Dolphin Encounters is located in Ponta do Ouro in southern Mozambique just across from Kosi Bay in South Africa. There are several companies here that offer swims with the Dolphins but Dolphin Encounters is the oldest in the area and also the only non profit and dolphin research organization here. They were Africa’s first Dolphin Interaction and Research Center. The organization was co founded by Angie Gullan in 1994 after she experienced seeing Bottlenose Dolphins near where she was swimming. Her intrigue and curiosity had led her to dedicate her life to researching and campaigning against exploitative dolphin tourism.
Typically you book your excursion in advance and often the trips leave in the early morning. Allow several hours – including a pre trip briefing which takes place in their main office. Your boat launches from a sandy beach (everyone helps push it out) and the driver expertly maneuvers through the surf zone into the open ocean. You typically will head to the South African border and then drive along the coastline looking for pods of dolphins.
When you find a pod, the boat will stop ahead of the dolphins and everyone will quietly enter the water and swim towards the coast waiting for the dolphins to arrive. Its an amazing thing when the dolphins spot you and swim over to you. During a recent swim, several dolphins just kept circling us – watching us, almost playing. Visit: www.dolphinencountours.org
View video here:
Photos courtesy of Dolphin Encounters from Author’s dolphin swim
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