Swim with Dolphins in Hawaii

May 26th, 2004

On my November, 2002 Fair Wind snorkeling cruise trip a pod of dolphins swam through the bay to where at least 100 of us from the boat were snorkeling. This was my first time in the water with dolphins, but not the first time I had seen dolphins while on this boat or in Kealakekua Bay.

Kealakekua Bay is also called Spinner Dolphin Bay and is a fantastic place to see dolphins any day of the year. Several other boat charters also take snorkel tours to the bay, or you can kayak through.

It started just after lunch. We were just about to get back in the water when we saw the pod swim in the bay from a ways off. We got in the water and the pod came close to the boat and swam underneath us, sometimes only two or three feet below our bodies. One dolphin came within touching distance of my husband.



The dolphins circled us and swam underneath us, periodically jumping out of water. There were two babies that appeared to be learning how to jump. They were very cute. The dolphins swam around us for about 15 minutes before heading off. They did come back when our boat left the bay to bow-ride.

I have also had dolphins surround my kayak at Manuka Bay, but I did not get out of the kayak to swim with them that time. I think I could have but there were a lot more of them (maybe 50 or so) and we were in deeper water so I was a little scared.

More swimming with the dolphins pictures