Swimming with Dolphins in California

California's Central Coast is home to a variety ofDolphin, Rissos Dolphin, the Northern Right Whale
marine life including several types of dolphins.Dolphin, the Bottlenose Dolphin, Dalls Porpoise, and
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuarythe Harbor Porpoise.
(MBNMS), a Federally protected marine areaThe US government has prohibited swims with
offshore of California's central coast, supports onethe dolphin activities in the marine sanctuary.
of the world's most diverse marine ecosystems.There is only one swim with the dolphin activity
It is home to numerous mammals, includingcenter in California and that too in a private
whales and dolphins.enclosure of a theme park owned by the Six
Stretching from Marin to Cambria, the MBNMSFlags Marine World in collaboration with Ocean
encompasses a shoreline length of 276 miles andDiscovery.
5,322 square miles of ocean.The new Caribbean-themed destination is the only
Warm water conditions in the Monterey Bay haveplace in Northern California where guests can
attracted several species here from warm waterpersonally interact with Atlantic bottlenose
areas, including the Long-Beaked anddolphins, southern stingrays and warm-weathered
Short-Beaked Common Dolphins, normally seenpenguins.
from the Channel Islands south to Baja California.The 2-acre area provides guests the opportunity
These Common Dolphins congregate at the edgeto interact with and feed some of the world's
of the Monterey Submarine Canyon, wherenatural wonders while learning about the animals
sardines, mackerel, and squid seem to be theirand the importance of natural habitat conservation
primary attraction. Other dolphins and porpoises inand protection.
the Monterey Bay include the Pacific White-Sided