Meet the Playful Dolphins of Bimini
This trip leaves a lasting impact every year, so we are going back in 2023! The Bahamas, specifically Bimini Island, is the perfect ocean destination for a relaxed dolphin adventure. Enjoy pristine beaches, bright blue water, and the friendliest pods of dolphins on the planet. These dolphins are curious, and will swim right up to you for a powerful and wild experience you’ll never forget.
Bimini is a favorite Team Ninja destination and you will understand why when you get in the water to witness the intimate behaviors between members of the pods, their hunting strategies, and direct interactions with our group. This unique ocean experience with one of the most intelligent marine mammals in the world will leave you with a fiery inspiration to protect them.
Join Dive Ninjas in June 2023 for a very special wild dolphins of Bimini expedition. This is a limited offer trip with only 12 spaces at the peak of the dolphin season. This trip will sell out, so sign up now. Scroll down for more details on the trip, then register online now to secure your space. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] or at +1-973-619-9976 with any questions or to reserve your place today.
The Expedition
The Atlantic Spotted Dolphin and the Bottlenose Dolphin are the residents of Bimini Island, and there is a high chance of seeing both during the trip. The dolphin pods in Bimini are unique because they naturally seek out interactions with humans. You’ll have the chance to interact directly with these animals and watch them explore their world.
Jay Clue, Dive Ninja award-winning underwater photographer & conservationist, will show you the best of Bimini with environmental scientist Kelly Melillo Sweeting. Kelly has been working with Bimini dolphins for over 18 years, and she will be joining us throughout the week to teach us about the pods and her dolphin research.
Our expedition will begin in Bimini, the Bahamas. Our first day of the trip will be relaxed as people check-in and get settled. In the evening, Jay Clue will give a presentation introducing our soon-to-be dolphin friends and what’s in store for the week. The next day, after lunch, will be our first dolphin expedition! The schedule will continue with afternoon boat trips for the next few days, with a total of 4 afternoons in the water with dolphins, giving you as much time in the water as possible.
Dolphins are most active in the afternoon, so our schedule works with theirs, but not to worry, we have morning expeditions, including snorkeling & freediving with Caribbean reef sharks and a local wreck & reef. The morning activities are flexible, and you can choose to take a morning off to explore the beaches or hang out by the pool. Throughout the week, there will also be talks and presentations led by Kelly & Jay Clue, as well as the option to take photo workshops to bring home some incredible memories.
During our trips out on the ocean, we’ll keep an eye out for eagle rays, different species of sharks, and many more marine inhabitants of the Bahamas!
Accommodation & Operations
We have teamed up with Bimini Scuba Center for our shark diving needs. The local operations coordinator Neal Watson, is considered one of the leading experts on diving in the Bahamas. Not only do Neal and his team provide top notch service on the level of National Geographic, BBC, and Animal Planet, but they also support local marine research and conservation projects fighting to protect this special area.
Our accommodations are hosted at the Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina. The hotel is a Bimini icon founded in the 1930s and is only a few short steps to the boat. Amenities include 2 restaurants onsite, a swimming pool, game room, hammocks, and free to use kayaks, SUP, & bicycles. Standard rooms come in either 2 queen beds or 1 king bed configurations and have all the comforts of home – air conditioning, wifi, TV, phones, and balconies. Upgrades are also available for single supplements, cottages, or penthouses.
What’s The Cost?
A portion of the proceeds is donated to Kel’s dolphin research efforts! The expedition is 5 nights/6 days long with a maximum capacity of 12 guests. The expedition package price is $1850 USD. All prices are per person and based on a shared double occupancy basis. No need to worry if you are traveling solo! We will match you with another solo ninja guest of the same gender. If you prefer your own private room, you can upgrade for an additional $700 USD. There is also an option to upgrade to a cottage or penthouse.
What’s Included
The trip price includes 4 days of in-water activities, including 4 dolphin trips, 1 shark tour, and 1 reef/wreck tour, presentations throughout the week, 5 nights of hotel accommodation on a shared double occupancy basis, a donation in your honor, drinks onboard the boat, and all marine park fees.
What’s Not Included
The price does not include flights, transfers from/to airport to/from hotel ($10 one way), rental equipment, Crew Gratuity (10%-15% of the trip price is customary, but is at your discretion), or any meals or drinks not mentioned above.
Anything Else?
This expedition is not scuba diving based. All the action takes place at the surface and in shallow water that is crystal clear and 5-7m (15-20ft) deep on average, so there is no need for scuba equipment. We have learned that encounters with the dolphins are more intimate and much better without scuba gear. Additionally, to better preserve the natural behaviors of these animals, it is best to limit equipment in the water. You do not need to be scuba or freediving certified to join these expeditions, but you do need to know how to swim and be comfortable swimming in the ocean. There are options to add on scuba diving days if you’d like. Please contact our team for more info.
Supporting Dolphin Conservation
We support free and wild dolphins at Dive Ninjas. ‘Wild cetaceans (whales and dolphins) travel 40-100 miles a day, achieve speeds of 30 miles per hour, and dive hundreds of feet deep. Even in the largest facilities, they have less than 0.0001% (one millionth) of their natural habitat range (Reference here). That is only the beginning of the problem. Organizations around the world, such as Empty The Tanks & Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project are dedicated to educating the public about captivity through outreach and awareness campaigns that aim to end cetacean captivity and exploitation. Dive Ninjas is proud to be an Empty The Tanks ‘Ally for Dolphins‘ partner dive center and was the first in the west coast of North America. We hope to inspire other businesses to take the pledge and get involved. It is possible to experience swimming with dolphins without exploiting them for entertainment. Together, we need to support these kinds of organizations so that all creatures can be free.
Flights & Pre-Trip Activities Information
Home base for this expedition is hotel Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina, located in North Bimini. The nearest airport is South Bimini Airport (airport code BIM). Easy (and cheap) flights are available from Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Florida. A cheaper option is the ferry from Port Everglades Fort Lauderdale, but this adds a couple hours to your travel time. The last option is the seaplane to the North Bimini Seaplane airport (airport code NSB). There is quick and easy transportation to the hotel from all options. Upon arrival, there will be a mini bus taxi outside offering rides to the ferry. It costs about $10 per person and takes less than 5 minutes to get to the ferry dock. The ferry crossing is only 5 minutes before arriving to Bimini Big Game Club. Tell the ferry or taxi driver you want to be dropped off at Bimini Big Game. The ferries run all day, every few minutes, and you do not need to prebook.
We will meet in the lobby of the hotel at 4pm for registration. If you arrive early, the hotel can hold your bags and give you WiFi access. You’re welcome to use the facilities while waiting. If you’d like to arrive early/leave later and add on some extra dive days, our team can set it up for you before you arrive.
