I make no apologies for now that these are all of the images that I took during the 18 minutes that we were allowed to use our cameras at the Dolphin Swim / Snorkel plus the ones that I brought.

Today’s optional activity at Anthony's Key Resort, Bailey’s Key, Sandy Bay which most of the group took was to have an encounter with the dolphins. Honeymooners Sally and Shane had an all day Dolphin Trainer For A Day - Behind the Scenes Dolphin Training Sessions.

Michelle had the Action Swim encounter where her climax activity the Footpush was to ride up in the air on the nose of two dolphins (see video clip) while the rest of us took the Dolphin Swim / Snorkeling option.

However on arrival at the ticket office heard how our hour long encounter was going to be structured. Firstly 20 minutes in waist high water standing shoulder to shoulder, then for just 10 minutes when we could take photos and finally 30 minutes snorkeling with the Atlantic bottle nose dolphins but with no cameras! Yes, my heart sank as I managed to get my underwater camera fully charged again and was really looking forward to improving my underwater photography.

Never mind the fact that no camera were allowed underwater, it will just be a memory swimming / snorkeling with the dolphins, feeding them with the sea grass, touching … just wish that it was longer.

So the 109 photos was because my camera is always set on continuous at 6 frames per second. Not knowing where exactly they were to jump out of the water it was a bit of guess work. All the trainer said that they were about to do a particular move. So I am more than happy with what I recorded. Next time is to be lower to the water with my camera for an even more dramatic angle.

Then as we were about to head back, there were really dark clouds overhead. It was not a good sign. I asked the boat man which way was that cloud bank going and he said "our way". Sure enough within a few minutes but when we were luckily inside the gift shop looking at the “professional” taken 13 photos of the dolphin kiss and us holding the dolphin, the heavens certainly did open up. The boatman had said this is usual for this time of the year and it will not be for long. He was right!

I did buy the photos on a USB stick for US$40 as oppose to downloading them from a link. Yes, a bit expensive for all I wanted was just 2 of them.

Knowing what I know now, taking the all day 8 hour Dolphin Trainer for a Day would have been the most worthwhile thing. Yes, it is US$ 200, a once in a life time experience and the Snorkeling with the dolphins was only for an hour and cost US $103!

This is from Anthony’s Key Resort web site:

Experience a dolphin interaction activity like no other!

On this unstructured dolphin activity, the naturally curious dolphins are free to interact with you as they choose. Your Dolphin Snorkel begins as you travel across the resort's lagoon to Bailey’s Key, the private home to a large family of Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins. At a beach-front cabana a brief orientation will be given, and then you'll walk along a white sandy beach to wade waist deep into the gin-clear waters of the Caribbean where a trained naturalists will give you a personal introduction to a resident dolphin.

The trainer will describe the dolphins’ characteristics, anatomy and behaviors and will give you the opportunity to touch, kiss and play with a member of this friendly family of marine mammals. During the 30-minute encounter portion, you'll have excellent photo opportunities in addition to professional photographs that will be taken of you and your new friends.

Following the encounter, you’ll snorkel with a maximum of 12 participants for approximately 30 minutes with over a dozen resident dolphins within the enclosure. The snorkel session will provide maximum opportunities for physical contact with the dolphins. If the dolphins choose not to interact, there is a private area for them within the two-acre enclosure. Participants must be 8 years of age and pregnant women are not allowed. Cameras are NOT allowed in the water during the snorkel session.

Shower and then see how my photos turned out. Only one sequence that are probably out of focus so these will probably be culled later.

Dinner at Cannibal’s. This is at this stage one of the best meals we had. I thought about taking the burrito challenge where if you can eat 3 within an hour, it is free. But after my fish one decided that yes I could eat 2 of them but the third one, this last one would really be a struggle and I would merely be a glutton so I didn’t. Was told they make the third one even bigger!