I figured it out

No more sore elbow! I figured out how it happens: I am trying not to strongly grasp my camera in my right hand (for 2 or 3 hours while I'm swimming.) To do that, I'm sharing holding it with my left hand, too. Which makes me bend my elbow strangely. Gosh, I'm a mass of mess!

So I handle it by holding the camera lightly and with the arm mostly straight. Gee, who knew that blogging could be painful?

But totally worth it for today's prize photo:

Male Box or Trunk fish. I told my hubby that perhaps I could now actually count the number of dots. He reminded me that there are dots underneath too. Ah, a photog's work is never done.

Especially since I haven't even reported on the octopus count for the day: 2

Octopus #1










Below, the eye: look for white lines radiating outward.

This nice octopus sat still for my photos. It didn't scrunch down or turn dark brown. This was on the deep side.










Octopus #2 was out in the Keiki Pond and was entrenched in its den, so harder to see.

 The light got on its skin a bit, so you can see the brown color and the siphon. And following is what I first saw: hard to know its even there, right?! (Siphon in the hole near the bottom left)

2 sea cucumbers. Keep this in mind if you ever think to eat one in a restaurant!

And the Ambon Puffer showing a bit of its blue fin underneath.

 I just love the patterns on them when the sun hits 'em.

This is where an octopus was last time, but not at home today, apparently. And just in case you think: Why doesn't she just put a hand in there to check if it's really empty? That's because sometimes an eel takes over a den and chica does not want an eel bite. 

 Nice Black Leaf Fish

It didn't move even a little bit. It is the definition of ambush predator (and a member of the Scorpion Fish family.) 

Brighteye Chromis. These fish are all over the reef; if I took a photo of every one I saw, I'd be there all day.

 Electric Blue Crab hiding in a shell.

Drupe shell on the reef, resting.

 This Humu dove into a slot on this coral head about a second after I snapped the photo.

And I was lucky to get a photo of this Lizard Fish: Right after I saw it, it snapped away and zoomed up over the reef rocks, so I was happy I got a photo at all.

 Male Trunk Fish

 And nobody was home in the hole in the coral head where I saw the octopus yesterday. 

Pencil Urchin

This Picasso Trigger swam quickly away on the deep side, so this photo is just a reminder that it was there at all.

 Rain out at sea

Scorpion Fish awaiting prey.

 This little fish is, I think, the one that mimics the Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse, but bites the fish instead of cleaning it.

Snowflake Moray didn't appreciate my visit.

 And the Trevally was hoping for a snack blown up by the goat fish.

Urchins and their baggage/protection

In case you want to see one that isn't completely covered with rocks, coral, algae, shells, etc.

Yes, there is one underneath all that rock.

 In case you don't believe me, look for the tiny white spike-y things.

And this Urchin picked up some of the plentiful plant material I've been seeing lately.

 I called this one Urchin Suicide, as it was perched up on the tippy-top of a coral head, apparently ready to jump off.

 I hesitate to guess what the pink stuff on this one was, but it looks suspiciously like gum. Yuck. Hope I'm wrong.

And I cannot tell what these little pink things were, either. But they were interesting.

So that's the haps from today's 2.5 hours of swim. Nice light, octopuses and cool fish. Love that! (Seals were mysteriously absent. No one knows where they were.)

Oops! I surprised an eel!

I normally start my blog with an octo-report, but while it's fresh in my mind, I thought I'd mention that I made a snowflake eel mad today! I put my hand down to grab an operculum and I guess the eel was hiding and didn't appreciate my attention. So it swam off, after rearing back to try to intimidate me. By the fact that there's no picture of this rearing, you might know that it did! Intimidate me, that is.

This is the eel swimming away. Sorry, buddy!

So while I'm on the eel topic, here is the other eel photo from today:

 I think it might be a Dragon Moray, but I didn't see its head, so not positive.

Too bad, too, because those are very cool eels.

So 5 octopuses today, I think. Why the confusion? I saw what I think was #5, but have to check the surrounding rocks, as it could have been one I already saw. 

 There's no confusion about octopus #1, though. I remember the little bluish rock near its den. And that it was in the deep side, so harder to get really close.

He'e 2:

It was peeking at me... 

And then it retreated into its den. You can see one eye and the siphon with its aqua color. I am intrigued about whether they can also put camouflage color on the siphon. When I see them, they are usually brown or white....not camouflaged, i.e., brown and white like the camouflaged skin.

He'e #3...can you just see its eye? between the rocks just a bit left of center in the shot.

 And it wanted to hide. Drat. They all do that. But come to think of it, that's a good thing: if they don't hide, someone without my sensibilities might hunt it!

 And here's the brown/white siphon and the eye. It's hiding in its den.

He'e #4 in a new place! This is a rock with a hole in its middle and the octopus is hiding inside. 

You can just see its white siphon.

I am leaning toward thinking this was octopus #5....

Very happy to see so many. Nice water, too, pretty flat and clear. Yay.

 4 little Humu. Very cute, as they darted around.

Finally, another Ambon Puffer picture with the pretty blue anal fin!

I don't know why these Blue-Spined Unicorns have different coloration. I shall look it up. But not right now. Please be patient (because someone has to be....won't be me, probably. Ha.)

 Christmas Wrasse sped through.

Cornet Fish

 It occurred to me today that when the 4 spot butterfly are swimming together and then peel off in different directions that perhaps they are performing a defensive maneuver, so both won't be eaten/caught at the same time. Let me know if they tell you.

Possible nudibranch eggs, attached to a rock. It's like a small white flower, blowing in the breeze.

 God's rays shining through the clouds.

Small Hawaiian Hogfish

 Sideways and leftways Trunk fish males

 Minnows. I can't tell what they will grow into.

 This big Honu surprised me! This was the 2nd one.

This was the first turtle that swam by me. I can tell it's a different one, because the first one had white on its eyes...I hope that isn't a parasite! I don't get close, so I couldn't really examine it. But #2 didn't have that white, so that's my rationale for thinking it's a different honu.

The operculum that I found near a real octopus...this is on my desk as a reminder...with my pottery octopus. 

Lizard fish. I saw it flex its side fins, so I recorded a video to catch it possible burying itself in the sand. Of course, because I was ready, it didn't do that. Oy vey.

 Peacock Grouper

 Find the peeking he'e:

 Pencil Urchins

Young Pinktail Durgon

 Juvenile Yellow Tail coris

A mess of Rock Mover wrasses! I do not know what they found so interesting beneath that rock, but it kept them occupied until I moved on.

 Snoozing seal

 A momma with 4 chicks. They stopped near the showers for a drink.

OK, now for the Urchin parade. I thought it was interesting how diverse the things are that they put on their backs. Some of them look really heavy, but good armor.

The stuff on the back definitely outweighed the urchin!

This urchin was hiding in a rock. Burrowing Urchins.

 And this is the kind you definitely don't want to be pushed into by a wave! They are usually out on the deep side.

Yup, there's an urchin under all that!

 This one apparently liked only smallish bits.

All in all, a wonderful snorkel. No scary animals, no smacking waves and plenty of octopuses. Also, not too many people in the water. Perhaps because it was cold...well, cold for Hawaii anyway.

Thanks for reading. And thanks to God for creating it all.