Baywatch Dolphin Tours

One of the activities we did while we were still in Galveston a few weeks back  was go on a dolphin tour of Galveston Bay. Anyone who knows me, knows that dolphins have long since been my favorite animal so this was one tourist attraction I did not want to pass up. I'm also happy to report that we were not disappointed in this experience.

The Premise

We went with Baywatch Dolphin Tours for a couple of reasons. The main reason was the price. Most boat tours in the area were out of our budget, especially considering we had a group of seven to consider, four of which were mine. Baywatch charges $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under (infants and pets are free). I spent a grand total of $25 plus tax. The second consideration was time. Baywatch had a boat leaving every hour on the hour. Convenient for those of us that don't like to plan every minute of the day. The tour lasted about 45 minutes which was plenty long in the Texas heat and humidity. Also, we knew it would be easy to locate because it is in Galveston's Pier 21 District. Trust me on this. My mom and I have had many a grand adventure because we get lost everywhere we go. In fact, my kids caught on long ago that when Mommy starts going in circles, it's best to tone it down and let me concentrate on getting back on track. Finally, it's within walking distance to The Strand, which was our next stop of the day. Nothing like a little retail therapy to end your day.

My Take

As far as I could tell there is only one boat that runs the entire operation. The boat was extremely well maintained. In fact, they cleaned it up in between tours; wiped the seats down and everything. On the boat, there were three main places to sit. Outside in the front, outside in the back or inside in the middle of the boat. My kids chose to sit in the front. We smarter, dare I say older, adults chose to sit in the shaded interior. The captain did his best to answer any questions that the group had. The captain also doubled as the tour guide. He was knowledgeable on the history of Galveston Harbor and Bay. And, true to the advertisement, we saw the dolphins.

A lot of dolphins. They were following the fishing and shrimp boats. They were beautiful, graceful, and majestic. Many times, they came close to our boat to show off. Dolphins weren't the only wildlife seen. It was amazing how many pelicans like to hang out with the fishermen. I realize how much sense this makes now. However, not being an avid fisherman, I had never thought much about the symbiotic relationship between the pelican and fisherman.

The ride was smooth and dolphin safe. The boat has no propellers to harm the dolphins or any other animals in the water. The captain slowed when the water got choppy and warned us of any wakes we encountered. They did their best to keep us all comfortable as well. Drinks were on sale for $1 should you get thirsty. Sunglasses were also available for $2.

The Verdict

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would probably do it again just to get better pictures of the dolphins. The kids loved it as well. It was the first time they had been on a boat other than the ferry. The dolphins captivated them as did the rest of Galveston's wildlife.

I give Baywatch Dolphin Tours two fins up! Dorsal fins, that is. Keep it up and hopefully we'll be back soon!

I took this picture during the tour.