Once they set island Dolphin Care up they wanted other special needs people to be able to get help and so the facility developed. The program has a classroom component and there is a Special Needs teacher on site, he also goes in the water with the groups. On Fridays, they run a Veteran's program!
There are eight dolphins in two large pools and all were born in the facility. There are two mothers and their female offspring, the fathers move on to other facilties as they are allowed no more than eight.
There were three delightful young men from France with us and our volunteer leader, they had very little English so commuication was fun! As the volunteer was talking to us we watched the dolphins swimming round in the near pool and they were also watching us, lol!
We then moved to the rear pool where the gate between the pools had been opened so the dolphins could swim through and enjoy some activities. These are Atlantic Bottle Nosed Dolphins and I had not realised that they were pink on the underneath part of their body. Ater a while, certin dolphins were sent back to the first pool and the gate was shut behind them.
We then watched as their was a fascinating mix of husbandry and activity. Each dolphin in turn swam up on its back and prsented its tail for investigaton and/or for bloods to be drawn etc. They seemed more than happy to do this and it is all carried out as part of the stringent regualtions.
After this a therapy session was due to start and we could have stayed but we did need to move on, it was a magical hour!! We then headed back slightly to purchase an item the Jackie needed from Napa Auto parts.
We then headed south again and stopped briefly at a bird sanctuary. All of the birds are rescues and will not be released back into the wild. Jackie was feeling tired and I think we had both been spoiled by our Dolphin experience!
We had about 100 miles still to travel to key West so needed to move on. We travelled along the southern area of the Everglades and increasingly we saw water on both sides of the road. As we passed through a place called Marathon we passed a Turtle hospital.
The numerous bridges along the way as well as the islands on either side of the road make the trip very interesting. I find it Incredible that people came to live on the keys, they are surrounded by the many coloured water and open to the moods of the weather!
The most southerly part of the railway is being developed inot a walkway/cycleway, at the moment it is not very long!! The road came somewhat later and was added piece by piece.
We arrived in Key West about 4.30 pm and missed the entry to the hotel parking, it was difficult to see! After parking the car we unpacked with the help of the guys who run the place, they were great! jackie went to collect the electric gold cartcar she had booked and I paid a viit to the pool, enjoying a short dip, the wtaer was a very pleasant temperature.
We noticed it was very crowded further down, people had come to see the sunset! Then a couple of fire engines arrived behind the rstaurant to put out a small fire, always some drama, lol! I grabbed a coffee from a nearby Starbucks on the way home!
Key West has a large number of B&Bs and rstaurants and Duval street certainly rocks! There are all sorts of shops along the way, some of them quite quaint. Key West is very different from anywhere I have ever been, because of its locality basically isolated from the rest of the US, it is unique. Most of the buildings seem to be from a bygone era, especaly in the centre around Duval Street, I love the bright colours. It has its own culture, which is a real mix of types, and there is very definitely an independent feel about the place. Today was absolutely fabulous with so many different experiences.
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