General Information
Hawaii has two dolphin Quest programs - one on the Big Island, and one on Oahu. We are going to talk about the one on the Big Island, since that's the one I did. Information about the Oahu program is here. The Oahu program is very similar to the Big Island one.

These programs are dolphin interaction and research programs, funded in part by public visits. The program first opened on the Big Island in 1988, as a model habitat for dolphins free from predators and other dangers in the wild. This program on the Big Island is where the interaction with the public really took off. One of the main purposes of sponsoring this program is to promote a deeper commitment of the general public to preserving dolphin habitats - once you meet and touch one of these dolphins, you will never be able to mindlessly dump trash in their home.

Big Island Specific Program
The Dolphin Quest program on the Big Island is at the Hilton Waikoloa Village , a luxury hotel on the Kohala Coast. This is the location of the tidal pool where the dolphins live. The program is open to hotel guests and non hotel guests, kids and adults, starting at five years old. The program is very popular and fills up fast. The child's program starts taking reservations two months in advance at this number 808-886-2875. The adult programs are filled by lottery, you can call or fill out a reservation card the day before by 3:30, and call that evening to find out if you got in. You also can go on standby that day, in case someone doesn't show up.

I went on Sunday, Oct 21st, 2001. Because of the extreme slowdown in tourists to the islands I was able to easily get a slot by calling that morning. My husband stood on the side and took pictures. I showed up 1/2 hour early and paid ($125.00) for my half hour program.

Getting in the Water
There were only seven of us, and we were given life vests, snorkel masks, and a short safety briefing. We were told not to grab at the dolphins faces or appendages without being told by the trainers.

Right before our briefing, there was a commotion in the area where the moms and babies stay during the day. The water was churning and the dolphins were making loud clicking noises. One of the trainers went over and opend an underwater gate, and a medium size dolphin swam out and began swimming by himself in the large lagoon. After our briefing, the trainers told us that was Kolohe, a young dolphin who had recently been kicked out of the baby area and told by his mom he was an adult now. He apparantly wants to still play the baby from time to time and was not cooperating with the trainers requests, so they let him go in with his mom. His mom and the other babies then proceeded to "pick on him" in the words of the trainer - that was the commotion with the churning of water and clicking noises. Kolohe then decided he wanted to be an adult and participate - although he still didn't do everything he was told.

The trainers say they can't make the dolphins do anything they don't want to do so when the dolphin wants to do something different they just let him; depending on positive reinforcement and the dolphins' desire for social interaction to get them to usually do what they are asked to. (wow, I am reviewing this article in 2006, and I am a mother now. I was not a mother when I first wrote this, and I think it is hilarious that these dolphin trainers probably know more about being a parent than most parents - because this applies to kids too!! )

After the briefing we walked over to a smaller lagoon on the side of the large lagoon to meet the three dolphins that would be interacting with us. We sat at the waters edge and met Kolohe, Hanalei, and Kainalu - all young males, between 3 and 5. They swam up close in the shallow water and clicked and looked at us.

The trainers gave us some basic dolphin information and told us about how there habitats are being encroached upon, asking us to reduce, reuse, and recycle - and always cut up the rings that hold together 6 soda cans, because if they make it in to the ocean they can get caught around the dolphins mouth, keeping them from opening it and causing them to starve to death.

We were broken into two groups and got in the water, at a level of about three feet, and were asked to get down low in the water. I jest knelt on the sandy bottom. Our first dolphin swam up, and while the trainer told us about him, she flipped him over (gently) and pulled him close so we could touch is tail. It was soft and rubbery - almost like a hard-boiled egg without the shell. We also got to see the veins in his tail. The dolphins don't have any smell that I could tell - even their breath didn't have a smell.

She let him go, and our next dolphin came by - the three dolphins took turns coming by our two groups and doing their thing, then swimming around again until being called by the trainer. The trainers all had whistles they called bridges, used for attention and positive reinforcement, but they mostly used hand signals to tell the dolphins what they wanted.

The trainers all know the dolphins by face - which is to say they can look at a dolphin and know which one it was, as easy as I can tell my dogs apart. I could see small differences, like one dolphin would be a lighter gray than another, and one had a longer face than another - but in our half hour I certainly couldn't tell them apart.

We all got to take professional pictures with the dolphins - one with our arms around him, one holding him from below, and one kissing him on his lower jaw - very cute - and they turned out great. We then bought the 5x7 prints the next day for $12.00 a piece for the first two, and $5 after that.

After the pictures, another dolphin came by and allowed himself to be flipped over so we could see his belly and rub it. The most amazing thing to me was the dolphin actually visibly enjoyed being touched by us. Imagine a dog rolled over on his back to have his belly rubbed - he kind of squirms around, maybe scratches a paw in the air - well that is what the dolphin did! Our trainer, Stephanie, confirmed that touch is one of the positive reinforcements the dolphins enjoy.

We also put on snorkel masks and watched the dolphins under water. We got to feed them fish and squid; I even let one bite my fingers so I could feel his teeth - he didn't bite hard, because they don't chew - whatever they eat just slides down their throat.

Here are pictures my husband took of my dolphin experience from the bridge above us.

Basically, this half hour interaction with these three dolphins was absolutely amazing. Dolphins have always fascinated me, and I have gotten pretty close to them on my kayak - but I have never had an experience like this before.