This weekend is Maui’s celebration of Wild Dolphin Days! To commemorate this weekend, the Pacific Whale Foundation held its Wild Dolphin Sand Sculpture Contest out on Keawakapu Beach in South Kihei! Prizes were given out in 5 categories to participants to encourage all ages, abilities and family sizes to participate.
Wild Dolphin Days not only celebrates the spectacular wild dolphins that grace us around all 3 Maui islands, but also commemorates the tenth year since Maui County passed a law to not allow the display of captive dolphins (and other cetaceans) to ensure that they will continue to remain wild. The Pacific Whale Foundation participates in the research of wild dolphins and makes the public aware of how to respond to dolphins responsibly.
One could see large families working side by side to create realistic dolphin families with an equal number of dolphin-siblings as there were human siblings, or fathers and sons digging happily to create their symbolic representation of a wild dolphin. The event was open to individuals or groups while the crowds gathering cheered sculptors on. I was especially impressed with the large turnout of entire families – from prenatal to grandparents supporting each other. This is just another form of aloha here on Maui. Community means a great deal.
Thank you Pacific Whale Foundation for another fun and inspiring event! Mahalo!
http://pennypalmerphotography.com
