Travel Blog by 
It’s years ago now, but my experience of swimming with dolphins remains almost as vivid now as then and is still without doubt one of my all-time best travel experiences. And I’m not even a new-agey type.
Zipped up into an ultra-thick wetsuit and bundled via a rusting bus (“can you hear the turbo kick in?” the driver quipped) to a more reliable-looking boat a small group of us were ferried into the bay beside Kaikoura to scan the waters for dolphins to swim with. The bay’s a great place to look, as in the winter (southern hemisphere-time) dusky dolphins – and lots of other sea mammels, including whales – congregate to take feast of the dense concentration of krill driven here by mid-winter ocean currents.
Whale-watching didn’t appeal though. I wanted to see the whole thing, not just a fin and a hump, which was the reason I was standing on deck with snorkel and mask, shivering. Not for long though; it can’t have been ten minutes before our skipper hollered “you’re in luck”. And luck it really was – several pods of dolphins had joined up into a huge pod of around five hundred. The whole bay was alive with crashing bodies and coursing fins. Simply amazing, but better still is that we quickly got an entourage of around thirty following the boat.
Quickly dispatched into the water, we were given strict instructions to be as interesting as possible to keep them there. No floating around and watching, it was all about diving down and swirling around – the more you did and the zanier it was they the more they’d like it and circle you. Perhaps it was just my interpretation of the cheerful perma-smiles on their snouts, but there did seem some kind of extraordinary bond. It was as if we were exchanging visual gags underwater and certainly they seemed keen to playfully interact. It was all look but no touch though, even if I did get a brush of a fin, they would successfully stay just inches out of reach – as the photo from the throwaway camera shows.
After a few minutes we were called aboard again, which was fine, since we were all pretty tired out. But they hadn’t been a few minutes, in truth we’d been playing with the dolphins for an hour and half: how time flies when you’re having fun....
Next up we were promised a dip with New Zealand fur seals, and once we found a couple that we’re actually in the water a couple of us went out to liaise. Hugely aggressive on land where they’re not in their element (I chanced my arm to get that photo in the gallery), in the water they are hugely playful and again really do seem to want interact with you, though theirs is more a game of chicken. Looking underwater like giant silver torpedoes (thanks to the air trapped in the fur) they’ll charge to within inches of your mask before, with an imperceptible flick of a fin, they’ll dart by you. This doesn’t appear aggressive or territorial, and even seems to have a bit of a sense of humor about it; but this is not the playful mime of the dolphins, but much more a caustic sarcasm. Great fun, and you learn what the fish’s final moments could feel like – much better than ending up as a fish finger, I’d say.
Comments
Hugo says...
Wow. Not sure what to say without giving away my utter utter envy.
Tremendous pictures too. Love the bike photo.
Posted 560 days ago.
Jimbo says...
Sounds like an awesome experience, great photos (the bay in particular). Cannot believe how many dolphins were around, amazing and sound so playful. The fur seal in the photos actually looks dead...!
Posted 560 days ago.
Christian says...
Looks dead maybe, but a moment later it spun round and moved at quite a click. Won't be going that near again!
Posted 560 days ago.
Christian says...
....but you're right had another look and sure enough basking away it does look dead, but maybe it thinks the same about sunbathing humans!
Posted 560 days ago.
shar1406 says...
This was something I dreamt of ! I could actually visualize what you wrote..swimming with dolphins sounds so exciting
Posted 555 days ago.
Christian says...
Yes, truly brilliant, a memory you'll take to the grave.
Posted 555 days ago.
Jimbo says...
I'm glad you confirmed that the seal was in fact not deceased. Nice addition of a couple more photographs, so many dolphins.
Posted 554 days ago.
Alexandra says...
I have swum with dolphins in the Red Sea and in Hawaii and, while still amazing, it seems a bit tame compared to your raw experience! Fabulous story!
Posted 526 days ago.
ahitz1202 says...
I did the same thing in Kaikoura, and had an equally incredibly experience... it's great to hear that someone else found it as spectacular as I did! I'm interested that you swam with seals as well, when I did it they were two very separate trips (and companies) and we didn't get a chance to do both. Always good to have a reason to come back!
Posted 524 days ago.
Amelia says...
I also did this in Kaikoura, but it was the first time I'd been snorkeling and I was petrified! It was incredible though, fantastic to be so close to them. I didn't get to swim with any seals though - reiterates the need to go back!
Posted 511 days ago.
Maximilian says...
I can't wait to swim with dolphins :)
Posted 492 days ago.
DanaPalamara says...
I did this in Kaikoura in 2004 - you're right - it really is an amazing experience - I missed out on the seals though - that must have been lots of fun.
Snorkelling in the sea is a bit scary because it's quite rough, but I'd urge anyone do do this - as cheesy as it might sound it's a once in a lifetime experience - there are sooo many of them.
Great pictures!
Posted 397 days ago.
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