Dolphins and You launched their new tour vessel named Ariya to honor the owner's daughter who passed away. During Ariya's first charter with a Japanese television crew, they were surprised to encounter not just 5 but approximately 200 spinner dolphins swimming near Waikiki within their short filming window. The large pod interacted playfully with the boat for 30 minutes, providing exceptional footage. Later, the owner realized the first charter coincided with the 23rd anniversary of his daughter's death, feeling it was a blessed sign of good fortune from the dolphins and his daughter Ariya.
2. Dolphins and You is pleased to announce the launch of
our new tour vessel, Ariya, marking the fruition of a long-anticipated
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dream by Dolphins and You owner, Richard
Holland, who chose the name Ariya in remembrance of
his daughter, Ariya, who passed away 23 years ago.
4. Ariya¡¯s debut was appropriately grand: she was to play a starring
role in a Japanese television production following dolphins
swimming in the open ocean.
The job was not without challenges: Dolphins and You usually
operates in the waters off West Oahu, where there is more nature
and few people. The television crew, however, had their eye on a
location near crowded Waikiki and had a scheduling window of
just four hours.
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8. Ariya¡¯s Captain Keith, a veteran of many dolphin voyages, was
understandably skeptical about a dolphin encounter under these
conditions but said, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best¡± and got Ariya underway with
the camera boat following close behind. Ariya strove to impress,
drawing the admiration of the Japanese crew as her advanced
power plant ate up the miles to the location.
With the chances of a dolphin encounter being slim at best the
film crew had come up with a back up plan of filming honu (sea
turtles) which are a common sight in waters off Waikiki.
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10. They need not have bothered. Just a few miles out, the crew was
surprised to see Captain Keith pointing out at the horizon.
¡°DOLPHINS!¡±
At first, everybody thought that Captain Keith was playing a joke
on them. They were only a few miles out after all and the area was
full of tour boats, surfers and other unnatural elements that do
not appeal to dolphins but Captain Keith turned Ariya about and
reduced her speed.
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12. Immediately, all were treated to the sight of five Spinner dolphins
swimming directly toward Ariya. Soon, the rest of pod, appeared,
one after the other, happily stitching the waves.
By the time the camera boat caught up, Ariya was, literally,
surrounded by dolphins - an estimated 200 individuals!
The camera crew and reporter jumped into a blur of activity and
were in the water in record time. They spent the next 30 minutes,
moving slowly toward Diamond Head, filming dolphins jumping and
playing in the crystal blue waters off Waikiki. The ultimate Dolphin
Encounter.
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17. When the director was satisfied and the crew were all back on
board, the Japanese reporter faced the blue water and shouted a
heartfelt ¡°thank you so much!¡± to his new friends. As if in response,
one of his acrobatic subjects shot out of the waves in a spectacular
aerial display.
Truly Auspicious
This first charter could only be called, blessed. The fact that such a
large pod of dolphins was almost immediately encountered in
Waikiki in such a narrow window of time is almost beyond belief. It¡¯s
as though the dolphins came out just to meet Ariya to endorse her
maiden charter.
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19. Everybody was so happy and excited with this rare, nearly perfect
shoot that when Ariya pulled into port the client¡¯s crew joined
hands with Ariya¡¯s in prayer ¨C with special thanks expressed to the
dolphins, to the sea, and to Ariya and her crew.
Ariya¡¯s very first clients, returned to their hotel with happy,
satisfied smiles.
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21. Later that day, Dolphins and You, president, Richard Holland, had
an emotional revelation: August 23¡ªthe date of Ariya¡¯s first
charter¡ªhe realized, also marked the 23rd anniversary of the death
of his daughter, Ariya. The fact that Ariya, had spent the day as a
vessel baring luck, good fortune and joyful smiles while making
possible a blessed encounter with a rare and beautiful species is a
thing for which there are no adequate words.
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Based on a true story.
Come and meet our Ariya in Oahu.
Doulphins and You
www.dolphinsandyou.com
www.irukahawaii.com
https://www.facebook.com/dolphinsandyou.jp
Text & Photo by Hiroki Nagasawa Aloha Branding
Translated by Coco.
http://alohabranding.com/
http://hirokinagasawa.com/
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