IN PICTURES: DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER BRINGS BACK FREE DAY FOR LOCALS

a little girl sitting on a ledge next to a dolphin

Mere days before the anniversary of Hurricane Irma, an event that began in the storm’s aftermath in 2017 was alive and well at Dolphin Research Center. On Sept. 7, the center welcomed Keys residents for Love Our Locals Day, offering free admission to a day of educational presentations along with raffle tickets for free chances to get up close and personal on the docks and in the water with DRC’s gray-faced residents.

a woman kissing a dolphin in the water
a group of people standing on top of a pier next to a dolphin
a man standing on top of a floating platform next to a dolphin
a group of people in the water with a dolphin
a man and a woman standing next to each other
a group of people sitting on a dock next to a body of water
a woman taking a picture of a little girl
a man and a woman watching a dolphin jump out of the water
a couple of dolphins are swimming in the water
Alex Rickert
Alex Rickert made the perfectly natural career progression from dolphin trainer to newspaper editor in 2021 after freelancing for Keys Weekly while working full time at Dolphin Research Center. A resident of Marathon since 2015, he fell in love with the Florida Keys community by helping multiple organizations and friends rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Irma. An avid runner, actor, and spearfisherman, he spends as much of his time outside of work on or under the sea having civil disagreements with sharks.