Lavendar tangs clean a green sea turtle off the island of Oahu.

Adorable Hawaiian monk seal, checking out the passengers onboard...

Harbor kitty "Shamus" smelled bacon cooking for breakfast before the Full Day charter and invited himself onboard. However, he seemed more interested getting love from the crew, than any food. He jumped off (onto the pier) once we started the engines... Thanks for the visit Shamus!

Always nice to get offshore with the 'lesser known' species, and give those spinner dolphins a break. Really, it gives us a break from dealing with those waters getting increasingly crowded. Thank you wind for lying down today...

Pilot whales back on the coastline today... Have our main camera in the shop, so concentrated on taking photos of the bulls, since can often id the pod, if you can id the male.

Tempted to "shoot" the politicians that let this happen. Grrrrrr.... We had a family onboard from Argentina recently, said the government situation was atrocious, but recently changed and hopefully improving. Feeling lucky to live in Hawaii about now.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/shooting-seagulls-to-save-whales/story-e6frg6so-1226460645368

Alaka'i - Comfort, no matter where the day takes you

Alaka'i - "Role Model" or "Guide" . Her name reminds of us our role on the water - to care for our oceans. However, when on charters visiting Molokai, she is known as the "Bad Ass Cat!" Gotta love it. Passengers on this dolphin-magnet might experience sea spray, salty skin, untamed '80s hairstyles and sunny smiles.

She sports a revolutionary design, carefully designed in 2007 with respect to Hawai‘i's weather, ocean conditions and unique natural resources, with the speed and comfort to cover the coastline - and beyond - in luxurious style, powered with environmentally-friendly, low-sulfur diesel fuel.

The signature BAHA King Cat 34 ft. boats feature superior rough water performance, unmatched stability and boast a superb record for safety and reliability. The vessel’s design incorporates the latest in environmentally responsible maritime technology.

Her large, dry, back deck has ample room for sunning, gearing up, and maneuvering for photography. There is a large swim step and custom-built "monster ladder" extending far below the water line, a fresh water rinse awaits your return to the boat!

Sit up on her bow to feel the ocean mist - or be extra close to bowriding dolphins. The spacious fore-deck and easy access around the main deck makes her a perfect platform for whale and dolphin observations and photography.

Relax in cushiony shade in the cabin or cockpit. The covered flybridge provides a superb observation platform with panoramic vistas. Join your Captain, and help spot marine life or navigate to distant shores. Have your camera ready!

Wild Side's Yacht Charters

Island Spirit (Morning Wildlife Cruise and Jr Naturalist Program) | Alaka'i (Best of the West) | Nautilus (Inter-island, full days)

We pride ourselves in a clean, well-maintained "green" charter fleet -such as above-water exhaust for minimal underwater noise impact

In 1778, Captain Cook's cruise was greeted on the Big Island of Hawaii by over 15,000 double hulled sailing canoes. Blended with the modern technology, our yachts carry on the tradition with the stability, grace and comfort of traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoes.
CSK designed legacy yachts such as our own Island Spirit and the renowned Polynesian voyaging canoes, the Hokule'a and Hawai'i Loa. To continue our policy of intimate cruises, we have all 42 feet of the Island Spirit, our flag ship, dedicated to only half of her certified carrying capacity for a combo of whale watching, snorkeling, coastal cruises and wild dolphin swims
She's passenger friendly with lots of seating fore (two trampolines), aft, and inside. Easy-access enclosed cabin is spacious, has 6' 4" headroom and is laid out for comfort. Both cabin and cockpit area offer plenty of shade. A private marine head (bathroom), allows for complete comfort and doubles as changing room..

This well-built, stable catamaran boasts an on-deck fresh water shower to keep you comfortable after snorkeling, and critical for those catching last minute flights home! The drop-down staircase eases both getting into and out of the water - poetry in ocean.
In October of 2007, after many years of well-maintained service to Hawaii and her visitors, the Island Spirit was treated to a well-deserved makeover. We found that for the most part, due to the lack of wind, our morning sails were under power. In a move to be more fuel-efficient, we decided to nip her sails, tuck her rigging - and excise her excess weight.
In Sept. 2011, following up with the previous lipo, she got a full face lift and other surgeries (including implants - we're not telling where!). The old lady (built in 1970) appreciated her re-do into a sleeker, younger and faster vessel (who wouldn't?), and also her transformation into being even more friendly to the ocean environment.
Come and see her strut.

Year-round Whale Watching, Swimming with Wild Dolphins, Turtle Reef Snorkeling;

Life Uncaged - In Their World, on Their Terms

Half, Full and Multiple Day Snorkeling Charters - Warning - potentially life changing. Certainly life affirming. Our remote cruises are intimate, ecologically friendly, nature-minded, porpoise-ful, and absolutely unique to the islands. Here's why...

• Departing from Oahu, with a combination of incredible history, stunning wildlife, and a mesmerizing wealth of natural beauty that only Mother Nature at her finest can provide - our mission quite simply - Conservation through Experience.
  
  
• Holistic Primarily billed as whale watching, snorkeling and dolphin and turtle encounters, our tours encompass the entire ecosystem - from pelagic seabirds to beaches teeming with reef fish - and the culture and traditions that formed around them.The health and safety of passengers, wildlife ,and the host community alike are priorities.
  
  
• You're not just another face in the crowd. Say "no thanks" to canned tours, Our charters maximize each day's experience and combine both indigenous knowledge and scientific findings with a flair for storytelling - guiding into a world completely removed from your routine existence.     

In-Water Best Practices

As marine operators, we avoid influencing the natural behavior of any marine life, and encourage our guests to do the same. It is our intention to provide as natural a viewing experience as possible for our guests while interacting with the marine environment. Everyone will:

• Be aware of our body and equipment so as to avoid contact with the reef or other marine life.
• Not approach any marine life within arm’s reach for any reason.
• Not approach turtles within 1 body length and will avoid impeding a turtle’s path to the surface for breathing.
• Protect ourselves and marine life and their habitat by not FEEDING them to; make animals less aggressive, protect marine life from ingesting harmful foods, protect the balance of the marine ecosystem, and let the fish do their job.
• Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before entering the water.
• Use biodegradable defog.

We believe that increasing the sustainability of natural systems is not just good business, it's the right thing to do.

Wild Side's Green Travel - Best Practices

We owe an Ocean of Gratitude to all who have supported our efforts and strive for sustainability in their own lives. Wild Side Specialty Tours is honored to report our efforts below:

• Mooring safe for reefs and wildlife
• Reduce, Reuse and Recycle We use earth-friendly cleaning products, recycled paper and packaging. We use worm composting to recycle paper and the nutrients from our galley waste.
• Low-sulfur diesel fuel, and EPA compliant engines are combined with best practices - such as GPS guided direct routes.
• Vessels outfitted with low flow toilets
• Removing encountered marine debris when possible, or otherwise reporting it to proper officials.
• Contributing to local non-profits, and employing folks from our own community.
• Office help works out of the their homes rather than drive.
• “Virtual Office” is virtually paperless
• Actively participate in marine issues on both local and national levels.
• Buying locally whenever possible; locally grown, seasonal food items on the Best of the West and Sunset charters.

Giving Back

Wild Side is internationally recognized as a professional, innovative, and successful business conducting environmentally responsible marine interactions.We aggressively participate in environmental protection through education and action, promote sustainable travel and to not just leave footprints as the only impression of our travels through sensitive lands, but to also leave a positive and impassioned impression on high-powered travelers and partners as well.

A portion of your fees are donated to the Wild Dolphin Foundation - for marine conservation and education, regulatory reform, and research. We also embrace a range of strict environmentally-based business practices to minimize disturbance to marine wildlife and habitat. Wild Side adheres to the IWC's General Principles for Whalewatching to minimise the risks of adverse impacts of whalewatching on cetaceans.

We also work collaboratively with Cascadia Research Collective to whom we submit our photos taken of marine wildlife for abundance and distribution analysis. We have also donated to Ma'o Farms and Kanu Hawaii. 

Wild Side Specialty Tours: Tours with Integrity

Passengers on our intimate journeys are considered our personal guests, who by the end of their journey should be joyful, enlightened, sensitive to the fragility of Hawaii’s marine environment, and have a true sense of place.

We do not seek volume on our tours; we aim only to provide a quality, thought-provoking and potentially life-changing experience. Everyone is welcome, whether you want to nap on the boat's hammock-like trampolines or explore in the water to your heart's content. Our charters are for anyone who hears the call of the ocean.

In a global climate of “loving nature to death” Wild Side’s mission is to educate guests about the plight of our local marine life, promote environmental awareness and stewardship to people from around the world, and leave them with compassion for our sea life Ohana. Every member of our team works hard daily to make sure our guests are safe, having the time of their life, and leave with a better understanding of our host culture and precious resources. As a Company we strive to make sure our Guests leave the boat with a smile on their faces and an understanding of why we love what we do.