The Dolphin Explorer
The Finest Dolphin Study / Eco-Tour on Marco Island
5 NEW BABY DOLPHINS LOCATED IN 3 WEEKS! FROM SEPTEMBER 18 TO OCTOBER 8 OUR DOLPHIN STUDY TEAM AND OUR "CITIZEN SCIENTIST" GUESTS FOUND THESE CALVES WITH THEIR MOMS IN OUR SURVEY AREA. ONE OF THE MOMS, SKIPPER, IS AN AMAZING STORY! SHE SURVIVED A SHARK BITE WHEN VERY YOUNG, WAS RESCUED FROM A FISHING LINE DISASTER AT AGE 1, AND IS THE DAUGHTER OF A VERY PRODUCTIVE MOM. HER NEW CALF, FERGIE, COULD BE THE FIRST OF MANY! CONGRATS, SKIPPER!!!!!
Click here to Book Your Tour Book Your TourAvailable Tour Times: 9 a.m. & 1 p.m.
Duration: 3 hours
Get to know some of our area dolphins on every trip! Learn their names and who their relatives are as we cruise the waters of Marco Island in search of wildlife on this family-friendly eco-tour. Reservations are highly recommended!
Discovery, exploration, and adventure aboard The Dolphin Explorer!
Join our dolphin research team and get to know the local dolphins on our Marco Island dolphin cruise – both fun and educational! Launched February 1, 2006, the 10,000 Islands Dolphin Project is a long-term study of the abundance, distribution, movement, association patterns, and behavior of bottlenose dolphins of Southwest Florida. Located on Marco Island with close proximity to Naples and the Everglades, we offer a one of a kind tour!
The Project is the only on-going study of wild dolphins in SW Florida and the only one in the United States that engages and is supported by the general public.
Using ‘photo-identification,’ our dolphins are recognized by their dorsal fins which act as their ‘fingerprints.’
You have the opportunity to participate in locating, counting, and confirming of individual dolphin sightings on our exciting Marco Island eco-tour. For more about the study, visit our dolphin survey results.
Rated 5 Stars on TripAdvisor
Nov.2021 This was our second Dolphin Explorer tour. We brought two other couples along with us and we all thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Captain Greg and Naturalist Bob were extremely knowledgeable which enhanced our experience. We saw many dolphin and one three-generation family. Bob was very patient with all our many questions! We learned so much! Would highly recommend this tour, especially for families with children as you get such a close up look at these magnificent mammals. Thanks Bob & Greg!
– Trip AdvisorNov. 2021 Captain Eddie and guide Bob did an excellent job of finding the Dolphins for us to see and watch. They knew them all by name and taught us how to identify them. The dolphins recognized the sound of the boat engine and joined us in the wake as we moved through the water. It was a great time! I highly recommend! Great for adults and kids. The trip included a shelling excursion, a photo and tons of info!
– Trip AdvisorNov. 2021 Bob and Greg were great. We saw at least 25 different dolphins,and some cute babies. It was a very good learning experience for all of us especially the kids. They were challenged with identifying the dolphins and registering all of the wildlife they saw. Even though the water was somewhat rough, Greg did a great job handling the boat and it was surprisingly smooth. Bob was extremely knowledgeable about the dolphins, and constantly talked with us about their habitat and eating habits etc. I highly recommend this tour
– Trip AdvisorOct. 2021 This enjoyable 3 hour excursion exceeded our expectations. Capt Eddie and Kristin did a great job providing information as we saw birds, dophins and manatees. The activities for the kids (we had 4-7 yo) were great. Kristin is a great photographer and the family photo and pictures of dolphins that she gave us as we disembarked was a great ending. Very nice tour.
– Trip AdvisorOctober 2021 This was our 7th trip on the Dolphin Explorer and on this trip we got married! We brought our entire family on the cruise and everyone had an amazing time on the boat. Bob, Kristen, and Capt. Eddie were very knowledgeable and welcoming. We saw so many dolphins, a manatee, osprey, water birds, and a bald eagle. Our ceremony was amazing. It was so nice to share our day with the Dolphin Explorer crew. We highly recommend including this dolphin excursion in your trip to SW FL!
Oct. 2021 Absolutely the best tour we have taken and we have done a LOT of tours. Captain Eddie and Bob are fantastic!! Extremely knowledgeable about dolphins and the entire Florida ecosystem. We saw over 13 dolphins including 4 babies. Since we were the first to see a new baby, we even got to name it. I cannot recommend this tour enough. It’s a must of you are on Marco island.
– Trip Advisor