Tuesday, July 3, 2018

The Coconut and 3 octopuses!!!

So this morning, as I was headed down to get into the pristine, if wavy water, I was listening to a small family talking behind me:
"What's that in the water?" Dad
"It's a coconut." Son
"Really? It doesn't look like a coconut." Dad
"I'll bet you a million dollars that's a coconut!" Son
"Take that bet, Dad! That's the float that the lifeguards attach to the jetski!" Karen
"Oh man! I was wrong..." Son
"Make him pay you now, Dad. This is the time!" Karen
"Oh, he'd just put it on my credit card anyway." Dad

So started off with a little humor. And then saw 3 octopuses!

If you've been reading my posts, you'll know I have had a small spell of no octo-sightings. That is always at least a little bit depressing.  I know there are other things of interest, and I do appreciate them, but truly, the main thing I like to see are octopuses. But NOT like this:
Yes, that's 2 seals snoozing. It is also at least 3 adult octopuses that I can only suspect some poor fool caught and put on the beach to "help" the seals. Really?!
I told a man and his wife: And that's why I haven't been seeing octopuses in the water lately!!!

So that was sad (apparently, at least so far, the seals had zero interest in dead octopuses...which made it doubly sad.)

But things picked up once I got in the water: 3 octopuses. 2 scorpion fish. Numerous shells and hermit crabs. It was a wonderful swim. Very happy with that 2 and a half hours of pretty nice water...

The Bluefin Trevally and female Christmas Wrasse were following this poor snowflake eel.  (Christmas and Snowflakes...kinda go together..)
 I think this was a Sea Hare. Never did get to see the entire animal, but it had the two things on the side of its head..and it was brown...and hiding.


Abudefduf. I will probably never tire of saying that! Try it; it will make you laugh. And it also reminds me of the Disney movie, where Abu was the monkey. 
 This mostly empty Cone shell was probably 6 inches long! I was planning to take it home, but discovered a very small crab had made it its home....so I put it back down. That crab will be able to grow enormous, if it can defend that big of a home.


Can you see the box crab? Look for the slightly agape mouth and the two eyes. (on the left) It is the same color as the bottom, which is pretty good camouflage. I actually only saw it when it moved.
 Brighteye Chromis

Christmas wrasse male and bluefin.
 Again, pestering the Snowflake!
 This was the butt end of a nice Cone shell, adhered to a rock. 
 This was NOT a Cone shell, but a cone shaped piece of fishing lead. (Which I threw away...apologies to my fishermen friends.)
 This photo astonished me: I took the photo of the crab on the right. TOTALLY didn't see the Shrimp on the left until I got it home! (the photo, not the shrimp.)
 Drupe shell. Thankfully, it was occupied, I think with the real animal, so I left it on the bottom.


As Alex would say: Eelage!
 Flea Bite Cone Shell
 Blenny, poking up from its hole in the bottom.
 Octopus #1. YAY. It changed to the darker color when I got a little closer. Sorry, dude!
 I think this was octopus #2...see the small shell on the cliff overhanging the den...
 Octopus #3.
 Octopus #3 peeking at me. It's the brown slit-eye on the right-ish.
 Hebrew Cone Shell.





Crab in Turban Shell. If you look carefully, it's in the shade, you can see two eyes....with neat patterns.
 Nice Cone shell hiding under an overhang. Just saying: if you go slowly as you swim, you'll see cool stuff! That's why it always amazes me that people say: was there anything to see in there?!

 Pencil Urchins hiding.



Hard to see, but there's a young turtle, which was swimming away from two visitors...thankfully, they didn't chase it! There is hope!
 See the tiny octopus hole at the pointy end? At least, I'd guess that was who preyed upon it. There was something inside, but hard to tell what.



Humu. Yes, I can say the whole name, just don't want to type it!
 Nice male box fish. Alex and I love these guys...and the females too, though they are just black and white.
 Needlefish near the surface. Hard to catch the photo.(Imagine lying flat on your stomach and looking up to the ceiling...
 Like this seal, I need a manicure. Imagine if someone painted its nails and it woke up. Bright red! It might not notice. And please don't do that. Not nice and also totally illegal...it would be considered harassment!
Rock Mover Wrasse. It didn't help me find octopuses, but I still enjoy the fish.












Scorpion Fish #1:
 Scorpion Fish #2.
I actually wondered if I was just seeing the same one again, but the first one was green and the 2nd, brown. I am not sure how long it takes them to change color, but I think probably longer than a few minutes! (After all, not everyone can be an octopus.) I did have to zoom back and forth for about 10 minutes, thinking to see one, then find the other to make sure there were two. I wasn't sure how quickly they can change color. Please don't walk on the bottom! These were just at the edge of the place where many people walk into the water. It's a no-no for your safety.

I have to say that since I had been almost two weeks without seeing an octopus, I thanked God fervently for spotting the first and well, all of them today! I told Alex I almost cried into my mask with joy and thankfulness. It's ok: he knows I'm an octo-weirdo. As does God, whom I thank often for His blessings. May you have blessings, too!

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