Discovery Cove - OMW!

[Matt Charlton]

Wow.

Thats really the only word I can use to sum up yesterday. Fantastic, amazing, special.

Here's Sue kissing CJ, a Bottlenose/common dolphin hybrid, who is 15 years old. He was lovely.

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/photopost/data/641/medium/sue-cj.jpg

And heres me

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/photopost/data/641/medium/me-cj.jpg

Most of the people there seemed to be British, dunno if there were any dibbers around or not. Sue said it was the most magical day she's had so far and possibly her best day ever.

We joked about doing it again before we went home (we still have just over a week left) and so when I got back to the hotel, I checked availability and I've booked again for next Sunday.

Spent an absolute fortune this holiday but I don't know when we'll get the chance to come back here - especially if we have kids. We're looking at a good 5-6 years again I would think.

She doesn't know yet, I've written it in on our planner but we don't often look at it so I don't know when she'll spot it. If I can get away with it I won't tell her until next Saturday night, don't know if I'll be able to though.

[Leanne1977]

Aww Matt thats lovely!:o:

So pleased you both loved it. Thats a really special thing you have done for Sue. Hope she is over the moon when she finds out.:o: :wave:

[Diane]

Lovely photos and I agree a truly magical day. Sue is going to be so excited when she finds out what you have done! I hope you have another great day. :)

Diane x

[nmurray]

Wow the photos do look lovely. Pleased your enjoying yourselves.

[Matt Charlton]

We bought the CD with the hi res jpgs on and copyright release but the eeepc doesn't have an optical drive in it so we're stuck with taking photos of the photos till we get home.

Don't know if I'll buy the DVD again next week, I wonder if they'll do me a deal :p

[jacqui]

Great to see the photo's of you both, my daughter got to swim with CJ on our last visit, glad to see he's doing well. :)

[pepsicube]

Wow.

Spent an absolute fortune this holiday but I don't know when we'll get the chance to come back here - especially if we have kids. We're looking at a good 5-6 years again I would think.

.

Bet you're back within 2 years!

[lotti]

looks amazing, enjoy next sunday. :spin:

[truesdpr]

That's really lovely Matt - enjoy your 2nd go next week!

Pam.
:wavey:

[madwife]

Totally agree - fab place and definitely a must at least once. Love the photo's Matt :wave:

[paulrae]

Nice one Matt...Bet you'll be planning another trip for 2009 by the time you get back! :grin:

[Celica190]

What lovely photos and that's a really nice surprise for Sue as well.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday :wavey:

[frazers mum]

What a lovely surprise for Sue! :) Such a sweet thing to think to do

[kellie]

we are going in july and we cant wait :thumbs-up

although im a bit worried as im not an animal person

[ameliaUK]

What a lovely surpise
so nice to see your pics
We have not been to DC
Next visit hopefully
Enjoy the rest of your trip !!

[Michelle]

Great photo's Matt.....:)

Glad you had such a fab day.

[Matt Charlton]

Shes bouncing off the walls :D

She was looking at the planner for a good 5 minutes and still didn't spot it, so I told her to look closer at next weekend. So she did and saw it and said "you're joking!!!" and I said - "no, we're going back"

[Stedman5]

We did it last week and it was the best day of our holiday, also they are doing a new idea for under 6's called Kidscove, at the end of the day all the children who didn't do the dolphin swim get to do everything we did except the swim, which our 5 year old loved and had her photo taken kissing the dolphin.
Have a fun day!!!

[Helen uk]

So its not just us who go twice in one trip ;) We thought the same so booked up straight away.Weve now been 3 times and will be back again.
Sounds like you are having a great time as well.

[Lesley_Perschky]

We swam with with CJ, he is a cheeky dolphin, but lovely.

[Jaydee]

Awww great photos Matt :thumbs-up

We are doing DC in November and I'm a little apprehensive as its
not something I can honestly say I've thought about doing before.
DH has wanted to do it for a while now so I gave in to going this
year. You make it sound really good though so I'm looking forward
to the day a little more now.

[alanda]

We are going for our first time in August. I'm glad you found it as special as I want to! (if you see what I mean)

DH is a weak swimmer and has been taking swimming lessons so that he is not afraid when we get there.

How strong a swimmer do you need to be? Or doesn't it matter?

His main problem is he doesn't like putting his face in the water, and panics. Not like the boys, who have always loved the water! :)

[madwife]

You don't have to be a strong swimmer at all. Most of the time you are stood in the shallows and then you walk out to a deeper part before holding onto your dolphin and heading back to the shallows. Can I just add that the deeper part doesn't go over your head (unless your very short) :wave:

[lilack]

We did it last week and it was the best day of our holiday, also they are doing a new idea for under 6's called Kidscove, at the end of the day all the children who didn't do the dolphin swim get to do everything we did except the swim, which our 5 year old loved and had her photo taken kissing the dolphin.
Have a fun day!!!


Please can you tell me more about this. My daughter will be almost 6 when we go in February. I really want to go to DC but not sure if it would be worth it if you can't do the dolphin swim. What do you think? Btw she looks and acts older than her age - are they very strict on the over 6s only policy?

[adtritton]

Could not agree more, this is always the best day of my holiday.

In reference to swimming ability my girlfriend could not swim when we went, DC Gave her a flotation jacket and she was fine in all the pools

[glenparty]

Enjoy yourselves, what lovely photos. Have a great second day there. :wave:

Claire

[alexisemma31]

Two days in DC - you lucky things!!!!

It was the best day of our holiday last year - can't wait till August!!!!

Enjoy the rest of your hols!! :wavey:

[podsmum]

What a lovely thought and how exciting for you. Looks fantastic, I am just toying with the idea of booking for us to go!

Jacqui

[Matt Charlton]

Its definitely worth every penny. One of the most immersing, interesting and memorable experiences I've every had certainly.

We were at Seaworld today for a full day pretty much, it was amazing how different the dolphins in the dolphin cove pool are. They are much more agitated and generally quite snappy and seem in a pretty bad mood.

I remember them being much more friendly back in 2002 and they'd take a fish and give you a fair few seconds to stroke them and say hello.

Today if you didn't have a fish in your hand they didn't want to know, even when we hung around the pool after all the fish had gone they seemed a little distressed. They were diving on top of one another to get at the fish sometimes too.

I'm sure that when we went before they let you buy trays of food all day long and now its limited to 20 minute windows maybe 4 times a day.

I don't think its just going to Discovery Cove thats tainted my point of view either, these guys just didn't seem the same as they did 6 years ago.

[pinkypominnie]

Those pics are great! We swam with CJ last week and he is gorgeous :)

The first time we went to DC, we also did the same and booked to go back before we came home - lol!! And then on our honeymoon we had another 2 trips booked in so thats 4 times in less than a year!! xx

[sylvy]

:wavey: What a lovely suprise that will be for Sue,enjoy the rest of your holiday.:wave:

[Kerri]

Glad you enjoyed it, we are booked in at DC for next month and can't wait!!
Enjoy your time there:wavey:

[2waterford]

Yes DC was one of the highlights of our holiday.

Great pics and I am sure Sue will be over the moon when she finds out about Sunday.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday.