Trios

Today's swim was full of trios: 3 octopus and 3 scorpion fish. Yes!
I nearly put my hand down on the first scorpion fish:

I was picking up an operculum and this nice Scorpion Fish inched a little bit to move further away when I dove down. I thought that was quite nice and am thankful it didn't take offense at me! I know to be more careful, but still have a ways to go, apparently.

 This was octopus #1, out in the deeper water. I LOVE being out there, as there's more room to move and the likelihood of seeing bigger fish is greater. Of course, I do not want to see the really big fish, so I pray for protection. The octopus above turned brown when I dove down; the following picture is what I first saw, with regular coloration.

The octopus has 2 circles over its eyes. This one was slowly hunting, move its tentacles into the coral to see if there were any exciting things to eat.

 It also "peeked" at me. It's in the exact center of the photo...just the eye and the radiating white lines emanating from the eye.

 This one started off with "regular" colors, but changed to the dark brown in the previous photo when it realized I was getting closer.

 The man who swam by with his go-pro didn't even slow down to see what I was taking pix of...ah, the uninitiated!

Scorpion fish #2: the Spotfin Scorpion fish. Somehow, they are not as exciting as the Devil Scorps. Not sure why.

And octopus #3:

 This is the one who wasn't home earlier in the dive...glad it got back in time for a photo shoot.

Completing the trios is Devil Scorp #3. Maybe 10 inches long; I do have a horrible time trying to estimate the size of things underwater. Let's just say I'm glad it had no interest in biting me. Ambush predators, the lot of them. 

 3 Pinktail Durgon in one shot! woo-hoo! In the deep side. So the trio portion of the post is complete; here are the other treats I captured with my camera:

 I think these are crabs with anemone on the back.

 A very nice drupe shell, all alone.

 Sun shining on the clouds and palms. It almost makes one think part of the palm tree was missing.

 Hebrew Cone shell

 A nice Humu with his spike partially up.

 And a juvenile Yellow Tail Coris. I don't know of any other fish that differs so much in coloration from the adult.

 And the required male Trunk or Box fish

 The small bit of pink coral really stood out near the sand-colored rocks.

 Seal on the beach, snoozing. Haven't seen them for a few days, so it was good to know they were back. And that they weren't in the water. I was able to swim freely.

 Sergeant Major fish...in the minor size. 

 Snowflake moray. Probably looking for something to snack on.

 Spanish Dancer nudibranch hanging underneath a bit of rock.

 Trevally and Christmas Wrasse.

 This Trevally was circling an eel. 

As was this one. At Hanauma Bay, I would often see Trevally circling a hiding octopus. Guess which I'd prefer? But a nice swim anyway. The new wetsuit is working out well. 

leaf and line

Seeing a fishing line in the water is always a concern for me, as many people don't know to expect a line in their path...not to mention a hook!

In this case, there was a nice black leaf fish...and a fishing line in the bottom. So I didn't want to freak the fish out by grabbing the line and getting it out of there. So I left it there. Next time, I'll see if I can find the line again and pull it out.

I did see 2 octopuses and 3 scorpion fishes! One scorpion fish was a big one.

In the one above, the octopus' siphon is visible. Just above it is its eye. Both octopuses stayed pretty much in their dens, so I took pix of what I could. 

 You can see its eye a bit better in the one below.

It took me an hour and a half to find that first octopus!

 Humu with light on its skin

 Lizard!

 Male box fish

 Pencils and an eel. Which did you spot first? (the eel is up and to the left, with its mouth open.)

 Razor Fish in the deep end. I don't know if it's a fin on its head or what, but it can move it up and back.

 Scorpion Fish

 And another.

 Snowflake moray eel

 Trash that I picked up from the bottom and brought home. 

 Scorpion fish upside down. Its mouth is near the top of the photo.

 Urchin. These kind have an anal sac (the circular thing in the middle) and two types of spines.

 A little urchin of a different type, loaded down with rocks and vegetation.

I enjoyed this swim, especially since the jelly fish were gone. And finding octopuses always helps my attitude. 

Those DARN jelly fish!

We are all God's creatures, so I shouldn't pick on one over another, but.....Jelly Fish are NOT my faves! Fortunately, I saw the one below after I spotted an octopus. So as I duly got out to report the jelly to the lifeguards, I had already fulfilled my mission of seeing an octopus.

 The octopus was on the deep side and I saw it because a Rock Mover Wrasse was tormenting it.

 If you look at the center of the photo below, you can barely see the clear jellyfish. I reported that it was "actively swimming" and so the lifeguards did make an announcement. As I was showering off, I did see one poor boy who had gotten stung. I am grateful that I saw it and was able to evade it. I just saw the one jelly, but that's enough! You can see how they would be easy to miss in the water...

Blue spined unicorn fish

 And an eel in the den where I had seen the octopus a few days ago......I know God creates animals and some prey upon each other, but I'm hopeful, since this is the first time I saw this eel here, that the octopus escaped first. If you look really carefully, the yellow in the hole near the eel itself is its snout, with teeth showing a bit.

 Turtle #2 swimming in the Kiddie Pond.

 And #1 on the beach, snoozing.

 And for my sweetie, a lizard fish in the deep side: I dove down for you babe!

 A pair of Ornate Butterfly fish

 Pencil urchins in the usual cleft in the rock.

 And a very cute Sergeant Major fish. It always looks as if they have a Mohawk hairdo. 

Here's hoping for no jellies on the next swim. And I thank God for the safety. And that one octopus.

One lonely octopus

OK, I know the octopus didn't care that it was alone, but I do ascribe human characteristics to the sea animals sometimes. My bad!

And this one def preferred it, because I found it as it was being pestered by a Rock Mover Wrasse. Definitely not what an octopus likes.  And it was in the deep side, so I couldn't get really close to get a good nearby shot. Still counts!

And since it was the only one I found, I was happy to have seen it. And the seals and turtles have been missing the last few days, too. Are they all at a Marine Animal convention?!

 Christmas wrasses zoomed through the scene.

 And the Cowry shell had a divot in the top...octopus predation?

 Someone definitely had crab for dinner or breakfast...two different claws remaining.

 Male Box fish for my hubby...even though he ate the last of the homemade shortbread..

 Pencil urchins

 Picasso Trigger still around.

 And a juvenile Rock Mover. I've been seeing fewer adults too, lately.

 Nice empty shell. Since I could tell no one was using it, I brought it home.

 And the smallest urchin I've ever seen! The shell it had on top was about the size of a pencil eraser.

 Always with the polka dots! I've given up trying to count them, especially on an eel.

 Juvenile Yellow Tail Coris

When I don't see a lot of octopuses, I take far fewer pictures: only 139 today. Still a fun dive.