It was worth the drive

I heard there was rain in Poipu this morning, so I debated whether I would go swim. Like I could stay home..

After all, when you snorkel, you're already wet. The only factor is the light through the clouds, which I was surprised to notice was really nice in some spots. And the waves were behaving for the most part, so I was able to visit the deep side, as well as the shallower Keiki Pool. That's where I found the one and only octopus:

 I have seen this little darling before and it held pretty still for my camera. In fact, I wondered if it had seen me! Sometimes if you come from an angle up and beyond, they don't immediately see you.

Following is a Cornet fish getting a cleaning from the Hawaiian Cleaner wrasses. What a long body to scour for parasites!

 Nice clouds.

This is the tail of an eel that has appropriated the hole where I once saw an octopus. Hope it escaped! 

 And the animal in this Horn Shell has an animal, but not the original owner. A crab has made it its home and was in the process of scooting slowly across the reef with its home following behind.

 Female Box Fish

 Needle fish

 I am hoping the red rock on top of the coral head where I saw an octopus a few days ago is a marker, so the octopus can return.

 Pencil Urchins. I do love their color, as it stands out so well against the blandness of the reef.

 Picasso Trigger

 Pinktail Trigger

 One of two scorpion fishes. You can see one eye and a bit of the orange of the inside of its mouth.

 Not far away, another eye and mouth. In this case, the mouth is just below the rock at the top of the photo.

 A shell with anemone, I think.

 A small Spanish Dancer nudibranch, this time not swimming.

 And a lined Trevally. You can barely see the lines which are missing in the Bluefin type.

So a nice swim. And unexpectedly nice.

566 photos might be too many.....

At least I didn't take 700 photos! But the dancing/hunting octopus made me go over the line. There are some pictures that you simply MUST take. Know what I mean?

Here's an example. When the octopus moves around, you simply have to take the photo. Minds are great, but they don't remember for long...

Reaching for breakfast.

You can see the siphon and the eyes...with wrinkles between them. At least I'm not the only one with wrinkles. ha.

The octopus took exception to the goat fish being so close.

 It is a blessing to see the legs. Normally, the octopus is in its den, so they are hidden.

And also in the Good News category, octopus #1 was back at home in its den atop a coral head:

 The legs are wrapped around its head. In the following photo, you can also see the siphon. It stayed in, though, so there was no dancing.

Octopus #3 also stayed in its den, over on the shallow side.

 But it did peek out at me. Just below the big red rock. Just the one eye is visible.

Octopus #4 didn't come out, either, but I was able to catch photos of eye, siphon and sand on its skin.

 And a bit of aqua at the base of the siphon.

Very exciting octo-action. Thankful.

 Abudefduf near the sand.  And a blenny. I think.

Where'd this octo-photo come from? 

 Cowry shell on the bottom. Not sure if it was occupied, because I didn't pick it up.

But this horn shell definitely had a crab in it.

 Moray eel took a peek at me.

Everyone likes Plumeria flowers, even the urchins.

 Fleabite Cone shell

Two hawkfish sitting atop the coral. 

 Honu snoozing.

 Yellow tail Coris juvenile. Really stands out against the sand colored bottom.

Lizard fish. The camouflage was so good that when I flipped around to get another photo, couldn't find it! Of course, it could have flown away.

 Moorish Idols

Nudibranch. The bit at the left of the photo is the Naked Lungs part..

Pencil Urchins in the usual place. 

Pinktail joining in with Convict tangs for breakfast.

 A nice surprise was the Porcupine Fish! (diodon hystrix) It didn't like me, so zoomed away when it saw me.

Raindrops on the water's surface.

 The Spanish Dancer, so you can get an idea of its size. (Go to youtube for today's videos: search for octopigirl7 You'll find both Spanish dancer and octopus)

There was a Spotfin Scorpion fish in the same spot the octopus occupied a while ago. I'd hate to think it ate the octopus; I'd prefer to think the octopus saw it coming and moved...

A gem of a shell! This is the Turban shell with the operculum intact. A nice find for me. And it's still there for others to see.

Urchin with what I think is anemone crab. In a hole, so I couldn't get a great shot.

Urchin overloaded with protective shells.

 This is, I think, the male adult of the Yellow Tail Coris.

Not to be mean, but I was glad of the rain off and on while I was in the water today: it deters others from getting in. With my full wetsuit, I was set and very happy for all the viewing.