Leah Dawson

Diving below the surface allows us to find worlds of joy and play.  Following a morning of reading about the Hawaiian Huna belief system of endless growth and discovery, our friend Pomai asked us to come shoot with him off his ski at Waimea Bay.  We were greeted by a community of dolphins, who happily danced around us, excited to play in the wake from the ski.  As we dove down we witnessed this group of beings, playing in harmony, with many of them pairing off and making love, while the rest swam alongside in obvious praise.  They allowed us so close, and I stared into their eyes, connecting as if we were speaking.  The Ancient Hawaiians looked to the animals around them for wisdom and guidance, for their Aumakua (ancestors) often revealed themselves through animals.   Depth has a new meaning for me now, for the dolphins’ ability to dance around the sea with such ease excites me to remember the same flow with the air and sea that I can find as a human being in my daily life.  How blessed we are to share the sea with such amazing creatures.  Dolphin Day :)