Words seem so inadequate to explain my dolphin adventure with Geoffrey, Jerry, Bradley & Alex on the Indigo! Being 57, I grew up watching Flipper & dreaming of swimming with dolphins. I was going through a very difficult personal ordeal. I decided I had two choices, stay home & feel heart broken or find a way to fulfill my lifetime dream of swimming with the dolphins. The Universe made it clear to pursue the latter. I found DOLPHINEXPEDITIONS with a single Google search. After reading the posts from folks who had been there I knew this was what I needed to do. From the minute I booked with Geoffrey things just fell into place. I can not explain the healing powers of what this adventure has done for me! It was the catalyst that has transformed my life's perspective. I have traveled the world & done some amazing things in my life, but nothing compares to this experience! The friendships made with the other guests; Geoffrey & the crews amazing & diverse talents; the food(Alex is the food Goddess) & last but not least these beautiful, sweet creatures who touched my heart & soul in a way I still can't find words to describe. As if being the food Goddess wasn't enough, Alex is also the photographer extraordinaire who puts together a DVD to music at the end of the week. Since retuning home I have watched my DVD too many times to count. If it weren't for the DVD I'm not sure I would believe it really happened. This is my proof that dreams really can come true, and no matter the heartache, love is the cure!

A very kind review below from John and his beautiful wife Katie..it was such a treat to have you both with us last season...thank you so much for the kindness.

It’s a balmy minus 21 windchill here today and I’m curled up in my fleece watching the snow drift and dreaming of being on Indigo. This will be my third trip with Dolphin Expeditions and each year I love it more. Being a non-swimmer & very seriously terrified of the water, swimming with dolphins in the ocean was not on my list of things to do. A good friend, also a non-swimmer, had been on three trips with Dolphin Expeditions and was planning for number four with her friend who was going on trip number seven! They shared such amazing stories and pictures of their experiences that somehow they managed to talk me into going with them. I never swam a stroke in my 50+ years, and had actually never been in water over my head, so in preparation for the trip, they took me to the Y, where I donned every possible flotation device, a snorkel, & flippers, and ventured into the shallow end of the pool…while the life guard chuckled. Of course, I turned around as soon as the water started getting deep…..but after several similar trips, I finally ventured to the deep end of the pool. And then…there I was staring into the ocean for an unknown very very long period of time while an extremely patient crew member stood with me, assuring me & talking me into taking the step into the water. I was pretty hesitant to be in the water….but everyone was so incredibly helpful and patient. I just couldn’t believe all of the special effort everyone made to make sure I was able to do things and that I was ok. I was scared because I was pushing myself way way way out of my comfort zone, but at the same time I felt incredibly safe. Captain Geoff truly wants everyone to share in the experiences and the entire crew goes above and beyond to make sure everyone is taken care of and safe. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I now appreciate what a special gift Captain Geoff gave me by encouraging me into the Gulf Stream. The energy there is amazing….. and it’s truly incredible to be floating above those magnificent cones of light in that dark indigo water. I have such heart-felt thanks to Captain Geoff and the crew for allowing me to conquer things I never thought I could, and to experience things that I had never even been able to dream of. I can hardly wait for my trip number three……and I’m even bringing along another friend for her trip number one. I typically don’t write reviews for things but just had to thank Captain Geoff and all of the crew for everything. Captain Geoff, you are truly one of the kindest people I have ever had the opportunity to know. For anyone out there who wants to experience something truly amazing …even if you feel you don’t belong in the ocean if you can’t swim….take the step into the ocean…… Everything you experience will change your life.

I have found it difficult to find the words will adequately express my thanks to you for the magical experience that you and your incredible crew shared with us during my stay on the Indigo.  Someone said “ Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away”. Thank you for a multitude of breathtaking moments.

I was at a Nature Conservancy event last night when your email and photos came through. I had to take a minute and see what you had to say. The photos gave me goose bumps and as I had been sharing my experience with friends and strangers alike, it gave me such pleasure to share the photos and draw them further into the fascinating world of our dolphin friends. I was ready to make a reservation and come for another week with more Texans in toe!

I love the Indigo. It provided a cocoon of warmth and safety. It felt like home.

My spirit was depleted when I started my trip.  I needed a place to find my way back. You, the dolphins and my boat family gave me that. It was a perfect  week of soul food.  I will always be grateful to you for what you have done to allow mere humans to experience the wonders of those magnificent, thrilling,  funny creatures. I wonder if they can feel the positive power and energy that they transfer to us…how fortunate we are to be given this gift.  It was healing, life affirming and beautiful. It’s such a happy place!

My heart and soul thank you.

Until next time,

Chalmers

Dear Geoff,

We have arrived home tonight which is lovely. However I have to tell you that a huge part of my heart is still firmly on Indigo, where I expect it to remain for the duration of my life. To say I am speechless would be silly as we all know, lol. However for one who never shuts up and also is a writer, for once I am struggling to find the words to express the gamut of wonderful emotions that are cursing through my body and mind.

I feel truly honored and eternally grateful that the universe shone down on us and lit up the path that brought us into your world when we were least expecting it. The fact that we found you and we're on board within 48 hours makes it all even more of a miracle. As you know I was happy to be a spectator while Peter and the rest of what became our human pod, had the privilege of being welcomed into the ethereal world of these magnificent creatures and all the other wonders of the deep. To my last breath I will never fathom how within minutes you swept away my inherent fear of claustrophobia and my dogged refusal for over 50 years to even attempt to submerge my head, even under the shower!
Thanks to the calming safe environment you and the crew created for us all on Indigo, coupled with the genuine love and support that emanated from yourselves and our new found dear dear friends, to actually venture into the water including the amazing Gulf Stream, is something I truly would have thought impossible as little as two weeks ago!
To then be so so blessed to actually free swim surrounded by these magical souls was beyond my wildest dreams.

" Life Changing" is a phrase often used, but at this moment I can not find a better way to express the gift you and your ocean family have shared with me.
I am truly transformed through my heart and soul and will remain eternally grateful❤️ My whole life has taken on an aura of Azure which will travel with me for every day I take a breath. I look forward to sharing your world again in the future one day.

All my love given with the most heartfelt thanks. ️Xxx

Words seem so inadequate to explain my dolphin adventure with Geoffrey, Jerry, Bradley & Alex on the Indigo! Being 57, I grew up watching Flipper & dreaming of swimming with dolphins. I was going through a very difficult personal ordeal. I decided I had two choices, stay home & feel heart broken or find a way to fulfill my lifetime dream of swimming with the dolphins. The Universe made it clear to pursue the latter. I found DOLPHINEXPEDITIONS with a single Google search. After reading the posts from folks who had been there I knew this was what I needed to do. From the minute I booked with Geoffrey things just fell into place. I can not explain the healing powers of what this adventure has done for me! It was the catalyst that has transformed my life's perspective. I have traveled the world & done some amazing things in my life, but nothing compares to this experience! The friendships made with the other guests; Geoffrey & the crews amazing & diverse talents; the food(Alex is the food Goddess) & last but not least these beautiful, sweet creatures who touched my heart & soul in a way I still can't find words to describe. As if being the food Goddess wasn't enough, Alex is also the photographer extraordinaire who puts together a DVD to music at the end of the week. Since retuning home I have watched my DVD too many times to count. If it weren't for the DVD I'm not sure I would believe it really happened. This is my proof that dreams really can come true, and no matter the heartache, love is the cure!

Dolphin Expeditions is the lifelong passion of owner Geoff, to bring you the intimate live aboard dolphin and Bimini interactions. The "Indigo" boat is a very comfortable vessel with several types of sleeping arrangements all with their owner air-conditioned rooms, personal bath and showers. But the real jewels of traveling with them is the Geoff and the crew. In the very first moment you board the boat, they are five star in being present caring for every passengers every need , from swimming limitations, equipment issues, fabulous three meals a day, and most importantly is years of safely diving and knowing the ocean conditions around the crystal waters of Bimini. I was just with them last week, and had a magical time snorkeling with bottlenose dolphins, then another day with spotted dolphins, snorkeled other reefs, and a day with wild sting rays happy to visit with us ! I have traveled to many different locations to enjoy time with wild dolphins , but this trip and group, far surpassed my expectations!

If your dream is to have an up close and personal encounter with a friendly dolphin in some of the most gorgeous tropical waters in existence, Dolphin Expeditions is the trip for you.

Having read reviews from past participants saying that their one week trip was so magical that they were looking forward to coming back, I signed up for a two-week trip. This was a great decision, as the second week allowed me to continue to improve my skills in the water, and to have even more amazing experiences with the friendly, wild dolphins of Bimini.

The crew makes a wonderful DVD of your trip week and I would have been a crying mess watching it at the end of the first week it if I did not know I had a second week coming - the experience was that phenomenal. They take pictures of everyone both above and below the water the entire week, so you don't even have to worry about taking pictures yourself.

Living on a boat is a unique and refreshing lifestyle change. It can bring strangers closer together into a family. We learned that the dolphins like to swim with people who are in pods, like the dolphins are, and we had a lot of fun getting to know each other and laughing over delicious meals, and while practicing snorkeling and learning freediving tips from the extremely knowledgable Captain Geoffrey and his crew. We snorkeled over the most beautiful, colorful reef, with the greatest variety of fish I have ever seen. We played with friendly wild stingrays who caressed us with their soft wings and enjoyed letting us stroke them back.

I will not spoil the surprise of how it feels to have a wild dolphin a few inches from your face, looking directly into your eyes, its body close enough to touch yours if it wanted to, by trying to describe it in words here. I will just say that you have to experience it for yourself, and I promise it will be one of the most unique, happiest feelings you will ever have in your life. With the expert care given to each and every participant by Dolphin Expeditions, you will be in good hands.

We had 5 fantastic days on board the "Indigo" in early April and its hard to find fault with anything! The boat is perfect for its purpose - decent size cabins with AC, good showers/toilets and very stable. Plenty of room on the various decks for you and the other guests (12 in our case including a film crew) to find space and even sleep under the stars is you want! Food is really good, home cooked, healthy fare served with care and love by Catherine, miraculously out of a small galley every day! Captain Geoff doesn't claim "Indigo" is a cruise liner so don't expect ultra luxury and you won't be disappointed - for her size she is a lovely, well appointed and comfortable boat. The first class, knowledgeable and caring crew (Gillian, Christian & Bradley) really want you to get the most you can from the whole experience. By the end of the trip you feel like they are genuinely your friends. Top quality snorkeling kit is included that makes all the difference and you feel the general safety of everyone is paramount - even weak/non swimmers would have a ball. We were in the water every day of our trip with Dolphins swimming and playing with and around us on 4 of the 5 days. On one memorable day we had more than 50 Dolphins with us nearly all day - they even waited whilst we had lunch and got back into the water! 7 hours in the ocean seemed like 30 minutes. Oh - and don't forget the rays, sea turtles, sharks and all the other marine life that is just all around you in pristine, gin clear water - wow!! We travelled from London and stayed on Bimini for a few days before and after the trip which I would recommend to get a full flavor for this lovely, largely unspoilt little piece of Paradise. Great value for money - it could change you life forever - SO JUST RELAX AND DO IT!!!

Thanks for an amazing week! We have never lived aboard a boat before! We have also never swam with wild dolphins either. There are not words to describe how much we enjoyed this week. the dolphins were so sweet and fabulous-and the crew was amazing!!

Christian- thanks for answering all of our marine life questions.

Jillian-thanks for taking so many amazing pictures- and making sure we will never ever forget this trip.

Catherine-thanks for the many hours you spent in the kitchen! It did not go unnoticed or un appreciated! Everything was yummy!

Thank you Geoff for making this trip a possibility for my sister an I, as we both think that this was the trip of a lifetime. We have loved dolphins for a very very long time and have wanted to take this trip for what seems like forever. The Stingray swim was truly amazing-and they are our newest favorite! We love Stingrays and we love dolphins. Thanks for inviting us into your floating home-and send Bim and Sam our love as well. We can't wait to be back and we plan on it!

Love always xoxo

It's been so much more than we could have asked for. My dream was to swim with dolphins, I still remember Jillian; do not have expectations! Without expectations and just pure hearts we went out and swam with 50 dolphins, spotted, bottlenose, baby's and grownups. Looked right through their eyes, almost had them touch us and felt like being part of the pod.

Thank you guys for your hospitality, yoga, delicious food, massages and fulfilling this dream of swimming with wild and free dolphins.

Love,

Mathias and Julie

Berlin, Germany

It's Angie from that CRAZY Canadian foursome of girls you shared your home, love and laughter with in September...

I've read your postings and find a common thread between some of your guests who found it daunting to get back to "real life" when they return home from Bimini...  I've found I have embraced my "real life" and celebrated thanks to the generous and healing gifts I received from you, your beautiful team, our dolphin friends and Mother Ocean....

To share a little...  I was a little anxious about reconnecting with the dolphins and the ocean as I was afraid I would feel like I had abandoned a passion by changing from a profession in marine animal care to farming.  I was afraid that after our trip to Bimini I would want to make big changes to my "real life," hurting myself and others in the process of "getting back" to what I thought was a passion...

What became clear was I DID abandon a passion, actually more then a passion but more like my true self, by SUPPRESSING all of the lessons and gifts the dolphins I cared for shared with me at the aquarium I worked at, the soul mate bonds I have with the women I shared that time period with, and my connection to Mother Ocean...  these 3 came flooding back to me with the perfect combination of an environment that was safe and playful, a podliness with both people and animals, and of course lots of LOVE.  My big take home message was that the dolphins, my podmates of my own species and all other beings, Mother Ocean, and all the lessons and gifts they have given me are WITHIN me, interwoven into my being as we are all connected...  I had the knowledge of our interconnection and now I have had THE EXPERIENCE!  It is sooo clear now that caring for animals, connecting with them and building relationships, communication and the listening and learning that comes with it are my passion...it began with dolphins and now is EVOLVING to include ALL beings...my farm, the earth, soil, plants, air, water, animals etc and applying/sharing all these gifts and lessons I speak of with them... Most of all love....UNCONDITIONAL LOVE  as it is my true self and is what brings us all back together into our pod of all beings....I am right where I need AND want to be on my farm, on this planet, on my journey!  YAAAAHOOOOOO!

Thank you for your hospitality, your generosity of spirit, your playfulness and laughter, and most of all YOU and your love.  I came home with sooooo much more than I anticipated and am very greatful...  I'm looking forward to another rendezvous with Dolphin Expeditions in the future with my hubby, Al... I can see him gaining and healing so much out there on Indigo, in the sun and water and in the presence of the amazing team you belong to and our dolphin friends...

With much love,

Angie oxoxo

Two years was too long for a return visit. The wait was worth it as this trip was even better than the last.

An amazing boat. An amazing crew, and another great week of Growth, Relaxation and the

opportunity to regain focus on a life that was heading in the wrong direction.

Thanks again for everything. I will be back more often and appreciate you all the more than you'll ever know.

Alex

This boat is solid - zero rocking or sea legs. Comfy beds & clean rooms....regular flushing toilets & standing shower stalls... yay! Although i must say i was barely in my room & by the time i crashed in @ night, it was for a big sleep from an active day of play! Oh, also my room was the perfect cave for deep sleep @ nap time - highly recommended!! : )

The crew is amazing. They took care of every detail & made us feel like we were home ( 12 of us - 3 were kids. plus 2 girls from ca). Three home cooked meals a day, made with much love by Tita . Always thinking of our needs in & out of the water. Mark took us on a field trip to the shark lab - this erased all fear of sharks & gave us an incredible, valuable education... esp for the kids! Simple lessons on swimming w/ snorkel gear & diving to play w/the dolphins, gave everyone great confidence..

Sleeping out on the ocean was stunning....our own movie theatre of stars. Every time a shooting star flew by (about every 3min), we would all ooh & ahhhh! Mother nature at it's best! My swim w/the dolphins...WOW!! .... 2 to my right (eye to eye),6 below me & 8 to my left! I was in a box of dolphins.

The guidance of our captain Geoff allowed all to be possible. Anna had given me an aqua cranial treatment....i highly recommend this treatment. It took me to the depths of the ocean & beyond - my entire body, mind & soul were @ peace.

Alter you life forever on this trip. The memories created will never be forgotten. We celebrated my dear friends 65th birthday...every time i see the video, i cry w/joy...it takes me right back to the high of our celebration & the love shared w/all. -

Paula..

You all work tremendously hard to make this a simple, easy, carefree "being in the moment" experience for all us all.

I deeply appreciate your nurturance, guidance, support and affirmation as I developed my "guppy fins/lungs".

I feel so fortunate to have been part  of this particular "pod" of people who were each gracious and kind and patient as well as joyously funny!!! Oh. the joy of laughter!!!

The sun, ocean, saltwater colors, textures, wind light, beauty, the coral, stingrays, fish of various names, and the DOLPHINS!!!!  What a blessing!!!

Wishing you gentle winds...

Much Gratitude and Love

Mary

Now I am back in NYC. My conch shells look so big in my tiny studio here. Nonetheless, they put a huge smile on my face.

Thank you so much for the wonderful time. As you probably saw, I wrote in the guest book, but as the time goes by, more thoughts come to my mind as I reflect upon the delightful experiences I had on your boat. So I am writing to you again.

Despite the weather, I can certainly speak for everyone that it was a great week of fun and shared laughter. We got along amazingly well, and we are literally on the floor in pain of laughter. I personally had some embarrassing moments, but all of that and the sense of "family" with the great people I met are truly precious and have become treasures of my life. Each of us brought interesting characters on board.

Needless to say, dolphins were wonderful. I think that they appreciate the fact that we respect them and know that we are in their element. They seem to show us that they really understand us. I had a similar feeling when I came across sea turtles (a mother and a daughter) in Maui when I was snorkeling alone (a "no-no" by your standard!). Just like the sea turtles did for me, the Bimini dolphins must have known that we were finishing up our trip and put on a great show for us at the end.

You, Mark, and Inez are tremendously hard working people. Mark and Inez are incredibly dedicated, truly professional, and exceptionally talented. Besides the dolphins, the education we received about the marine life and the eco-system was highly valuable. I never thought that I would be bragging how peaceful it is to swim with sharks. For me, people are the core of my life, and people I meet all bring something meaningful to my life whether I see them again or not. In this aspect, I am so grateful to have met you guys.

One of the biggest accomplishments of mine during the trip was overcoming the fear of bringing my body to the level below the water surface. I would not stand my own fear keeping me from trying. Although it was a very small step, and I still don't know how to properly equalize, I feel very good about my trying. I was so focused on equalizing that I did not even think about breathing. So funny.

Well, by now, I must have taken up all of your free time, so I'd better stop here for now.

Thank you very much for everything. Please take good care of yourself so that more people can enjoy the blessings of what you do.

Please send my love to Mark and Inez.

All my best,
Kayoko

You've certainly heart from Mark  how fantastic the firework was on Friday night: what a perfect end of my perfect time on Bimini and the Indigo!
My journey home was smooth and easy. Re-adapting to firm ground and everyday life took a while. Now I'm ok and enjoying the summer in Bavaria which is nice too.

The 2 weeks with you all by far exceeded every expectation I might have had. So many hours with the dolphins, so close, almost intimate with those playful beautiful creatures!

I want you to know how much I appreciate your immense contribution, your gigantic experience, your love for the dolphins, your responsibility and your empathy. For me it was obvious, that you live your dream with all your passion and all the consequences. It was a great pleasure spending those extraordinary weeks with you and your crew! Tita, Mark and Anna are all very talented, professional and friendly persons - so kind and special!

I trust that Tita's Master Defense went perfectly and that she is safely back on Indigo. Please give her my love and best wishes!

Attached please find a few photographs I took - of course I enjoy watching and showing the pictures and videos by Tita, and Mark  immensely!

Now I would like to thank you again and wish you and your crew good weather, many dolphins and happy guests

Big hugs from Sabine

Words cannot express our gratitude for such an amazing experience. Our family will be forever touched by your gift of helping us to bo "one" with the dolphins. I know that you say it is the dolphins that determine the day but your expertise and patience heighten the experience to new levels. We can't wait to get home to tell everyone about our week. Katelyn definitely chose a once in a lifetime trip. Kortney will always remember being able to "assist" you. Tita, the food was delicious and my birthday cake was the icing on the cake. What a memorable time!!

Kristen, Bennett, Katelyn and Kortney

I love you both so very much for helping me stretch more than I ever thought I could. Your love, your caring, your encouragement and always a positive attitude. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sharing and showing us your loving way of connecting with the dolphins was a most awesome experience. It will be a trip and experience I will always remember as a high light of my life. Till we meet again my love will always enfold and protect you both.

Much Love Always

-Darlyne

What a god damn, bloody amazingly unforgettable trip! The perfect mix of relaxation, laughs, amazing food, great company and then add to that some dolphins, sharks, shipwrecks, stingrays, glorious sunsets....it just goes on and on.
Thank you for giving me a trip that I will never forget.
"I'll be back"

I wish you lots of love and dolphins.

Kate

There are not enough words in my vocabulary to express all the incredible experiences I've had in these 6 days. My heart is overwhelmed with joy, gratitude, pleasure and many other emotions I can't describe yet. My greatest thanks to Geoffrey and Mark (Kiwi) For their generous, big loving hearts, helpfulness, and may many other talents.
Mark I really don't know how i would do without you. I still can't imagine that only in a few days, I, who couldn't swim and was terrified of the water- was able to snorkel and enjoy the beauty of the marine life, always knowing that you were there to help and support me.

And you Geoff, may God bless you with many many more healthy and happy years, so you could continue sharing these incredible treasures of the ocean with people of the world.
I will miss you guys enormously. What a gift it has been!!! I love you and shall never forget you

Mera

Canada

I am home. And yes, I am very much at "home." I am in a bit of a daze and whenever indoors, I'm still rocking with the rhythm of the ocean... almost like a "land sickness"... ah... I am beginning to wonder if I was in fact born to live on the ocean. I have never known such peace and tranquility, such aliveness with the seas rolling beneath me and the wind in my face, and even more profoundly, such a complete and total absence of any kind of fear or anxiety. It is the closest I've ever come to "no mind," to just being. While others were enjoying their coffee below or reading a book, I was at my "station" at the bow, just drinking it in - as if life on land all these years has parched my very soul. I simply could not get enough. Being rocked to sleep each night in the soothing bosom of mother ocean - well, it just doesn't get much better.

And then there were the dolphins. And here, words seem completely and totally inadequate for they live and therefore come to us on such a feeling level. Even so, here's the best I can do: I have been completely undone by them. Cracked open, torn apart at the seams. They have pierced my heart. I could not be in their presence or think about them now without crying. (Which, btw, doesn't work too well with snorkeling equipment on...). And, at the same time, smiling absorbedly and until my face hurt (again, not a good idea to try this underwater...). It's the most stunningly amazingly joyous experience I have ever had in my life. When they arrived at our boat, their message was instantaneous, simple and exquisitely felt to the center of my being: WELCOME! FEEL! LIVE! LOVE! BE JOYOUS! WE ARE SO HAPPY YOU ARE HERE! Once in the water with them, in their silent, beautiful and mysterious world, I felt their calmness and gentleness, their seeing, their knowing and wisdom, and again, their exquisite love. Incredibly, just as in my dream months before, we "swam side to side and gazed eye to eye." So surreal! So utterly amazing! So humbling, and in deepest humility, I sent each a song of thanksgiving and fell completely and totally in love. Often I heard their sounds before I saw them and in the hearing, felt as though I were being kissed by them. And indeed, I was.

From the first day of the trip, each day, I hit a new edge. From flying in big planes all day, to flying in little tiny planes (which, btw, I Loved!), to my first snorkeling practice in the ocean. I had two young women literally hold my hand as I snorkeled the first two times. They each held it with such willingness, such love and tenderness that I am forever marked by this as well. Thank you Tita and thank you Mihaela. I know that all of this meeting was a beautiful combination of preparation, surrender and grace. So well was I able to do, that from the first day on, Capt. Geoff took to calling me "Little Guppy."!

I know that I am only beginning to digest this experience and that it is working me and will continue to work me. I also know that this is merely the beginning of dolphin experiences. My deepest thanks to all of you, for your love and support and holding, for your true seeing of me, for your belief in me and your honoring of all of me, especially my "bigness." What a gift you are. Deepest thanks to Geoff (Papa Bear) and Tita, for a truly remarkable experience, for your big hearts, your expertise, your island laid-backness; to Geoff for saying " you can do it" and for so much more, and to Tita, for your sweet and beautiful presence, for holding my hand, for your morning hugs, for seeing my sadness and for Pablo Neruda. And to the dolphins, as you continue to work me as you have for this past year, for this most profound of experiences, thank you with all my heart.

I love you all, Debby