Spinner Dolphin

Spinner Dolphin Pictures, Behaviors, Video and Information (provided by the Wild Dolphin Foundation)

The Hawaiian name for dolphin is nai'a, and refers to most all dolphins found here. Hawaiian Spinner dolphins are shaped and colored somewhat differently from other species of spinner dolphins.

With 13 species of toothed dolphins (nai'a) swimming in the tepid waters of Hawaii, the most common are the Hawaiian spinner, spotted (kiko), bottlenose and rough-toothed dolphins. Other often seen members of the dolphin family - although termed as whales (kohola)- are pilot and false killer whales.

Dolphins in Hawaii are commonly termed as "porpoise" by local folks, especially fishermen, who use the word "dolphin" when referring to the dolphin fish, or mahi mahi.

So called for their high, spinning leaps, spinner dolphins are known as playful, eager bow-riders throughout much of their range.

In certain areas in Hawaii, spinner dolphins are seen on an almost daily basis. Probably since the islands have formed, the Hawaiian spinner dolphins have come into nearshore daytime habitats along the west coast of Oahu. We have traced their occurrence in our area back at least 800 years.

Below are descriptions of daytime behaviors the acrobatic spinners frequently engage in. Pictures and videos were taken during our dolphin encounter tours.

Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins Stenella longirostris "Nai'a"
Size: 1.7 to 2.2 m, 75 kg.
Males slightly larger than females
Calves at birth: 77 cm
45 to 65 sharp-pointed teeth on each side of upper and lower jaw
Food: Fish (small deep-ocean species) and squid
Habitat: Mainly offshore
Range: Tropical, subtropical and warm temperate world ocean
Status: Population unknown, but common in most parts of its range. Substantial declines have occurred in the eastern tropical Pacific

To see the enlarged pictures, please click on the desired picture. Double click to open movies.

Spins
Spinner dolphins are famous for their fantastic jumps high out of the water. They can leap into the air and make as many as 7 complete spins before diving back into the ocean! Few dolphins are known to leap as high as the Spinner and except occasionally for the Clymene dolphin, no others spin. Why Do Spinner Dolphins Spin?
Note: Click on the picture to the right to see good spin video >>

Head-Over-Tail
This aerial behavior is probably the most energetic. While the spin is more like a top, this leap is a series of mid-air somersaults.
Note: Click on the picture to the right to see head over video >>

Head Slaps
This very young spinner has already learned a way to get mom's attention. Repeated head slaps send an acoustical message. Notice the pinkish underside, normally white, this could mean excitement or the product of vigorous slapping!

Tail or Peduncle Slaps
Often seen before a change in the pods behavior. Most often, immediately after we see this behavior, the pod will change its traveling direction. Tail slap video and how it looks from underwater. The dolphin is excited about his "play toy!"

Nose-Outs
Often seen before going into a rest mode, or when they seem to have interest in us. These, although still classified as aerial behaviors are the least energy taxing.

Fluke-up Dive
Dives with the tail (flukes)raised in the air seem to signaldeep dives. This a borderline aerial behavior - as it still happens above the water line, but is not very active.

Playing Behavior
Spinners often make "play-toys" of objects intheir environment. In our area, the tradewinds blow lightweight plastic grocery bags into the ocean. The dolphins drape these over their fins and pass them back and forth.
Note: Click on the picture to the right to see dolphins play video >>

Echelon Swimming
Newborn calves can be seen swimming near their mothers head for about a week before they swim nearer to her dorsal fin. This is termed as echelon swimming. Dolphins carry their young inside their womb and gestation is about 12 months for a bottlenose. The baby emerges tail first, and will suckle from its mother for up to 4 years.

Breathing
Oceanic dolphins have evolved a method of breathing without surfacing from the water. They blow a bubble when near the water surface and then quickly draw breath in when the bubble forms a bridge between the blowhole and the air, through the water. Dolphins breathe through theirblowhole located at the top of their head. A dolphin may empty and refill its lungs in less than a fifth of second. As the dolphin breathes the air leaves the blowhole at speeds of over 100mph. To sleep, a dolphin must shut down only half of its brain, as its breathing is under voluntary control.

Social Behavior
Spinner dolphin's pectoral flippers are used to steer them through the water, and they also use them to stroke one another, increasing the social bond between them. Dolphin "friends" may swim along face to face touching flippers. Dolphins that appear to be closely bonded may swim in synchrony, twisting, turning and swimming in perfect harmony together.

Whistles
Spinner Dolphins can be very noisy under and above water, click here to hear for underwater video and sound of spinner dolphins vocalizing and a signature whistle.

Learning to Dive

Scuba Diving is a relaxing, action-packed and exciting sport that can be enjoyed by everybody. Evidence shows that people have been diving for thousands of years, either to hunt for food, seek out treasure, in the art of war or to simply observe the world beneath the waves. Have you always dreamed of diving down deep and exploring the oceans wonders, swimming with turtles or finding a long lost treasure? If you have you may want to consider scuba diving, but probably have some questions before you taking the plunge.

The first thing to consider before looking at dive courses is to determine how serious your interest is, will you be diving regularly or only once in a while. If you want try diving in Hawaii you do not need to get certified, as most companies offer introduction dives for first time divers. These are guided dives with a dive master who will accompany you to explore the reefs and the marine life. After taking one of these dives you will not be certified and can not go unsupervised, but this is a great way to decide if you want to continue diving and get certified.

If you decide that you do want to get certified, Hawaii is a great place to learn to dive and certification courses can usually be completed in three days. If you live in Hawaii there are also dive clubs that offer course over several weekends before completing certification. Another option for visitors with not much time is to contact a local dive company at home and complete all your class work before coming to Hawaii. Then once you arrive you only have the fun part to complete, your open water dives and you are certified.

Kauai Z-Tourz

Kauai Z-Tourz is dedicated to providing the best raft and snorkeling tour available on Kauai. Aboard our custom built Rigid-Hull Zodia Raft, guests are treated to a tour that is personalized, educational, interesting and adventurous. Guests are given marine as well as cultural narration and have the opportunity to snorkel with hundreds of species of tropical fish as well as the Green Sea Turtles. We also offer dolphin-watching year round and whale watching December through May.

We are truly a specialized boat tour available on Kauai. We are the only boat tour with the emphasis on snorkeling and marine life watching and interaction. Our personalized attention to guests, guided tour in the water, and commitment to education and protecting the marine environment are components we are very proud to feature. As examples of this, we DO NOT allow or promote fish feeding on our tours and we DO NOT ?throw anchor? in any of our selected sights, since both cause damage to the reef environment and its inhabitants.

As a company we are dedicated to making each tour a custom adventure for the guest and giving them a truly Hawaiian experience using ancient Hawaiian place names and knowledge being passed on from our captain and crew.

All of this will be shared with the spirit of Aloha!


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1-808-742-7422 or Toll-Free: 1-888-998-6879 (1-888-9ZTOURZ)

Marine Plants of Hawai'i

Marine Plants of Hawai'i
Order Siphonocladales


Dictyosphaeria cavernosa


Description: commonly known as the "Green Bubble Alga" due to the large round cells. When small the thallus is a hollow sphere, when larger the sphere may burst becoming convoluted and cup shaped. The seaweed is grass green in color and can form extensive mats over the reefs surface
Size: 1-10cm thick.
Habitat:


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Dictyosphaeria versluysii

Description: has bubble-like cells, but is completely solid in middle and always remains rounded. Grass green in color, but sometimes bluish-green in color.
Size: 1-2 cm high and 1-5 cm wide.
Habitat: commonly found on reef flats and tidepools.
Photograph: Richardson's Beach Park, Hilo Hawai'i. 1996

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Microdictyon japonicum
Description: M. japonicum is a single flattened blade consisting of a meshwork of fine connecting branches. It is grass-green in color.
Size: from 1 to 6cm wide and 1 to 4 cm high.
Habitat: low intertidal areas of rocky coastlines, on flat reefs, and in between the branches of corals at deeper depths.

Getting your feet wet- First time scuba

By: Amanda W. (Scuba Junkie)
Life of a beginner scuba queen
2/6/08


Being from Iowa, you may not consider scuba diving an option for me. That is, unless you don't know where Iowa is or that we're the land of corn. Not exactly teeming with fantastic vacation dive spots that are flocked with tourists. I want to share my thoughts and experiences as I go through the process of learning to scuba dive.

My hope is that fellow novices can learn from my stories, or maybe more advanced divers to gain an understanding of beginners. No matter the reason for your interest in scuba, it has brought you to this point. Some background on myself is that I do not like being in a bathing suit, am not used to being in water, dislike emerging my face in water, and have a fear of drowning. With that said, through the encouragement and passion of a friend, I am preparing to take my first steps toward becoming an Open Water Diver.

I personally had my first experience with snorkeling in April 2007 in Nassau, Bahamas while on vacation. After the first 15 minutes in the water of thinking I was going to drown, I began to relax and focus more on my desire to see the beauty beneath me. I had to practice at breathing through the snorkel underwater, and let me tell you it is a strange feeling to see below and continue breathing. My friend and I had $10 underwater cameras, but the pictures could not do justice for what we could see with our own eyes. I was a bit disappointed in the coral to be honest, but I really had nothing to compare it to. After all, I went for the experience, and the fish didn't disappoint.

With Scuba Jay's prompting I began to consider trying scuba, though after almost hyperventilating with just snorkeling I had my reservations. We began with hearing stories and watching videos on YouTube and learning of different types and purposes of diving- wreck/ excavation diving, underwater archeology, underwater ecology, vacation diving, underwater photography, night diving, cave diving, ice diving, rescue diving, search and recovery diving, and for academic or research purposes. For me, I am interested in a few of the aforementioned so I recommend that if you're nervous, find one you can use as a motivator to get your feet wet. I am assured that once you start, you're hooked.



There is a progression to diving certifications and two primary governing bodies NAUI and PADI, though SDI, TDI, WASI, and NASE are also out there.
NAUI:
1. Skin diver
2. Scuba diver
3. Advanced scuba diver
4. Master scuba diver
5. Leadership certifications
· Divemaster
· Skin diving Instructor
· Assistant Instructor
6. NAUI scuba Instructor

PADI:
1. Open water diver
2. Advanced open water diver
3. Rescue diver
4. Master scuba diver OR Divemaster (which can lead to Course Director)

There are many special certifications you can receive along the way of both NAUI's and PADI's paths. Each level requires varying numbers of dives you must successfully complete, and some coursework as well.