Maui’s Amazing Dolphins

Aboard the Four Winds and the Maui Magic Adventure Snorkel, we often get the treat of seeing Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins in the wild.  The Hawaiian word for dolphin is Nai’a (nay-ee-ah). These acrobatic creatures jump, flip, and spin up into the air. The also ride alongside the bow of the boat, or in the boat’s wake, offering an amazing chance to view them in their environment.

We see the Spinner Dolphins most frequently on the Maui Magic, particularly along the South Maui Coastline.  However, they have been known to surprise us anywhere and at any time! Most often we see these dolphins travel in pod sizes anywhere from just a few to up to 30, and occasionally it’s more!

We also come across the Bottlenose Dolphin, which is also a spectacular treat.  The Bottlenose Dolphins are a bit rarer here then the Spinner Dolphins.  They are quite a bit larger, which makes it easy to determine which dolphin is which.

Dolphins can’t breathe underwater like fish, they breathe oxygen like all mammals.  They also don’t fully sleep, they actually go into a “sleep state”.  It allows half of their brain to rest while the other half is still active.  They are extremely social marine mammals that communicate using a combination of clicks and whistles.   If you are up on the bow of the Maui Magic while the dolphins are cruising with us, you can actually hear these exchanges!

One very important fact: the state prohibits intentionally swimming with wild dolphins and it is illegal in the state of Hawaii. They are a protected species. If they happen to cross our path we can view them, but we do not intentionally approach them. Luckily, they often seek out the boat to ride alongside, surfing and cruising on the wake.