That rock isn't!

A few days ago, I saw what I thought was an octopus, but it turned out to be a rock in between two pieces of big rock. So today, when I saw this guy from the surface, I thought I was being fooled again. Well, I was, but not in the way I imagined! The "rock" turned out in fact to be an octopus. YAY. The first of EIGHT. Yeah, you heard correctly. Eight octopuses were hiding from me, but I saw 'em anyway.

The first octopus of the day. Not an adult, but not a baby either.

 This one, I think it was #3, was adhered to a rock.

I noticed today that many of the small octopuses were hiding in their dens behind rocks. As this one was.  But I saw him anyway. I am octo-snoopy that way. 

 The one above was out near the "Don't go beyond this sign" sign. Didn't move a hair the whole time I was taking the photo.

This one popped up to see if I was gone. Why are they so suspicious? (Well, maybe because some people who shall remain nameless actually eat these great creatures! Can you believe?!)

 Another one hiding. Note the eye above is differently colored than the one below.

Below, the last one.  Kept pretty still too. With rocks available for hiding behind.

Look closely below: you can just see the white, circular siphon behind the rocks. This octopus saw me each time I peeked into its den and pulled back every time.

Check the shell on the left (maybe a mitre shell) below with the green crab legs. It is attacking the nearby shell, but eventually moved away. Perhaps I did a good deed...

Three cone shells. I rarely see this many this close together:

 I always bypass the Convict Tangs. Perhaps because they are so plentiful? Not rare-ish, like the octopus.

 Cowry shell hidden under a coral overhang.

Here's the crab from the shell above...closer up. The two stalks are the eyes.

 This is the pattern that the sun makes on the sandy bottom.

Peacock flounder with a bit of rainbow.

 Bluefin Trevally following the goat fish. This would irritate me a lot, but the goat doesn't appear to mind. (Kinda like someone leaning over your shoulder to watch you work..)

 Hebrew Cone

3 Indopacific Damsel Fish

 Juliana's sea hare. Not pretty colors, but an interesting body. Not sure what all of it does...but I do know it inches along slowly on the bottom. 

Money Cowry shell

 Some of the needlefish got low enough for me to catch a photo. Normally, they hang near the surface and so are tough for me to get a shot.

Is this the same nudibranch from the past two days? Different colors, but...Kinda the same colors as the cheese on our recent pizza. HA.

 Another nice shell. Also occupied by a crab. Darn it.

 Pinktail Durgon with its Indopacific Damsel companions.

 Box Fish for Alex. As is the Flounder below.

Pinktail with rainbows....Light is pretty fascinating....

 Saddleback Butterfly. This one was accompanied by another, but not close enough to get into the same shot.

Mr. Snowflake moray eel. Just sitting. In a hole. Hope he didn't oust an octopus to get that!

 Crab inside a really nice Turban shell that I would have taken home, but didn't. 

 This is a turban shell, too, but with anemone, I think, adhered to its shell.

 Urchin and a little shell, below and to the right.

Eight octopuses is a Kauai record! Thankful to God for safety and all those great sightings. Have a great Christmas!

Aliens probably can't tell they have legs!

In looking at the photos from today (477 of them, thanks very much), I thought: hey, if an alien looked at this octopus photo, they would not know octopuses have legs! They would probably also assume they are small, since most of the ones I see are in a den and you can't tell their size...

This was the first octopus. Hard to see, but I was very happy to spot it.

 Better hidden, but I still saw it.

He'e #3. Nice colors

 Showed quite a bit of siphon and the eye (red) is visible also.

I love the aqua color you can see sometimes.

 The photo below that made me think about aliens...one wouldn't assume that they had anything like legs from this photo! And of course, one wouldn't assume you could eat them, either. I like this aliens idea more and more....

I am rather surprised that these octopuses stay where I saw them: near the beach! Where it is so easy to get a foot directed toward you. (I am resisting asking why the visitors walk instead of swimming.....but I'm trying to be good. I guess it's better to be critical in my mind, rather than in my mouth..)

 Three cowries, hiding in a hole...

I'm told the spots show that the Barred Filefish is a juvenile. It is certainly smaller than the adult version.

 Ah the lovely Brighteye Chromis.

A dead Slipper Lobster carcass. I don't usually see these, alive or dead, so this was a surprise.

 Eel, poking out and looking aggressive.

Snowflake Moray Eel. Pretty and not mean looking normally, although this one also has its mouth open.

Goat fish in huge numbers again. They must like the protection of the Kiddie Pond.

Isn't this one of the ugliest fish? Alex said that we should send it to Grumpy cat to show why it's grumpy. ha.

 It's the spotfin Scorpion Fish. Hiding in a hole. So not only octopuses do that.

 Juliana's Sea Hare. Even though Juliana, my co-worker, doesn't like it because it's not pretty. Sure is interesting, though!

A juvenile Rock Mover. They are quick and blown about by the water, so it's a feat to catch em with my camera.

 Leaf Fish. I know where they hang out, so I can see one almost every time.

 And excited to be seeing more Picasso Trigger Fish. This one has its spike raised. This one was probably 3 inches long, including the tail.

See the Lizard fish on top of this coral head?

See it now?

 Male Trunk Fish.

 Nice rainbow at home.

 Humu. Don't make me spell it all out! But I can. I'm all about spelling...

This nudibranch was less red than the one I saw yesterday, but was in the same general area between two rocks. I'm not sure if they can alter their colors. Research topic for when I'm retired.....

 Rain at sea. And palm trees.

Peacock grouper

 Pinktail Durgon. For an inexplicable reason, this one kept circling me, so I got a whole bunch of pix. It is amazing behavior: normally they swim away as fast as they can!

 Rain dumping out at sea.

Earlier rain at sea.

 Rainbow in the cloud out at sea. I wonder if the paddlers and the people on the boat could see it...

 Self Portrait. I wondered what my hair looks like, so I took the photo. It's longer now, so I feel it moving when I swim. 

 Here's the crab inside the shell that made me put it back down. It was funny too: I always check to ensure the shell is empty. When I thought so, I put it on my purple glove to take a picture. And it started crawling away, along my glove! So I guess that answered that question.

 You can see the thin barbs at the end of the smaller legs..that's what I was feeling on my hand as it dragged itself away..

 Here's a photo that shows you why it's called a Threadfin Butterfly...that long thin tail off the top fin.

 Yellow phase Cigar Wrasse and an Indo Pacific Damsel. It intrigues me how many shades of yellow are on the fishes I see..

Five octopus! A very nice dive. I waited for the seal to leave before I got in. The least I could do. Thanks to God for the safety and the many octopuses and other cool creatures!!!