New Every Morning (Lamentations 3:23)

As I awaited the sunrise this morning at Hanauma Bay, I thought about how every sunrise is new...none is exactly like yesterday's!

 Oh so pretty, right?!

And of course, gotta include palm trees.

And clouds. 

I congratulated God for choosing a painter to paint such a lovely scene!

And I also thanked Him for helping me see 3 octopuses. And 2 lovely Yellow Tangs. The morning was packed!

I am still staying inside the barrier reef. I want to be at full strength before I go out into the deeper water. I did hear that it was clear outside and to the left, so I'm getting anxious and ready to check it out. However, I did have a nice chat with the female lifeguard today; she was glad to hear that I was being cautious! She said that sometimes H Bay is more busy with lifesavings than the North shore. She said that when people see big surf, they tend to stay out. NOBODY stays out at Hanauma Bay!!! And since it's a big tourist destination, we get a lot of the newbies in the water.

She added that some people quit being a lifeguard because they can't let go of upset if they can't save someone. I can certainly understand that. It wouldn't be a job for me.

I did thank her for doing that important job.

Now, on to the octopuses! Of which there were 3. YAY.

 Peeking at me. hahaha

I do so love it when they do that. You really know they are there and they know that you are, too.








He'e 2:

 What a difference some light makes...

And #3:

 Pretty well hidden, until the light hits 'em.

None of them came out to do a dance or anything, but still nice to see them. And since I have yet to see a Rock Mover Wrasse, they have no one to thwap!

There were actually 6 humu in this group, but of course, they wouldn't pose all in one tightly knit group. Where would the fun be in that?!

 Nice little Cornet fish.

More sunrise and awesome clouds

 And a pair of Yellow Tangs...first I've seen here in a while. And I definitely do not see those on Kauai!

 Another reason not to wear scrunchies in the water. I didn't take this one out (the urchin was using it), but did find another and took that one off the bottom. Also, a snorkel. I still can't understand how one loses those, but...

 Snowflake Moray. Very cute, even if the water wasn't the clearest.

 A different kind of Tang joined the 2 yellow ones.

And a Turban Shell!!! I think it was in use by either the original animal or a crab. In any case, one can't pick up shells and take 'em at Hanauma Bay, as it's a Marine Preserve. Tell your friends.

All in all, a nice 2 hour swim. Enjoyed it. Here's hoping for more clear water next time. But still good.

High tide did not kick my ***!

I debated about going into the deep side today, as it was high tide. But the surf wasn't very big, so after due consideration and a discussion with a very nice lady from Illinois, I decided it was ok. And it was nice, once I got in there. The water did move me around a bit, but not unmanageably. And I was not swept over to the shallow side against my will, so that's all good too.
Two octopuses spotted:

 You can see some bumps on its skin.

 And the eye is at the top of the body, so just below the rock above its den.

And this is what I saw at first. Hard to see, isn't it?

 He'e #2 was hiding in a hole in a rock.

 But at one point, it did show more of itself. But it didn't come out to play.

Did you see the recent PBS show on octopuses?! If not, catch up on DVR, as it's a story about octopuses and how cool they are, as experienced by an Alaskan professor and his daughter! And no, it's not the Pacific octopus featured, but the kind we get over here, the cyanea. Very neat show, with lots of video of the coolest animal on the planet. (It's possible I'm a little bit biased.)

 I recently learned the Hawaiian name for Moorish Idol: Kihikihi! (Say it key-he-key-he). Cool, non?

 I have not yet learned the Hawaiian name for a Cowry shell, however. Doesn't stop them from being pretty.

 Crab hiding inside a hole.

 God's Rays

 Manini group of juveniles...Manini being manini!

Rainbow. Worth popping up for.

 Scorpion Fish. They do blend in very well, I think.

 You can see, following, a bit of the orange on the inside of the side fin.

Bluefin Trevally irritating a Snowflake Moray.

 Juvenile Yellow Tail Coris. I saw the adults today, too, but didn't think to snap a photo. I see them so often.

A nice swim all around. Glad I ventured into the deeper side. 

Frogfish missing! Octopuses at home

Snooped and snooped for the frogfish today, but no joy. Hope those octopuses are leaving it alone...

 Octopus #1 turned the darker color when I swooped down in the deeper side for a better look. Sorry, dude!

Octopus #2 is almost the same color as the sand... The eye has pale white lines radiating out from its center.

He'e 3 choosing to blend in

 Showing eye and siphon

 and again. The eye is left and below of the siphon.

A bit darker here, showing siphon and eye

Siphon, eye, and sand in the water.

There were no dancing or hunting octopuses today. I'm glad to see them, though, no matter what they are doing.

Nice little wrasse, I think it's called Black Lined Wrasse.

 Today I found my friend likes clouds as much as I do! Hook 'em, horns!

 Not easy to draw a bead on, but the Snakeshead Cowry was hiding in a divot in the bottom, behind a piece of coral.

Pink coral for Sue.

 Big Cornet and following, two little guys, smaller than pencils!

This urchin had a lot of protective armor.

 Hebrew Cone Shell

Honu swam by and underneath me.

 Another one on the beach. You can see its trail.

Same small honu as above.

 Male Box Fish

Needlefish

 Pencil Urchins on the deep side.

Pinktail. They are in the same family as the Humu, I think.

 Rock Mover and the octopus hiding nearby.

 Snoozing seal and my longest-term Kauai friend, above it.

 Snoozing seal. I'm happy to report that the seal was signed protectively and people were being respectful.

 Snowflake Moray going from one rock to another.

I was sorry to miss seeing my friends while I was in the water, but got to catch up with them at Keoki's later...mmmmm, Hula Pie! (If you don't already know, it's a huge piece..3 of us shared and it was plenty.) Be kind to the animals. And thanks.