Larry would go!

In Hawaii, we have a saying: Eddie would go! Eddie was a surfer and the first Hawaiian lifeguard at Waimea Bay, home of BIG waves. BIG is a whole deal and you won't ever catch me even thinking of surfing, let alone the big waves.

There is a surfing contest that they try to have each year. I say try because the waves have to be really big and really consistent for them to hold the contest.  And it hasn't been held this year; well, not in 2019.

So the expression "Eddie would go!" is one that means some amazing waves are going on and Eddie would go to surf it. Also that someone is doing something daring. So today, since there was rain, wind and not excellent conditions, when I noted my pal, Larry, heading out into the water, I said "Larry would go!" I also took that as permission for me to go too. And I'm glad I did. (Eddie passed away, reportedly; glad Larry didn't!)

It did rain off and on while I was in the water, but c'mon. You're wet anyway, right?

So I did go in and found 2 octopuses. 

 Neither photo is fabulous, but I was happy simply to be able to see any, considering the water, time of day and light.

I've been spotting the octopuses on Oahu recently because of the rocks they put outside their dens. In other places, they blow the remains of their meals, mostly shells, out of the dens. Then the shells accumulate near the den mouths.

I was able to find the pair of Lined Butterfly fish again, too.

I am hoping for some clearer water in the next few months!

Abudefduf from above

 Needlefish. Once you see the dark eye, you can find the rest.

 Trevally butt and then the whole fish. This one was circling near an eel.

And now for the early morning before I got in shots:

 Isn't that a crazy cool sky?

 I think of Creation when I see these photos.

This one seems kinda spooky. It was taken while it was still quite dark, from up above.

 Clouds after the sun was a bit more up.

And what I don't have a photo of, darn it!, is the oh-so-vibrant rainbow on the way home. Those colors were extravagant. Lovely. Magnifique!

The lady and the eel

This morning, I talked with a young lady who walked up to fish in the deeper side pond. I mentioned where I would be swimming and asked her, smiling, not to hook me! She laughed and said she would try not to. I told her that I'm nervous about hooks because I saw an eel killed by a fishing line not long ago. She said her sis-in-law was attacked by an eel (not sure what water she was in) and they had to pull her out of the water because the eel wasn't letting go! eek. I have never seen any eels in Hawaii that attached themselves to a person. Anyway, cautionary tale.

I did see a small Snowflake Moray in the same den where I used to see an octopus. Bad, bad moray! Yes, I know they are only trying to live and eat, but with so many other types of food, you'd think they would give an octopus a break. And really, I don't know if the eel ate the octopus or if it just flew away. In any case, I saw two octopuses today, and as far as I know, they were both new:

 The octopus flew from the coral head below, to the rock above. The tail of the Rock Mover Wrasse is above the octopus, which had adhered itself to the underside of the rock. The octopus is just below the white bar on the wrasse's tail.

The Rock Mover flew over the bottom, rubbing itself on the rocks. The octopus, to the bottom left, just sat there, trying to be invisible. 

He'e changed color to dark maroon when I swam down to get a closer shot.

 And it came fully out to move from the coral to the rock.

And he'e #2 was in this hole....it changed to the darker color when I swooped down. If I could only get them to know that I'm not the enemy.

And a very nice surprise in addition to octo-sightings, the long nose butterfly fish. Times 2! It's a lauwiliwilinukunuku'oi'oi fish. It means shaped like a wiliwili tree with a sharp snout:

They do have a very long snout. And pretty coloration. And they are usually seen in pairs:

 Like the Raccoon Butterfly fish:

The fish above were coming to see if I would feed them, I think. Note how their eyes are concealed by the black band on their faces.

 Ambon puffer is still pretty, even in sandy water.

Very nice clouds. Lots of variety.

 And a moon.

Cornet fish.

 Drupe shell with goop on it. Note the two "teeth" on the inside of the lip. Not sure what purpose they serve.

 The first fish I saw, a female Christmas Wrasse.

Hebrew Cone. In less than pristine condition.

 Another tiny Humu. They are so cute when they watch you and sometimes dart into a hole for protection.

Overloaded Urchin

 A mess of Kihikihi (Moorish idol) fish. This was taken in the Keiki Pond, where people walk around and mess up the bottom and therefore, the visibility.

 Moon.

 I titled one of these "Enough already!"

But had to include the ones with the palm trees for Alex.

 Hiding behind the clouds.

Paddle surfer...the surf wasn't great, so not many surfers to watch out for.

 Pencil Urchins

And Pinktail Durgon. Aren't those cool fins on top and bottom? Clear with black edging.

 Snakeshead Cowry shell, hiding in a dent in a rocky area.

Two snoozers on the island. I'm told the little one was there again. They are guessing it comes from Ni'ihau.

You can see the thread of the Threadfin Butterfly.

 And this is where the Snowflake Moray took over the octo-den. 

Very happy to see two octopuses, especially after seeing none last time. And when I got out of the water, found out our lease for the place on Oahu was approved! Yay.