When you are on Oahu, one of the many fun things to do in Honolulu is snorkeling and watching dolphins. Here we share our experiences on an awesome day trip with Ocean Joy Cruises, and the amazing sights we saw.

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Best Snorkeling in Oahu

Since we traveled in February, we worried it might be rainy season. Thankfully, it was just fine, sometimes overcast, and one big rain storm, but nothing major. We were confident enough about the weather to go out on a dolphin watch and snorkeling cruise. Carpe diem!

Thanks to Ocean Joy Cruises, we saw lots of dolphins, we went snorkeling at Electric Beach and we had an amazing day!

Booking and Boarding Ocean Joy Cruises

As usual, we managed to stay for free at a Hilton in Honolulu and used their concierge to book day trips. This is one of the trips she recommended and the day did not disappoint.

We had to get up way too early, and took the bus to get to Ocean Joy Cruises. It didn’t take long before we boarded the Kai ‘Oli ‘Oli, a beautiful catamaran.

Even before boarding we already saw underwater wildlife: a huge sea turtle or honu (their name in Hawai’ian). What a good omen!

Dolphin and Snorkeling Cruise

As always, it was a joy being out on the water. Feeling the wind in our hair, watching the picturesque shore line and moving with the boat. We were on our way to snorkel in Oahu! As opposed to being home in the snow.

Spinner Dolphins of Hawai’i

We were simply enjoying this when suddenly we spotted the first dolphins. One quickly morphed into two, three, and more every moment.

So cool! We watched them swim, in pairs and groups, it really looked like synchronized swimming. Just way more effortless than any human swimmer. They were everywhere, a school of at least a hundred dolphins. Quickly, they surrounded us!

We learned that these dolphins are nocturnal hunters, and during the day come closer to the coast to rest and sleep. They put half of their brain to sleep, while the other half of their brain deals with actions like swimming and breathing. It was cool to be in the middle of a big school of half asleep dolphins, but it got even cooler when some of them woke up enough to do acrobatics.

These creatures are amazing jumpers! They jump out, and swirl and spin before they enter the water again. I had never imagined that kind of jumping. They seem to do it for fun and for all kinds of communication purposes, but for us it was like they put on a show. Totally unexpected! They kept it up for a long time.

After our slight disappointment when learning that most birds in Hawai’i have been introduced by humans, it was nice to enjoy this native species of dolphins.

Snorkeling at Electric Beach

Eventually we left them and made our way to Electric Beach, where the power plant causes the water to be somewhat warmer which attracts lots of fish. It’s on the west point of Oahu.

This is where the Ocean Joy put down her anchor and let us off to go snorkeling. This was the first time Tom got to use his prescription goggles, so he could actually see all the cool tropical fish. There were so many of them in all kinds of colors and shapes.

Our guide brought up a starfish which we got to hold for a bit before returning it to the ocean floor. We reveled in being weightless in the water, and I yet again realized how much I love snorkeling. Especially snorkeling in Oahu combined with watching dolphins!

Snorkeling is the perfect water sport for my MS, since there are no balance issues at all and the water keeps my core temperature lower.

Lunch and Cocktails on Board of Ocean Joy

Of course, all good things must come to an end, so eventually we had to get back into the boat. Luckily, they had planned well and served lunch to nourish us after our swim. They also served Mai Tai’s and Blue Curacao’s. How much better can life get? Sipping our drinks and watching the ocean and Oahu.

We were back to the hotel early enough that we had enough time to hike Makapu’u light house that night and saw whales!

Dolphins and Snorkeling in Oahu Conclusion

This was yet another wonderful day in Oahu, combining our love of water and nature! If you find yourself in Oahu / Honolulyu and are looking for a fun day trip, book a cruise with Ocean Joy!

Have you been to Oahu? Seen the spinner dolphins and snorkeled? Where do you think the best snorkeling is? Either on Oahu or anywhere else?

Other Snorkeling or Dolphin Destinations

Of course, with the pandemic going on, you might not be able to travel to Oahu, so here some other good nature trips to dream about. Put them on your “After Covid-19 Bucket List”

• Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve: if you want to get away from all the tourists in the Riviera Maya in Mexico, visit the jungle, go birding and snorkeling in Sian Ka’an. An amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Isla de Contoy: Close to Cancun, another snorkeling and birding destination. Full of flying frigates! Go check it out.
• The Everglades: We didn’t snorkel, but we did see dolphins and tons of birds. Even almost tripped over an alligator!

Don’t Skip Pearl Harbor

• What to expect during a Visit to Pearl Harbor;
• Five interesting facts about Ford Island. Do you know why the missionaries renamed it?
• Where the Second World War ended! Visit USS Missouri. Now with historic video footage of the Japanese surrender.
• Not all Japanese were our enemy. Some brave ones fought for us! The story of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team;

Other Things to Do on Oahu

• Hiking Diamond Head in Hawai’i: ten tips to help you succeed at this iconic hike; Even if you are out of shape or live with a chronic illness;
• Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail: Whales for the Win; Check out this relatively easy trail with epic views! The trail is fully paved, so wheel chair and stroller accessible;
• Manoa Falls Hike with MS: celebrating failure! A much harder hike, especially after a big rain. Not wheelchair or stroller accessible;
• Surfing at Waikiki Beach Go surf at the Birth Place of Surfing! Great teachers available at Dave’s Big Waves!
• Beginners Birding Guide to Hawai’i. Discover how most of these pretty birds are actually invasive pests!

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