When we first moved to GA, my daughter was in first grade. She had wanted to swim with dolphins since she was 4. We went to the Gulf a couple of years later - mind you, my husband and I were both raised on Atlantic beaches, so emerald waters in which one can see to the bottom and no waves is not something we were looking forward to at all - and found a lovely beach void of people. It was like our own little paradise. We drove to Panama City Beach one day and rented a boat. We asked where we might be able to go and see dolphins. They told us. We went. No dolphins. We went to a place called Shell Island, anchored, waded in, walked to the other side of the island and found - no shells. We got back in the boat and went back to where we had been told we could see dolphins. As soon as we pulled into the area, I popped the boat in neutral and as if on cue, a dolphin appeared at the bow to welcome us. My husband and daughter got in the water, but she got scared, so they got back in the boat. Not too far off another boat was anchored and they were feeding the dolphins - against the law. My kids asked if we could feed, and of course, I told them we couldn't but we could take advantage of the fact those people were. So I jumped in with both kids (I used ot be a lifeguard) and we swam over to where they were feeding. Immediately we had them coming up to us, swimming between our legs, and turning over so we could rub their bellies. It was amazing! They were all around us. The people kept feeding them and even held a smelt up out of the water, so I could get a picture of my daughter's face next to a dolphin's face. It was so wonderful! If I can get my hands on the picture, I'llscan it in. We went again a couple of years later with my brother's-in-law family but we didn't have as good luck that time. We still swam a little with some in a cove, but not like that first time. Could have been because there was a big storm coming - a big storm.