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 6 years, Dave, and her myriad of pets. Dave and Tiffany are proud to announce that they are expecting their first child together this coming May!  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 Dave Wise - My association with all things nautical goes back to my childhood. My great great grandfather built boats in Minnesota, moving the business to Florida where my great-grandfather, grandfather and father carried on the tradition. There are still some Wise Boat Works vessels around in numerous antique boat clubs. As a teen, I regularly picked up and delivered customers boats to and from the family boat repair business. My family also ran a tour on a weekly basis from Lake Dora up to Silver Springs and back.
I have held a Masters license since 1992 and worked for another Nature Tour company for 3 years prior to coming to work for Dolphin Girl Nature Tours. This involved operation of a 42’ long 10’ wide Trident vessel with a capacity of 48 persons. During my time with this company, I acted in the position of both Master and Naturalist as needed. I also hold a sail/auxiliary notation on my Masters ticket that qualifies me to operate a sailing vessel up to 50 gross tons.

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 worked for an ecotour
pontoon boat for the last 3 years and decided more recently to work for
DolphinGirl Tours. I have had my 100 ton Ocean Master's license since 1985
and have an endorsement to operate manned submersibles.

Naturalist – Jim Eager - This job allows me to fulfill a lifelong dream to work in the nature and natural environment field and be able to promote conservation and environmental awareness and be able to share with the public the birds, plants, animals and marine life of the beautiful Indian and Banana River Lagoons.  I have been an avid birder for 20 years, with an indepth knowledge of all the bird species that reside in the Lagoon year round as well as migratory species that come through.  I am also knowledgeable about the plant, animal and marine life. I have 1000 volunteer hours as a bird volunteer-special husbandry at the Tennessee Aquarium, in Chattanooga, TN.  Member and past vice president/field trips for the Tennessee Ornithological Society.  Past member/volunteer for the North American Assn. for Environmental Education for 10 years.  Participate in annual Audubon Society Christmas bird counts for Cocoa, Merritt Island NWR and Chattanooga, TN.  I also have a Breeding Bird Survey route in Merritt Island NWR that is conducted annually for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Naturalist - Joe Swingle - I grew up in Maryland near the Chesapeake.  Some of my favorite memories as a kid come from the times I spent trolling for bluefish from my dad's boat and diving off the back of my grandfather's yacht with my friends and family.  These fun activities made it easy to realize what a great place this was.  I came to Florida for college and started doing eco-tours in Tampa while working towards a bachelor's degree in Biology at the University of South Florida.  Now, as an eco-tour guide here in Florida I get to help other people share the fun of visiting another one of the Nation's great estuaries - the Indian River Lagoon.  There are many ways to enjoy the Lagoon, and a relaxing pontoon boat ride during a full moon is definitely on the top of the list!

Contact Owner/Operator Tiffany Barrineau Reservation Requests and Information: tiffany@dolphingirltours.com 321-591-3670 Ask about our Full Moon cruises!