Playdate with Dolphins

This activity was definitely something I’ve always wanted to do—swimming with dolphins! And in perfect conditions… well, not the weather, that kinda sucked. But the dolphins here are wild and free, choosing to interact with you (or not) on their own terms.

Equipped with our gear and after watching a short instruction video, we were driven to the marina, where we set off on a boat ride that lasted about 25 minutes. Unlike yesterday, though, being on the boat wasn’t as much fun. I struggled to keep from feeling sick, and the ride back was even worse.

We were supposed to swim with dusky dolphins, but on our way there, we actually spotted the rare Hector’s dolphins! These small, shy dolphins are found only in New Zealand, and while they usually keep their distance, today they interacted with our boat.

We were given two important instructions before getting in the water. First: to get the dolphins’ attention, sing! Apparently, they find it intriguing and are more likely to come closer. Honestly, though, if I were a dolphin and had to endure that cacophonous underwater assault, I’d have swum in the other direction. :D (To be fair, try singing underwater with a mask over your nose and a snorkel mouthpiece in your mouth - it doesn‘t come naturally to most of us…)

The second rule: Don’t smile. Even if seeing the dolphins makes you happy! Smiling lets water into your mask, which is… not fun. That said, I’m not sorry to report that I did, in fact, get water in my mask. Worth it.

Of course, there were other important rules too, like “Don’t jump off the boat unless instructed” and “Don’t pee in your wetsuit.”

(I’ll split this post in two since this app only allows a max of two videos per post.)Read more