Blue Dolphin Charters

Morning Napali Snorkel Sailings spend about five hours tracing sea cliffs that climb more than 3,000 feet above turquoise water. After an easy continental breakfast the captain heads west, pausing under cathedral valleys to point out ancient Hawaiian village sites, hidden sea caves and the frequent bow-riding pods of spinner dolphins that inspired the company name. Once the anchor drops, mask and fins let you drift over coral heads alive with butterflyfish, parrotfish and green sea turtles. A deli-style lunch and cold beverages follow before the sails fill for the glide home.

From May through September the seven-hour Niihau and Lehua Crater Snorkel extends the adventure across the Kaulakahi Channel to Hawaii's "Forbidden Island." Few operators make the crossing, so reefs stay pristine and visibility often tops 100 feet. Crew members double as lifeguards and naturalists, guiding snorkelers to lava-tube swim-throughs and explaining the geology of Lehua's dramatic horseshoe-shaped rim. After the water time, beer and wine are served for the relaxed cruise back to Kauai.

If you prefer golden light to midday sun, the Afternoon Napali Sunset Dinner Sail swaps snorkel gear for camera lenses. The catamaran hugs the coast in late afternoon, timing Kalalau Valley and Honopu Arch for sun-low photo angles before dinner is plated. As the sun drops behind Niihau, you toast the horizon with a Kauai-brewed beer or chilled chardonnay while the crew raises the sails for a quiet run downwind.

From December to April, humpback whales add an extra spectacle. Every tour carries a hydrophone so you can listen to underwater whale song, and the company guarantees dolphin sightings year-round—miss them and you ride again free.

All snorkel equipment, flotation, reef-safe sunscreen, meals and non-alcoholic drinks come included, and alcoholic beverages open once the swimming ends. Check available days and seat maps under our Napali Coast cruises, pair a morning sail with afternoon fun from our Kauai snorkeling list, or return in winter for Kauai whale watching to round out the season.