Hawaii - Honaunau - Swimming with the Dolphins

SOURCE: Wikipedia

Honaunau - Swimming With The Dolphins

If you are an experienced snorkeller and enjoy swimming in deep water, one of the best places to swim with dolphins in the wild on the Big Island of Hawaii is at Honaunau. Before going there be sure to check the surf report by calling the weather line at 961-5582, if there is a high surf warning wait for another day.

On the Kona side of the island drive down Highway 11 and turn at Highway 160 towards the ocean and Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, better known as the Place of Refuge. Just before the entrance to the park turn right, down the one way road across from a small school. Free parking is along the road when available, if not available there is a dirt parking lot on the right just after you turn onto the one way road. There is a wooden box on a tree where the fee of a few dollars can be deposited, it is the honor system and the money is donated to a small church nearby. You will know that you are at the right place by the flat lava rock type beach where you will see lots of people sitting and in the water. Spinner dolphins pass through this area quite frequently, it is not garanteed that you will see them as they are wild and there are no tour guides involved.

Spinner dolphins are one of the two most popular dophins found in the waters of Hawaii. They are also the smallest of Hawaii’s common dolphins, between five and six feet in length and weigh 130 to 200 pounds. Hawaii has its own subspecies that can be recognized by its tri-color, silvery pattern consisting of a dark gray on their backs, a stripe of lighter gray on their sides and a white belly. They get there name from their amazing habit of leaping out of the water and spinning many times in the air on their tails before falling back in! Dolphins are very social creatures that depend on social interaction for the purposes of hunting prey, defense and reproduction. Spinner dolphins tend to form long-lasting groups that range in size from as many as 40 which is called a pod and they tend to feed at night on smaller species found in deeper waters.

They are also known to have rigid hierarchies of power with a few individuals considered dominant. Large groups can be mixed in age and sex, while smaller groups are usually of three types. The nuclear group, consisting of one adult male and female, the nursery group, consisting of a number of females and children and the bachelor group consisting of adult and younger males. The interesting thing is that all dolphins seem to work together as a team when either finding food, mates or caring for their children. Dolphins feed mainly on schools of prey and most species search for food as a group which is better than searching alone and allows them to scan a larger area.

Our latest encounter took place in March of 2008 when we were on our annual vacation to The Big Island. When we arrived at Hounaunau about 10:00 a.m. we saw the dolphins swimming in the bay and swam out about 100 feet to where they were. The water is so deep that you can not see the bottom, just the rays of the sun shining into the beautiful deep blue abiss. There were 2 pods, 41 dophins in total including several babies. They were so beautiful, and seem to submerge rather than swim up towards us. They were very sociable, staying close to the surface of the water and interacting with us quite a bit, all the while chattering amongst themselves.

Some of them were swimming together, belly to belly. They seemed to be in pairs and the young were always swimming close to an adult. They would always make sure they were between us and their young when approching us. Some of them would look right into our eyes when they came up beside us. It was an incredible experience so if you are lucky enough to be there when the dolphins come in, this is a totally natural experience and you should consider yourself to be very fortunate. Please remember that certain etiquette applies when swimming with dolphins; do not touch them, it can put them at risk and it is illegal. The slimy coating on a dolphin protects it from infection and is easily rubbed off with a hand, glove or foot. Don’t use gloves when snorlelling, this will reduce the temptation to touch and also remember that any wild animal can bite, body slam or pull you underwater if feeling threatened.

               

Hawaii - About the Hawaii Superferry

Image Source: Wikipedia

The Hawaii Superferry offers an entirely new way to get around the Hawaiian Islands, a way which has quickly become incredibly popular, especially with tourists. The company actually began as a vision to restore to Hawaii a time-honored means for traveling between the islands, and was not expected to become half as popular as it did.

* The Experience

There are almost an endless number of options when it comes to the Hawaii Superferry. Traveling between the Hawaiian Islands by boat is truly a traditional and time-honored method, and the ancient Polynesians, with their true indomitable courage and genius for navigation, first commanded these waters some years ago and developed a proud history which has been carried on as best as possible over the years.

The Hawaiian Superferry is much more than just an alternative method of travel around the islands, and it is truly honoring Hawaiian culture in general.

The passenger experience is truly incredibly on the Hawaiian Superferry, and the following amenities are available to you onboard: panoramic vistas from their specially engineered passenger deck, which has a higher section that offers a clear view, even from the middle of the ferry, family seating that includes numerous inviting leather sofas paired with coffee tables and offering each family a separate seating section, big-screen entertainment such as newly released movies and Hawaiian-themed programming, video games catering to the entertainment needs of young adults, and low-E glass, which allows light in while moderating heat and helps to keep you cool and comfortable.

The dining and entertainment features on the Hawaiian Superferry are astounding as well, and the company is proud to offer the best in island foods and beverages onboard the mighty vessel. From Kona coffee to sandwiches, salads, soups and entrees, you will dine on everything from the most casual to the finest Hawaiian cuisine.

There is also a center available on the Superferry just for kids, which offers a family-friend environment featuring a special play place just for kids, the Manta Cove. Their gaming arcade will amuse the older children and even young adults, making the Hawaiian Superferry trip enjoyable and amusing for everyone involved.

If you are interested in setting sail on the gorgeous Hawaiian seas on the Hawaiian Superferry, you will want to call in to book your reservation as soon as possible, in order to ensure availability. Seats get filled incredibly quickly, so the earlier on you book the better chances you are going to have of getting fit in.