Nai’a of Hawaii
Aloha!
You might wonder what the meaning of Nai’a is? Well, Nai’a means dolphin in Hawaiian.
The spinner dolphin is the most common dolphin that you will find in Hawaii. It is named aptly so because of the acrobatic twist it does when it rises well above the water surface. For the spinner dolphin spiraling out of the water is a way to play and have fun. The spinner dolphins feed during the night about 5 miles off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands in the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. They hunt in huge pods feasting on various species of fish. It is only during the day that they come close to the shore to rest and sleep. Actually, they do not really sleep because they are conscious breathers, and at least one half of their brain is always functioning. They might dive deeper down to rest or just play lazily in the shallows of the coastline. The shallow waters provide them protection from predators such as sharks and killer whales.
It is here today off the Kona coast that we find a huge pod of dolphins and we are able to swim with them in different spots while they are traveling slowly north along the reef. We are on board the boat ‘Sunlight on Water’, and are being guided by a lifelong experienced Hawaiian captain, ‘China Mike’. He has an exceptional amount of knowledge about the creatures of the ocean. After the boat leaves Honokohau Harbor, Captain Mike stops to hold a traditional Hawaiian prayer service and asks for a safe journey. We travel north along the coast until we finally come upon the school of dolphins. We have already been educated by the crew of how to approach and swim with the dolphins, so everyone after donning their snorkel gear enters the water one by one from the two swim ladders from the rear of the boat.
Head down in the water we experience this unbelievable amazing feeling to see the dolphins swim close by or just underneath us. The dolphins elegantly glide by us and we exchange glances like we were watching a special parade with the best curb side seats. The dolphins almost seem to wave at us as their tails smoothly cut the water. Actually, they seem to have a smile on their face constantly and are not alarmed by our curious presence. It seems all too fast that we are asked to get back to the boat upon our final dive – after all we had already spent 4 hours out on the ocean.
It is an experience that leaves unforgettable memories of a lifetime!
Mahalo and good bye
