Discovery Channel Dolphin Encounter, Dolphin Quest

Calm, serene... gliding through the water... In a semi-resting state, the dolphins drift lazily to either side of the sailboat crossing the front of the bow. The waters they swim in seem like colors fresh from an artist's palette. Len is lying across the front of the boat, Janice laying over his legs, as he leans precariously over the side supporting an "amphibian" camera filming the dolphins as they return from foraging in the open ocean.

Armin and Tori, crew and owners of 30 ft. sailboat "Kaija," had briefed the Canadian cast and film crew on the behaviors and biology of the dolphins to assure the well-being of these intelligent marine mammals. The fact that we were essentially entering the dolphins "bedroom" was one that insisted on the utmost respect. It was agreed that the dolphins were welcome to approach the vessel, but that we would not pursue them.

Shortly after leaving the harbor, a discovery channel dolphins hawaii

lone dolphin leaps from the water in a signature spin. Four or five dolphins, approach the bow of the boat for a free ride. Severn Cullis Suzuki, star of "Suzuki's Nature Quest" is up on the bow, looking down in delight at the dolphins antics. Before Wes can even get a mike on her, She's exclaiming"Holy Cow!" mixed in repeatedly with other cry's of wonder. Severn's enthusiasm is shared, and deters for a small time from getting filming done, while everyone watches the dolphins cavorting Luckily, the pod stays with the boat for almost an hour and a half, belly flashing, spinning, and porposing.

The dolphins have led us close to Kahe Point, an area well known for its phenomenal coral growth and abundant reef fish. Wendy, mom to Wes and Janice, and producer of children's and nature documentaries, decides that this is an opportunity to get some underwater footage. As Severn and Len gear up, green sea turtles, often aloof, pop their heads out of the water for sideways glances at the boat and its unusual occupants. Once in the water, we see three of the turtles resting on the sandy bottom. They take periodic turns rising to the top and back again in liquid motion.

To view movie " Severn's snorkel "
Click on the picture above.

After savoring this experience, we progress on to the coral reef and again are not disappointed. Butterfly fish are busily defending their territories while christmas wrasses, parrot fish, moorish idols, yellow tangs, and a host of other fish of tropical flavor bring a brilliance of color into this aquamarine world. Tori swims off to a broad sandy area nearby to look for a family of manta rays she had seen the day before. Later, we all return to the boat, shower off and reapply sunscreen. It is later in the afternoon by now and our chances of seeing more dolphins are slim, so we head back into the harbor.

The next morning Makua bay is too blown out (windy) to spot the dolphins so we head on to another area frequented by our flippered friends. Outside of Makaha, Tori spots a spinning dolphin within another small pod. We creep nearer to them in the parallel fashion of an invite to ride the bow, but they seem uninterested. We leave them to their private activities. Severn and Janice get just as excited when a school of flying fish launch unexpectedly from the water on a 50 foot flight.

Near Pokai Bay, a splashy disturbance of the water is spotted. "Holy Cow!" from Severn, "there must be a hundred of them!" "Awesome!" We have found an active group. The dolphins have split into subgroups, some approaching us and some finding other discovery channel dolphins severn and tori

discovery channel dolphins severn and tori

interests. In one of the groups cavorting by our boat, we spot a baby with its mother. The baby mimics its mothers actions, leaping out of the water and darting about. Another dolphin seems to do a water headstand as it slaps it's tail over and over in a dolphin percussion. On the boat, confusion is imminent, with so much action surrounding us. "Look over there!" "Here comes the baby again!" "Port side, head slapping!" "Formation swimming, starboard side!" "Porposing aft!" "Len, did you get that on film?" "Wes, did you get that on audio?"

The filming was frantic as orders were given. The sails had to be dropped to turn the boat this way and that, catching the action and optimizing the natural light. Halyards had to secured to not "bang" on the mast, ruining the sound track. Finally Wes asked that even the little outboard be turned off for the same reason. His next request? "Turn the boat 90 degrees port"! The captain and crew of the becalmed boat looked at each other astounded and then burst out laughing. No sails and no engine, how could they turn the boat? Kaija, at 7 tons, was a little to big to be paddled. After a hour or so of frenzied filming, back to the harbor in the fading sunlight...

suzukis nature quest oahu hawaii dolphins

It almost seemed the dolphins, and other marine life we encountered, were eager to capture this chance to raise peoples awareness of them. The filming was for a episode of "Suzuki's Nature Quest," a 13 episode series focused on nature's interconnections, shown on the Discovery Channel, and Canada's "Y" channel.The stars of the series are premier ecologist Dr. David Suzuki, his daughter Severn, and nature's treasures.

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Discovery Channel and Y TV Suzuki's Nature Quest filming of dolphin documentary

Dolphin Encounters with the Discovery Channel.