Hawaii: The Dolphins Made Me Do It

I was living on Oahu when I decided to travel to the Big Island of Hawaii. Why?

Because exploring this island with an active volcano was certainly an adventure.

Goals for this journey: drive around the island, see my friend Becca, and discover new beaches.

But my first swim with wild dolphins gave me a life-changing epiphany.

What happened?

Suddenly I forgot I was a human swimming in 60 feet of crystal cobalt water with wild dolphins.

No, you’re not in a Disney movie water tank – this is REAL.

This was little kid ecstasy. When did I last feel this? When I was a toddler?

You don’t chase wild dolphins. They decide if you’re interacting or not.

How do you do it?

You float nearby and soon you’ll hear sonar squeaks behind you. Yes, they’re here now. Swimming around you in a circle, careening by your astounded face.

It happens in the morning in South Kona, in the magical Kealakekua Bay.

 

Afterwards I returned to Oahu, packed everything up, and left to live on the Big Island so I could be close to the dolphins.

It was this simple.

More Tips on Traveling on Big Island Hawaii

Find a place to live near the activities you’ll be doing. This island is big! All the other Hawaiian Islands can fit inside the Big Island of Hawaii.

Soon I was swimming with the dolphins every day so I invited solo travelers from other countries to join me.

After swimming with the dolphins, Cherri, who came from Canada to learn how to shoot amazing photographs with me said, “They really know you, they only came to us, no one else got to see them.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb9UojsXKlE

This is mysterious. Dolphins show up when they want to.

They hunt at night for fish and in the morning they go to sleep in pods after playing. One half of their brains turn off; the other half is alert and ready to flee if a shark shows up.

A few dolphins had their eyes closed this morning. They looked tired after all that hunting. But they want to play with us humans, god knows why but they do.

Us snorkelers plop right down in their bedrooms. In Kealakekua Bay. 

So you must be mindful to not disturb them if they don’t want to interact with you.

But the biggest dolphin of the pod knows me now.

He was the one who talked to me face to face in sonar squeaks. I hadn’t seen him in 5 days.

King Dolphin glided by me. The expression on his bottlenose face said Hi-ya with a smile. He swooshed by slowly like a drive-by X-ray scan aware of every detail in his world.

He knows exactly where I’m positioned down to the centimeter there is never any touching.

Just like a nun and abbott in a Buddhist temple. No touching ever. Not even a handshake.

Do you want to discover the magic of Hawaii, the Big Island?

I wrote this book when I lived on island and you get the best tips from living there and loving this mystical hunk of volcanic rock. This post is an updated chapter from the book. You can check it out on Amazon before purchase.

So when I returned to Oahu I missed the wild dolphins on the Big Island. I figured if this island works for them, it’s perfect for me. So I moved to the Big Island.

Waking up to birds serenading me every morning is a divine happening in itself.

Fresh Kona coffee in hand I walk 50 feet from my off-grid cabin to the shore. Are the dolphins splashing in the Bay? If yes, I swim out to them.

Each time is different. Some days they welcome me with smiles, swimming closely by radiating love. Other times they’re nursing, playing in their pod, and spinning in the air after jet blasting out of the water.

They swim by me closely, but not touching me. It feels like being hugged without bodily contact.

Floating in a state of pure happiness; I don’t want anything. No need to strive or grasp.

Life is amazing after being with wild dolphins.

Talk about Aloha, the dolphins invented it.

Advice: Don’t touch the dolphins, they catch diseases from us. This is a wild dolphin and whale sanctuary so don’t chase or harass the dolphins. It’s a miracle we get to swim near them and not in a at a resort in a tank. $600 for 30 min. 

Be respectful so the Bay is preserved and pristine forever. Remember this is their habitat, we’re only visitors. Two other bays where they show up: Huahine and Two Step.

Swim with wild dolphins now

http://youtu.be/iaQwcXgw7dA?list=UUSbSvTMZ4NXg7WuL1MkIXow

Tips for Swimming with Wild Dolphins: 

Be a strong swimmer. When you enter the water of Kealakekua Bay in South Kona, you’re darting in between big waves so you have to be ready for this topsy turvy experience. 

Don’t touch the dolphins. This is their sanctuary. We humans are only visiting.

Wear flippers and a snorkel mask. And it wouldn’t hurt to wear a life vest. 

Be mindful of how far out you’re swimming. One time I wasn’t paying attention and was so far away from the shore I almost couldn’t see it. That’s when a giant barracuda fish showed up and looked at me with his razor sharp teeth. 

Quickly I swam back to shore.

Stay safe, don’t drown. Don’t swim while drinking alcohol. Don’t swim if you’re tired. 

Go out in the early morning as this is when you’re likely to see the dolphins. 

You can play with the dolphins if you bring a bunch of leaves with you, they love to catch them and you’ll see them smiling as they play with you. 

Don’t try to feed them, this is a penalty if you’re seen touching or feeding them. Stay aware.

Have fun! This is an unusual adventure and with respect and care we’ll be able to swim with the dolphins for many decades to come. 

New Update: I have heard it is now illegal to swim with the wild dolphins unfortunately. Too many people disrespected this unusual opportunity.