http://youtu.be/1z1D-AXrS20
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Aloha again! Sorry it's been a little longer than a week since my last post, we had some technical difficulties, but now we are back up to speed!!
Many people (including myself), have on their bucket list, to SWIM WITH DOLPHINS. And guess what?! Brad and I were lucky enough to finally do it! And I have to tell you, it's one of the most MAGICAL experiences we have ever had!! Pictures and videos just don't do it justice; you want that feeling again of being in the clear blue ocean, with these squeaky, majestic dolphins! It's INCREDIBLE!
I'll start from the top. We signed up online for this adventure in advance. (SECRET: you get discounts, and possibly a free camera if you do this!) There are multiple companies you can go through, but I heard that Ko Olina Ocean Adventures is the best. (Here is the website)
http://koolinaoceanadventures.com/
We did the Speedboat Dolphin Snorkel Tour; it was $125/adult, and DEFINITELY worth the money!
This included a shuttle ride from Waikiki, all the gear-life jacket, mask, snorkel, flippers, the 4-5 hour tour with awesome tour guides, a free underwater camera, and lunch afterwards! Bam!
Just FYI, if you are skeptical of swimming with Dolphins out in the big ocean, or have small kids that can't swim, try the Sea Life Park instead. It's more child friendly, and they have dolphins you can kiss/pull you across a small pool, etc. Wasn't for us because we wanted to see them in the wild, instead of in a small tank for like 10 minutes. But, the choice is up to you! Research both options! There was a spunky little 9 year old girl on the tour with us, so many ages can do this; it's probably based more on your own comfort level. The tour guides were extremely helpful to any person who hadn't snorkeled before or was a little scared. They will let you go at your own pace.
Anyways, the great thing about living in the heart of Waikiki is that we walked 2 minutes to the shuttle and relaxed the whole ride there. (Relaxing also as in...I worked grave shift the night before and got a nice little nap). We got there, got checked in; it was a very nice, smooth process! We waited for about 10-20 minutes at the harbor before the tour guides brought us on the boat, you leave your slippahs (flip flops) at the dock in a safe bin, and climb aboard!
They don't waste any time getting you out to the ocean and briefing you about the sea life creatures. They want you to spend most of your time IN the water of course! At your own speed, you get to enter the water and snorkel around for a bit. Our first spot had some cool fish and a sea turtle!
We got back on the boat and drove to another spot, where the dolphins are! Everyone is so excited to see them, but the tour guides can't stress enough, to STAY STILL when you're in the water. It's very tempting to follow the dolphins to try and get a better look, but you have to stay where you are. They slip you into the water as quietly/smoothly as they can, and tell you to just wait.
THEN, the magic happens! A group of over 50 dolphins swam right under us! Multiple times! They are so cool! We couldn't believe our eyes! We just stared! Incredible!
We got off and on the boat/back into the water with the dolphins for about an hour, they kinda migrate the boat to where the dolphins are hanging out and slip you in for a better look. The dolphins are super smart though, they know exactly where and who you are, and it's completely up to them if they want to come say hi. They stayed about 20 feet away from us most of the time, but it was still amazing!
Our last stop was near a reef with TONS of tropical fish! The tour guides gave us some fish food to feed the bright yellow fish, and we just swam around and enjoyed the snorkeling. At this stop they gave you the option of taking off the life jacket, which most people did, so you could dive under. The water is SO blue and clear; you will definitely want an underwater camera of some sort. GoPro is obviously the best! (Expensive though).
We headed back to the harbor after about 4 hours of snorkel fun! And they had yummy lunch provided! (When you check in, they give you options for your meal). Then the shuttle takes you back to Waikiki. There was only 5 of us who came from Waikiki; everyone else on the tour got their own transportation or was staying at the nearby resort.
It was an AWESOME experience! Stress free, and exciting! But relaxing at the same time! We loved it, and hope to do it again someday!!
Pictures are below, and be sure to check our the video here of our experience!! SUBSCRIBE TO SEE NEW VIDEOS EVERY MONDAY!
Video of us Swimming with Dolphins!
http://youtu.be/1z1D-AXrS20
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