Celebrating a 60th Wedding Anniversary—A Three-Hour Tour

Posted 06 September 2016 by
Global Marketing
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Right on time, Captain Bryan appears. He drives up in a big, black Toyota Tundra, gives us all a warm greeting, and then asks us to follow him across the street through the Kawaihae Harbor security entrance. I can’t tell you how excited I am as we drive up to the edge of the harbor and see our little boat for the day. Okay, it’s not actually “our” boat, but I can pretend.

It’s a medium-size catamaran, with shaded seating inside, cushy seats, and netting to lay in up front. It is perfect for us. Captain Bryan introduces us to his crew: Damon and his young son, Liam. One by one we get on board. I’m impressed by how easily Mom gets on and settled in for our trip out to sea. While not a promise, Captain Bryan tells us he thinks he will be able to find dolphins sometime during the trip. And guess what? Almost 15 minutes out, there they are. I love dolphins. I’ve been in MBTI® workshops where we were to choose our favorite animal. It is uncanny how often those of us with NF preferences choose the dolphin. We also often choose the unicorn, though that tends to surprise (maybe even annoy) those with ST preferences. Wonder why?

Years back I swam with a couple of dolphins in a rescue center in the Caribbean. Just five years back Kevin and I swam with about a hundred wild dolphins in Manele Bay on Lanai. And today, here are another hundred right by our boat. They actually swim up to, in front, and under our boat as we glide across the water. Kevin keeps saying, “Thanks for visiting,” as one dolphin after another swims right up and stares at us with one eye out of the water. It is fun seeing everyone get so excited at seeing dolphins so close. They truly are magical creatures.

Captain Bryan asks if we want to swim near the dolphins. Terri, Kevin, and I jump at the chance. So, we quickly put on our snorkels and fins and one by one plunge into the sea. The water is amazing—cool, crisp, and salty. It’s also a bit daunting to be out in the middle of the ocean. A few dolphins are visible above the water at this point. When I poke my goggled eyes under the waves, I see about a hundred or so swimming near the bottom. A few then jump around us before swimming along to wherever they are going next. How lucky, I’m thinking, that we were able to get this time with them.

If you want to read more about my Hawaiian family vacation, check out the previous blogs in this series:

 

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