Swimming with Oahu's Spinner Dolphins

  Swimming with dolphins is always such a pleasure. These pictures are of a pod of Hawaiian spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) that frequents the western shore of Oahu. I haven't seen them the last few times I have been over to that side so I was pleasantly surprised to see them playfully leaping out of the water just offshore.

  I had my kayak and snorkel gear so I loaded up my gear in the kayak and shoved off in between sets right from electric beach. A couple of snorkel boats were zooming in to check out the dolphins so I headed farther offshore to where I saw a whale blow. I was hoping to get to see some humpback whale action but after one sighting of two blows from about 500 yards off I never saw them again. But it was a beautiful day to be in the kayak and the slight breeze felt great. After a while I paddled back in to where the dolphins were still playing.
  As the dolphins turned to swim towards me I slipped in the water and peered into the blue. It took a few moments but shapes soon emerged from the edge of my vision. Dolphins swimming close together in several groups cruised by with only a few audible squeeks. This is their resting mode so I made sure not to chase or harass them as they passed. I must have been in a good spot though because just when I thought I had lost the pod they would reemerge nearby on the surface or back out of the blue underwater. They gave me several opportunities as they passed to soak in the experience.


Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 31, 2014 at 6:16 PM

    Keep u the blogging love to see the sights..don't move till I make time to come find those barrels.......mr buckets

    ReplyDelete

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