Lucia wrote:

Micaela - so it sounds like you're out swimming in a deep ocean near some
dolphin and they come close when they choose. how long do you do this? how
far away is the boat? how are you swimming? are you wearing anything
special?

Lucia, you must feel like your pulling teeth to get responses about Dolphin
swimming.  I went swimming with the Dolphin on 4 separate days.  A boat
would take us out and the captain would watch for Dolphin.  When they were
spotted, the captain would wait for the Dolphin to come to the boat.  They
have a habit of circling the boat if they want it to stop, or they would
ride the bow wave as the boat slowly moved through the water.  I swam in
July in a swim suit with a mask and snorkel.  Some people had on a wet suit,
but this was not necessary in my opinion the water in Hawaii is very
comfortable.  The decision to swim away from the boat was entirely my own.
We had buddy systems and strong swimmers would accompany the weaker
swimmers.  Time has a different meaning in the water, but I know the boat
left at 9 and usually returned at 3 or later.  A swim period would be at
least an hour, sometimes 2 or 3 and we usually had two swim sessions, but
nothing was guaranteed.

The human version of the "Dolphin" stroke was what they recommended that we
work with.  The arms are kept at the sides and the work is done with smooth
full leg kicks or a full body wave.  Some individuals would hold onto a
boggie board or a squiggly tube for support while in the water.

If going on a boat is not appealing there are places were individuals swim
out from shore and canoes or kayaks can be used to go the 1/2 mile or more
to where the Dolphin may chose to be found.  One girl told me that her step
mom has swam with Dolphin on her birthday for the last three years.  She
gets up early and swims fairly close to shore in what to me is a highly
populated area.  I'm not sure if this was a local Hawaiian legend or what,
but I did meet a number of people who swim with the dolphin on a regular
basis.

Micaela