From Larry, Kathryn and Spot, October 2009

Hi Cathy,

Just a note to tell that we arrived at your condo today. We drove all day in the rain, and the sun came out just as we pulled into your driveway. The place is beautiful -- even nicer in person than in the web site photos. Kathy walked around and could not find a single thing to clean! The place is immaculate.

Attached are a couple to pictures taken today. One is a shot of he first local resident we met -- he was standing on the railing going up to the deck. The other picture is from our first walk on the beach. The tennis courts here are excellent, and we plan to start using them tomorrow.

The location of Dolphins Dance is a definite plus -- it is part of a small, separate, three-unit building at the edge of a large pond. This offers peace, quiet, privacy, and the company of a group of tame turtles who live in the pond. (Most of the other condos at Barrier Dunes are located in large collections of attached units facing each other across central lawns). The beach is a one minute walk away. Tennis courts and swimming pools are equally close.

The owner, Cathy Kari, is a total pleasure to deal with. The condo itself is nicely furnished and immaculately clean. It is well-stocked with everything we could want or need, including books, DVDs, multiple televisions, and high-speed wireless internet. We had a great time in this vacation condo in Cape San Blas, and we recommend it without reservation. Thanks Cathy.

Larry and Kathy, Royal Oak Michigan

From Mark, Jill, Philippa, Truman and Zoe, September 2009

Hi Cathy,

We are having a great time at Dolphins Dance! Dolphins Dance is a lovely property, we are having a wonderful time!

The beach is gorgeous- Zoe is having a blast and the twins are beside themselves with excitement.

The Cape in general is more than we could have asked for and the weather has been fabulous as well!I have some great photos to pass along to you, if you'd like them for the website!

ps- I almost forgot- we saw 6 dolphins when we were in the water on Friday! They were only about 15 ft from where we were swimming. It was an amazing experience, indescribable really!

Jill

From Sara and LaMar and Sasse, September 2009

Sasse loved the beach and got frustrated with the waves.

She tried to follow me in but got scared when she had to swim. She loved walking on the beach. We really enjoyed your place. We really loved the back porch - ate all of our meals there.

The pond was lovely and you could see the fish and turtles with binoculars. Plus we saw lots of beautiful butterflies and dragon flies and heard they were migrating. I am really picky about my water, so was very surprized that I could drink it right from the tap.

I never had water taste that good in Florida or Alabama. By the way, you have a great selection of movies. We also loved the decor of the front bedroom - toward the ocean. So thanks again, we had a wonderful relaxing time. Hated to leave on Wed. Here are some pictures. Thanks,

Sara

From Bob and Susan, August 2009

Cathy: We arrived today around 3:00. Dolphins Dance is all you said it would be and more. I love all of the little finishing knick knacks!! Each room is special. The pictures did not do it justice. Thanks for sharing your beautiful place with us.

Fantastic place, has everything we need, enjoying the pool and beach, tried fishing but the turtles ate most of the bait..Yesterday had a beautiful sunset. I can't believe our stay has gone this fast, but we will have some great memories of Cape San Blas and your home...

Susan

From Staci, Jason, Noah, Isaac, Sherry, Adam, Emma Eve and Toby, July 2009

Hey Cathy!

Just wanted to tell you thanks again for allowing us to stay in your townhouse in Cape San Blas, FL. It was very nice and we all enjoyed ourselves very much. We absolutely loved the beach. We loved how the kids could play in the ocean and we didn't have to really worry about them getting to deep. It was great. Your townhouse was beautiful and we enjoyed very much your allowing us to play with the beach toys. We have never had the opportunity to try boogie board and we tried.....key word "tried" but we had fun doing it. We saw all sorts of hermit crabs in the bay in St. Joseph's Peninsula State Park. We saw 5 deer on the beach. I never would have thought that we could see deer on the beach. I just didn't have my camera!!!! We traveled to Appalachicola one day and saw the fishing boats. That was pretty neat. (Only get to see those in the movies, hahaha) We really enjoyed visiting Cape San Blas, FL. Barrier Dunes is a wonderful place to stay, especially with small children. Oh, one more thing, my husband and I rode the bicycles to Coneheads one evening, for our date night and we really enjoyed doing that. We felt free and almost like kids again, just riding and being silly. We loved it and almost wished we had done it sooner, but with 2 small children, it's hard to do that. Thankfully, my mom offered to watch them 1 night so we could get away by ourselves.

Thanks again, Cathy, for allowing us to have such a wonderful experience.

(My mom found what is called "The Crucifix Fish" just lying on the sand in the St. Joseph's Bay. That was pretty cool too.)

Thanks,

Staci

From Jimmy, Shari, Melissa and Anna, July 2009

Hi Cathy,

Sorry I have not replied sooner. It has been hectic as usual as we catch up from being away. We did have a wonderful time on the Cape. This was our 4th time staying in Barrier Dunes and my whole family agreed that Dolphin's Dance was the nicest of the units we have rented. The unit was clean, comfortable and well maintained. The beach toys, umbrellas, chairs and bikes supplemented what we brought-it was nice to have extras. I did bring my boat and it worked out very nicely being able to easily park it under the unit. I also appreciate your being so helpful and friendly. For any future trips to Barrier Dunes, we will have you at the top of our list.

Thanks again, Jimmy and family

From Tim, Shari, Krystal and Nemo, July 2009

Cathy,

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful townhouse with us. We really felt at home there.It was so comfy. The sofa and oversized chair was sooo comfy. I like the decor and loved your dolphin candleholders. All the extras were so nice. I really over packed. The beach stuff you provide was really nice.Never had that any where else. I also loved having a washer and dryer in the unit. It was so nice not to haul clothes back and forth, and not to come home with dirty clothes. Nemo liked the beach if he was sitting in our laps. Nemo does not like to get his feet wet, (He is soooo spoiled)He just liked being with us. Krystal really enjoyed the beach.This is the 1st year she has not wanted to go to the pool. She loved the beach, it is so beautiful! The prettiest I've ever seen that's no lie. The sand was gorgeous, the water was so clear, there was no seaweed or jellyfish. The waves were so beautiful and the shells! You can not find shells like that in other places in Fla. or Ala.It was really nice to see all the dogs. We will be back. Thank you so much for sharing your piece of paradise with us, I remember reading somewhere on your web to leave a spice if you like. I left some Slap YA Mama! it's a spice from Louisiana it will make anything taste better!

Thanks, Tim, Shari, Krystal and Nemo, Ponchatoula La

From Tracey, Jack, Mark, Rose and Debbie, July 2009

Good Morning Cathy and Tom,

We had a fabulous vacation. Dolphins Dance was terrific and met all of our needs. We particularly appreciated the super "vacation" accommodations that are provided for your guests. Next time we use your unit, we know we don't need to bring beach chairs and umbrellas or bicycles. We also appreciated the fact that your unit had some spices for cooking. Seems like a little thing, but greatly appreciated. Another point of gratitude was the availability of cleaning supplies. Don't get me wrong, we did not spend our vacation cleaning, but it was nice to know if we needed to address something, the materials were there. Thanks for your thoughtful considerations.

Thanks again for your thoughtful accommodations. We found Dolphins Dance to be extremely comfortable and we will surely book your unit again in the future.

Sincerely,

Tracey

From Jane, Bruce and Miss Kitty, June 2009

Hello Cathy,

Thank you so very much for such a really neat place to stay and to be! It is an amazing location all the way around. Your condo has the best location in the entire complex as far as we were concerned. So peaceful and quiet. We loved your "fish" all over the top of the kitchen cabinets as well as your dolphin art everywhere!

While we did not use any of your beach goodies in the storage shed we did notice how well stocked you were. Wow. Next time we will sample some of these great items. We had brought our own small sun tent and beach chairs and found it to be amazing that everyone set up their tents and gear and left it all there for the entire stay. What a nice bunch of people we met and it was great fun not to have to carry gear back and forth. We had never been to a beach like this before.

We plan to return to your condo many times and look forward to bringing out kids with us one of the trips as I know they would all love it as well.

You own a piece of heaven and we will visit again and again. Thank you so very much for sharing your condo with us!

p.s. I love Tony Hillerman (he was an OU grad) and so enjoyed reading "The Blessing Way" that you had in your book collection.

Jane, Bruce and Miss Kitty, Athens Georgia

From Karen, Steve, Stevan, Wesley and Bandit, May 2009

Hi Cathy,

We have had a wonderful relaxing week! The townhouse is so spacious, we have enjoyed the view from the decks, the comfortable sofa and cushy chair in the living room, the firm beds and the kitchen that is so well stocked (enjoyed using some of the spices). We have been to many beaches, including Sanibel Island, Hilton Head Island, Destin, Seaside, South Padre Island, North Myrtle Beach, the Hamptons, Long Island and Newport Rhode Island to name a few. Cape San Blas is by far our favorite beach for having a relaxing, family oriented vacation. For anyone who loves nature, this is the place to come! We can't wait to return.

Thanks so much for renting your special townhouse.

Karen, Steve, Stevan, Wesley and Bandit, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

From Paula, May 2009

Hello Cathy,

I just wanted to personally let you know how impressed I was with your condo down in Cape San Blas and how much I enjoyed mine and my sister's trip there. The condo was so nice, beautiful and had everything we could have needed on hand (both inside & out). It was so convenient to have all the beach equipment right there and an outdoor shower for cleaning the sand off. I stayed in the room with the view of the pond and I just loved it! It was so bright and cheery, and I loved watching the turtles and enjoying the sound of the sprinkler in the pond. I also enjoyed the window seat and watching movies each night in the big, comfy lounge chair in the living room. The only thing that could have made the trip more enjoyable was if we could have stayed longer.

Thanks so much!!

Paula

From Chris, May 2009

Cathy,

We are having a wonderful time. The weather is beautiful! We are enjoying the turtle show in the back pond and the beach is great. P Wee is happy to have her own beach chair and everyone is getting a big laugh to see her pretending to be the queen of everything. Had dinner at the Magnolia Grill on Saturday and had the private patio all to ourselves. We had great service and excellent food. P Wee had a lamb chop and they provided a fresh pan of water. Had lunch on the deck at Boss Oyster yesterday, with P Wee and it was good too. Tonight P Wee stays in her crate while we enjoy a dinner at Carolines with a corner seat with water view all around. Well it's back to the beach!

Thanks again,

Chris, Palmetto Georgia

From Guy, Brittany, Eric, Ivy and Nya the dog, May 2009

Cathy,

We had a great time! The morning before we left Eric, Ivy and I went walking on the beach, and the dolphins decided to come out with their babies and do some flips for us. It was really amazing!!! The beach is probably the most beautiful and peaceful beach that I have ever been to. I really liked how it was not crowded at all which made it all even more amazing! Thank you so much for allowing us to stay at Dolphins Dance, we will definitely be back!

Guy, Brittany, Eric, Ivy and Nya, North Carolina

From Karen, Rich, Calli and Maggie, April 2009

Such a lovely time we had at Dolphin's Dance. Certainly, our two dogs Calli and Maggie loved the ocean. They would go out each day and retrieve the sticks that we threw into the ocean. We enjoy just relaxing on the beautiful white sand whether it is fishing, reading, or watching the sunset. Rich did a lot of fishing from the shore. But I was the fortunate one that caught the pompano which we had for dinner one evening. We enjoy the local seafood and cooked often at the condo. We found the condo to be a home away from home, and it had all the amenities and comforts that make it a great place to stay.

We biked in the state park, and did more fishing there. The dunes are so well cared for in the area. It seems so undisturbed. Just a great place to unwind, have fun and do whatever you want to do in the moment. Anyone who is looking for a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the ocean and all that it has to offer shouldn't hesitate to stay at Dolphins Dance. We have already booked our weeks for next year and look forward to our stay there.

Thank you for providing such a well-equipped, beautifully decorated condo.

Karen, Rich, Calli and Maggie, Ohio

From Donna, Roger, Franklin, and Eddie the dog, March 2009

Cathy and Tom,

Yes we will be back! Your place is very beautiful, and our trip was like going back in time, a quiet area with no hustle and bustle, just nice and stress free. We have told several friends about your place and they are excited also. I never dreamed that such a place still existed. I am hoping to be able to come this summer. Eddie loved the beach (the water not so much!) Everyone there was very friendly and my husband and I both think this was our favorite vacation of all time. We did lots of bike riding and the shelling was great. I came home with several excellent shells, and a nice glow as the weather was perfect. Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful home, we loved every inch of it.

Sincerely, Donna, Tennessee

From Shannon, March 2009

Cathy,

My husband and I had a wonderful time at Dolphins Dance. It is so cozy and comfortable that we didn't feel like we were in a rental - we felt more like we were staying with family! Our dog Molson loved it too. We couldn't believe how dog friendly the cape is. Almost everyone we saw had a dog and they were all so friendly. We were only there one week, but got to know so many people and their dogs. One of our favorite experiences was standing on the beach, sipping a cocktail, watching the sunset with about 5 other couples and about 9 other dogs! It was perfect. If you are a dog family like we are, this is the perfect spot to vacation!

Thanks again,

Shannon, Indianapolis Indiana

From Sue and Bob, January 2009

What a wonderful, relaxing vacation my wife, father-in-law and Brittany spaniel had at lovely Dolphins Dance! Cathy and Tom's town home was everything we could ask for...well maintained, comfortable, cozy, very well appointed and great location. The surrounding Barrier Dunes property was very well kept and the pet friendly environment was much appreciated. The beaches were awesome...some of the nicest we've experienced in our travels within the US, Mexico and the Caribbean. All this coupled with the many, many super nice people we met from all over the US and Canada made our stay extremely enjoyable! We definitely plan on returning to this beautiful, peaceful cape in the future. Thanks Cathy and Tom for sharing your lovely home and the gracious hospitality you've shown us!

Best Regards

Sue and Bob (Bo too), North Saint Paul Mn

From Lonnie & Laura, July 2008

Cathy, I wanted to send you this testimonial about Dolphin Dance.

We arrived at the Cape on Monday July 7th, 2008, having stayed the night before in Port St. Joe. When we got to Dolphin Dance we were very impressed with the features and the charming decor. It was nice having a place to park the boat too. Once we had unloaded the car we made a dash for the beach and we were greeted with a beautiful look at the white sand. A resent beach renourishment project has added lots of sand to the beach and the water was a sparkling aqua marine color. We spent most mornings on the beach and retreated indoors during the hottest part of the day where Laura spend hours sitting in the window seat reading her book. We walked on the beach down past the park a few times and saw miles of unspoiled beach. One day we took the boat across the bay to the marina and had lunch. After feeling fortified for the ride back across we set out to fish and explore the bay side of the Cape. It was wonderful wading around in the water looking for sea life. I found a nice sand dollar and we saw lots of crabs, rays, and fish. As the sun began to set we headed for the tip of the Cape and watched the most unbelievable sunset. All the local restaurants were very good, but I think dinner at the Sunset Grill in Port St. Joe was the best. We are looking forward to coming back next year and hope we can stay longer.

Sincerely,

Lonnie & Laura

From Calvin and Gail, and Shelley and Gavin, July 2008

Dear Cathy,

Thanks so much for providing the wonderful setup for a great vacation. Very often, reality does not meet expectation. In the case of Dolphins Dance, our expectations were not only met but exceeded. Everything you said about Dolphins Dance, Barrier Dunes, and Cape San Blas are true. The condo is a beautiful, well equipped, and comfortable place for allowing relaxation and enjoyment of the community and the Cape. I must say- the oversized lounge chair drew a lot of interest as everyone wanted dibs on it after a day of enjoying all that Barrier Dunes and Cape San Blas have to offer. The laid back atmosphere of the area coupled with the serene and beautiful vistas allowed for the perfect week for our family. Since we are not able to spend a lot of time together due to living in different states, the week at Dolphins Dance was more than just a normal getaway for all of us. By the way, Sallie and Lucy, best little buddies who also miss being together, had a blast. Although they did not take to the water as much as your former guest, Toby, they did make the most of their trip. I fully understand why you look forward to returning to the Cape and Dolphins Dance. I hope we are able to return also. Again, thanks for making your paradise available.

Calvin

From Tim and Ginger, May 2008

Dear Cathy,

We really enjoyed our stay at Dolphins Dance. You have such a nice condo and the grounds around it are very well cared for. I appreciate you providing the beach gear and bicycles in the garage closet. We made good use of the beach chairs, umbrella, and surf/float boards. Additionally it was a nice surprise to find a stock of spices in the cabinet so we didn't have to buy any at the store.

Toby, our Corgi had a good time playing surfing dog on one of the boards in the water. He entertained us as well as the rest of the beach with his ability to get on the board over and over and balance himself while riding the waves. Toby has replaced our children who are now ages 17 and 20 as the one we play with on the beach now. We also made friends with Scout, Astro, and Annie on the beach.

The weather was fantastic. We didn't have a drop of rain all week. There was always a nice breeze blowing, even at the back side of Barrier Dunes. Your beach was a good spot for finding nice sized sea shells. We found several nice conch shells which is something we've never found in good shape on the more crowded beaches to the west. We left our canoe at home, not realizing how nice it would have been to canoe in the bay. We'll have to canoe the bay on our next trip.

I've attached some pictures for your entertainment. You may post any you like on your web page. Just share the prize with us if you enter them in any funny photo contests. As you can see, we've gone to the dogs. We went from playing with and photographing our children to doing the same thing with our dog.

We found your condo well furnished and very accommodating.

Sincerely,

Tim, Ginger, Jason, and Toby

From Mary Lou and Robert, April 2008

What a beautiful setup you have. The decor and furniture are not only lovely to look at they're way cozy. You have everything! The spices and other necessities were such a pleasure to have at hand. Most importantly, for us, it was great that our dogs were well received. It was also nice to be amongst other dog friendly people.

Your home is lovely, comfortable, and truly has all the amenities one would want at hand (and more).

Many thanks

Mary Lou

From Adrienne and Rob (Ottawa Canada), March 2008

My husband and I drove with our 2 girls to Cape San Blas for the March break. The drive wasn't as bad as expected, but long, although we'd do it again. We enjoyed the condo - has everything you need, and great views from the different balconies. The beach and grounds were very clean and hardly anyone there. It was very neat to see all the different dogs go by on the beach. We went for a hike in the national park nearby - saw lots of interesting birds. We rented kayaks from Happy Ours and saw lots of horseshoe crabs - you could just step into the water and pick them up! There was good chinese food and mexican in town, and lots of fish/crab from various roadside shacks to try. The Piggly Wiggly had anything else you'd need. We'll do it again!

Adrienne and Rob

From Cheri, Earl, Taylor and Alex, March 2008

Hi Cathy -

We just wanted to thank you so much for the opportunity to spend time at Dolphins Dance. We appreciated all the things you did to make our visit comfortable. The condo was well stocked with pretty much everything we could think of. My husband and I rode the bicycles around the state park and my husband and youngest son built a huge sand castle right on the shoreline. We definitely liked Cape San Blas in general and the quaintness of Port St. Joe. We hired a professional photographer to come out and take family portraits (our dogs included!) on the beach and base of the dunes and we will send you some.

We definitely will be back there soon. All the best.

Cheri, Earl and family

From Mark and Yvette, October 2007

We loved our time at Dolphin's Dance during October.

It was such a breeze to be able to bring our cat and dog with us. Tom and Cathy made Dolphin's Dance a special place not just for us but for our animals as well. We live on a farm so our animals are used to a lot of peace and quiet, but they clearly had a special ease of being while here. They both loved being at the ocean and we loved being able to be with them at the ocean. We were even able to take out dog into the State Park right next door.

The Apalachicola River is still so clean and healthy that it produces some of the best seafood you will ever eat in the U.S.

While we were here we cooked our own hard crabs, soft crabs, fish and oysters and feasted finer than at any restaurant!

Mark and Yvette

From Jenni and Andy, September 2007

My family and I stayed at Dolphins Dance in September and had a wonderful time! The townhouse was very clean and cozy, and pet and family oriented. Dolphins Dance had an outside shower which was very convenient. The townhouse was right on the lake and only a few minutes' walk from the beach and pool.

The Barrier Dunes complex was right on the Gulf of Mexico and was quiet, clean and safe. We enjoyed seeing the dogs and families playing on the beach. The pool and grounds were very nice and the pet stations were a nice touch.

We were able to launch our boat at the St. Joseph's National Park, which was less than a mile away from the townhouse. We also explored St. Vincent island by boat, and ate a wonderful dinner at the Marina in Port St. Joe. The entire area is teeming with wildlife and is a must see.

We look forward to visiting Cape San Blas and staying at Dolphins Dance again soon.

Thank you, Tom and Cathy for making our stay so enjoyable!

Jenni, Andy and Ashlyn (and Duff, our Westie)

From Saul and Betsy, July 2007

Dear Cathy

Please forgive my taking so long to get in touch--so much to catch up on after a vacation! We had the most wonderful time at dolphins dance!!!! It was even nicer than we expected. We especially enjoyed moving from space to space in the house and on the different balconies depending on whether we were star-gazing, birdwatching, sunset over the gulf watching, etc. We even enjoyed sitting on the wonderful covered lakeside porch watching kids learn to fish! It was the most serene vacation I think I've ever had. Everything in the condo was there to make us comfortable and relaxed--the kitchen had everything we needed and the sofa and chaise in the living room were soooo comfortable to lounge on.

We really appreciated the privacy of the unit too.

The beach is the most beautiful and deserted beach I've seen in the U.S.

People were so friendly to our dogs! The dog stations around the property made it easy for all the dog lovers to clean up after their pets--making the whole environment of the development much friendlier for walkers.

We loved it so much! We'd really like to come back and stay at your place again--as soon as possible.

By the way, we did see a dolphin!

Thanks so much for your hospitality.

Betsy & Saul