Swimming with wild dolphins

My dream since I was little, I’m lucky to have had the chance to swim with dolphins in the wild TWICE. Once in The Bahamas, and once in Mauritius, but it was the second one, in Mauritius that was truly special, since I was almost alone. I’ve spent hours researching swimming with dolphins, and I’ve read about places in every corner of the world. In case any one has been living under a rock, it’s not okay to swim with them in captivity, ever. But in the wild, that’s a different story. Dolphins are by nature playful, curious and enjoy interacting with humans. The important thing is to find a company that respects them, and allows you to swim with them but on their terms. Companies that don’t ever chase the dolphins, that stick to strict rules, and above all, love them as much as you do, are what you want.

My first time I ever saw dolphins in the wild was off the coast of Zanzibar. We had planned an excursion to swim with them, but when we saw all the boats chasing them and tourists plunging into the water in a chaotic mess we decided to just enjoy watching from the boat. Then a few years later, I came across a place in The Bahamas where you spend a week at a retreat and went out on their boat each day for a chance to swim with the dolphins. This was a lot better, since they were very respectful of the dolphins, but the problem was that there were LOTS of us in the water at the same time so it got chaotic, again. Fast forward another few years, and I was still looking for that experience as I had dreamed it; just me, the big blue sea, and a pod of wild dolphins. And finally, last October, I experienced just that, in Mauritius. I found that there are a lot of dolphins to be found along the coast there, and that it was possible to swim with them. And after a lot more research, I chanced upon Vitamin Sea, a local company who seemed to do this respectfully.

Mauritius is a truly beautiful and magical island, and I wrote about our adventures there in detail, if you missed it. Maya and I had to drive to the other end of the island to get there on time for the 6am departure. So we were off at 4:30, figuring out the roads in the dark, but luckily in Mauritius they are all pretty well maintained. We got to Rivière Noire in good time and then met the crew of Vitamin Sea. It’s a family business, and the co-owner, Cedric, and his skipper were waiting. The boat was modern and comfortable, and soon we were setting off. We had barely been out on the water a few minutes when we had already spotted fins! There is a resident pod of spinner dolphins who come into the bays to feed every morning, and seem to enjoy hanging out with people along the way. They’ve apparently been doing this for generations and are unperturbed by us. Cedric told us all this, and more, whilst checking on the dolphins, and determining when was right to get in the water. Eventually, he said we could get in, so I got my snorkel gear on, and slipped in as quietly as I could.

The water was freezing, (Indian Ocean, what?) but I didn’t have to wait long. We had entered in front of the pod, and soon we were surrounded by spinner dolphins! It was absolutely incredible; I was literally surrounded by the pod and they were very curious, they’d come up close to me and roll over, and dive deep down, almost as if inviting me to join them. Then eventually they’d all swim on their way, way too fast for slow fish like me. Cedric was great, he obviously loved being there, and really let me enjoy my time with the dolphins. It was incredible being the only two in the water with them. We repeated the swims a few more times, and each time I was completely amazed by their playful nature and grace underwater. It’s truly something incredible, to connect with such intelligent creatures in their home.

Afterwards we got to go to an amazing shallow lagoon nicknamed the Aquarium to swim with thousands of tropical fish in a kaleidoscope of colors. And then a fast ride back to shore, the wind drying my hair. I guess after all these years, my dream really did come true! And if you’re ever considering a wild dolphin swim, I’ve already done all the hard work for you!

The details- Vitamin Sea offers half day swims with the dolphins, from their base on the west of the island. Reserve well in advance- they book up fast (they’ll also take photos of you)! There’s a range of accommodation on Mauritius, but for a lovely little hotel on a beautiful beach I recommend Astroea beach hotel. Try to visit between September and November for the best weather and least crowds.