Dolphin Quest says they'll keep looking, no matter what the cost.

Gibbs and Dolber escaped their South Shore pen along with a mother dolphin and her calf after being battered by huge storm surge whipped up by Hurricane Gert two weeks ago. The mother and calf were recovered early last week, but the search for the two remaining dolphins has continued to come up empty.

At least seven boats took part in the weekend search along with several volunteers on land and sea. Meanwhile Dolphin Quest spokesperson Chris Heslop was unable to say how much money has been spent on the search.

"I couldn't even guess what that amount is, I have no idea.'' he told The Royal Gazette last night.

The facility -- located at the Southampton Princess Hotel's Whaler Inn cove -- has been closed since Hurricane Gert tore up the 13-acre facility.

"We could be closed for a few months,'' said Mr. Heslop, who was unable to estimate Dolphin Quest's losses but said that such events are taken into consideration in the organisation's regular planning and budgeting.

"We plan for events that may not be in our favour.'' he said "We recognise that we are a coastal jurisdiction and had worked that into our plans.'' Dolphin Quest's animal behaviourist, Steve Schinke, said he has been putting in long hours every day since the hurricane in the search effort.

"Some one is there from light up until late in the evening. I have put in at least 12 hours every day since the evacuation.'' Meanwhile marine engineers will study Whaler Inn Cove to see if it can be made more hurricane proof.

"We are currently looking for marine engineers to advise us on a design that will withstand hurricane force conditions.'' Mr. Heslop said.

In the meantime Dolphin Quest's six remaining dolphins are at the Maritime Museum where they continue with their daily training.

"We are doing training sessions twice a day at 11 a.m. and at 3 p.m.,'' Mr.

Heslop said, "these sessions are free and are open to the public.'' Staff confident dolphins will be found But Mr. Heslop stressed the primary concern remains finding Gibbs and Dolber.

"We have had meetings about what now needs to be done but our focus right now has really been bringing them home.'' "We will continue the search for as long as we are able,'' he said. "We are not giving up.

"Our dolphins are Atlantic Bottle-nose dolphins and are coastal animals so we are pretty sure that they are somewhere in the 250 square miles of the Bermuda plateau.'' he said.

Steve Schinke -- who has been part of the active search effort and braved the waters of Hurricane Gert in a jet ski to look for the animals -- said the staff remains confident the animals will be found.

"The search goes on and we are all keeping our spirits up.'' he said.