Swim with Dolphins by Porpoise Bay on New Zealand
One of my favorite TV series as a kid was Flipper with Jessica Alba. I watched every episode and dreamed about swimming with dolphins and live near the ocean. One year, when seeing a dolphin show at a nearby Zoo, I even thought about becoming a dolphin keeper. Now, after having watched The Cove, I’m glad that only remained a dream.
There are many places in the world where you can swim with dolphins. Porpoise Bay (Whaka Aihe), on the Caitlin’s Coast on south New Zealand, is one of the better. Here lives the world’s smallest dolphins, the rare Hector Dolphin with their characteristic white and black markings. If I ever travel to Purpose Bay, I’m sure the memory would stay in my mind forever.
are the dolphins there a native to the land? because in the philippines they have their own specie of dolphin. short and cute! oh how i wish i could swim with one!
Yes, I think they are.
Hope you get the opportunity to swim with dolphins some time!
Is it off porpoise bay, South Island, New Zealand where there is no need for a tour or boat to swim with the dolphins? -You can just swim out a hundred meters or so and they come to you? Does anyone know what time of day they’re most active in this area and similar info?
Thank you very much for any info,
Nick
@Nicholas I read about this in a Swedish travel magazine a couple of years ago. I haven’t been to Porpoise Bay myself and don’t know anyone else who’s been there. I’ll twitter about it right away and see if I hear from anyone who knows more.
I had a wonderful experience with the dolphins in Porpoise Bay in April(?) 1996. We were with a tramping group circling the South Island for a couple of weeks. We stayed at a little cottage right on the beach at Porpoise Bay. We arrived late afternoon and were treated to an amazing sunset. As the moon rose I went out by myself on the beach and mentally told the dolphins I would be back the next day to play. The next morning I saw an equally exquisite sunrise during a morning walk… no sign of dolphins. After breakfast the group hung out for a while on the beach. Still no dolphins. Everyone else except one other fellow and myself got tired of waiting and went off to see the petrified forest nearby. I waited. finally I decided I would just go rent a wetsuit so I would be ready when the dolphins came. While in the shop, the woman at the counter laughed as she looked out into the bay at her son surfing. ” He is going to be mad. They keep stealing his waves.” I asked what she meant and she said ” The dolphins have come!” I grabbed my wetsuit and ran down to the beach. I was in the water as fast as I could and stayed in a long time. The sweet little Hector dolphins swam right up to us and all around us. After a while, I got really cold so I was shivering and reluctantly decided to go in. the dolphins accompanied me in toward shore as if they were making sure I got in alright. I remember it all as if it were yesterday although a dozen years have passed.
Hi Heather, Such a sweet story!! Thanks a million for sharing.