Congratulations to Dolphin Swim Australia
Congratulations to Dolphin Swim Australia for achieving Ecotourism Certification for their innovative tours that offer dolphins the opportunity to swim with humans!
Situated at Nelson Bay NSW, north of Sydney, Dolphin Swim Australia (DSA) provides a once in a lifetime experience for guests to jump into the wild world of oceanic dolphins within the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park. The unique approach to wild dolphin swims incorporates innovative approach techniques never before seen in the industry, with the over-arching difference being that the dolphins choose to swim to with humans! The program has been subject to stringent monitoring and compliance operations to ensure that no harm comes to the dolphins, or any other marine life, or any guests.
The "swim with" experience offered by DSA took over four years to develop, with extensive in-house monitoring and research on the dolphin population, the development of an independent and ongoing monitoring and research project by dolphin expert, Dr Carol Scarpaci, from Victoria University, and in close collaboration with the Marine Park Authority NSW and the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service.
Each of DSA's certified tours take place on the vessel, Imagine, which avoids disturbance to marine-life with it's low-level engine noise and shrouded propellers, and has been fitted with rope rigging between its two bows. Guests are harnessed to the rope and the "swim with" experience occurs if the wild dolphins decide to entertain themselves by swimming to the boat, bow-riding and investigating the humans.
DSA operates to a strict environmental management plan to protect the dolphins and other marine life, and the delicate ecosystem in which they operate. Through the stringent processes involved with the planning of DSA, they have become closely involved with wild dolphin research in collaboration with NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service and Victoria University, and their goal is to educate all guests on the dolphins they encounter, as well as the broader marine ecosystem and marine park environment.
Dolphin Swim Australia has achieved Ecotourism certification for their tours; Wild Dolphin Swim, and The Best Wild Dolphin Watch on Planet Earth. To find out more about them, or to explore availability, please visit their website.