DolphinGirl Cruises & Eco-Tours prides itself on working with knowledgeable, qualified and friendly staff to provide you the perfect eco-tour cruising experience. We hope you agree!

Tiffany Barrineau: Owner/Operator Tiffany has a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology, from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania. During her 4 years in college, Tiffany participated in internships with the National Aquarium in Baltimore and the Marine Science Consortium in Virginia. These internships dealt with species diversity in the Chincoteague Bay and the Population Assessment of the Bottlenose Dolphin in this same area. During her 2 years of the dolphin internship – the name DolphinGirl was used quite frequently by those who did not know her name, or the names of her fellow interns.

Since graduating from college, Tiffany moved with her future husband, Dave, to Florida where Dave had a job with Lockheed Martin. Tiffany tried working at SeaWorld, but found the drive too much – so on one of her free weekends, she discovered a free boat tour to Samsons Island in Satellite Beach. Her soon to be friend, Fred Robitschek was her guide and he took her around the island, talking about what a great place it was! After talking with Fred, Tiffany decided to approach the City of Satellite Beach for a job doing what Fred did! Almost 8 years later, and Tiffany is still doing environmental education programs with the City. During those years, Tiffany designed and implemented a Marine Biology Club for kids and a very successful Marine Biology Camp in the summers (along with assistance from Laura Petrusic, Jennifer Bucheit, Christine Dickenson and Marie Ecker). Working with kids is something that she never thought she would enjoy – but the kids from the Satellite Beach program have changed her mind on that one!

Tiffany currently lives in Satellite Beach with her husband of over 8 years, Dave, her 1 year old son Connor, and her myriad of pets.  Snorkeling, SCUBA, surfing, and traveling are all favorite past times that she enjoys.

Owning and operating an eco-tour company is a dream come true for Tiffany. She hopes you enjoy the tours and the Lagoon as much as she does each and every day!

Captain Rich Buehn - I've lived in the South Brevard area since 1964, with much of that time spent in and on the local waters.  I started boating in 1968 when my parents bought a 17' daysailor, and I got into surfing that same summer.  In 1981, I finished building a 30' catamaran that I sailed all through the bahamas.  On my return, I started windsurfing and soon established a business building custom sailboards.  I'm still involved in building all manner of surfcraft.  I got my 100 ton USCG masters liscense in 2000 after an old college friend approached me with the idea of starting a charter business.  We operated that business from New York to Miami until he decided to sell it in 2003.  Obviously, I love boating and watersports and the marine environment.  Helping to operate Dolphingirl Cruises fits with my lifestyle and passion for being on the water.  I enjoy taking people out on the water and giving them a closer look at the beauty of our local waters and an awareness of environmental sensitivity.

Captain Jeff Prentice - I grew up in the Caribbean and graduated with a BS in Pre-Med because I had aspirations of being a veternarian. I found that my real love was on the water and ended up with an MS in Ichthyology with a minor in Marine Biology. My first job after graduation was with Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in Ft. Pierce. I started as a liaison officer between the science program and the deep diving program. I didn't take long for me to
realize that I was gravitating toward the technological aspect of deep
diving and manned submersibles. At the time I was working for Smithsonian
Institution and did a number of chamber dives at the Hyperbaric Facility at
Duke University which culminated in a 1000 ft. saturation dive. Later I did
a dive, which was the deepest open water dive at the time, to 720 ft.
locking out of the manned submersible. During this dive I collected a new
species of hermit crab that was living in a large tulip shell. I later
became a pilot of the submersible and eventually was Marine Operations
Director. Throughout my career with Harbor Branch I maintained a close
relationship with the Marine Biology Department and stayed abreast of
current discoveries, of which there were many. My boating career started
when I was 8 and that summer I collected 3 first prizes sailing an 8 ft.
pram that my father had built. I did my first delivery of an 85 ft. sailboat
as deckhand, from Puerto Rico to Ft. Lauderdale, when I was 14 and a 72 ft.
wood sailing yacht from Genoa Italy to St. Thomas, U.S.V.I when I was 16.
Since then I have been on, in or under the water one way or the other. I
moved back to this area after leaving Atlantis Submarine as Operations
Director in Cancun, Mexico and worked a number of jobs including captain of
a 120 ft. crew boat in the Gulf of Mexico.I have had my 100 ton Ocean Master's license since 1985 and have an endorsement to operate manned submersibles.

Captain Bob Ballinger - I started boating  at the age of 11 when I joined the Sea Scouts in Long Beach California. We would work on the boats during the week and Sail to Santa Catalina Island on the weekend.  I started water-skiing and skurfing, which is wake-boarding before wake boards were invented. At age 15 I bought my first boat so I could go water skiing whenever I wanted.  I would go water skiing and sailing on most weekends and taught my friends to sail and water ski. When I was 21 I got married and moved to Canyon Lake and water skied even more.  Both my daughter and son started out in baby carriers in our family boats and grew up around boats.  I worked for the San Bernardino County Sheriffs office as a Deputy Sheriff where we used boats to patrol the Colorado River aqua duct and Lake Havasu.  A friend of mine was going to start a DUCK business.  DUCKS are amphibious land and water vehicles that were originally designed for military purposes and now used for tours on land and sea.  I  got my Master  Captains license and Commercial CDL with a passenger endorsement to operiate his DUCKS but, due to the economy the business has been postponed. I am also a Private Pilot, Home Builder and Realtor - so I guess I am really a people person. This past summer I started working with Dolphin Girl tours and also running private fishing charters.   I love being on the water and in the quiet of nature.

Naturalist – Katie Guzmon - Katie Guzmon, is a true Floridian, born and raised in Melbourne, Florida. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree at Florida Institute of Technology in Environmental Education. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Business Management at Florida Atlantic University. After college she moved to New Zealand and sailed throughout the Pacific on a 73 ft. sailboat visiting Tonga and Fiji. In the summer of 2008 and 2009 she was a camp counselor at Satellite Beach’s Marine Adventure Camp for 8-13 year olds. The camp focused on teaching kids about the importance of our local environment and marine life. She has also successfully completed 40 contact hours in the Florida Master Naturalist Program, Coastal System Module. Katie has always had a love for nature and enjoys being on the water whether it is the ocean or the Lagoon.

Naturalist - Cheryl Caldwell - A few years ago, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a marine biologist. That brought me to sunny Florida and I fell in love right away. I’m originally from the Philadelphia area where I earned my A.S. in Biology from Camden County College. I graduated from Florida Institute of Technology in December 2008, earning a bachelor’s of science degree while adding a minor in education. My passion for nature and conservation led me to DolphinGirl where I can help others learn about the flora and fauna of Florida while cruising on the Indian River Lagoon. What a pleasure for me!
As a young child, I remember watching Jacques Cousteau on television. I always wanted to be on the boat with him and his crew, diving and exploring. I’m an avid diver myself now and share his love of environments, both in and out of the water. I was a volunteer diver in the shark tank at the Camden Aquarium, in New Jersey, before I moved south. I purchased my own kayak and have been exploring the waterways of Brevard, Indian River, and Orange Counties. I also volunteer for the Sea Turtle Preservation Society that concentrates on environmental causes and the protection and conservation of sea turtles. I work for Brevard County in the parks and recreation department in my spare time. My zest for life and my work shines through on each and every trip up and down the lagoon. Come join us!

Naturalist - Evan Tuohy - Evan Tuohy, was born and raised in Florida, living in numerous places along Florida’s east coast. He has been around boats all his life, growing up with a father that was a commercial fisherman. Evan received his six-pack captains license in 2006 and has worked on privately owned yachts for the past five years, through which he has traveled throughout the waters of the US east coast, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas.  Along with working on boats he also fishes, scuba dives, and competes in sailing races in his leisure time.   Currently, Evan is pursuing his bachelors degree in Marine Biology at Florida Institute of Technology, that will be completed in December of 2009. He has done a variety of field research in the Indian River Lagoon during his studies. He has also successfully completed 40 contact hours in the Florida Master Naturalist Program, Coastal System Module. Evan is passionate about the environment and marine biology and enjoys being on the water.

Jim Angy - Naturalist & Beginner’s Nature Photography Instructor -
Jim Angy is an award-winning nature photographer who has not only mastered the skill of wildlife photography, but who also has an encyclopedic knowledge of his subjects. Jim has been a resident of Brevard County for more than 40 years and has been photographing Florida’s wildlife for 35 of those years. His images have appeared in books, calendars, post cards, magazines, and DVDs, including the Florida Beach Basics - The Space Coast DVD and reference cards and The Nature of series of books by Cathie Katz. He’s especially noted for his sea turtle images, and thousands of sea turtle reference cards with his photos are distributed yearly by Florida hotels and environmental organizations. An ardent supporter of conservation and environmental efforts, he is a popular speaker, and he has contributed his photos to such organizations as the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Archie Carr Refuge, and Pelican Island for use in their publications. Recently, he contributed many of the photos used in the signage at Hightower Beach Park in Satellite Beach.

Reservation Specialist - Stephanie Spurlock - A graduate of the University of Central Florida, Stephanie has been a Satellite Beach resident since 1976.  Her love and appreciation for the Indian River Lagoon began when she signed on to be a chaperone for Tiffany’s Marine Environmental Camp.  Her two children were enrolled in the one-week program, and all three of them came away from the experience with a much greater understanding of their aquatic surroundings.  Her daughter is now a junior counselor while her son remains a camper for a few more years.

When asked to describe a tour with DolphinGirl, Stephanie can enthusiastically say it is an exciting and educational adventure that everyone needs to try.  Witnessing pods of dolphins swimming in the lagoon is something that never grows old for her, and she always looks forward to the next opportunity to “get out there.”

Contact Owner/Operator Tiffany Barrineau Reservation Requests and Information: Contact us or call 321-591-3670 Ask about our Shuttle Launch Cruises!