The best place is the research institute at Anthony's Key Resort on Roatan, Honduras. You will find the experience exhillerating and as natural as it comes in the Western Caribbean. Also the resort has excellent diving and good snorkeling. The "Key Superior" cabins have A/C and though rustic are very clean. The resort is all-inclusive and the food is fairly good at best but the rate is all-inclusive at $1750/week including all diving and/or snorkeling, 3 meals but all bar drinks including soft drinks are extra.

"You will find the experience exhillerating (sic) and as natural as it comes in the Western Caribbean."

There is nothing "natural" about swimming with captive dolphins - ever.

Stay at the Westin on grand bahama and swim with the dolphins across the street. Not to be beat!!!

Marbleheadguy,

I"m sorry you took my post the wrong way, I did not mean to sound antagonistic but PERSONALLY I think that to raise a post from 7 years ago isn't a good idea.

As I already said "you are preaching to the converted", many posters on this website don't agree with swimming with dolphins (me included) Why not create your own post and provide information with upto date information like Robert59 did?

Do you have response to Stankase or cathday who ARE actually encouraging people to swim with dolphins?

BTW, I don't think I "own" Fodors, no one "owns" Fodors that is the best thing about it, but we all have a right to our opinion - you included. Me too.

Who's post was more antagonistic? Yours or mine? :-?

"...no one "owns" Fodors..."

Try telling that to Random House...

Swaying Palms,

You are correct - I should have said "No poster 'owns' Fodors"

On the other hand - you'll never catch me in the water with a dolphin, or replying to a 7 year old post.

I said it was the most exhilerating and natural as it gets at Anthony's Key in Roatan. I was not on a soap box just answering the initial question posted by a fellow traveler. They make the decision, not you, if they want to swim with dolphins in semi-captive (they are let out at night to open waters but return in AM for feeding and it is that time normamally they allow up to 10 snorkeler/swimmers in with 14-15 dolpins.
Let's not turn this Forum into an eco-tox or political platform, please.

I have to disagree with your reference to "Eco-tox", whatever that means. These issues are very relevant for Caribbean travelers, just so they know about it and can make decisions on things like dolphin encounters. It's nice for travelers to know all the facts. Interestingly, I was in NYC and the restaurant had posted on the menu: "Due to declining grouper populations in the Caribbean, we know longer order grouper on our menu." Robert59

Robert59: Not to be confronational but if you had eaten at Oceana, i of the 10 best fish houses in NYC (per Zagat and NY Magazine) as we did 4-5 weeks ago you could have had a wonderful grouper dinner.

gropping for grouper...

see this:
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:...=clnk&cd=6

Thanks for the neat site, Marbleheadguy. Yes, the grouper population is rapidly declining, but recent moves are in place so its populations will increase again. Many NYC restaurants no longer serve grouper because of this, on their own volition. Stancase, I'd make sure you're getting grouper. Many restaurants across the US are substituting grouper with cheaper fish varieties. Investigators are performing DNA testing and found that in two dozen American cities, less than half of grouper servings ordered were grouper. In Daytona, for example, grouper in entrees at four of 10 area restaurants surveyed did not serve grouper as advertised on the menu, while six restaurants served grouper. They substitute a cheaper variety of fish from Vietnam. I'm glad to see many restaurants in NYC are holding off until the grouper population rebuilds itself. Robert59

Stancase; although I'm sure a proven restaurant like Oceana most likely uses genuine grouper. Robert59

I carry around my "fish list" when I shop or dine out. It is put out by the Monterey Bay aquarium and is divided into regions of the US.
It lists the fish in the categories, "best choices," "good alternatives, and "avoid."

I don't EVER buy or order fish on the "avoid" list (like Chilean Seabass, grouper, orange roughy), and I try to choose mostly fish on the "best choices" list (like tilapia or ahi tuna).

I have gotten myself in trouble at the local Harris Teeter for lecturing the manager of the seafood dept there. They have SO many of the most highly-endangered fish that I just had to say something. I imagine they see me coming, and say "oh no."

I also sent an e-mail to Bonefish Grill scolding them for having so much endangered and over-fished stuff on their menu, and I won't eat there.
So now I am on their mailing list. Sigh.

Here is a link to the wallet-sized "fish list" if anyone is interested.

http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.asp

Diana, thanks for posting that link. I'm going there now to print out my own wallet sized copy.

Where did you decide to go for your trip?

Hi ej,

I think it will be back to Dominica.
Kimani has been accepted to college there and starts in Feb.

I'd like to go and work with the admissions people on financial aid for him, and see his campus and visit with him and his family again when we are not so rushed!

I'd also like to go back to Beau Rive and stay longer and see more of the island.

We were only there for two full days, and it was just long enough to give us a taste of the beauty and the culture.

Where are you going next?

Diana,
Thanks for the link. I knew about the Chilean Seabass and refuse to eat at the very few restaurants in the Twin Cities that have not taken it off their menu's. But, I have to tell you, I was not aware of everything else on the list. My husband orders seafood more often than I do - halibut and salmon, but I will certainly be more aware of what I am ordering in the future.

Hi Knowing!

Every little bit helps. It's hard because some fish, like Chilean Sea Bass, are so delicious.

Sometimes, you can find certain regional varieties of the same fish that are not as endangered or overfished as others. Tuna is a good example of that. Some tunas are not as overfished.

Also, I like that the fish list gives you the names of some of the meatier fish (mackerel, certain tunas like albacore, etc.) that you should avoid eating too much of due to mercury content.

I figure I can live without some of the things since there are so many choices.