In addition to 5 octopuses (!!!!!), there was a flounder, scorpion fishes, a turtle swam by me and just when I was about to get out, I found TWO BUBBLE SHELLS with the animal still in them!!!!!! Whoooeeeee. Can you tell I was excited? About 453 photos of excited. Way too cool.
So since I spoiled the surprise already, let's go from rarest to least rare: so Bubble shells.
I started taking pictures like crazy when I saw this. After all, I do not think I have ever seen a live Bubble shell in the wild. THEN, I saw Bubble shell #2!
The really nice thing is that they are quite slow moving, so it was fairly easy to snap several photos...even though the water was a bit of bad visibility, you can still see how amazing these animals are.
I like the ruffles.
I shall have to investigate these little guys, as in the photo below, it looks as if there's a head outside the shell....not sure what makes them up. But I am sure they are small but very pretty.
I warned the people about to walk on the reef to not do that, but swim instead. They agreed.
Changing direction.
I also discovered this week that Fishing Weekly had used my frogfish eats puffer video. WITHOUT giving me any credit. Granted God made the animals, but I did take the photo....just saying. So really, thanks to God for making such a crazy fish as the Frogfish. (If you want to see it, go to youtube.com and ask for frogfish eats puffer. Or perhaps first to octopigirl7 and then frogfish eats puffer. That way you'll see the video on my youtube site.)
Flounder. They are the 2nd most rare in my experience. And quite cool. In the photo above, you can see its eye. And mouth.
They almost disappear don't they?
I also took a video of this fish running away from me. Look for it on youtube.com octopigirl7
And then 3rd in rarity were the scorpion fishes: I saw 2, I think. A spotfin scorp and a devil scorpion fish.
This guy was right next to something else I was photographing and then I said, Wait! What is that over there?
He opened his mouth for a stretch, showing his inner orange.
The Spotfin Scorpion fish is less showy, but just as interesting. They all have venom, so I go out of my way not to step on or touch them.
And now for (can't believe I'm typing this) the least rare of all: the octopus!
I saw 5 so by sheer numbers, the octopus was practically all over the place. HA. But it still took me probably an hour to find even one. Somehow, once I've seen one, then more show up.
You can barely see the siphon (the white ring to the left of the brown animal)..vis was not excellent. Then #2 below
#3 also hiding
#3 a nice small one. Very cute and more out of the den than the others.
And #5 I think.
And #4. There were two small ones that let me take pix.
And a big honu also swam by:
I always try to give them space, but in this case, I really watched and swam away, as I had just given two visitors their lecture about leaving them alone. His question had been: so would this be a good place to swim with the turtles?!
Um, NO! There's no good place to do that in Hawaii. Yeah, it's a bummer, but wouldn't you rather have turtles in the area than not have them at all?
Two turtles asleep on the beach.
Clouds and palms and lovely light and colors...
A nice Horn Shell. I think, since it was in such good condition, that there was an animal in there, so I didn't pick it up.
Seal taking a look
And looking like it's going to take off!
Bluefin Trevally following goat fish. They tend to follow, hoping for scraps. I guess it's a good strategy.
So, all told, what a great swim. I am once again thankful for not only the wonderful sightings, but the lack of scary animals!
