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Solo Female Travel

Islands of Blue Dolphins

04/01/2013 by Kristin 4 Comments

Day 182

I remember the Island of the Blue Dolphins from when I was a child.  It was about a young girl who was stranded on San Nicholas island off the coast of California for 18 years (true story). She forms a close bond with the animals on the island, and builds herself a house of whale bones.

I traveled to San Nicholas during my university years in Santa Barbara, and imagined what life must have been like for her.  The island was gorgeous, framed by deep blue water and the rich marine life of the California coast.  Yesterday, the same thoughts came flooding back as I watched dolphins jump out of the waves in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand – a place I may somehow love even more.

bay of islands
A dolphin jumps for joy

Yesterday, it was the same girl standing on the edge of a ship, always at the front, for love of the spray of the waves and the dancing movement they impart on the vessel, as the one who gazed upon the island in wonderment during her younger years. Seven years later, she found herself face to face, once again with bottlenose dolphins, thinking just what she’d say when she wrote this blog.

Only to realize that the photos really speak for themselves:

bay of islands
A close encounter
bay of islands
The posse offers a close encounter to a lucky kayaker
bay of islands
Like peas in a pod
bay of islands
He’s getting mad air

Only this wasn’t just one island, it was an entire bay full of islands, surrounded by water that was a color unlike any I had ever seen. Really!

bay of islands
Formed by volcanic rock
bay of islands
A sparkling cove shimmers through this skinny island
bay of islands
Warm enough to swim in
bay of islands
A lone lighthouse amongst the giants

My absolute favorite came at the end of the trip – the Hole in the Rock.

Schools of shining bluefish cascaded through the waves near the mouth of the Hole, as powerful waves came crashing through, creating layer upon layer of blues that went from a dark sapphire color to a glowing light blue.

bay of islands
Ahhh-mazing

New Zealand, thus far, has been truly breathtaking.

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« I Made a Mistake: I Followed My Heart
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I'm Kristin, and my vision of a better world is one where more women are empowered and living out their dreams. Solo traveling is the best method I've found to become the best, bravest version of me. This site is all about how YOU can have the adventure of a lifetime in an easy, fun, approachable way, so that you can feel empowered, too. Want to learn more about me?

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Comments

  1. Arianwen says

    04/07/2013 at 8:32 am

    This looks great! I think I repel dolphins. Whenever I’ve been to places renowned for great spotting opportunities, they’re nowhere to be seen! I’m due to head to NZ soon, so maybe my luck will change…

    Reply
  2. John says

    05/15/2016 at 3:27 am

    Honestly, this doesn’t seem like a bad place to get stranded :). I don’t think I would mind spending a few days alone there …
    Images are great, by the way!

    Reply
  3. Annabella Dean says

    06/09/2016 at 5:21 pm

    Kristin your photos reminded me of my last holiday in Kaikoura where I had the opportunity to swim with dolphins. They’re amazing creatures and I’m glad they bring back childhood memories of the California coast for you 🙂

    Reply
  4. FriendlyNomad (@friendly_nomad) says

    09/19/2016 at 10:57 am

    Hi ! We recently did a write up on Hot Water Beach, didn’t see any dolphins there though! You’ve got some great pics here, truly magnificent. Your post makes us want to go back and take some proper pics, this time of these friendly guys : ) Definitely on our to do list for NZ. Never enough time… Best

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