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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to swim with dolphins?

98 replies

JacksWastedLife · 08/04/2015 21:34

We're going away soon and my family want to go swimming with dolphins, like captive ones. Am I a terrible person if I go along with this and we do it? I know people who would frown upon it but I also know people who have done it and said it was amazing. I am at loggerheads with myself. What I want to do and what I should do are different things..

OP posts:

sooperdooper · 08/04/2015 23:14

I made the mistake of swimming with dolphins in captivity about 10 years ago, the girl I went on holiday with booked the trip and stupidly I didn't ask many questioned and assumed it was going to be a boat trip to see wild dolphins :( hated it, she couldn't understand why, still makes me sad :(

Annabannbobanna · 08/04/2015 23:15

One of the most amazing things I have ever seen is a pod of dolphins swimming in formation in the ocean. Does it make me want to swim with captive dolphins? Not in a million years, it's cruel.

Welshmaenad · 08/04/2015 23:15

No, I woukdnt.

I went to SeaWorld when I was younger, with my parents. After we watched Blackfish we felt terrible that we had supported SeaWorld and the keeping of captive marine mammals.

We went to New Quay last year and did a dolphin boat trip. We saw calves swimming with their mums. The thrill of that, even just glimpsing a fun breaking the surface, was a million times greater than seeing a whole dolphin in a glass bathtub. It was where they were supposed to be, and they chose to swim near our boat, it was magical.

If you're going to Florida, go to Mote Marine or Homasassa Springs and see the wild manatees instead. Loads better.

foolssilver · 08/04/2015 23:17

Please don't. I have been to Taiji where theCove was filmed and it was hell.

If you are going to Dubai or any of the middle east, Cuba, Far East then it is likely they will be Taiji dolphins. If it is anywhere else they will have been captive bred ( also horrible) or 'rescued' which actually means not rescued at all. Any reputable rescue would never let anyone swim with rescues.

AnkhMorporkAssassinsGuild · 08/04/2015 23:19

Another who wouldn't, what goes on in the cove is barbaric & heartbreaking.

Anything involving "domesticated" wild animals from Elephant safari to monkeys & ape "shows" really need researching before you do them, because the animals involved are frequently broken & mistreated.

DanyStormborn · 08/04/2015 23:21

YABU - it is cruel to support it.

TrollTheRespawnJeremy · 08/04/2015 23:22

I have swum (inadvertantly) with wild dolphins in Scotland.

Wow. Totally life affirming.

Couldn't live with myself to support a park offering the same. It's just not fair on te animals.

If its something your family want to do, take up wild swimming. Paid for 'experiences' are weird. It's not life you're really experiencing anything- just paying for the captivation of these poor animals

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 08/04/2015 23:24

If you and your family do some research in Taiji and still want to go ahead...

UterusUterusGhali · 08/04/2015 23:25

Nah. I wouldn't.

Original poster

JacksWastedLife · 08/04/2015 23:27

Hi everyone, OP again. I've just finished Blackfish and told OH it's a definite no. We won't be doing any form of dolphin show or whale show or having any part of it.

I've been to Loro Parque and seen the shows as a teenager when I went away with my friend and her family, and I felt saddened by it watching the animals but I didn't know why as I hadn't researched anything about animals in captivity. Being an adult (and less naive) and knowing what I know now after watching Blackfish tonight I will never step foot in an establishment like that again.

Thank you people who have replied for educating me and opening my eyes. And for also making me realise that I was right to have doubts about doing it. :)

OP posts:

Original poster

JacksWastedLife · 08/04/2015 23:31

Oh and just in case it wasn't clear in my OP the thing I "want to do" was say no, but the thing I felt like I "should do" is go along with it to keep my family happy. Obviously nobody wants to disappoint their family about something they want to do and be the bad guy, but I feel now I will be able to educate them in the long run saying no is the absolute best option. Thank you everyone :)

OP posts:

foolssilver · 08/04/2015 23:32

Well done Op. If you are interested the film A fall from freedom is good too.

Gileswithachainsaw · 08/04/2015 23:44

Well done op

I'm glad you watched it. It's one of very few programmes that made me want to bawl my eyes out.

I'm going to check out the others mentioned too. How lovely that there is now one and hopefully more people less supporting the awful practices.

Wolfiefan · 08/04/2015 23:52

I'm glad you have made a decision. Eve Dallas where did you go? I Iove the idea of dolphins deciding if they are in the mood for humans!

Beketaten · 08/04/2015 23:53

Thank you. And I'm sure when your children are older they will be glad that they didn't take part either.

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/04/2015 00:53

Yay OP. Now, start saving your pennies and you can so to NZ and swim with wild dolphins, seals and sharks. The seals are the best, dolphins are snobby.

ByronBaby · 09/04/2015 01:28

I agree with MrsTP. Come to NZ and spend a week in Kaikoura. You can go whale watching, swim with dolphins and seals and if you come in the NZ wintertime, you can follow a creek to a seal nursery at the bottom of a waterfall. The creek and pool are alive with baby seals - take your tissues, it's so cute you will weep! This is completely natural and free - it is on public conservation land and is not a commercial attraction in any way, although a conservation ranger is stationed there during the busy times to make sure fools members of the public don't touch the seals. AND if you are lucky you might spot a pod of Hectors dolphins - very small, endemic to NZ and endangered. And then take the kids sea kayaking in the Abel Tasman National Park, where you will see even more seals and dolphins.

umbongoumbongo · 09/04/2015 03:42

Good decision OP; those parks are awful. Someone up thread mentioned 'do Dolphins want to interact with humans?' - actually I did swim with the wild ones in Kaikoura as mentioned above years ago and you aren't allowed to touch or feed them. However you can hum through the snorkel and they really like it! One in particular was very interested; when I developed my photos the same dolphin came back multiple times circling around me (it had a scar which made it stand out) and it 'played' with me for a good 15 minutes. Wonderful experience and if you want to do it then in the wild would be the only way I'd ever consider it.

FeijoaSundae · 09/04/2015 05:08

Gosh, I'm so naive, I assumed you meant swimming in the sea with them, I didn't realise places that let you swim with captive ones still existed.

Where can you do this? How are these places allowed to continue running?

Agree with the others, come down to NZ where you can do it for real. :)

flyingspaghettimonster · 09/04/2015 05:33

There are so many places you can get close to a wild dolphin - right where we live in virginia there is a large pod that spends most summer evenings along the bay, close enough for good swimmers to hang out with. They even pushed back our inflatable when it was taken out too far in a current - returned it to the same section of the bay and bobbed about just beyond the breakers looking like it was a good game :) I couldn't do sea world with my kids after wTchig black fish, even though I went as a kid and thought it was magical. I don't even take mine to the circus, and have explained why. Kids are surprisingly keen to do the right thing...

tilder · 09/04/2015 06:47

I saw your op and was then relieved to see all the replies. Even more pleased to read your decision. Whales and dolphins in captivity are akin to a dancing bear or a tiger jumping through a hoop. Wrong on so many levels.

ememem84 · 09/04/2015 06:57

byron I was just going to suggest kaikoura!! Was there in December (again) and found a tour where we could swim with the fry seals (and a pod of dolphin popped in too!!) absolutely amazing.

Original poster

JacksWastedLife · 09/04/2015 07:06

On a related note, is it cruel to visit zoos too? We are going to Drayton Manor at the weekend and there is a zoo there. Don't want to visit if it's cruel. They arent performing animals but still obviously captive.

OP posts:

FindoGask · 09/04/2015 07:09

YY to the Blackfish recommendations. I was so affected by that film: it really spells out how morally bankrupt the whole Seaworld thing is.

fiorentina · 09/04/2015 07:13

I have been swimming in the sea in off Australia and a pod of dolphins came and were swimming where we were. That was magical. But they chose to be there, that's what felt so great about it. Please don't swim with those in captivity.

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