The octopuses allowed me to see them

 Pretty happy to have my octo-sighting skills back.  I did ask God for that viewing..He provides! I do think that it's kinda weird to ask God for something so seemingly insignificant, but He does grant the desires of our hearts, so I ask Him.

Of course, all things being crazy, the photos of the 2nd octopus miraculously disappeared from the camera.  And there were other technical difficulties, so I'm just glad I got some shots and was able to upload them to the computer...if there are no photos, it didn't happen.

In the first photo, the octopus was fully out and below the Rock Mover Wrasse, adhered to the rock. In the 2nd, the Rock Mover had moved around and the octopus, still fully out, is near the bottom right hand corner of the shot.  You'll get so you can see them more easily. But, please! Do not eat them. They are waaaay too cool to eat.  And sadly, on our walk after the swim, my friend saw a dead octopus in a ziplock bag, left on the rock.  What a travesty!  Not just to kill such a cool animal, but to leave it on a rock.  Insult to injury. Good thing the person who did that wasn't around still.  I would have had at least one comment.
And this just in...

My nephew has mad skills!  He totally erased the telephone pole that was marring the photo...he and Photoshop rock..thanks, Luke!  God's rays showing out from the clouds...
There were Pencil Urchins again:

I like the ones with white bases, too. I guess it's a different variety.  Ah, the things I don't know...

Some Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse were working hard on a wrasse. I think they are quite lovely, with the stripes and yellow, black, purple colors.  They are quick, too, darting about and eating parasites off the fishes to keep them clean.

There were two Spanish Dancer nudibranchs inching along the rocks:

I have seen videos of them swimming through the water, flapping their bodies to move.

There was also a seal, sleeping happily on the beach

It mightn't be easy to sleep with everyone vying to take the perfect photo.  Thankfully, most of mine are from the water, which can be less crowded.  In fact, when I got in around 8 a.m., I was the only one in the big pond. Heaven! 

There was also a bird which I couldn't see well enough to identify:

Maybe a booby?  Or an albatross?  Gee, and once I was a bird watcher.

Trunk fish for Alex:

I do enjoy these little guys, too.

And there were two fish in the Scorpion family:

I was happy to see the Devil Scorp with at least one side showing its underlying colors

And the Leaf Fish, holding on to the rocks by its side.

The Scorp didn't like me....it moved and tried to escape my gaze.  

There were a flock of goat fish near the spot where the Kiddie pond joins the Big Pond:

 Christmas Wrasse

Cowry shell, hidden in a little hole in the coral.

So a great start to the New Year. I'm thankful that swimming here is one of my benefits.

Hope you have a healthy and happy New Year.