Kauai anew!: Five octopuses and I had to neglect the frogfish

Today's excitement was 5 octopus, 1 leaf fish and 1 scorpion fish. And I had to neglect the frogfish, as the waves made it unsafe to get out there where I've seen it. But it's all good. Better to be alive. Don't you agree?

Speaking of alive: before I got in, as I was perusing the wave action, a man and his daughter started in, right in the rip zone. WITHOUT fins, I might add! So I watched them just in case.

There was struggling and it was a classic case of the rip taking you. The man was strong enough to almost get out of the rip, so he took his daughter against the current and up toward the island a bit. When he looked to shore, I pointed toward the Keiki Pond, hoping he'd realize that was how to get out of the rip.

Eventually, he got out, but it was touch and go for a minute. My point? Be prepared people! Especially when there are signs that warn you against dangers. They are there for a reason. I'm not saying I've never been caught off guard, but I am saying it's not a lake and one should have all the appropriate equipment before even thinking of getting in.

These pix are the same octopus. Before and after it got mad.

Still he'e #1, with nice light and the chance to see the siphon.

Showing a bit of siphon, eye and the bottom of the animal.

Back hiding in its den.

He'e 2

This is He'e #2 again, with the Saddle wrasse to help demonstrate its size. But you have to know the size of the wrasse to catch on.

He'e 3 peeking at me from its den, to the left of the red rock in the middle.

This octopus, #4, cooperated by showing several parts of its body: the suckers, the bottom part with the nice blue, and its eyes. It looks upside down, but it was me that was.

And back to hiding.

And last but not least, #5:

This small octopus was about 2 feet from a scorpion fish! I was a little afraid for it. But the Scorp stayed in its general area and eventually turned in the opposite direction from the octopus. Yay.

A little bit of rainbow on #5.

And a review of one of the earlier octopuses. Sometimes with this much bounty, you lose count.

And here's the Scorpion Fish:

Just above the center of the photo. Look for the orange fins.

Mouth toward the camera.

This is the octopus (near the bottom) and the rock in the back is where the scorp was hiding.

I think this fish could have made short work of the octopus, had it seen it and been so inclined.

Again, mouth slightly agape and toward the camera. And 2 colorful fins. Advertising the venom.

Not showing any orange. It's easy to imagine that one might not see this fish before stepping on it. Again, it's not a lake!

I have to say that I looked carefully at this fish: at first I thought it was a bit of trash. But the feet/fins gave it away. It stayed very close to that rock, so it wasn't easy to catch it with my camera.

Turban shell with electric blue hermit crab. At first I was tempted to pick up the shell, to see if it had its operculum. Glad I didn't: a second later, a wave blew it down and I saw the crab.

The shell below is what I first saw; above, the crab using its new home.

They are beautiful shells, but a lot of ocean gunk adheres to them, especially when the original animal isn't home anymore.

Two honu (turtles) snoozing on the beach (one is behind the guy; he was far enough away)

Barely visible rainbow

Above, the Blue spined unicorn

Brighteye damsel above the octopus

Brighteye Damsel scooting around

Christmas Wrasse very near the scorpion fish (above the fish's fin on the upside)

Christmas Wrasse swimming away.

This hawk fish was sitting on top of the coral head that I routinely check, as it sometimes has octopuses in a hole near the bottom of the coral head.

And below, sadly, a dead Snowflake. Something had eaten just half.