Flipping Out

As a boy, I was obsessed with dolphins. For one thing, there was TV's "Flipper," which made many of us believe that man's best friend didn't need to bark or wag a tail; rather, our true mammalian BFF could emit a series of syncopated chirps as he enthusiastically flipped us off. I mean, come on, that little flipper wave was adorable!

I recall staring at the minuscule bathtub in my Columbia, Missouri, ranch house, wondering how I could retool the space to house a dolphin of my own. Despite my decidedly landlocked location, I don't recall ever worrying about how to obtain said dolphin. Evidently, I believed in my mom's proven ability to get her hands on just about anything.

Fast forward many, many decades, and I reiterated my fascination with Delphinidae to my husband, Derek. "For my birthday this year, I want to go to the Keys and swim with a dolphin," I eagerly exclaimed. Without missing a beat, he remarked, "It would be faster and cheaper to throw you off the end of the Naples Pier." (True statement, actually).

Though Derek's ability to spontaneously entertain is legendary, I briefly wondered if a quick dive off the prominent Naples landmark was a viable option. Being 100% risk adverse, I quickly let go of the notion. I have yet to swim with a dolphin.

You see, Derek and I have been together for 30 years. Our journey has included successfully raising two kids in Northern Virginia, then spending 13 years in Naples (2010 – 2023) and three years in Missouri (2023 – 2026), before our triumphant May 2026 return to Southwest Florida.

However, once we settled in, we quickly realized that our list of "haven't been there/haven't done that" was embarrassingly big. As we're both hovering just south of our 65th birthdays, we also knew we needed to change that.

I mean, how many of us live Groundhog Day—albeit in resplendent homes alongside stunning waterways—without taking the time to GET OUT, explore, discover, experience, and most importantly, meet new people.

Let's face it, the younger generation is never going to unplug and connect the way we did; that ship has sailed. But for Derek and me, our most recent adventure wasn't on a ship. We found ourselves on a custom-built 47-foot magical excursion catamaran called the Dolphin Explorer.

The celebrated 10,000 Islands Dolphin Research Project began in February 2006. Since dolphin-study.com is chock-full of information about its history and mission, I'm going to let you do some surfing while I focus on our Dolphin Explorer experience.

First thought: what do we take? My question to Derek about the necessity of wallet access was understandably met with "Yes, take it. How else will they identify your body when you go overboard?" Valid point: I'm not known for being sure-footed on dry land, much less on a boat.

Beyond that, we traveled light: sunscreen, lip balm, and an iPhone. The Dolphin Explorer provides water and shelling bags.

Once on board, we were warmly greeted by a team of three maritime professionals, an amply covered boat deck, and an easy-to-access bathroom or "head," as they say in boatland. We like to pee on demand, so we loved this feature.

Our host, the effortlessly charismatic Lead Naturalist Bob McConville, is a treasure. His knowledge, insight, and enthusiasm are irresistible. Despite 15+ years on board, he skillfully guided guests through an engaging description of dolphin do's and don'ts as if it were his first time at the helm.

"Every trip is different," Bob explained. "You never know which dolphins you will see or what changes might take place in their behavior. 'Passion, Integrity, Education' is our motto and is shared by every member of our staff."

The Dolphin Explorer team currently tracks 40 adult females, 15 adult males, 23 calves (still with their moms), and 40+ youngsters who have left their moms' sides but not yet reached maturity. The adult males basically do their thing and move on. Ironically, one would have thought MOTHER Nature would have balanced the scales more effectively.

Perhaps most shocking is that Bob and his team, including marine biologist James Livaccari and environmental scientist Alexis Schone, know each dolphin by name—yes, BY NAME! Turns out that Marco Island is so darn desirable that our local dolphin population stays put year-round.

For the next three hours, Flipper's extended family delighted their new fan base—especially when leaping from the water in apparent attempts to take flight. Like a dolphin ballet accompanied by a series of joyful human-generated oohs and ahs.

The Dolphin Explorer is so impressive that National Geographic has been on board twice, and newspaper readers voted it Number Four Best Boat Tour in the country in 2025.

The experience is perfect for the whole family and includes a special Dolphin Challenge activity booklet for younger explorers that immediately caught Derek’s attention.

And though the crew was bewildered by his illustration of the "unicorn" he claimed to have seen along the shore, his submission was accepted and approved. There's a chance Derek is now the oldest person ever to become a junior "Dolphin Explorer Team Member," yet he has the signed credentials and badge to prove it.

So yes, GET OUT and experience the glorious Dolphin Explorer—no WiFi required. Just bring your childlike sense of wonder, inquisitive nature, and joyful smile.