Wild Spinner Dolphins in Ko Olina Oahu Hawaii

If you are vacationing in Oahu, Hawaii and enjoy wild mammals sightings, like Dolphins and Whales, then you have come to the right place. Since I was staying in Waikiki and did not know the area that well, I was not sure how I was going to see the wild Dolphins. But I looked online and found, Ko Olina Cat which does a wild Dolphin sighting in Ko Olina Hawaii, the Western Coast. In fact, this company made it easier for me and came and picked me up from the Wyland Hotel, in Waikiki at NO CHARGE. The drive took about 40 minutes from the Courtyard Marriott Hotel to Ko Olina Marina. I must note, that we also did the swimming with the dolphins in Oahu North shore, with trained dolphins. So we experienced both wild and trained dolphins, an amazing combination.

I was not sure what to expect except what this company did with the wild Dolphins, but after arriving I found out the Ko Olina Cat is a member of the Hawaii Nautical Marine Life Foundation. This foundation is there to protect the Marine Life of Hawaii, especially the Dolphins, Whales, and Turtles. Proceeds from the trip go towards this cause. Since being a member of this organization, this boat does not harass the Dolphins or Whales in any way. So there is a little controversy because there are other companies that put guest into the water with the Spinner Dolphins and try to swim within the pods of Dolphins there. So you will need to make a ethical choice to respect the Dolphins or Snorkel with the Dolphins.

I have done a wild Dolphin sightings before in Florida, where there are many bottlenose Dolphins, or Bimini Bahamas, where there are spotted Dolphins, but never have I seen Spinner Dolphins. The Spinner Dolphin (Stenella Longirostris) is a small Dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world. It is famous for its acrobatic displays in which they will spin longitudinally along their axis as they leap through the air. The Spinner Dolphin is sometimes referred to as the Long-snouted Dolphin, particularly in older texts, to distinguish it from the similar Clymene Dolphin, which is often called the Short-snouted Spinner Dolphin.

We left the Ko Olina harbor, Ko Olina Cat Sailboat and the Captain, James Moody, dropped the sails as soon as we left the harbor. We sailed for a while until we found the Leeward Coast where we found the Spinner Dolphins jumping and playing. In fact, this company guarantees dolphin or whale sightings or your money back, so that is a pretty good guarantee that you will find marine mammals. We watched the spinner Dolphins for about 30 minutes and then the captain headed towards a snorkeling reef, which was near the Dolphin playground.

Ko Olins Marina and Leeward Coast of Oahu Hawaii

Once anchored, the crew handed out Mask, Snorkel (which we kept), and Fins, which we needed for the reef. The water was a little chilly but you get used to it quickly. We did not need wet suits and the water was crystal clear. The reef was good and especially exciting for beginners, which the boat had many. But we got blessed because a whole pod of dolphins came over to the reef, which the captain said was unusual because the reef was so close to the shore. So I got to see and swim with the wild dolphins in Hawaii after all and it was the dolphin’s choice. We did not force them to play with us.  I have never seen wild spinner dolphin while snorkeling or scuba diving before, so this was really amazing and exciting for me, especially to observe them swimming in a pod underwater.

You have the choice of the morning or afternoon for the 3 hour trip, but I highly recommend the morning trip because you will definitely see more marine life in the morning. The following is an excerpt from the Ko Olina Cat website…

The Ko Olina Cat
A beautiful brand-new boat, snorkeling, dolphins, delicious food and drinks, and five-star service worthy of the Ko Olina brand - Hawaii Nautical provides it all. The brand new Ko Olina Cat is a catamaran type sailing boat which can accommodates up to 49 passengers.

Morning/Afternoon Dolphin Snorkel Sail 9 a.m. to Noon or 1pm – 4pm
$99.50 per adult
$83.50 per child (ages 4-11)
Children ages 3 and under free
Captain and crew gratuity at the guests' discretion

This excursion begins with sailing along the Leeward Coast area where playful Dolphins call home - just up the coast from Ko Olina Resort & Marina. Dolphins most often are soon in sight and ready to put on a show as the jump, spin and splash in the water. Turtles often swim by to say hi, too. During the winter months, whales are likely to come into sight as well. If dolphins are found, time is spent watching them play, and then it's off to snorkel for about 30-45 minutes before sailing back to the resort. Snorkeling observation of dolphins depends on dolphin behavior and is at the captain's discretion. The emphasis on this trip is more sightseeing, whereas the afternoon trip is more active in terms of sailing and more snorkeling. Food aboard this trip includes such breakfast selections as muffins, croissants or other breakfast breads; mixed fruit salad; whole bananas; granola bars; coffee, milk, juice, water and soda. www.hawaiinautical.com or call 808-234-SAIL.

[To view my Video of the Wild Dolphin Experience, Click Here]

This trip was much better than I expected and I was treated really well aboard the Ko Olina Cat.  The deckhands were highly intelligent educating their guests about what to expect and how to save marine Wild life and Coral Reefs.  I would highly recommend to everyone the opportunity to see and possibly swim with the Wild Dolphins in Oahu, Hawaii or as the locals call it the Leeward Coast of Hawaii. Aloha.