Skegness Dolphins

FLIPPER, a 5001b, 8ft long dolphin, arrived at Skegness’s new dolphinarium off Tower Esplanade on Friday night. If he has got used to the  new experience of being in a circular tank and has overcome his fear of going too near the edge, he should be giving his first performance today (Wednesday).
He did the nine-hour road journey from his indoor pool at Margate in a canvas stretcher, being sprayed with water as he went along.

He was not the original choice. The dolphin chosen refused to be caught, constantly leaping out of the net.
Flipper (pet name Speedy) has been in captivity for four ,years. He is one of the most experienced dolphins owned by Queens Motel and Entertainment Ltd, of Cliftonville, near , Margate, who are running the dolphinarium in conjunction with Skegness Urban Council.
Later a young dolphin from America is due to join him for training purposes.
The trainers are Mr John Dineley and Mr. Ray Bethley, both 18, and the manager is Mr Keith Franklin.
Flipper will be giving seven 30-minute shows every day. The tank, eight foot deep, holds 25,000 gallons of sea water from the boating lake and the two filters are kept running 24 hours a day to keep it clean.

Mr Dineley said on Sunday : “It’s’a bit strange to him and he’s taking a while to settle down. Unlike some dolphins, he’s always been scared to come near the edge. He’s a little timid of these walls.
“We, stay with him all day. We sometimes go for a swim with him to keep him company.

“The most important people are the audience. Dolphins are great show-offs. It you don’t applaud them, they won’t work. “In training, you’ve got to respect them. They are the second most intelligent animal next to man, and have the intelligence of a six-year-old child.
“You have to be kind, patient and firm. Sometimes they’re naughty and you have to be firm with them and bring them into line — they need the security.”
Dolphins could live to 20 years with proper care and attention. Mr Dineley added that only the freshest fish should be given to them above the standard for human consumption, in fact.
Herrings and mackerel were used as rewards. Flipper needed 20 lbs of them a day to keep his strength up. But he would never pick them off the bottom of the pool if he missed them.
When Flipper Junior arrives, he will be learning tricks by watching him. There are 25 tricks, including, dancing, singing, clapping, retrieving and leaping. The most  spectacular is a vertical leap to touch a ball suspended high above the centre of the pool.
The dolphinarium, which will hold 500 people in tiered seats, should have opened for the Spring Bank Holiday.
Mr Dineley said there, had been a delay in finishing the building and also in choosing a dolphin to send to Skegness. The one they wanted was shrewd and a bit of a fighter.
“Speedy is much more gentle and quiet,” he said. “He’s been on tour in Manchester and Liverpool.”

Photo: Mr John Dineley and Flipper the dolphin at Skegness Dolphinarium.

Lovesick Dolphin gives Spectators Cold Shoulder

A lovesick dolphin separated from its friends can cause all sorts of problems.

When a lonely Flipper arrived in Skegness last week to entertain the holiday crowds, he caused a great deal of concern by not only refusing to demonstrate his skills in the water, but also refusing to eat.
So Queens Motel and Entertainments Ltd, of Margate, who are running the new Skegness Dolphinarium in conjunction with Skegness Urban Council, had only one choice.
Back went Flipper to Margate and his pal; and to Skegness came two new dolphins who wouldn’t grieve over lost friends.
On Sunday all the problems were over and Baby Flipper, a young showman with over 20 tricks in his repertoire, and Molly, still learning the ropes, were delighting the crowds with their antics.
Flipper arrived in Skegnes on Friday week and it was hoped that on Wednesday he would have settled down enough to entertain the crowds.
REFUSED
Four hundred people filled the arena to see the dolphin do his tricks — but Flipper refused to be coaxed into performing. Mr Louis Holloway, managing director of the company, said this weekend Flipper had a particularly good dolphin friend back at Margate. Although Flipper and his pal are both the same sex. Air Holloway insisted that Flipper was lovesick.
“As soon as we got him back to Margate he ate 20lb of fish and did every trick in the show.
lie didn’t like this pool and if a dolphin decides that, you can’t do anything about it. You can’t force him.”
Mr Holloway said the two new dolphins were settling down well and on Sunday were happily performing for the crowds. Queens Motel and Entertainments Ltd also have dolphin shows at Margate, Southend, Salonika in Greece and on the Costa Brava.

Skegness Dolphinarium Photos