Located in the grounds of Bermuda Maritime Museum, Dolphin Quest (15 Maritime Ln., tel. 441/234-4464, fax 441/234-4992, www.dolphinquest.org, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., entrance included with museum admission $10 adults, $5 children 5–15, prepaid reservations admitted free) is part of a U.S.-based for-profit group that runs interactive dolphin encounter programs on the Big Island of Hawaii, Oahu, and Bermuda. Different programs are geared to various ages, including young children, and include programs where participants can get in the water and touch and swim with the boisterous mammals. The cost ranges from $155 (20 minutes) to $299 (an hour). Reservations can be made two months in advance for the popular program and can be booked online via the Dolphin Quest website, or through its central reservations office (540/687-8102 or 800/248-3316).

You can walk on the seafloor with Hartley’s Reef Safari (tel. 441/234-3535, toll-free 866/836-3989, hartley [at] ibl [dot] bm, www.hartleybermuda.com, $80 adults, $55 children under 13), which has a pick-up at the Dockyard ferry stop. Morning and afternoon trips aboard dive boat Rainbow Runner offer shallow-water helmet-diving, which allows even non-swimmers to go beneath the surface to see reefs and marine life, wearing a helmet that receives fresh air pumped from the nearby boat. No tanks, snorkels or masks are needed, and you can even wear prescription glasses or contact lenses. Tame angelfish and grunts, familiar with the helmeted visitors, come out to be fed.

Windjammer Watersports (Snorkel Park, 31 Maritime Ln., tel. 441/234-6989, www.snorkelpark.com, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Apr.–Nov.), has all-day fun on tap, thanks to a giant water slide, Jet Skis, kayaks, pedal boats, snorkels, and loads of beach toys. The center also offers underwater excursions on its stay-dry mini-sub.

Fantasea Bermuda (Pier 41 Marina, tel. 441/236-1300, fax 441/236-8926, info [at] fantaseabermuda [dot] com, www.fantaseabermuda.com) has a full summer-long menu of boat charters, parasailing, kayaking, and snorkeling trips around the West End and elsewhere. The company’s Dockyard outlet is located next to Mini Mart at Dockyard’s entrance.