINS IN ONE TRIP…..IDENTIFYING ALL OF THEM! WHOOP WHOOP! We LOVE breaking records with guests on board!
dolphin-study.com

05/25/2024

Sibling playtime around Marco Island, Fl!

Sibling fun! 20 month old Snowflake, right, shares some playtime with older sister, 17 year old Lucky Charm. Their mom, Avery, wasn’t too far away. These two were taught to feed in the same area so it is not uncommon to cross paths once in a while. Always great to see this type of sibling interaction! dolphin-study.com

05/25/2024

Sibling fun! 20 month old Snowflake, right, shares some playtime with older sister, 17 year old Lucky Charm. Their mom, Avery, wasn’t too far away. These two were taught to feed in the same area so it is not uncommon to cross paths once in a while. Always great to see this type of sibling interaction! dolphin-study.com

05/22/2024

Mom Jing Jing is looking pretty big! By the Dolphin Explorer team’s estimates, she is about 8 months pregnant, along with several other ladies!
Birthing season is typically September, October and November in the north Marco area and it will be very exciting! You can read about it in Thursday’s Coastal Breeze News and learn how our dolphin population could increase by 10%! It’s gonna be wild! dolphin-study.com

05/22/2024

Many of you are aware that our amazing dolphin study team sends quarterly reports to colleges and other study programs around the world. Now the public can enjoy these detailed updates on our website! Go to dolphin-study.com homepage, click on “More” and then “News” to stay in touch. Stay tuned for regular newsletters in the near future as well! We are also working on getting our Dolphin Catalog 2024 up and running!
dolphin-study.com

05/22/2024

05/22/2024

Lots of bird life in the area now! Wilson’s Plovers have already produced some chicks, Black Skimmers are choosing their mates and getting prepared for nesting, Black-bellied Plovers are passing through and, as always, Ospreys are fishing for their next meal! Not pictured, but Least Terns and Swallow-tailed kites are in the area as well! dolphin-study.com

05/03/2024

Juvenile shark by our boat!

05/03/2024

The crew on the Dolphin Explorer recently photographed this juvenile Bonnethead shark next to the boat. Not a threat to our local dolphins, but one of the many shark species found in our waters! dolphin-study.com

04/20/2024

Best of the Best Dolphin Tour / Gulfshore Life Magazine

Nikee Fellows of Gulfshore Life Magazine stopped by our booth to deliver our “Best of the Best” plaque. Naturalist Bob McConville and Marine Biologist James Livacarri accepted the award as the best Dolphin Tour in southwest Florida. Of the 90 businesses recognized in the magazine only 2 are from Marco Island….. JW Marriott and the Dolphin Explorer! GO TEAM DOLPHIN! dolphin-study.com

04/20/2024

Nikee Fellows of Gulfshore Life Magazine stopped by our booth to deliver our “Best of the Best” plaque. Naturalist Bob McConville and Marine Biologist James Livacarri accepted the award as the best Dolphin Tour in southwest Florida. Of the 90 businesses recognized in the magazine only 2 are from Marco Island….. JW Marriott and the Dolphin Explorer! GO TEAM DOLPHIN! dolphin-study.com

04/17/2024

Great manatee sighting today!

04/17/2024

Great manatee sighting between trips today! A mom and calf came right up to our dock, posed for the cameras, then swam around the marina! Baby manatees are about 4 feet long and 60 pounds at birth! This one appears to be very young! dolphin-study.com

04/14/2024

National Dolphin Day!

HAPPY NATIONAL DOLPHIN DAY!!!!!! It was almost 1 year ago that our team coordinated a rescue on 19 month old Fergie and saved his life from a fishing line entanglement! Pictured here, Fergie is now approaching 2 1/2 years old and will likely leave mom’s side in the next 6 months. Good chance that mom Skipper is about 6 months pregnant! What a great way to watch our dolphin population grow and what an honor for the 10,000 Islands Dolphin Study Project’s members to report the consistent health of our population and to assist in rescues like Fergie! HAPPY NATIONAL DOLPHIN DAY FROM THE DOLPHIN EXPLORER TEAM! dolphin-study.com

04/14/2024

HAPPY NATIONAL DOLPHIN DAY!!!!!! It was almost 1 year ago that our team coordinated a rescue on 19 month old Fergie and saved his life from a fishing line entanglement! Pictured here, Fergie is now approaching 2 1/2 years old and will likely leave mom’s side in the next 6 months. Good chance that mom Skipper is about 6 months pregnant! What a great way to watch our dolphin population grow and what an honor for the 10,000 Islands Dolphin Study Project’s members to report the consistent health of our population and to assist in rescues like Fergie! HAPPY NATIONAL DOLPHIN DAY FROM THE DOLPHIN EXPLORER TEAM! dolphin-study.com

04/10/2024

WOW! About 7 dolphins played in a wave on a sandbar, enjoying the opportunity to get some excercise! The last picture is adult female Jing Jing and she looks to be about 6 months pregnant! We have 13-15 females on our list that are potentials to give birth this Fall! Exciting times on the Dolphin Explorer!!! dolphin-study.com

04/05/2024

Baby Ospreys springing up everywhere!

04/05/2024

Lots of Osprey chicks on the nest right now! These raptors are plentiful around Marco Island and will be for the next 2 months. Be sure to watch the birdlife as well as the marine life when you are on the water! Have Fun!
dolphin-study.com