Windward beached dolphins safely escorted back to sea

By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer

Several agencies responded yesterday morning to reports about beached dolphins near Kalama Beach Park on Kailua Bay, said Margaret Akamine, protected species program coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the Pacific.

Akamine said veterinarian Robert Braun, president of the Hawaiian Islands Stranding and Response Group, went to the location after the first report came in to the response group at around 7:40 a.m.

"The report was that a small spinner dolphin, about 30 inches long, had come ashore twice," said Akamine. "The dolphin was put outside the surf zone by two beachgoers and was observed to go away."

She said another report came in around that same time about a beached dead dolphin, but investigators for the response group and the Honolulu Police Department were unable to confirm that sighting.

"At around 9:30 a.m. there was another report of two small dolphins in the surf zone off a place called Dune Circle. Those animals were again assisted beyond the surf zone by beachgoers."

Akamine said one of those dolphins may have been involved in the earlier reports. She said observers from the response group, HPD and NOAA Fisheries remained on the scene until around 10:30 a.m. and were unable to spot the animals.