Most people know Clearwater Marine Aquarium as the home of Winter, the prosthetic-tailed dolphin who inspired the Dolphin Tale movie. (Winter passed away in 2021, but her legacy still anchors the place.) What fewer people know is that the aquarium also hosts a monthly Dolphin Yoga class, led by local instructor Sherry Duquet, right in front of the underwater viewing window.
Dolphins enjoy watching us as much as we like watching them. When I toured the facility, the guide dragged a bright purse slowly along the glass, and a dolphin trailed it the whole way, clearly delighted with the game.
That same curious energy apparently works both directions: aquarium staff say the yoga sessions double as enrichment for dolphins recovering from injury, who watch the poses unfold from the other side of the glass. It’s a rare wellness hour where the audience and the participants are both, in a sense, healing.
Plan your visit
- Classes are from 5:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and include an educational presentation
- Participants must be 13 or older; children must be able to do yoga on their own
- Bring your yoga mat and water. You will leave feeling refreshed and renewed
- Tickets are $27 for aquarium members and $30 for non-members and do not include aquarium admission