Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Dolphin Daze ~ Marineland Dolphin Adventure Adventures!


The Saturday after Thanksgiving 2010 our family attended Family Fun Day at Marineland Dolphin Adventure in St. Augustine, Florida.  It was a great day filled with sunshine and smiles.  Smiles because it was FUN and because we left with THREE winning children.  You see, Marineland was raffling off BIG prizes of Dolphin Adventures throughout the day.  Somehow, because there were so many of us each one of my cheerful children left with a REASON to return.  Fast forward one year to Thanksgiving 2011, the day after Thanksgiving was our day to return and enjoy our Dolphin Adventures.  Aubrey (age 10) and Grayson (age 8) were the lucky winners of Dolphin Designs which entailed an interactive session with the dolphins that combined their passion for dolphins and their passion for creative art.  The experience was so perfectly suited for them.  It was much longer than described on the website.  They had hands on interaction with the dolphins including learning a few commands.  Then they had the opportunity to work on masterpieces with the dolphins.  Each child chose three colors in which the dolphins would paint on canvas with.  A professional photographer was standing close by to capture all the squeals and smiles.  Best part of this program is that they get a great take home piece of "art work"!


We wrapped up with the first two just in time for lunch.  We headed over to Matanzas Inlet Restaurant for some great grub and cold beer (for the adults of course).  We scored a table outside and sat right on the inlet - makes you feel like "instant vacation!".  After enjoying several seafood delicacies such as crab legs, conch fritters, crab cakes and coconut shrimp to name a few we headed back to Marineland less then three miles down the road.







Next up was my oldest Gabby who is 12 yrs old.  She had the supreme opportunity to actually get in the water with these majestic creatures.  The program she won was called Discover Dolphins.  During her dolphin time she was close enough to kiss the dolphin right on the lips snouts?  Gabby's encounter lasted a bit longer then the Dolphin Design and she needed to don a wet-suit which Marineland provides for you free of charge.  As I watched my oldest daughter twinkle and glow with excitement I couldn't help but be proud of her.  For just getting out there on her own and doing what her mother has ALWAYS WANTED to do.  In that moment, I had a true realization about what it means to want your children to have and experience more then you have.  She was doing one of the things on "my list" even before I had.  You Go Gab!






  Another special treat that day - we got to Hemmingway the new calf that was born learning to swim with his mommy, Dazzle!


1 comment:

Unknown said...

What a very special day that was !! The children's faces say it all .Can't wait to go back