The excitement starts right on the beach. I watch the 65-foot Teralani Sailing Adventures catamaran land right onto Kaanapali Beach. About 40 of us line up in single file, taking turns running up the stairs of the boat, timing it just right to miss the incoming waves.
The operator does several different tours, but I'm booked on the Wild Dolphin Sail — a 2.5-hour leisurely sail along the West Maui coastline, where we will be looking for spinner and bottlenose dolphins, hopefully jumping into the air.
When the dolphins appear, everyone is up and out of their seats to watch the playful creatures. Photo Credit: Christine Hitt
My group and I walk to the front of the catamaran and pick out spots on the large trampoline nets above the water. Others follow suit, and our journey begins.
The day is sunny and clear, and the ride is smooth, as we watch the coastline slip farther away and our captain turns the boat parallel to it. We lay around lazily in the sun, enjoying the ride, until someone yells out that they see a pod of dolphins.
For lunch, the crew serves its famous big kahuna dog, a hot dog with kalua pork on top. Photo Credit: Christine Hitt
Everyone is up and out of their seats. The dolphins' fins are easy to spot, surfacing above the water before dipping back down. They're spread out, and it seems like they're everywhere. But as soon as they have appeared, they have disappeared. Diving down below, I suppose.
We spread out, looking for more. The tour has a dolphin expert onboard, who keeps an eye out, telling us where to look when they do appear. They like to ride alongside the boat, catching the waves. They're beautiful to watch next to the Kaanapali coast backdrop.
The Teralani 5 heads toward the shore to pick up the next tour group on Kaanapali Beach. Photo Credit: Christine Hitt
Soon, lunch is served below: coconut shrimp, and my favorite, the big kahuna dog — a hot dog with kalua pork on top. It's so good. On the side, there's choices of li hing mui pineapple, Greek salad and Maui kettle chips. Later, the crew pass out a triple chocolate brownie for dessert.
After lunch, I watch more dolphins, then head back to my spot on the trampoline. The boat at this point, has made a few laps off the coast, and I just want to enjoy the ocean spray and sun for the rest of our time. I appreciate the relaxed nature of the tour, and I soak it all up before we turn back toward the beach where we boarded.