The last Dolphin Connection dolphins left Hawks Cay in the last week of February. Dolphins had lived in those natural seawater pens on Duck Key since the early 1990s, and on Feb. 26 and 28, 2026, all eight were moved off the island. The facility's license on the resort property ends Oct. 31, 2026, less than three weeks from now.
Hawks Cay's next big attraction opens a month after that, on Dec. 1. Coral Cay Adventure Park is open only to resort guests and eligible villa owners, and it won't sell day passes. The resort is about to finish a long rebuild, and the parts of it that still serve the people living across the street are its dining rooms and its docks.
Eight Dolphins, Three New Homes
Dolphin Connection started on the property in 1990. Its owner, The Dolphin Company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2025. After that the dates came quickly:
- Dec. 22, 2025: A court notice proposed donating the eight Duck Key dolphins to SeaWorld if no objections arrived by Jan. 2. Dolphin Connection staff had already seen that interactive programs could not be booked after Jan. 11, 2026.
- Jan. 21, 2026: The debtors filed for approval to transfer the dolphins to Sea World LLC as part of winding down the business. They were not selling it as a going concern.
- Jan. 28, 2026: Delaware bankruptcy judge Laurie Selber Silverstein approved the transfer.
- Feb. 26, 2026: Maia, Balla, Indie and Chinook moved to Discovery Cove, according to transport records kept by Ceta-Base.
- Feb. 28, 2026: Roux Brees went to Discovery Cove, Striker and Cajun went to SeaWorld Orlando, and Luna went to Theater of the Sea, according to the same records.
Two of those dolphins had especially deep roots in Duck Key. Keys Weekly reported that Chinook is a retired Navy dolphin more than 40 years old, and that Balla, 22, was born and raised in the Duck Key lagoons. The paper also quoted Judge Silverstein in court:
"My understanding is the dolphins are being kept together in their current grouping, and that SeaWorld is an appropriate transferee."
The Ceta-Base records list three destinations. The public sources we found don't explain how the court-approved transfer to Sea World LLC turned into moves to those three facilities.
Why the Lease Date Kept Coming Up
The Oct. 31 end date came up again and again during the case. In court filings, the chief restructuring officer said the debtors got no bid worth taking, and he named the terms of the Hawks Cay lease as one of the reasons. In the last round of talks, the parties still interested, including Key Largo-based Dolphins Plus, were working from a $765,000 minimum price. Keys Weekly reported that the deal terms ruled out any extension of the license past Oct. 31, 2026.
Hawks Cay general manager Reggie Cooper said in an emailed statement to Keys Weekly that "Dolphin Connection is independently owned and managed, and Hawks Cay was not involved in the decision to cease operations and have the dolphins transferred."
In January, Keys Weekly reported that other possibilities were being discussed privately, including a seaside sanctuary for dolphins from the National Aquarium in Baltimore. We haven't found any public announcement since then of a new operator, a sanctuary or another plan for the pens. Hawks Cay's current list of experiences doesn't mention them.
The New Attraction Comes With a Wristband
Coral Cay Adventure Park fills that space on the resort's calendar, and it has a different relationship with the neighborhood. According to the fall roundup from Visit Florida Keys, the park covers 2.5 acres and is billed as the only water park in the Florida Keys. It has a 32-foot launch tower, three high-speed slides including one that runs 330 feet, smaller slides, a splash zone, a sports lawn for basketball and volleyball, an air-conditioned arcade, a craft space called Coral Cove and a casual restaurant called Coral Grill. Riders must be 48 inches tall for the three large slides.
Hawks Cay's park page states the access policy in plain terms. The park is exclusive to "Hawks Cay resort guests and villa owners participating in the Resort Rental Management Program." Guests get wristbands at check-in, and "Day passes are not available to the public." Coral Grill sits inside the park and is listed among the resort's restaurants as "coming late 2026." By that policy, it shares the park's wristband rule.
Unless a household owns one of the villas in the Rental Management Program, a day on the slides means booking a stay. The resort sells a Play & Stay package that includes lodging, park admission, a $50 Coral Grill credit and a $20 arcade credit. A separate Florida Residents Offer takes up to 20% off rooms and 20% off dining. It is a discount on a stay, and it doesn't work as a local membership or pass. We found no resident pass or amenity membership on the resort's offers page.
Visit Florida Keys calls the park "the final piece of a broader reinvention" at Hawks Cay. The other pieces were an expanded marina, upgrades to Calm Waters Spa and the opening of Salt + Ash. The restaurant and the marina are the two parts of that rebuild that welcome people who aren't staying overnight.
The Dining Rooms Are Still Open to Everyone
Hawks Cay's dining FAQ says its restaurants "are open to both resort guests and the local community, based on availability." It encourages people who aren't registered guests to reserve at Salt + Ash and Angler & Ale, particularly for evenings, weekends and special events. Here is the lineup as the resort currently lists it. The resort says hours change by season, so call before you go.
| Venue | What it is | Listed hours | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt + Ash | Jeremy Ford's land, sea and fire dining room | Dinner Tue–Thu 5–9:30 p.m., Fri–Sat 5–10 p.m. | Reservations strongly recommended; required for 8 or more |
| Angler & Ale | Dockside on Hawks Cay Marina, with hook-and-cook | Captain's Hour Thu–Mon 3–5 p.m., dinner Thu–Mon 5–10 p.m. | Reservations recommended |
| Pilar Bar | Adults-only, Asian-inspired, ocean view | Fri–Mon noon–8 p.m., Gong Hour 5–6 p.m. | Walk-up, no reservations |
| Tiki Grill | Poolside bar and grill by the main Resort Pool | Bar daily 10 a.m.–11 p.m., food 11 a.m.–7 p.m. | Walk-up |
| The Café | Lobby market, breakfast counter, coffee bar | Market 7 a.m.–10 p.m., breakfast 7–11 a.m. | Counter and to-go |
Salt + Ash is the restaurant locals are most likely to reserve. Ford is a Top Chef winner and the chef behind Stubborn Seed in Miami Beach, which holds a Michelin star. The restaurant has been open since at least March 2025, when Miami New Times reviewed it. The resort describes the menu as drawing on ingredients from Ford's Farm. Angler & Ale also lists Saturday and Sunday football hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. this fall.
The dress code is island casual, a little dressier at night. The resort suggests sundresses, collared shirts and sandals for dinner and asks guests not to wear beachwear.
The Marina Works for Neighbors With Boats
Angler & Ale also connects the dining side to the boating side. The restaurant sits on the docks of Hawks Cay Marina, and you can bring your own catch for a hook-and-cook dinner. The marina lists 66 slips, transient dockage for boats up to 92 feet, live bait, fish-cleaning stations, a ship store and a fuel dock.
Some details matter if you're coming from a canal home on the island:
- Fuel dock: open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Boat ramp: open daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at $75 per day plus tax. Trailer parking is reserved for boat-slip guests, and other parking is first-come, first-served.
- Transient dockage: available to visiting boaters when space allows, and advance reservations are recommended. Plan ahead if you want to arrive by water for dinner.
- Ship Store: sells grocery items along with The Café in the lobby.
Guided fishing charters leave from the marina docks. The marina page doesn't say whether you need a resort stay to book one, so ask when you call.
The Season's Dates
The resort's public events calendar keeps going too. In early September, the Heroes Salute weekend honored first responders and the military with a 5K, Touch-a-Truck, the Gabriel Key Band, a color guard, fireworks and a flyover, according to Keys Weekly's photo coverage. The next few months look like this:
- Oct. 31: The Dolphin Connection license on the Hawks Cay property ends.
- Nov. 26: Hawks Cay's seasonal events page lists a Thanksgiving dinner and family activities. Holiday and New Year's Eve programs are still marked "coming soon."
- Dec. 1: Coral Cay Adventure Park opens to resort guests and participating villa owners.
Even after Coral Cay opens, Salt + Ash will still take OpenTable reservations from anyone on the island, and the boat ramp will still open at 7 a.m. for $75 a day.
At Island Welcome Real Estate, we track changes like these at Hawks Cay because a resort this close shapes daily life on Duck Key. If you're weighing a Duck Key home and want to know which resort amenities come with Rental Management Program participation, or which canals reach the marina easily, we're happy to walk you through it. Start Your Island Search with us.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
