There is a dolphin encounter on Tortola, BVI. It's a nice ferry ride from STT or STJ. Just a short cab ride from the ferry landing and Pusser's, which is a great after encounter spot.

Bassman

Do you know the name of the place? Also do you have any ideas how much it is?

Thank you,

John

Go to www.dolphindiscovery.com for all the info you'll need. They are probably the same organization you delt with in Hawaii.

Bassman

Thank you so much.

John

Hi John - I cringed when I read your inquiry - I, too, ask the very same innocent question back in May and was very sorry I had even asked! However, if you go to forum tools and type in dolphins under the search feature (for the past year) you can get some more information on the Tortola encounter (and the backlash my inquiry received). I ended up NOT taking my daughter after doing some research on the facility at Tortola...I hope whatever you decide you have a wonderful time !!

I am sorry about your experience about that. So you didn't decide to go because of what the people on here said? I don't care what they say.

John

To save you the trouble of research, this is info quoted here by Richard Kurpiers that should be considered by anyone looking into a dolphin swim.

http://www.dolphinproject.org/?pageid=21315

Posted by: rkurpiers (IP Logged)
Date: June 2, 2005 07:47PM

In September 2001 -- despite numerous protests from animal welfare organizations worldwide -- the captive dolphin facility 'Dolphins Plus' of Florida, USA, sent four dolphins (Isla, Jessica, Tracey and Kimbit) to the island of Tortola to be used in a captive dolphin swim program at Prospect Reef Resort. The export took place with the permission of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of the US Department of Commerce. Several members of the animal welfare community objected to the transfer, referring to the highly questionable water quality of the dolphin holding pen in Tortola. A letter describing the problems connected with the water quality was sent to both NMFS and Rick Borguss of Dolphins Plus before the dolphins were sent from Dolphins Plus to Tortola. The letter was written on behalf of the BVI Dive Operators Association and the Association Reef Keepers and gives this description of the water quality of the Tortola facility:

“A large water desalination plant located on the backshore of the lagoon generates constant noise and vibration into the ground. With that and street traffic, the background noise will be high. () Recent weather demonstrated how much silt, trash and dirty water washes into the lagoon with even moderate rainfall from the hillside just across the road, which is a boundary to the property. Spokesmen for Prospect Reef have said that Public Works is responsible for putting in proper drainage, and as far as we know, Public Works are showing no signs of agreeing to do this and moving ahead with the drain.

The busy coast road runs alongside the lagoon and the opening and there is no protection from curious passers-by, who will throw cans and bottles and perhaps worse into the pool. Fuel and oil from these vehicles will run off into the pool from the surface of the road.

The lagoon itself is misnamed. It’s more the size of a small pond approximately 30 x 150 feet which was dredged out of a quiet shallow mangrove lagoon, with a very fine, silty bottom. Action of the dolphin themselves, will continue to stir up the water and make it murky. The water is quite warm with insufficient depth to allow these creatures to reach any cooler water. This fact, plus the boisterous action of large animals, will weaken the mangrove roots causing infilling of the lagoon and killing of the mangroves. This would mean that whatever protection is offered them by the mangroves would be lost.

() There are no local regulations in place regarding conditions or treatment of animals, and concern for animal welfare is generally known to be lacking. This applies to a most of the developing world and the BVI is no exception.

There is occasional overflow from the hotel's sewage plant across the street during heavy rains that need rerouting. Continuous construction on the hill above causing more runoff from rain storms and possible runoff from septic tanks.”

The letters concludes:

“We believe this site warrants inspection before approval is given to transfer dolphins beyond the reach of United States Authority, to Prospect Reef. Surely, when the United States authorities approve the export of zoo animals to foreign zoos, they satisfy themselves that the facilities and level of care in the destination country will be up to US Standards.”

Despite this comprehensible forewarning, NMFS did not wish to carry out any inspection of the dolphin pen in Tortola, and Dolphins Plus was granted a permit to export Isla and her three companions to the Prospect Reef captive dolphin swim progam, where they remained for one year.

In October 2002, much to the surprise of Prospect Reef, Dolphins Plus relocated their dolphins to Salisbury, Dominica, to be used in a commercial dolphin swim program there.

Just about one week later, Isla was dead. One of Isla’s companions -- Tracey – was seriously ill and was being force-fed several times a day.

To the newspaper BVI Beacon, Rick Borguss blames, guess what: the polluted water at the Tortola facility.

'Sometimes you could smell the raw sewage,' he is quoted as saying.

The BVI Beacon published this article about Isla’s death:

PROSPECT DOLPHIN DIES

By James Osborne

BVI BEACON

November 15, 2002

Isla, who along with three other dolphins was transported out of Prospect Reef last month, died in Dominica Nov. 3 from unknown causes. It will be at least three weeks until an autopsy report is issued. Rick Borguss, owner of Dolphins Plus, who brought the dolphins to Tortola in September 2001, said the 20-year-old female was sick for several months before being relocated.

'Sometimes you could smell the raw sewage,' Mr. Borguss said. 'Then, five months ago, we realised we had to get them out of there.'

Sewage is discharged into the ocean off Slaney Point, which is near Prospect Reef.

Mr. Borguss' statement, however, is contrary to what another Dolphins Plus representative said shortly before the dolphins departed Oct. 6.At that time, the company said the new facility in Dominica had been finished a year ahead of schedule. But Mr. Borguss said the facility is still a year away from completion.

According to Mr. Borguss, Isla was in poor health throughout her stay at Prospect Reef and had to be placed on antibiotics several times. Another dolphin, Tracey, also became sick shortly after arriving in Dominica, but the owner said that was related to eating a toxic fish that swam into her enclosure.

One local critic of the dolphin programme, Ken Dennison, pointed out that the dolphin pen is next to a public highway.

'There was all that wash off the road. Anytime there was a heavy rain it would run right into the pool. So, it doesn't surprise me (the dolphin died),' he said.

The dolphin programme ignited a wave of protests that started in the spring of 2001 when it was first announced. But in response to protestors, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour was adamant that the dolphins' safety was a priority.

'The departments of agriculture and conservation and fisheries are working with Prospect Reef Resort to ensure that all standards required ... are achieved,' Mr. Willock said in September 2001.

He did not return phone calls in relation to this story.

Mr. Borguss stated that this was the first time he had lost a dolphin in 22 years.

But Ric O'Barry, who used to capture and train dolphins but now works as a wildlife consultant with the World Society for the Protection of Animals, recalls a time when he was working in the industry and one of his animals died.

'A reporter came up, asking where Candy was, and I myself just pointed at another dolphin and said there she is. You can't tell the difference. There's a lot of lying to the public,' he said.

Cyril Romney, owner of Prospect Reef, did not return phone calls in relation to this story.

Update on the Tortola facility, February 2003

Despite the controversy surrounding the water quality of the dolphin holding pen in Tortola, a new captive dolphin swim program has been set up in this location. Please see article below:

The BVI Beacon

Thursday January 16 2003

MORE DOLPHINS COMING TO BVI

Animals expected to arrive in February

By James Osbourne

Four male dolphins are expected to arrive in the BVI next month when the interactive programme at Prospect Reef Resort is revived.

The programme will be operated by Cancun-based Dolphin Discovery. The firm will operate a programme akin to the one run by Dolphins Plus that left the resort in November.

That arrangement came to a bitter end when Dolphins Plus pulled its animals out of Prospect Reef and transported them to a facility in Dominica.

When one of the dolphins subsequently died, owner Rick Borgus blamed the water quality here. But according to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the water quality was tested regularly during the course of the animals' stay and they were regularly checked by a veterinarian. () Before the dolphins arrive, Dolphin Discovery will install a pumping system to improve water circulation in the lagoon at an estimated cost of $40,000, according to the company.

'The water quality met with government standards, just not our personal standards!” said Mike Wood, director of operations at Dolphin Discovery.

Other areas of water quality improvement the company is looking into include diverting runoff from the adjacent road away from the lagoon.

Dophin Discovery has been in business since 1994. This is its first time operating outside of Mexico.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour approved the new dolphin outfit following Executive Council's okay.

'We have no objection whatsoever to dolphins returning to the BVI...The project was approved by Executive Council (EXCO), and it’s our duty to execute the decisions of EXCO. It’s simply replacing some dolphins,' said Assistant Permanent Secretary at the Ministry Julian Willock.

February 14th, 2003 Dolphin Discovery exported four dolphins from Mexico to Tortola.

After a long, delayed trip Renata Lenzi, head of Dolphin Discovery research, animal care and veterinary care, is quoted as saying: “The dolphins were not stressed, and it's actually a relaxing experience for them.'

On Saturday afternoon paying tourists were seen swimming with the dolphins.

Who and What is Dolphin Discovery?

We have received the following information from our contact in Mexico:

- Dolphin Discovery owns 62 dolphins.

- The company is owned by three Americans: John Olson, Donna Brewer Kassewitz, and Mike Wood.

- 22 of the 62 dolphins owned by Dolphin Discovery originally came from Cuba. This possibly includes the four dolphins that that were sent to Prospect Reef, Tortola.

We are currently seeking documentation to verify the dolphins’ origin and the exact number of dolphins owned by Dolphin Discovery.

Dolphin Discovery, too, has been warned of the questionable water quality at Prospect Reef. McKenna sent Mike Wood, co-owner of Dolphin Discovery, a copy of the above-mentioned letter that was sent to Dolphins Plus and NMFS. In her letter to Mike Wood, McKenna points out:

“Borguss disputed there were any problems with the water prior to the facility opening. Six months later he admitted to me that everything those of us warned him about was true. The water was so stagnant, Rick had to bring in very expensive pumps to circulate it. The water readings were so bad, due to the nearby Marina, that Rick had to build a concrete wall to prevent the pollution from entering the lagoon. However, nothing he did seemed to improve the water conditions there.'

Together with Dolphin Freedom Coalition, we continue to monitor the situation in Dominica and Tortola.

I will swim with the Dolphins if i want to.

John

Hi John - No, the board remarks definitely have no dissuaded me from doing a dolphin swim with my daughter, but because it did raise some questions in regards to the water quality ( I surely do not want to expose my child - or me - to contaminated water) I decided to use the money and we went on a four-island BVI all-day sail instead... I am, however, taking my daughter to Discovery Cove in Orlando for her birthday in May to swim with the dolphins - check out their web site - it is much, much nicer than the Tortola swim. Again, hope you have a great trip... we can't wait to get back to STJ ourselves !!!

Thank you so much.

John

John

While I do not expect you to change your plans based upon any of this, I believe we would appreciate your reporting on the situation when you return from your trip. An 'unbiased' viewpoint may help others decide for themselves in the future. 🙂

Personally, I'd love a 'biased' review from the dolphins on the conditions that define their prison and their take on being forced to interact with humans.

Richard N. Kurpiers

Can you please tell me what charter you used for your all day sail in the BVI? Did they take you to The Baths?

Thank you,

John

hey john, check out newhorizonscharters.com they go to 3 or 4 places in one day including the baths. lots of good snorkleling. hope this helps, scooby

Hi John... Scooby is right, we went on New Horizons II and it was a GREAT trip. They picked us up at the National Park dock. The boat held no more than 18 people. We went to the Baths at Virgin Gorda (included a tour of the baths), lunch at Marina Cay (which was the most beautiful place and delicious food!!), great snorkeling after lunch at Guana Island and ended the day with a visit to Jost Vay Dyke (Soggy Dollar Bar)... my kids had a blast just diving off the boat while we were docked (actually, there is not a dock per se.. you just anchor in the bay). Great trip - would do it again !! I hope to hear about your trip when you get back... 🙂

I missed the thread where this was perviouly discussed; however, I'm glad someone took the time to interject a little education on the issues around dolphin encounters. I believe most of the people who support such an enterprise do so because they don't understand the harm it creates. For those who DO understand, and decide to support it anyway, what can we say. There are lots of opportunities to screw up the environment in the islands....this is just another one.

I feel sorry for the both of you- how you can think its okay to "encounter" a trapped animal is beyond me. How about if we put you too in a pen, don't allow you to come and go as you please and let whoever wants to come in and "play" with you. You both need some education about this world and its inhabitants and obviously don't care. Your poor daughter!

I agree with Richard, karrieb, Bluwater and others who contend that those who understand the issues surrounding dolphin encounter businesses and choose to patronize those businesses anyway indicate that they do not care about the those animals or their environment. Dolphin encounter businesses only exist because they can turn a profit. As an island resident I would not encourage visitors who want to abuse the environment I cherish.

They are not human but we are. If you consider yourself a dolphin then go and live among them in the ocean.

May God bless you and have mercy on your soul.

John