Chrissie Frickman was boating with her husband and two children near Dana Point, in Southern California on June 21 when a pod of dolphins swam alongside them.

One of the mammals jumped into the vessel, knocking Mrs Frickman over and landing on her legs, the Orange County Register reported.

Her husband, Dirk, pulled her out from under the dolphin and called authorities as he headed towards the harbour.

While he steered, he splashed water on the dolphin to keep it alive as it thrashed around and bled from some cuts.

"I could hear my phone buzzing and beeping on the floor - it was covered in blood," he said.

Mr Frickman got help pulling the dolphin on to a dock with a rope and then releasing it.

"The dolphin was hopefully saved," Mr Frickman said.

"It swam away with no problem."

His wife is still recovering from her injuries.

Harbour Patrol Sergeant D.J. Haldeman confirmed the incident.

He said sea lions had been known to jump aboard boats before, but that this was the first he had heard of a dolphin doing the same.

"I don't know what was in the water, but something must have scared it out," he  said.

AP