Visitors watch dolphins at Dolphin Cove in Ocho Rios, St. Ann. - ContributedWITH THE new cruise shipping season, which begins in mid-October, expected to bring a record number of vessels to the island's ports, the Ocho Rios-based Dolphin Cove is gearing towards what could be another phenomenal year.
Located but a stone's throw away from Dunn's River Falls, the attraction not only experienced an extraordinarily high number of visitors last year but has been tapped by cruise officials as one of "the most popular and exciting" in the Caribbean. So impressed have cruise officials from Royal Caribbean and Carnival been with operations at Dolphin Cove, that a commitment has already been given to send more ships to Jamaica once expansion plan at the facility has been completed.
But what is the secret to its success? How could the swim-with-dolphins facility barely into its fourth year of operation have grown in such stature? One doesn't have to go too far to find the answer: Stafford and Marilyn Burrowes.
COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE
Hardworking, dedicated and fully committed to excellence, this husband-and-wife team has been the catalyst that has brought Dolphin Cove to such prominence.
"Stafford and I have always worked well together," Mrs. Burrowes said of her husband. "Our job is very simple... it is all about making Dolphin Cove the best it can be and play our part in making our tourist industry the best in the region."
But how did it all started... from the concept... to what Dolphin Cove is today?
"The idea for Dolphin Cove was conceived some six years ago, when I wanted to keep a pet dolphin at my home here," Mr. Burrowes explained. "I was soon to realise that it would be easier said than done, especially after been made aware of all the special permits I would need."
He added: "I then set about trying to create an attraction where people could come and swim with dolphins, relax and enjoy a marine-type complex, practically on the sea with lush vegetation as a backdrop. This venture is the first of its kind in Jamaica, and I must say that it was accomplished with the assistance and support of JAMPRO, the Natural Resources Conservation Authority, now NEPA, and the Ministry of Tourism. Dolphin Cove has since been assigned zoo status for the different animals we have here."
FITTING BACKDROP
He noted that the dolphins are housed in a 300-foot by 200-foot pen (15 feet deep) with the deep blue sea providing a fitting backdrop. They currently have access to the sea and could if they wanted to leave Dolphin Cove for a more natural existence. So far, according to Mr. Burrowes, none have ventured to leave the facility.
But did they really expect the business to have taken off the way it has? "Certainly," Mrs. Burrowes noted, her husband also nodding in approval. "As Stafford likes to point out, it's simply a matter of creating your own little niche, having a quality product that people will love and will want to share with their families and friends... that is the secret to the success of Dolphin Cove."
Mr. Burrowes was also quick to add that Dolphin Cove wasn't just all about making money, noting that "we have never failed to open our doors... especially to children... for others to share the experience. Yes, we are very big on charitable causes."
Mrs. Burrowes, who is also the marketing director, pointed to a recent visit by a group of youngsters from the Windsor Girls' Home in St. Ann's Bay as "one of our better experiences for the year."
"Watching them enjoy the facility, the smiles on their faces was a thrill in itself," she said. "We always make it a point of duty to reach out to the communities, the schools," she said. "Making money is one thing but it is always important to give something back, especially to those who will appreciate it more."
And what does the future hold for Dolphin Cove? "We still have to fine-tune our expansion plans," Mr. Burrowes said. "It should have been completed already but as you know there is a process to everything and we have to ensure that we go through all the proper channels. "Once we have everything on stream we should have a facility that everyone can be proud of... should be the best of its kind in the Caribbean and a tremendous boost to the country's tourism offerings."
