Day 28: Training Dolphins

Petting the two year old dolphin

The big surprise I had organized today for Sue was to spend a day learning to train dolphins. The Trainer for a Day program is run by Vallarta Adventures about an hour's bus ride away in Neuvo Vallarta.

We met Anna our guide around 10 and since we were a little early she started us with a group encounter that was about to begin with a pair of mother and child  dolphins. We got int the pool with a small group on a submerged platform where we were were able to touch the two year old baby dolphin. They are like dogs in that they love attention and being petted. In the wild they are always touching each other in groups.

Anna, who is originally from Germany, now lives in Mexico and after becoming a trainer, set up the Trainer for a Day program and her enthusiasm is infectious.

Sue commanding the dolphin to jump

After the first encounter Anna took us to their other facility a short boat ride across the river where we met our instructor. We had a pool to our selves with a single dolphin that he was working with. We learned how much patience it takes to gradually get the dolphin respond to hand signals step at a time using their fish as reward. He also uses an ultrasonic whistle to reinforce when they have done something right. It is just like training dogs.

We got to try the hand signals, and what a thrill to give the jump command and have a dolphin leap into the air for you.

The sea lion feels like a large wet dog

Next we climbed into a pool for a close encounter with a sea lion. She loves attention and felt like a large wet agile dog in the pool with us. In the wild these can be very aggressive animals but this one was a gentle as a puppy and simply amazing to pet as she gracefully swam by.

The trainer had each of us swim to the middle of the pool and then had the sea lion jump effortlessly over our head. What a beautiful animal to watch.

Silly tourist photo

Of course we had to get photos with here making funny faces with us, and you can find more photos on the main photo album.

Then we were back gain with another group encounter with a pair of dolphins. This time we wore life jackets so we could float in the deep part of the pool and simply have the dolphins swim around us and allow us to pet them. Their skin is smother than I had imagined, and they love their soft belly being rubbed.

We got to feel their immense power as they towed us around the pool while we we held into their flippers as they swam upside down.

A kiss from a 700 pound male sea lion

The day went by fast, but before we left we got an opportunity to meet and get a little intimate with the large male sea lion who lives there. 

What an amazing day.