Kauai anew!: Sore elbow, but two octopuses

Since I am aging, I'm getting accustomed to having little aches and pains, but today was more than usual. I don't know what I did to tweak my elbow, but of course, it's on the right side which is my most often used side, since I'm right handed. But not complaining: saw two octopuses. And 3 seals. And some eels. I mean, the swim was chock full of fun.

And the water was nice too. I did lose about 20 minutes waiting for the seals to decide where they wanted to haul out:

The one above shows one of our wonderful volunteers, awaiting the decision. This seal is kind of bark-y, so you know when he is around.

This was one that couldn't decide which pond he wanted to be in. Or whether frolicking would be more fun than lounging on the beach. Eventually, when I left the water, there were no seals on the beach, so they must have chosen frolicking somewhere else. I do try not to enter the water when they are there, as I don't want to encourage them to play! We need to keep our distance. Not just because they are wild animals, but also endangered and protected.

Once I did get in the water on the deeper side, I was extremely excited to discover that, after a couple of months of searching in this area, an octopus had decided to hang out in the top hole of a coral head! I check this hole each time I swim, as there used to be an octopus that lived in that hole. But haven't seen one for quite a while, so I was really great to see it in use again.

I was also a little concerned, as this octopus wasn't colored the same as most are; that is, it was a pale color, which I take to mean it is either scared, or ill. But I can't really know that....they do NOT speak to me, other than sometimes to blow sand and water in my direction to get me to go away. ha.

Preceding and following is he'e #2 out near the wave break.

By this time, I had graduated over to the shallower side, having seen just the one octopus in the deep side. There was also a spear fisherman, so I tend to disappear when they are around, not wanting to be in the area in case they catch something and blood appears in the water. I was also praying he wouldn't find the one octopus I saw.

Peeking at me. I love it when they do that. They do bring rocks into their dens, I think to camouflage and block the entry.

Two four-spot butterfly and a bluestripe butterfly. It's amazing how they almost disappear if you look at them head-on, as they are so slender.

Bright eye Chromis. I'm unsure why some have that faint striping.

Here's the Catseye of the Operculum! I do not often see these, as they have been in the water long enough to get bleached out, I guess.

And Mr. Electric Blue Crab had appropriated a Turban Shell.

As this one did.

I don't normally post food pix, but I have been enjoying some good Rosemary/Parmesan bread with butter and radishes and parsley. Reminds me of our trips to Paris! Our radishes are not as sweet as the French ones, however.

And today's trash: a stretchy bracelet, some fishing line and a hook and more fishing line with leader. It irritates me to see these things because some people aren't aware to be on the lookout for fishing line and hooks.

A seal going over the rocks. Not sure why it did that, as there's a less rocky place nearby, but he had his reasons, I guess.

Speaking of reasons, not at all sure why this Hawaiian Hogfish wanted to hang out near this eel. Doesn't seem like a good survival strategy to me. But neither animal was hurt, so I guess it all turned out ok.

Following is the juvenile Yellow Tail Coris, along with pals the Brighteye Chromis on top and saddle wrasse juveniles below. The red really stands out against the pale sand and rocks.

A male Trunk fish butt.

Nudibranch. This one was perhaps 3 inches long. In the photo following you can see a bit more of the "naked lungs" that give them their name.

Operculum on paper towel. I love the swirly line. That part is the part inside the "door" when attached to the Turban shell.

And Pencil Urchins. A man from Minnesota asked me if I get rock fever. I said, No, since the ocean is big and I am blessed to get in often!

The Pencils would have a good reason to have rock fever, all scrunched in between those rocks.

Pinktail Durgon: I recently discovered that they will eat octopuses. I must admit, even though I know it's nature for them to eat, it did move them down in my Fave Fish list.

Scorpion Fish. They are really amazing at hiding. The nose and eyes are near the top right of the photo.

From further away, this is how I first saw the fish. Find the red rock, then the pale rock to its left and then further left is the fish. No really, I wouldn't lie.