Where can I swim with dolphins and whale watch? Disabled travel for blind, deaf, wheelchair also

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Our Hawaii Sailing Journeys in General

What is unique about your tours? Our team of marine biologists share their life's passions with you; cruising and snorkeling in rural Hawaiian areas and educating the public while protecting the wildlife found.

We (and the animals) prefer the comfort, intimacy and safety of small groups, as compared to the "pile 'em on" Waikiki-atmosphere of other companies. Also, proceeds from your rates are donated to the Wild Dolphin Foundation to help conserve the animals that we encounter (as gently as possible) and their habitats.<< Back to FAQ page

What is the difference between the Best of the West and Morning Wildlife Cruise? For the charm of a more personal interaction, the Best of the West (BOW) is the exclusive, luxury edition of the Morning Wildlife Cruise (MWC).

The Best of the West is the pampered, favored, child of the founders of Wild Side Specialty Tours. This tour is their manifested dream of how they would (and do) personally take their family or friends out to experience what Hawaii's oceanic life is about.

The 8:30 am departure slips you in the time slot that avoids other tours that pile up in the snorkeling and wildlife areas in the early morning, and then again in the late morning. On this tour, you not only have less passengers to compete with, you usually have no other boats.

The BOW has the flexibility (3+ hours), and the Alaka'i has the stability and speed, to leave impacted areas behind and go to where magic happens.

Additionally, the custom-built Alaka'i, was hand-picked to be super stable and comfortable in proximal offshore waters, where we can leave the nearshore dolphins in peace and view the larger dolphins and whales feeding and frolicking year round.

Even the food is personally prepared with love. After a morning swim, Tori's infamous chicken-salad sandwich halves satisfy any palate, served with local "grinds" such as pineapple, and mango salsa with organic chips. More BOW details here << Back to FAQ page

What's the difference between the Afternoon Whale Watch and the Morning Wildlife Charter? The two main differences (besides price; and actually the morning is a better value - more bang for the buck) between the morning and afternoon are:

1) There is no in-water time on the afternoon charter - fine if you have absolutely no desire to be in the water. Otherwise we have some pretty incredible snorkeling sites - such as the green sea turtle cleaning station and feeding areas on the coral reef, or swimming near wild dolphins (!).

2) Resident dolphin pods are not as likely to be sighted in the afternoon. We see them about 1/4 of the time then, as compared to 90%+ in the morning. Dolphins are pretty exciting, much more interactive than whales.

If you are only interested in seeing whales, (and the inherent romance of a sunset), then the afternoon whale sightings are just as good as those in the morning. Same boat, same crew...

What kinds of things will we be able to see on this ocean adventure? Our adventures give you the opportunity to observe, photograph, snorkel with and learn about the marine life here in our own backyard, the Pacific Ocean. We encounter green sea turtles, dolphins, whales, flying fish, rays, tropical fish, coral reefs and more. You will be part of an ongoing mission to conserve these marine creatures as data is gathered both onboard and underwater.

Swimming with dolphins Only in Hawaii and a few other places world wide, do opportunities exist to experience dolphins that are truly wild, not trained or hand-fed, but allowing us to observe them of their own accord. Please note that as our coastal waters have recently been confronted with the global phenomena of "loving nature to death (e.g. Orcas in the Pacific Northwest)" we are very finicky about when, how or even if we will put people in the water with the dolphins. Please trust our judgment if wildlife encounters are better experienced onboard than in the water. We are usually also able to swim with turtles and other sealife.

Whale watching takes place (year round!) with interpretation by marine biologists, also gathering data on whale populations and behavior while underway.

REEF studies are also taken while snorkeling over the reefs with the turtles and other tropical inhabitants in experiences that mimic being present in a National Geographic special.

<< Back to FAQ page

Are your tours separate? If so, can someone request to do a specific tour? The only separation is the daytime or evening tours, both with a different focus – daytime wildlife or evening sunset, stargazing, or full moon. Evening charters are date specific, morning charters run daily.

Most often, as morning cruises are four hours, we experience dolphins, turtles, whales, and snorkeling. However, winter waves may make getting in the water not as optimal as summer months, due to potential visibility limitations. Otherwise, we will maximize the trip with all we can do and see in four hours.<< Back to FAQ page

Do we need to be strong swimmers or wear life jackets? We are land based mammals attempting to be marine mammals, so there is a certain liability inherent in this activity. It is imperative that we be made aware of any medical or physical conditions of members in your party, preferably upon booking.

Due to increased visitation, it is becoming increasingly difficult to have that magical one-on-one experience swimming with the dolphins. Behaviors are showing that with increasing frequency dolphins prefer and are more attentive to boats, then to swimmers in the water.

Your best experience may then be to stay on the boat, where you will be able to see the dolphins and their behaviors better, closer, and for longer amounts of time. Given that the dolphins are also very aware of any predators in the water, this may also be the safest route!

Dolphins are often better viewed from the higher elevation onboard. A few feet above the water can make a big difference, and aerial behaviors (spins, leaps, etc.) are always seen better from that elevation! The clarity of the water will still allow you to look down and effortlessly observe the dolphin's underwater antics from the deck or lying on the trampolines.

We do require that everyone who gets into the water wear a provided safety belt (the person in the picture at the bottom of the page is wearing one). We require them for safety and visibility (so we can see you). They are only an inch thick and about 3 or 4 inches wide. They do not hinder swimming since they fit around the waist rather than the torso, and water can pass between you and the belt without restricting forward movement.

That said, and if conditions warrant, calm and strong swimmers do seem to have the highest "success" rate with the dolphins. Those people who seem to have "animal sense"; are alert, observant, good at reading body language, and position themselves correctly (requiring less physical effort), also do well.

Dolphins generally avoid people displaying aggressive ("charging") behavior. There is an art to the method which is often hard to accomplish in the short 1/2 day time span available. If this is your "life dream" you may want to schedule a few trips to ensure (or increase your odds) that this is realized. Private charters will also give you more personalized attention, and less "competition".

Snorkeling at the reef is much less "rule" or physically intensive and equally enjoyable with the myriads of tropical fish and turtles. Floaters are welcome! We do all we can to make our passengers familiar and comfortable with snorkeling. However, the best bet is to practice snorkeling at home, the hotel pool, or even the bathtub (!) before you come. Your comfort level in the water will increase dramatically.

Are there age limits? We offer fabulous family adventures. However, children 7 and older are preferred, and kids younger then 3 will need to remain with a trusted adult on land. Most younger children find it difficult (and trying for their parents) to have boat boundaries for up to four hours - where swinging from lines or hanging over railings may be fun, but a safety concern and a sure trigger for a cranky crew and captain.

Please be aware that parents must monitor their children at all times (one adult please for each child under 10), keeping them within arm's reach at all times.

The other issue would be the comfort of other passengers. As we are essentially all sharing the same small space, it is not an option to take a crying child “outside” to bring peace to those “inside.” While fussing is usually not a problem, all nerves can get frayed with loud, prolonged caterwauling.

If you feel this is something that your 3- 6 year old can handle (we feel parents are the best judge, and we've had youngsters that absolutely made our day), send us an email, or call and talk to us, and look over the pictures and info elsewhere on this site. Please be aware there is no discount for children. If you would rather spend quality adult time without the kids, check out Aloha Nannies' onsite (your hotel) babysitting services for travelers, to know that your kids will also be having a quality experience back on shore.

Minors under 18 years of age must have a parent or legal guardian present onboard for all activities. Any youth attending a WSST activity as part of a larger function with parents/guardians not in attendance (a soccer team for example), the parents/guardian of the minor child must sign and send a WSST Risk Waiver Form with minor/s << Back to FAQ page

I don't want to be shark bait! Did you know that "Jaws" is still rated the #1 scariest movie of all times? This movie has really given sharks a bad rap. Less than one shark attack occurs per year on average in Hawaii. This attack rate is surprisingly low considering that tens of thousands of people swim, surf and dive in Hawaiian waters every day. Despite these statistics, shark attacks remain a highly emotionally charged topic. Although the odds are mighty slim that you would even see one of the shy, elusive and fast becoming endangered creatures, here's some tips that may help you feel better.

"Sharks have always been feared since time immemorial and shark attacks can be terrible, but they are few and far between. The media greatly hype shark attacks and few people realize how rare they are... almost anything is more likely to kill human beings than sharks. " PETER BENCHLEY, author of "Jaws"

However, our ocean is home to sharks, albeit the fearsome predators are usually offshore and not near the areas we frequent. Local residents stress, "Anytime you enter the ocean, you just got lower in the food chain." This again highlights the reason that we don't guarantee swimming with dolphins. Imagine we see the dolphins acting somewhat sketchy (shark present?), but we have to consider giving money back, return trips, etc., over your safety? << Back to FAQ page

Is it hard to get in and out of the water? Getting on and off the boat is fairly easy. On the Island Spirit we have a “staircase” type of ladder that we lower down between the pontoons. The angle is adjustable to ease the on/off process for the passengers. To the right is a person at the bottom of the ladder looking up into the boat. You can see the angle is quite reasonable for most people.

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