I love the fact that Hampton Roads has so many beautiful natural areas to explore. The winter months can be a bit dull, but from spring through fall, you’ll never run out of things to discover, especially near the ocean. For example, my birthday was last week, and for my gift, Daniel took us on a dolphin kayak tour in the Broad Bay of Virginia Beach–at sunset!
It was an absolutely amazing experience and one that I would happily do again if given the chance.
We booked our tour through Go Kayak! Paddle with a Porpoise and I honestly can’t say enough good things about it. So today, I want to share 5 reasons you should try this experience out for yourself, and why I recommend Go Kayak!
A Little Bit About Go Kayak!
Before I get into the actual tour details, I want to share a little bit about the company we booked with. Our guide was the creator of Go Kayak!, Bryan Hopkins, and he made it such a memorable experience with his friendliness and knowledge. He immediately made a point to memorize every person’s name in our group of 10, which was such a nice personal touch.
All throughout the trip, he chatted with the group and shared fun facts about the area and dolphins, and he did a great job at guiding us through the bay.
Go Kayak! tours leave from the boat ramp at First Landing State Park. If you’ve read my recent article on First Landing State Park, you know how much I already love that area. This tour on the water just solidified my positive view of this gorgeous place.
I would highly recommend doing a kayak tour in combination with a hike around First Landing State Park. If you get worn out, there are plenty of secluded spots where you can relax on the beachfront to refresh without all the crowds of the main beaches, too!
You can choose from three different tours each day, launching at 9 am, 12 pm, and 6 pm. Each tour lasts two hours, so be prepared to work for it!
5 Reasons to Take a Dolphin Kayak Tour in Virginia Beach
1. The Sightseeing Opportunities
Prior to this experience, I’d never ventured into the waters of Virginia Beach’s Broad Bay. But I must say, it is absolutely beautiful!
Our tour led us past several oyster bars, along the lovely marshlands of First Landing State Park, and by the elegant homes of those fortunate enough to live on the bay.
Not to mention the gorgeous sunset we experienced out on the water. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen and the perfect way to wrap up the tour.
It was also such a neat experience to paddle across the bay and see all the different types of boats cruising by. Everyone has such a cool camaraderie on the water that you don’t experience in normal traffic.
Most of the boaters we passed waved and cheered for us as we made our way through the water, which was a nice encouragement when my arms became tired!
2. The Educational Experience
As I mentioned earlier, our guide, Bryan, did a fantastic job of teaching us during the tour. He was quick to point out the oyster bars and the giant nests of ospreys and bald eagles.
Last time I visited First Landing, we didn’t see as much wildlife as we wanted, but Bryan made sure we noticed ospreys flying across the water, fish jumping, and of course, the dolphins.
Each time we saw an animal or point of interest, Bryan filled us in with details about its lifestyle and the surrounding habitats.
He put a big emphasis on teaching us to respect and protect the dolphins we were following, as well. For example, I had no idea that it was illegal to touch a wild dolphin! I always assumed that if it got close enough, I could try to pet it!
As it turns out, that was not an option! We also had to follow at a safe distance because you’re not supposed to “pursue” dolphins; if they approach you, however, that’s their decision.
He also pointed out what their different swimming patterns meant with commuting and feeding so that we could understand their actions.
I came away filled with a lot of extra knowledge that I hadn’t planned on but thoroughly enjoyed!
3. It’s Great Exercise
I’ve been kayaking before, but I will say I was not entirely prepared for this experience. It probably didn’t help that we’d spent the entire weekend carrying heavy boxes because we moved, but my arms were burning after 20 minutes!
If you do decide to take a dolphin kayak tour in the Broad Bay, you have to understand that you’ll be paddling through strong waves and the wake of passing boats.
It’s much easier if you paddle diagonally, but it’s still a good workout. Plus, we chose a lovely 94-degree day, so we were sweltering until the sun started going down.
However, once we got the hang of it (and caught our second wind), it felt so good! Bryan made sure we stopped every so often to rest, and once we found the dolphins, we took intermittent breaks to watch them swim, too.
Our group had couples who seemed to paddle effortlessly and a few of us who struggled a bit. However, we never felt like we were being left behind, and the process got easier as we became used to the double-kayak.
So if you’re worried about the physical aspect of taking a dolphin kayak tour, I would definitely say not to be. I read several online reviews that said they took their kids on the tour, and Bryan did a good job making sure everyone stayed together. If you’re willing to sweat a little, you’ll be perfectly fine.
Plus, your shoulders and biceps will look fantastic the next day! 😉
4. It Builds Teamwork Skills!
The Go Kayak! tours require at least two people to sign up per party, and they’re given a double kayak.
I had never used a two-person kayak before, and I quickly discovered that it has its pros and cons!
On the bright side, two people can paddle much faster and take on stronger waves than a single person could.
However, finding a good rhythm and learning to paddle together can be a little difficult!
Daniel and I struggled a bit more at first than I would have anticipated. But we quickly came up with a good system to paddle in sync and communicate when we needed to turn and stop.
It was a small obstacle, but it felt soooo good when we got our rhythm down and were able to skim across the water with no issues.
So, if you’re looking for a good exercise to build communication and teamwork, I can highly recommend the “take a kayak into the middle of the ocean and figure it out” method. (Haha)
But seriously, after spending two hours focusing on being in sync, we felt a lot closer and learned to communicate better under some pressure.
5. It Has Dolphins, Duh!
At least for me, the highlight was getting to see dolphins out in the wild. I’ve seen quite a few dolphins down in the Gulf of Mexico, but never up in my hometown.
And there was something so cool about being right at water level in the kayak as they passed, as opposed to the large tour boats I’ve usually been in. Two dolphins passed directly by the first kayak in our group, so they had a truly front-row seat to the action.
We followed them around the bay for almost an hour, watching them stop to feed and then commute to another location and join with more dolphins.
Every time we spotted them surface, there was such a neat thrill at being so close and wondering how many there would be that time!
The ones we followed didn’t take too much interest in us, but you never know when you’ll find a curious and friendly pod that just wants to say hi or show off.
Closing Thoughts on our Dolphin Kayak Tour
No matter what beach town you’re in, I think dolphin kayak tours are a super cool idea. They’re interactive and a great way to explore. We loved our tour with Go Kayak! and I would highly recommend booking with them if you’re ever in the Virginia Beach area. (This is not sponsored, btw, I just really enjoyed their quality service.)
It’s obviously a fun way to see the area as a tourist but also as a local. In fact, our entire group of 10 were all Virginia Beach and Chesapeake residents, so don’t be shy if you live in Hampton Roads–you’ll love it either way!
I’m also going to be doing a roundup soon of must-do activities for a vacation in Hampton Roads, so stay tuned if you’re interested in vacationing on our beautiful beaches any time soon.
So are you ready to take a dolphin kayak tour in Virginia Beach or anywhere else? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments in the comment section below!
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