Dolphin World Blog

Hi All,If you want to see the final photos of the Wyland Whaling Wall #99, you need to check out this blog from Merrill Tritt. He is a professional photographer and you can why his photos of the wall put mine to shame. So I won’t even bother taking any, please just go to the following link and see some amazing photos:

< Merrill Tritt’s photos of Wyland Wall #99>

Here is an example of some of his work

Look at this fish’s eye. It is staring right at you, almost 3D like.

Two Dolphins Swimming in the Florida Bay

These two photos he took, I really enjoy. His photos really make the wall come alive, especially his Swordfish and the Dolphin Swimming photos, both are really cool. Thanks Merrill.
God Bless,
John

Hi All,

I just saw this news video of Winter the Dolphin. Winter is the dolphin that has the Prosthetic Tail. She is the dolphin that swims in the Florida aquarium in Clearwater. You need to check out this news video how Winter’s prosthetic has helped a US Soldier and a Child feel better, pretty cool stuff.

<Click Here to See The News Video >
What do you think about Winter and her success with her prosthetic tail?
God Bless,
John

Hi All,

Just thought I would let you know we now offer a Dolphin Swim / Sea Lion Mini workshop where you get to do both swim with the dolphins in Nassau but now also get to swim with the Sea Lions too. This 1/2 day program will be a great way to discover both animals. The cost will be $245 both 30 minute interaction with the animals.

Also, Coming soon, the facility will be offering an All Day Beach Event where guests can stay the entire day or as they deem necessary. For example, a guest who would book a Sea Lion Program for the morning and a Dolphin Program in the afternoon. The guest will have beach access with swimming facility, hammocks, volleyball, basketball, game area and have the option of renting water sports, purchasing lunch (grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, chicken burgers, snacks and beverages).

The new beach day program will begin on Monday, June 30, 2008. This date will be confirmed by early next week.

If you are traveling to Nassau or Paradise Island, I think you will really enjoy the new Dolphin Swim / Sea Lion Mini Workshop and have a great day with my favorite animals, dolphins and sea lions.
How many people out there go to Nassau? Is it one of your favorite destinations?
God Bless,
John

Hi All,

I saw this article about swimming with the Whale Sharks at the Georgia Aguarium. Since most of our guest want to be swimming with the dolphins in Florida and other locations, maybe they might enjoy an experience like this. I would definitely do this. The Georgia Aquarium offers two different program with the Whale Sharks, Snorkeling with them, for $190 per person, or scuba diving with them, for $290 per person. To see the Georgia Aquarium FAQ page about this program, Click Here.
This story gives you the pros and cons of the program, so you need to decide if this is right for you.

The news story reads:
Vikas Chinnan stood over a tank at the world’s largest aquarium, peering down at the world’s largest fish species. He was wondering what it would be like to jump in and frolic beside the whale sharks.

The creature approached, eerily quiet. It was longer than a Ford Expedition, impossibly elegant as it banked into a turn at the tank’s edge, flexing its gray, massive, mottled form into a parabola of living flesh.

Swimming with sharks Shark attacks cause mania in Ixtapa area”Oh man,” muttered Chinnan, 32, one of eight divers who had paid $290 for the privilege. “I hope they fill up our [air] tanks, because I’m going to be breathing hard.”

Whale sharks are as harmless as they are imposing, preferring plankton to people. But with the Georgia Aquarium launching its “Swim With Gentle Giants” program this month — allowing a dozen swimmers and divers per day to enter the sharks’ habitat — marine experts fear it is the humans who could pose a threat. < Read More>

I think this program would be cool to try and hopefully the aquarium is educating the participants that enjoy this program about the whales and also taking care of the animals they have.
What do you think about this swimming with the whale shark program?
God Bless,
John

Hi All,I stopped by yesterday, Thursday June 12, to see where Wyland was on his Sea Life Mural in North Lauderdale. He got a lot done but there still a lot of open spaces on the wall, so we will see if he will be done by Saturday June 14. But here are some photos of what I saw so far.

He seems to be painting a theme of the Florida Waterway Eco Systems, from the Mangrove area of Florida, to the intra coastal waterways, to the Oceans and the reefs. Because he has started the western portion of the wall with Mangroves and Manatees, then Dolphins Swimming along in brackish waterway which is the intra coastal, and then sea turtles and the coral reefs. Also, I think Wyland had some contribution from other artists to help paint the mural too.

Florida Manatees swimming in Mangrove Islands

Mangrove Islands of the Florida Keys

Dolphin’s Swimming Along the Intra Coastal Waterway

Sea Turtles in the beautiful Florida Oceans

A Brain Coral of Florida and Another Artist Painting

Wyland Teaching Children to Paint Dolphins

Save Our Oceans – A great message !!

It was exciting to see the work in progress. I hope he is able to finish the Sea Life Mural by Saturday, but we will see. Let’s pray the weather is with him, so far it has been pretty good.
God Bless,
John

Hi All,

I got to the North Lauderdale Wyland Mural site just in time because he was about to get started with his work of this huge Mural. This is the last mural he is going to paint in North America. This is mural 99 and plans to stop with mural 100 that he plans to paint in China this year before the Olympics. When I got there, there were hardly any onlooker yet but they were prepared for many to arrive. They had many trucks with staff and materials, viewing stands and podium for announcements. So they were planning on a big affair.

I rushed around to see where Wyland was. I asked and there he was right in front of me. He was in the process of sketching out his design for the mural on a piece of paper. From what I have read, he never plans his mural. Only on the day of the murals, he designs the mural and then implement the design.

When I saw him, I introduced myself to him and mentioned that I stayed at his hotel, the Wyland Waikiki this past month. It brought a smile to him. He was gracious and said to me “hey, you want to take a photo with me”. “Of coarse”,I said, I obliged him and had a photo with him. He was really chatty and nice. He said “stick around I am about to start my work”.

I did not get to see the design but I hope he gets lots of dolphin swimming around in his mural, because these are my favorite marine animal. But I will have to wait till next Saturday to see the final outcome of his work.

Here are some photos of what I saw today.

Wyland’s Truck with All His Supplies

Wyland taking a photo with me

Wyland getting ready to start his Mural

Base coat done and Wyland letting the airbrush fly

They said he will be finished in 1 week, so hopefully I will be there by Wednesday to see the 1/2 way point to report to you all.

I have to say I was pretty excited to see and meet him. He seems to be doing a lot to help promote sealife awareness. You may want to check out his Wyland Fondation to see what he is into and stand for.
Do you like what Wyland is doing for the Ocean and Marine life?
God Bless,
John