Aquapus

Not many people know, unless you've been reading my posts for a while, that sometimes, octopuses can make this really pretty aqua color. I'm not sure why they do, logically, since it would stand out on top of the mostly grey/brown sand colored bottom, and make them more visible to hunters. But I'm glad they do! (And I give credit to my sweetie for the post title...)

Today there were 3 octopuses...always a great number.

#2, above, was a "regular" who is sometimes there and sometimes not. Although, I noted today that at first it was really hard to see this one, as there is plenty of space in that den in which to hide.

 They can make all the variations of brown/white/sand colors. I do wonder, if they were sitting on something red, whether they'd make a real red. I did read they are color blind, so it's pretty amazing that they can do all with colors that they can.

 You can see #2's siphon. Just to the left is its eye, with another further left. I was glad for the white rock. It helped me find it again.

 Another siphon and eye photo. I like all the little pebbles of color, as well as the bumps they can make. They can go from smooth to bumpy in a flash of the eye.

 I think the octopus above is the same one as #2...when I left it alone for a few minutes, and then came back, it had apparently moved from the hole near the white rock, to the den with all the rocks outside. Tricky bugger.

You can see the suckers in this one. And the eye.

I must admit, it was hard to leave #2 alone. I don't get all that much chance to see an adult octopus these days, let alone one that let me snap as many photos as I wanted. (Which, in this case, was waaaaay too many! I came home with over 400 photos, many of them featuring this octopus.)

 I almost had a new shell bit, but noted the little crab inside. Shells of any protective ability are apparently highly prized.

 I had to yell at these people. They were not only too close to the two seals snoozing on the beach, but the little one in the orange bathing suit actually walked into biting distance of the seal!!! Where was the parent? After I yelled, the lifeguards echoed my cry and they walked away. What is not immediately evident is that if a seal bites someone, the SEAL sometimes gets relocated. Nothing probably happens to the person......except maybe that well-deserved bite. It is not only mean, but illegal, to harass a Monk Seal. They are protected and endangered. Beware!

 Christmas Wrasse. Showing its nice colors. For once, I was able to snap a photo before it sped off.

 Pretty clouds are easier. They mostly stay still for a bit.

 Nice shell. I didn't check whether it was empty, but assumed so. Therefore not collectable.

Male Trunk Fish.

This is my musical octopus, wearing a hat. HA. You squeeze the legs and notes come out. I know how to do Mary Had a Little Lamb. Yeah, it's a hoot!

Mostly because it surprises people.

 You can see the eye of #2..it has white lines radiating out from it.

 A bit of sun on a bit of leg in the background.

They can mash themselves into any shape. They can also squeeze out of mostly everything: bottles, jars, etc. As long as the exit hole is larger than their "beak." It is on the underside and therefore I rarely see it.

The urchin with anal sac showing in the middle. Mean, but pretty. Note the two types of spines.

Very nice to be in the water again. I must train myself not to get so angry when people encroach on the seals or turtles. It just makes me so mad when they do that; they run the risk of scaring off the seal or turtle, then where would be go to see them at a distance?!

First day back after being sick: 3 octopuses!

Of course, you'll not be surprised I was thrilled to feel well enough to get back into the water after a week off...and to see 3 octopuses was a great thrill too.

 Octopus 1 was a small one...it is just above the orange rock above. Small one! And it almost immediately changed to the dark brown, so there wasn't a lot of option for a great photo. Just glad to see it.

 Octopus #2, to the left and below, might have been the same one I saw last week, as it was in the same den. The den had been empty the last couple of times I looked, so I was glad it hadn't been eaten..or gotten so mad when I found it that it moved. They are smart, you know.

 And the 3rd octopus was a full-sized adult. I may have to stop saying where I find 'em, because I don't want anyone to go there and catch and cook the animal. (Yes, it's hard for me to imagine, also. But it does happen, especially in Hawaii.)

You can see the rocks outside the den. They do put them there, perhaps as protection. This octopus didn't seem very frightened to see me, but I didn't particularly encroach on its territory either.

 This is the Cowry section of the post: above, two Snakeskin Cowries hiding in a cleft in the rock. 

 And to the left, while a less than great photo, is a Honey Cowry. I think they are quite lovely: nice pattern, great colors, and that bit of purple at the end. Also hiding. I guess perhaps they come out mostly at night, when they're harder to see, to eat.

 You can't really easily tell the vast difference in size between the two Humu, but the one above was maybe 2 inches long, including the tail. The one below, much larger. And note the ding on its "nose"; not sure what made that..

Indo Pacific Damsel fish. Quite pretty.

A lovely parrot fish. Probably a foot long.

 Pencil urchin.

I'm glad I'm not the only one occasionally spanked by a wave!

 The seal was looking for a place to land...unfortunately, a tourist was standing just out of sight of my camera, so it didn't. Apparently, Rip Currents don't bother it either...

 And last but not least (and please don't make fun of me!), but this is my childhood polar bear, Teddy Bumps. He was trying to read my Kindle, but was at the wrong angle. HA.

Very glad I was recovered and able to swim today. A great snorkel! Thanks, God, for your healing powers.

Bye bye to Hector and an octopus!

Very thrilled to report that other than a bit of wind and rain, the effects of Hurricane Hector were not felt on Kauai. This could have been why the octopus felt ok about showing itself today...I'm definitely not complaining!

I have been checking around near the place where I saw an octopus a week ago. And today, there was one! Nearby, attaching itself to an ugly building brick in the water.

 You can see the eye and siphon.

Also saw a seal and two turtles:

 These two turtles were lounging on the beach. And thankfully, people were leaving them alone.

 This was the sleeping seal I saw earlier on the beach, and now, headed out to sea.

My husband calls them lump seals. ha.

 This was a shrimp I caught sight of in a hole. Note the large claws on the left and right.

 Christmas Wrasse. I have almost given up on taking their photo, as they are so quickly in and out of the scene, I just get the camera turned on and they're gone!

 Clouds and palms and waves. 

 These, I'm told are possibly nudibranch eggs, attached to some coral/rock.

 You can see how small the Humu was! Just a bit bigger than the Brighteye Chromis. 

 They are small, but feisty. These don't stray far from a hole,  into which they can dive if frightened.

 And this might be a first-time sighting: the Magnificent Snake eel.

 And a snakeskin cowry. Hiding.

 Snowflake Moray eel, mouth agape.

 Spotfin Scorpion Fish. I haven't been seeing the Leaf Fishes lately.

 I think these are strands from an urchin..maybe.

 Bluefin Trevally and the Snowflake Moray eel it was hounding.

This urchin was attached in a precarious way to a nearby rock. And well protected with rocks on its back....

I am fairly sure the seals can't read, but apparently he took the warning to heart. This is the same seal that swam about above. And since I'm trying to be good, this No Swimming sign is why I didn't go into the deep side today. Darn. Trying to not entice others into potentially dangerous areas. I saw an octopus, so I'm happy.