11 min read

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Sep 8, 2020

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Picture a tropical paradise. The sun is glinting off the water, and a cool ocean breeze is rushing past you. Enter thousands of spinner dolphins. Humpback whales jumping and lob-tailing. Enormous killer whales prowling the seas. Now imagine that you never have to go home.

When I first moved to Drake Bay in Costa Rica, I never imagined that I would end up making a living doing the thing I love most in the world. But almost eleven years into my tropical adventure, my travel business continues to provide me with new and thrilling experiences, sharing our local population of whales and dolphins with travelers from around the world. And to think — I used to be a banker.

It might sound scary, but uprooting my life and becoming a whale and dolphin tour guide is the best thing I have ever done. And it wasn’t just a lucky break. My experiences over the years have allowed me to hone my skills and identify real, and achievable steps that you can use to start your own whale and dolphin tours.

It won’t happen overnight. It took me almost five years for the business to become sustainable, and I certainly made some mistakes along the way. But swimming with dolphins? Isn’t that on everyone’s bucket list? Imagine…