The Dolphin Explorer
The Finest Dolphin Study / Eco-Tour on Marco Island MOTTO: PASSION, INTEGRITY, EDUCATION
ANOTHER AWARD!!!! TEAM DOLPHIN EXPLORER WAS SELECTED "2022 ECO ADVENTURE TOUR" BY PARADISE COAST / NAPLES, MARCO ISLAND, EVERGLADES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU. THERE WERE SEVERAL EXCELLENT NOMINEES AND WE CAME OUT AS THE BEST! WHAT A GREAT TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS WE HAVE!
Available 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. 2022 Bob, James, and CAPT Eddie we’re all fantastic. Very knowledgeable about the Dolphins they work with and give a great tour. Also, they have shelling bags ready to go and a Dolphin challenge for the kids. This is a great operation!
Nov.2022 My mom, daughter and I had a great time. We've been coming to Marco for 30 years and always heard amazing things and it didn't disappoint. Not only was Bob super knowledgeable but him and Capt Bob were so nice! My daughter was the only child on board and they went out of their way to make it special. Highly recommend. The memories and dolphins were amazing!
– Trip AdvisorNov.2022 Everything was fantastic. From Bob ‘s amazing knowledge and caring personality to captain Eddie’s expertise in finding the dolphins they make a perfect team. We had a wonderful experience and highly recommend this excursion.
– Trip AdvisorNov. 2022 Captain Eddie and Naturalist James were exceptional! The tour was highly educational, kid-friendly, safe, clean and fun. Wonderful experience.
– Trip AdvisorOctober 2022 We loved everything about it! Bob and Eddie were absolutely amazing. Love how they include the kids and how they taught the kids all about the Dolphins. Eddie and Bob have a quick eye and spotted the dolphins so quick. You can tell how passionate they are about what they do!
– Trip AdvisorSept 2022 We had a great trip on the Dolphin Explorer on Tuesday, 9/20. It is low season, so we had a small group of passengers. James and Captain Ed took good care of us. We got to see about 15 dolphins and some groups were particularly playful, performing and hanging out near the boat. This is our 4th or 5th time on this excursion and it never disappoints.
– Trip AdvisorAugust 2022 This is a top class experience - we've been at least 6 times and every time it's different and special. This trip was exceptional with twenty (yes that's right, twenty!) different dolphins spotted and all described expertly by Bob on board. Bob is absolutely brilliant, he's hosted every one of the trips we've been on and his passion and enthusiasm make the trip even better. He takes great photos and you get a copy for your memories at the end. The explorer trip is puctuated with a 30 min drop off at Tigertail beach for shell collecting, a walk or, in my case, a swim in the warm and inviting waters. Bob also takes a photo of your party too on the beach to add to your memories. Captain Eddie was in charge of the boat this time - also extremely knowledgeable and mindful of balancing what you want to see against the needs of the dolphins,. Of course, the best part of this trip is when the dolphins engage and follow the boat to jump and play in it's wake - Captain Eddie nailed this with two or three such events. I cannot recommend this trip highly enough - it's a bargain at twice the price. Sign up for it and go have fun - you will not regret it.
– Trip Advisor