Meet the Curious Dolphins of Bimini
We had such incredible encounters in 2021 that we’re going back! The gorgeous, tiny paradise islands of Bimini in the Bahamas are the perfect ocean destination, with beautiful beaches, warm, crystal clear waters, and a relaxed, laid back atmosphere. But just north past this holiday paradise, you’ll find something really special – one of the biggest, friendliest pods of dolphins in the world! Imagine being in the water with wild dolphins that swim right up to you and actively seek out playful interactions with their land cousins. You’ll connect with and experience the world on their terms – curious, playful, but also powerful, wise, and most importantly – wild and free.
Join team ninja as we head back to Bimini to experience these truly magical wild dolphin interactions. Watch them as they come up close to say hello, and mimic our movements in the water. Have front row seats to witness wild dolphin behaviours, from mothers and calves, to playful juveniles and hungry dolphins hunting. This will be an adventure of a lifetime for any lover of the ocean – to see one of the most intelligent and friendly marine mammals in their natural environment – wild and free as they should be!
Join Dive Ninjas in June 2022 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. Our June 10-15, 2022 trip is now sold out, so we’ve opened a second trip on June 15-20, 2022! Only 8 spots left! We recommend that you act fast as this trip will sell out quick. 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 space today.
The Expedition
Get ready for a very special adventure! There are two species of dolphins that inhabit the beautiful waters of Bimini – the Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, and the Bottlenose Dolphin, with excellent chances of encountering both species. The pods here share a very unique behavior that is only seen in a few places on earth. They actually seek out interactions with humans. You’ll feel like you’re living in a wildlife documentary, as we head out each day to swim with wild dolphins and explore their world.
For this special trip we’ll be sending our very own Jay Clue, award winning underwater photographer & conservationist, to show you the best of Bimini. Jay will be teaming up with environmental scientist Kelly Melillo Sweeting, that has been working with the dolphins in Bimini for over 18 years! She will be joining us throughout the week to teach us a bit about these incredible creatures as well as the amazing research she has been working on with the dolphins in Bimini.
Our expedition will begin in Bimini, the Bahamas. We’ll have a relaxing first day for all guests to arrive, check in, and chill out. Then a presentation by Jay Clue & the team in the evening introducing us to these amazing creatures and what’s in store for the week. The next day, we’ll head out on our first dolphin expedition after lunch, looking for those amazing encounters! This will be repeated for the next few days, with a total of 4 afternoons in the water with dolphins, so you can get as much time as possible with our new underwater friends.
Dolphins are most active in the afternoon, so our dolphin expedition will make the most of this. But not to worry, we also have morning activities planned! There will be a morning of snorkeling & freediving with Caribbean reef sharks, and another morning of snorkeling & freediving at a local wreck & reef before heading out in search of more dolphin action. There will also be talks and presentations throughout the week led by Kelly & Jay Clue! As well as the option to take photo workshops to bring home some awesome memories. Alternatively, you may choose to take the morning off to explore the beautiful local beaches, or relax by the pool.
While out on the ocean we’ll also be looking for the numerous other species that call this area home such as eagle rays, multiple species of sharks, and many more.
Accommodation & Operations
For this exclusive trip we have teamed up with our good friend Neal Watson of Bimini Scuba Center for our local operations coordinator. Neal runs one of the most world renown shark diving ops in the world and is considered one of the leading experts on diving in the Bahamas. When documentary makers need to shoot footage in the Bahamas this is the team they go to. They’ve done work with BBC, National Geographic, Discovery, Animal Planet, and the list goes on and on. But it’s not only their vast local knowledge and fame that makes them incredible – they actively help support local marine research and conservation projects fighting to protect this special area. For our accommodations we will be staying 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. It boasts 2 restaurants onsite, a swimming pool, game room, hammocks, free to use kayaks, SUP, & bicycles, and more. 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 from these expeditions are being donated to help fund Kel’s dolphin research efforts! This is a special limited offer series of expeditions. 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 on shared double occupancy basis. If you are traveling solo, no problem! We will match you with another solo ninja guest of the same gender. Or if you prefer your own private room a single supplement upgrade is also available for an additional fee of $700. There is also an option to upgrade to 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 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 trip price is customary but is at your discretion), and any meals or drinks not mentioned above.
Anything Else?
Please note that 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. Plus we have learned through experience that the encounters and interactions with the dolphins are much more intimate and hundreds times better without scuba gear. Additionally, to better preserve the natural behaviors of these animals it is best done as a soft interaction without bubbles and heavy equipment. You do not need to be scuba certified 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 though. Please contact our team for more info.
Supporting Dolphin Conservation
Dolphins being held captive for the entertainment of humans is an issue very close to our hearts 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). And that is only the beginning of the problem. But organizations around the world such as Empty The Tanks & Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project are working tirelessly to educate the public about captivity through outreach and awareness campaigns that aim to put an end to cetacean captivity, exploitation, as well as where feasible, retire and/or release captive dolphins. The track record of remarkable feats these 2 organizations have accomplished is awe-inspiring. Dive Ninjas is proud to not only be an Empty The Tanks ‘Ally for Dolphins‘ partner dive center, but was the first in the entire west coast of North America. We hope that our stance on the issue would help inspire other businesses to take the pledge and get involved. Join Team Ninja as we show the world that you can experience swimming with dolphins without keeping them in captivity and exploiting them for human entertainment. And let’s help these great organizations put an end to dolphin and whale captivity so these remarkable creatures can live wild and free where they belong.
Flights & Pre-Trip Activities Information
Our base for this expedition will be our host hotel Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina located in the heart of North Bimini. The nearest airport is South Bimini Airport (airport code BIM). Easy (and cheap) flights can be found from Fort Lauderdale and Miami Florida. The flight time is about 30 minutes door to door. There is also an option to take a ferry over from Port Everglades Fort Lauderdale – which is even cheaper, but adds a couple hours to the travel time. And another option to take a seaplane to the North Bimini Seaplane airport (airport code NSB). Transferring to the hotel from the airport is quick and easy. On arrival there will be a mini bus taxi outside asking who needs a ride to the ferry. It costs about $10 per person and takes less than 5 minutes to get to the ferry dock then 5 minutes on the ferry crossing to the Bimini Big Game Club. Just let the ferry or taxi driver know you would like to be dropped off at Bimini Big Game. The ferries run all day, every few minutes, and you do not need to prebook the ferry or taxi.
We will meet in the lobby of the hotel at 4pm for registration. If you will be arriving 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. Just give our reservation ninjas a shout.
