Go Huskies!

Napoleon Advancing!  This Haig's Hermit is on the move.

    Yesterday I went swimming by myself here at Kona Makai.  There was just a little swell and I swam through about ten yards of bubbles as I crossed the lava tube.  Noting the usual suspects, I soon found myself at one of my favorite underwater landmarks, a clump of green staghorn coral around which lives a colony of Haig’s Hermit Crabs.  I discovered the colony just about a year ago. One of the small purple-legged beauties was harboring in a depression left by a burrowing urchin just above the green staghorn.  The next day I went back to the same spot and found another, bringing him back to the aquarium for a photo session.   We root for the Huskies, so we are especially fond of purple anything.  We kept him for a day and named him Napoleon after one of the great Husky running backs.
    We have seen a lot of hermits here in Kona, at least ten species, mostly of the genus Calcinus.  Often a hand lens is necessary for identification, but in many cases the crab is colored in such a way that there is no doubt.  In this case, I had been looking for those purple legs for a few years and knew what it was right away. To find hermit crabs, one needs to look for unusual shells  and those that are in a location not easily

Haig's Hermit showing off his white tipped chelipeds.

The colony exists in and around this green staghorn.

explained.  If you have been studying, you may be able to identify your life crab on the spot. In this case, the Haig’s are living in turbans covered in pink coralline algae.  I’m hoping to wait until I see an Ornate and a Cone Shell Hermit Crab (two other obvious hermits) this season before I show them to you here.
     Most of my best hermit crab pictures have been taken in or near an aquarium.  The hermits we find in Hawaii are tiny little guys and shy.  Patience and a macro lens have been the keys, along with a great many exposures.  This is, of course,  made possible by the digital camera, where you don’t pay a fortune for  a vast number of exposures. 
    On this swim, I switched to macro and dove the coral head repeatedly, swooping back and forth a few inches above the little crabs, six feet below the surface.  Here is my best effort at a couple wild Haig’s Hermit Crabs.   I hope you enjoy the little guys on their wave washed perch.

Two Haig's hermit Crabs at home in the colony.

 Go Huskies!





jeff

Waika-Blowah

    First the good news.  Yesterday morning I presented myself bright and early to the Fish Nazi. He's not exactly a Nazi but he does sell fish.  His name is Brad.  Brad goes out fishing on Friday nights, brings the catch home, packages it and then shows up at the Saturday Farmer's Market at the Keahou Shopping Center and sells this delicious fresh fish at extraordinarily affordable prices.  People line up and pay him in cash, similar to the Soup Nazi on that old Seinfeld episode.  Brad had been away attending his father who was ill in Thunder Bay, Ontario and had only made it back on Thanksgiving Day.   He had not yet gone fishing, but he promised to have fish next Saturday.   No fish for me.  That's not the good news.
    Following my failed fish purchase, I went to Kahaluu.  A group, perhaps a Hawaiian motorcycle club, was setting up for a private party.   A giant guy with a scruffy beard (and two moderately sized assistants) were preparing three huge woks with pulled pork and chilis.  The club had walled off the kiosk with grass mats and ladies were applying philodendron leaves to their bamboo walls.  They didn't invite me to the luau, but that's OK.  I had to go swimming.    

Saddleback Butterfly at Kahaluu

    I hit the water about 9:20.  The water was calm and there were a moderate amount of the usual fish. The Snorkelkids have a theory that the fish are not all awake and present before 10 AM and as I swam I acknowledged that the numbers were down. Towards the end of my circuit, I found an Eightline Wrasse, the first for this winter.  The Eightline Wrasse is a very small fish that one encounters as a glimpse as it moves through the interstices of the coral.  I will never take a good picture of this fish in the wild.  Here is a link so you can see this beautiful, small and furtive fish:
http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=619&tbm=isch&tbnid=HFLQYacrjHLmaM:&imgrefurl=http://blog.captive-aquatics.com/captive_aquatics/2010/11/fish-spotlight-cryptic-six-line-wrasse.html&docid=Ee-JvsfCzOmSeM&imgurl=http://blog.captive-aquatics.com/.a/6a010535f11c3d970c0134898fc77c970c-500wi&w=448&h=299&ei=0_3STri0JcnbiALd5v2DDA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=353&vpy=296&dur=1120&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=157&ty=96&sig=103332346128262804817&page=1&tbnh=135&tbnw=172&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0
    About that same time I spotted a small green shrimp.  I've seen that fellow at Kahaluu before and as near as I can tell it is not in John Hoover's Critter Book.  Its fun to see these invertebrates, but there are truly a myriad of species and only the most common will be identified buy us amateurs.

Shortnose Wrasse at Beach 69

   Today we decided to take another pass at Beach 69, also known as Waialea Beach Park.  In my initial write up, I did not exactly mention how well we did there a couple weeks ago.  We saw one life fish, the Shortnose Wrasse and the Yellowstripe Coris, a fish that I saw I saw so long ago that I could not clearly remember the encounter. So it was almost as good as a life fish.  My pictures appeared in that first blog, but I'll show you the second best pictures from that lucky day here.
     Before we left Kona, I checked the computer for a weather prediction for Waikoloa, only ten miles south of Beach 69.  On our earlier trip the wind had been fairly strong and I was hoping for milder conditions.  The forecast said 5 to 10 from the south.   As we drove up, it was apparent that this was not the case, bending palms and whitecaps, not to mention that the car was being blown across the road, said that  there was big wind.  Indeed it was howling.  There were still lots of people at Waialea and in the words of Dorothy,   "We'd come such a long ways already."  (It wasn't a tornado, so I didn't expect any wicked witches.)

Yellow Stripe Coris on a clear day at Beach 69

     So we got in to have a look.  The surf has come up a teensy bit  and that, accompanied by the ferocious wind, had decreased  the visibility to 15 feet.
    Sandra and I did our job swimming among the rocks and coral, but didn't see anything spectacular. Mostly sandy water.  We swam back around the rocks and as we started to head back toward the beach, i could tell we were being pushed the wrong way.  Swimming in the ocean,  its common to have to deal with adverse currents.  Its unusual, though, to swim in a current generated only by a strong wind pushing the surface water.  Probably because sane people don't go for a casual swim in a 30 knot wind!  Taking note of the situation, Sandra and I put it in a higher gear and made it back to the beach.
   No life fish, but we did enjoy a good strong swim without adverse consequences.
   As an aside, this wind is created as the trades funnel through the gap between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.  There is a community up the slope known as Waikoloa Village.  This forceful wind rips through that community about 70% of the days from November through May.  Hence, the nickname, "Waika-blowah."
   For those of you that might want to do better than I did this morning, here is a link for the weather at Hapuna Beach that may be superior to the page I found this morning:  
http://www.findlocalweather.com/pinpoint/us/hi/hapuna+beach+state+park/current13171.html

See a fish for me,
jeff

The Black Friday Blog

Banded Moray Eel, Sc. okinawae, Kona Makai

    Thanksgiving Day was delightful.  All morning I watched Sandra bake dinner rolls.  In the mid-afternoon we got together with friends from our condo and had a great turkey dinner by the barbecue.  The highlight for me was Liz's Apple Crump Cake, a sweet,buttery bit of heaven.  I might not have the name straight, but that didn't stop me from having three helpings.
    Following dinner I spent two hours doing my best to digest while studying invertebrates (many of which are nocturnal) and cardinalfish.  At seven I got to go night snorkeling with Kyle, our assistant manager.  Kyle is a great young guy from Alabama. He cheers for Auburn and, like lots of people who have relocated to Hawaii, he loves the water.  Starting around Christmas last winter, we had talked about going night snorkeling together, but the water got rough and never calmed down.  It made for some adventurous outings during the day, but in three months we never found a good night to swim together.
    We went in off the rocks at Kona Makai.  The air was still, the water was warm with little swell and the tide was very low.   As we swam out of the fishbowl I identified the two common species of cardinalfish, which are entirely nocturnal.  As we made the turn over the north cusp we found a Banded Moray foraging in the open.  Nice spotted dorsal fin and a bright golden head.   We also saw a couple large porcupine fish.

Sculptured Slipper Lobster, Par. antarcticus Kona Makai, 

    We swam along for a ways looking for shrimp and lobster. One searches for these animals at night by scanning with the light and looking for reflection from the eyes.  I was holding my light in one hand and the camera in the other, attempting to manipulate myself along the shallow reef with flippers alone. 
      At the extent of our swim Kyle found our first lobster of the night, a Sculptured Slipper Lobster.  He nabbed that one (he had a free hand) and we got a close look at the underside.  We then we saw a second which I photographed. I know my picture doesn't do this animal any justice at all... try to pick out the rounded antennae that protrude shovel-like from the head.

Tufted Spiny Lobster,  Pan. penicillatus,  Kona Makai

     At about this time I noticed that Kyle was making barking noises.  I thought he was excited by the lobsters, but when we surfaced he said that the purge valve on his snorkel had failed and he was sucking water with every breath.  Bummer.  He hated to give up the chase, but we headed for home.  As we were making our way along the shallow reef, we saw a few spiny lobsters.  The largest made a spectacular dive to deeper water.  A smaller one hunkered back in a crevice and permitted me to get this picture, the best photo of this adventure.  Note the blue around the base of the antennae.
    At this point my intrepid guide finally decided he had swallowed enough salt water and we headed home through the fishpond and onto the rocks.
    I had never been night snorkeling in Hawaii before, and I'm really grateful to Kyle for taking me along.  It was my first slipper lobster along with two new cardinalfish.  And how about that photo of the Spiny Lobster? I had a rockin' Thanksgiving.  I hope you had a good one, too.
Jeff

Your Thanksgiving Turkey (Fish)

   Happy Thanksgiving!  On this day we can give thanks that the guys with the spears and nets haven't taken all the fish and those guys who patrol the shoreline in their Japanese sock rock walkers with oyster knives haven't taken all the limpets.  Maybe there is hope.
      Anyway, I seem to have promised you a Thanksgiving Turkey.  As you may know, the group of scorpionfish known as lionfish are sometimes called Turkeyfish.  In most locations lionfish are more often seen by divers as they like to live upside down facing the roofs of caves.  There are two species of lionfish in Hawaii and I have been lucky to see one.  Several years ago, my son Charles showed me a Hawaiian Green Lionfish on the rubble near the entrance at Kahaluu.  (It never hurts to have a pair of sharp young eyes, if you want to find a cryptically colored fish sitting still on the bottom!)  This was before I started taking digital pictures underwater, so as I must once again refer you to a link on the web for a picture of this fish:

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=619&tbm=isch&tbnid=WKd8xAbG31f88M:&imgrefurl=http://saltwater.tropicalfishandaquariums.com/Scorpionfish/index.asp&docid=oBqDP-dX1lMTIM&imgurl=http://saltwater.tropicalfishandaquariums.com/Scorpionfish/dendrochirus-barberi.JPG&w=650&h=434&ei=yMXOTr6RB6aRiQK0r5XOCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=173&vpy=159&dur=557&hovh=174&hovw=258&tx=152&ty=109&sig=103332346128262804817&page=1&tbnh=126&tbnw=165&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

    Just three years ago Sandra and I spent a significant part of the winter in Bali.  The snorkeling there is amazing.  On some rainy day we will discuss why that is.  During the winter of 2009 I saw two species of lionfish while snorkeling.  One time the fish was out  on the reef in the middle of the day.  For your Thanksgiving treat I will share these three pictures of the Turkeyfish.

Pt. antenetta,  Jemeluk, Bali, December 2009

   From Alii Villas on the Big Island of Hawaii, Happy Thanksgiving!

The Night BeforeThanksgiving Day Blog

   Just to make one thing perfectly clear, if there is any turkey in this blog, it is the one that I see when I look in the mirror.
    My editor tells me that I owe the anonymous friend of a friend  an apology.  I meant no harm and mainly wanted my one or two readers to beware of the criminal element lurking around downtown Kailua.  And to be fair, I had my favorite backpack stolen from the cubby in the same location five years ago.  It wasn't the very same piece of furniture because that one was washed away in the Great Tsunami.  This new cubby has been anchored to the pier by a veritable web of steel cables.  But it is apparently no less vulnerable to theives.  Anyway,  I was just as guilty of carelessness, I miss my beloved backpack and Sandra still remembers slinking to the car in her wet swimsuit.  So to the firend of a friend: I meant no offense.  Mea culpa.
    Now on with today's news.
    I promised you that I would keep you appraised of the developing immature Pink Tail Triggerfish.  I went back in at Kona Makai this afternoon  (its still as calm as a bath tub) and swam around the spot where we have seen the immature PTT. 

A fish came along after about ten minutes and hung around the bottom near the spot where we saw the Orange Tail immature,  abeit a little deeper, perhaps just to aggravate me.  Here is the best pictures I could get.  Looks a lot like an adult PTT, doesn't it?  So either our fish matured completely in the past few days or the baby has left home to find his way in the world.  Or he was hiding in the rocks for fifteen minutes.   I'll be sure to let you know if the orange tail immature returns.
      Following this underwhelming adventure I swam over to the south side of our little bay, halfway intending to see if the Reticulated Butterflies were still in front of Royal Sea Cliff.  Over the south cusp, though, I got a good look at an initial phase Blacktail Wrasse.  This fish was on a mission from God.  My really good look lasted about two or three seconds as she swam out of visible range.  I patrolled the area for a few minutes, but the fish was gone.  There was no chance to take a picture.  Assuming that you have some interest in what this fish looks like, but yet have no fish book or are too lazy to open it, here is a link:
http://www.fishbase.org/identification/SpeciesList.php?genus=Thalassoma

     The Blacktail Wrasse is also known as the Old Lady Wrasse.  The Hawaiian name,  hinalea lauhine,  refers to an older woman.  It is a very rare fish in the main islands.  Before today, I haven't seen an adult that I can clearly remember. Sadly, my  "clear memory" for most birds and fish only goes back about 20 to 25 years.  To quote a denizen of the VA hospital in Portland,circa 1980,  "It takes a lot of guts to get old."  His problems were undoubtably worse than losing clear memory of a fish, but this is important stuff that seems to be falling off the far end of the shelf.  So it goes.  (Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse Five) 
    Philosophy aside, two years ago a couple on the beach at Kahaluu reported the little green immature BTT to me.  Last year and already this season I have seen and photographed a little green immature Blacktail Wrasse at Kahaluu.   This is a tiny fish (note the immature parrotfish on the left) and very green.  I'm not sure what Kermit would have to say about this, but if you are observant enough to find the little green fish, there is absolutely no doubt about what it is.  So it was very nice to see an adult.  If babies are showing up year after year, even in these small numbers, one could reasonably hope for a breeding pair somewhere in the neighborhood.
    So on that satisfying note I will leave you with this thought:

Little Green Fish, Little Green Men.
Old Ladies are from Venus,  Blacktail Wrasses are from Mars.

Happy Thanksgiving and remember... the turkey in the mirror is yours truly,
jeff

No Honor Among Thieves

   Yesterday Sandra and I took care of a little business with a friend.  While we were with her, she related that a girlfriend of hers had her purse stolen the previous day from the cubby at the pier (we call it King Kam after the nearby hotel).  You may recall in our opening article on this wonderful snorkel spot that we warned you not to leave your good stuff, much less your wallet, in that very cubby.  The pilfered friend had declared, "I've been leaving my purse there for years.  I thought it was the honor system!"  At which point Sandra  interjected, "No honor among thieves"
    If you have the urge to leave your wallet on the beach, you might go into the nearest tattoo parlor (I'm guessing there must be a dozen here in Kona) and have those wise words tattooed on your forehead.  Or you might have an extra set of credit cards and licenses in your desk drawer at home.  Whatever works.

Lagoon Triggerfish November 2011

    So today we went swimming at King Kam, wearing our old clothes and not leaving our valuables sitting in an unguarded cubbyhole.  Near the far end of our swim, we saw a nice fat Lagoon Triggerfish and an adult Rockmover.  Fish that are pretty common in the sheltered waters of Kahaluu, a little unusual in the middle of Kailua Harbor.
   On the way back in I spotted a Sidespot Goatfish.  King Kam is a pretty good spot for this unusual goatfish.   This guy was fairly shallow and let me take his picture.  Just as I surfaced from photographing, Sandra saw an octopus free swimming and then perching on a rock in three feet of clear water.  Octopi are so cryptic, that you don't see a lot of them and when you do its because they have moved.  I see only a handful each season.  I don't have a picture to show you because my photographic efforts never overcome the octopus's ability to look like the rock he is sitting on.

Sidespot Goatfish,  King Kam, November 2011

    Sandra declared this find by treading water and yelling my name followed by "Octopus!" It got me there, but Octopi are shy creatures and this one was gone.  If you see an octopus, stay back and be as quiet as you can.  With luck, while you watch he will change color and texture.  It can be a marvelous show.
    If I feel I have the octopus's trust, I sing him the doxology, of sorts, through my snorkel.  I didn't get a chance to sing to this octopus, but I will leave you with my song:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise him all Creatures hear me low.
Praise him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Octopus the Holy Ghost.

What can I say, I'm an animist.

Until we meet again may the dear lord bless you and keep you,
jeff

We're sure to see something good on the way in.

Yesterday Sandra and I went to the King Kam and swam out past the heiau onto Paul Allen's reef.  On the way out I got a very quick glimpse of the after half of a fan tailed filefish.  In the late 1980s this beautiful fish used to be extremely common.  Then the population crashed and it became very rare.  I was lucky to see 1

Open your white mouth, damn it!

individual last year hiding in the boulders at Honokohau.  So now I've seen half a fantail filefish for this year.  I also got this picture of a white mouth moray.  It appears that he closed his white mouth as I snapped the pic.
     Following that sighting we swam out a couple hundred yards.  The water was warm and clear and the usual suspects put in an appearance.  As we turned for home, we said to each other, as we always do, "We'll see something good on the way in."
   Over the rip rap, next to the heiau, Sandra called my name and exclaimed "Frogfish!"  I've never seen a frogfish.  I would give either of my two sons to see a frogfish.  (For that matter, I would give either of my two sons for a $6.99 platter of fish and chips.)   Regardless, it wasn't a frogfish.  I think Sandra knew it wasn't, but

The Devil Scorpionfish,  Scorpaenopsis diabolus, King Kam 11/20/2011

that was the first thing that popped into her head.  On the other hand, a well illuminated Devil Scorpionfish ain't chopped liver.   I hope you like the pictures.  And I hope when you go snorkeling you have  a sharp-eyed, brave and adorable swimming buddy to find you a good fish on the way in.
Happy Birthday to my brother Chuck,
jeff

Great Fish at Kona Makai ...the Quest Continues

   Each year as we arrive, we go to our favorite spots to see if something special has taken up residence.  Some fish swim through and are gone, generally the more pelagic (open ocean) fish.  But lots of others take up residence on a reef and stay for a while, sometimes for the duration of their lives.  This process was never better demonstrated than with the Phoenix Island Damselfish, the Notorious PID.  Four years ago on our first outing at Kona Makai we passed over a depression and saw a small (less than 3 inches) fish that was new to us.  To paraphrase the great John Lennon: Gotta be good lookin' , cause they're so hard to see!

John Hoover identified the PID from this poor picture!

   This was a small fish in a tough spot and I had an inferior camera.  Here is a picture of the fish that I sent, with field notes to John Hoover.  He writes the best fish finding guide for Kona.  My guru puzzled together the identification, sent me a picture from the web and Sandra and I confirmed it.  This was a life fish, never seen before,  for John (who as you might suspect, has seen a few fish!)  Months later he came, ate Sandra's delicious lunch and we went out on the KM reef and he took the picture that appears in The Ultimate Guide to Hawaii Reef Fishes.  I assume when he got home he ticked it off on his lifelist.  Subsequently,  other fish watchers came to Kona Makai and observed this single individual.  it lived in the very same spot for two years.  How does a tiny fish survive in a wave washed depression through a tropical storm with ten foot surf?  Amazing!  I can't display John Hoover's picture here.  Find the book and have a look.
   So the quest continues.  Sandra and I hope to find another fish new to the State of Hawaii, new to the Big Island or at least new to us.  And the best chance is the first time we go in at a certain location.  Who has arrived and taken up residence?
     You may wonder how they arrive.  Sometimes they swim in.  If there is a pair...see the Reticulated Butterfly below...this is probably the case.   But in the case of rare ocean animals (we also have a state record for a tiny hermit crab) this is what happens:  Somewhere an egg is fertilized.  Lots of eggs.  Most go to shore near where they were fertilized..  Once near shore they mature to an adult animal.  If they are in a suitable location, they survive and may live out their entire life right there.  Sometimes these eggs float huge distances, thousands of miles, on the currents.  Then a lone individual is found, known as a waif.  Such was the PID.
    You've been a good audience and I'm sure you are dying with anticipation, so here is what we have found on the reef at Kona Makai in November of 2011.
     First, a hybrid of Achilles Tang and Goldrim Surgeon.  Incestuous sheets.  (Probably the Achilles and Goldrim parents did not share the same existential angst that Hamlet found with the union of his mother and uncle.)  This hybrid is well known and is pictured in Hoover's book; I knew right away what it was.  I'd never seen one before, though.   Tick it off!  This one is living to the right of the entry in front of Kona Shores Condominium. A few days later, we saw one on the right cusp at City.  That story will follow.  If you are in the area, this is a good year for this fairly rare fish.

The Goldrim hybrid with an Achilles Tang, City 11/17/11

     Most interestingly, right near the Valley of the Sun (the depression where our Phoenix Island Damsel lived out its life, we found an immature

The Orange Tail imm. 11/09/11 @ Kona Makai

 Pink Tail Triggerfish.  The PTT is not a rare fish and its not clear why we don't see the immature form very often.  In fact, this morph is so uncommon and so different from the adult form that ichthyologists of yore thought this was a new species.  So did I, but a trip to the library and a more careful look at Hoover's book clearly showed this beauty for what she is.  (Did you know that most reef fish are immatures, then females, then males?)   We are watching it about every other day and documenting its change from the Orange Tail Triggerfish  to the Pink Tail adult. I'll show you more pics as this baby matures..so far she has stuck around for 2 weeks in the same spot.  We regard such unusual morphs as a separate entity and...Tick it off!

The transitioning immature 11/18/11

    Yesterday, I required  a spiritual ablution following the loss of my beloved Huskies to the OSU Beavers.  Getting in at Kona Makai, I swam left for the first time this season.  It has been very calm for these two weeks and I swam onto a reef in front of the Royal Sea Cliff, where ashore we hunt for sea glass.

A Pair of Reticulated Butterfly, Kona Makai, 11/19/11

        
While taking a picture of a Crown of Thorns Starfish, I spotted a flash of creamy white.  A pair of Reticulated Butterflyfish!  Tally Ho!  I carefully swam them down and got the pictures you see here.  This butterfly is a fish of turbulent water, an area in which I specialize.  Divers get the deep water so if a snorkeler is going to earn his chops, he must go where divers dare not tread... the last four vertical feet in the surf.  We have seen a single individual Reticulated Butterfly here before on the south cusp of the Kona Makai bay.  That was seven or eight years ago.  And that was the last Retic. I have seen before yesterday.  I've never seen a pair at Kona Makai.  Butterflyfish are like swans, they mate and live together in pairs.  Its always nice to see a pair.
     Well, on that touching note, i am going to wrap things up.  This has been the longest blog yet.  Thanks for your interest and see a a fish for me.
jeff 

Kona Makai

Kona Makai

The entry pond at Kona Makai.  Note the enclosing underwater lava tube reef.

  Kona Makai and Alii Villas are two pleasant and moderately priced condos just south of Kailua.
My friend Carol Solid (Dream Hawaii  800-967-1220)  can rent you a unit for a good price.  The snorkeling off Kona Makai is quite good and a rite of passage for intermediate snorkelers.

Here my gear is on the pedestal near the head of the pool. 

   Park in the Kona Makai lot and make your way down to the seaside deck.  Follow the lava to the right around the small inlet.  Just this side of a tide pool, find a flat pedestal about four feet above the water.   Sit on the rock to the right of the pedestal and put on your gear.  There are several lumps of lava to provide footfalls


as you slip into the water.  You will find yourself in a pool that deepens from about five feet to about twenty.  As you swim out you will reach a reef formed by a lava tube.  Swim over the reef and find yourself in thirty feet of water.   If there is any surf, you will swim through about ten yards of turbulent bubbles as you cross the reef.  There is fine snorkeling both left and right with amazing underwater lava topography.

Adjacent to the pedestal is is the stepped entry. 

    You will find the usual suspects here, but there is always a chance for something amazing.  In 2007, we scored a record for the Big Island by finding the Phoenix Island Damsel fish on the reef to the right.  This individual lived in a depression for a over a year.   Our very own Notorious P.I.D. appears in John Hoover’s  Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes.
     Getting out we find a lump in a trough depression about five feet seaward of the entry.

A Freckleface Hawkfish waiting for you at Kona Makai

    Because we live at Alii Villas, this is our home court.  It gets quite a bit of stress from spear fishermen, but it is the rare spot that escapes these fearful predators.  When you see spear fishermen at Kahaluu, you will understand the truth of this statement.  At any rate, because we swim here frequently, we have seen a lot of different fish.  Sandra and I frequently swim north to the reef in front of Sea Village and south to the reef in front of Royal Sea Cliff. 
     There is sometimes a small amount of current, but nothing an intermediate snorkeler can't handle.  Getting out can be a little tricky when it is very low tide.  In those instances, I use a lava step another few feet seaward of the usual exit.

jeff
                                                                                        © Jeffrey Hill 2011

Kona Makai on Dwellable

Honokohau Great for Kids!

Honokohau  

Honokohau. The pretty beach and protected bay.

Looking seaward.   Note swimmers, dog and dive boat.

    I have now brought you back south so far that you are virtually in Kailua.  Honokohau is the boat harbor, where you might board a boat at great expense for day or night snorkeling or deep sea fishing.  It is less than  a mile south of Costco, home of cheap pizza, steak and gas.  Mongo likes the pupus.

    Before going further in this description be aware of the Shark Alert.   There are now sharks in the recommended snorkeling area,  See the blog, Tiger Sharks of Honokohau. 

    There is a sweet sandy beach on the south shore outside the  harbor entrance.  Drive down the palm-lined road, go straight (left) at the Y.  Pass all the boats to where you can see the ocean and park on the lava, next to other parked cars.  Below and to your left is a small sandy crescent.  The route over the lava ridge and across the pahoehoe lava is obvious.  If you are reasonably agile, you can do this.  Once down, pick a spot for your stuff and get in the water.

     The water you enter is sun warmed and protected by a shallow reef about 15 yards wide.  This pond is frequently used by local families with kids and flotation devices. Your family  (including keikis with their flotation tube) will be welcome!

A pair of Citrons lived inside the Honokohau reef for a year.

   Snorkelers will swim out over the reef.  I would not attempt this in rough conditions!  The reef bottom is covered with a beautiful lavender weed.  Once outside the bay the bottom slopes away amid large boulders.

     This place is so good that dive companies motor out of the harbor and anchor right where we are swimming.  (If it were me, I might be upset that someone is swimming around the boat I paid beaucoup bucks for and chatting up the skipper.)  Sometimes this spot will reveal something very special.  Swim out fifty feet seaward of the dive boats...stay inside the green channel buoy!  In the water column we have seen Thompson’s Surgeon and Butterfly.  Potter’s Angelfish is regular, if deep. Fish hide among the shallow boulders.  You might see soldierfish.  A few years ago we saw a Fantailed Filefish.  Dolphins are common a bit further out.  They are in the lane used by returning fishing boats , though, so don’t swim out there.  Please be very careful to stay out of the way of the fast moving boats. This is their right of way and they go so fast they would hit you before they saw you.

A perfect Threadfin at Honokoh

  There is one significant caveat relating to this wonderful little beach.  Over the last ten years it has developed the reputation of being dog friendly.   In fact, if you tell someone you are going to "the dog beach", they'll know you mean Honokohau.   Beware of Rover’s business and be aware that there is a genre of dog owner that might be deemed thuggish.

     The marina is a friendly place full of interesting craft.  In the afternoon you might see a returning  skipper displaying his catch.  There is an acceptable restaurant and shop with amusing T-shirts at the marina.  About a quarter mile from the place you parked is a cinder block building with restrooms and sinks.

This cute pooch is a frequent visitor to the Dog Beach.

Author's note: An important addendum to the Honokohau Dive Site appears in the December 1st Blog "Honoko-Wow"!

Honokohau Boat Harbor and Beach,, just to the south.
Note the lava rock climb down to the beach.

 

                                                                                          © Jeffrey Hill  2011

Kona Makai on Dwellable

The Waikoloa Hilton Great for kids!

The Waikoloa Hilton
   Walt Disney meets Hawaii in this property now owned by Hilton.  There are monorails, boats, waterfalls and waterslides.  Small kids will love to ride the boats and the monorail.  Only the larger waterslide requires hotel identification.  There's a pretty good art gallery and a variety of Asian art and anthropological artifacts in the walkways.   And some amusing Asian statuary on the spacious grounds.

Amusing Asian Art at the Resort

    The snorkeling beach is odd, being man made.  Cross the monumental bridge and follow the trail to the right under the waterfall, pass the pitiable, incarcerated dolphins and find the fine sand beach where you can grab a lounger under an umbrella.  The water in the lagoon is colder than the sea, but is perfectly flat and might make a good place to familiarize yourself with your equipment
    The draw of the “lagoon” from my perspective, is that the management swears that all the fish in the lagoon have been washed in over the dike at the far end.  You may swim under the bridge and venture as far as this dike where there are a myriad of baby fish.  It is cloudy out there with chunks of rip rap and cement left over from construction and I don’t recommend it unless the urge is unquenchable.   I go out there every time.  Go figure. Tooling around the lagoon you may see some pretty amazing stuff.  We have seen a variety of eels, Great Barracuda, bonefish and Helmeted Gurnard.  One year we saw an immature Threadfin Jack!  How cool is that? 
     Are these fish wild?  Do you put them on your list with an annotation?  I think it is fun to see them swimming with me in the water.  And if its just too rough to get in anywhere else and you really want to go snorkeling, its probably worth putting up with a pond full of rubber nosed geeks.

A Helmeted Gurnard in the lagoon!

    Parking used to be free, now there is a trick.  Drive up the valet road and drop off the wife and kids at the entrance where they can harass the staff.  Motor back down the ramp to the main road. At the stop sign, on the other side is a lot designated for beach access parking.  Park there and retrace your steps afoot up the ramp.  Bingo.
    At the King’s Shops there is an inferior gallery and other options to fritter away your hard earned sheckels.  Ditto with the Queen’s Shops.  Anyway, the King and Queen lived in Kailua.
    One final word.  If you think that incarcerating God’s dolphins is a good idea, the Great God Ku will visit you in your dreams and do unmentionable things.  Don’t mess with Ku!
                                                        
                                                                                         ©  Jeffrey Hill  2011

Puako and Beach 69 Great for Kids

On a recent swim we saw this Yellow Stripe Coris ...

Puako

   Just south of Hapuna is the beach community of Puako.  If you take the windy dirt road south of Hapuna, it will lead you to Waialea Beach Park, previously known as Beach 69  (after the number on the adjacent light pole.)  There are clean restrooms and a shower.  In clement conditions, this bay has a soft sand entry and excellent snorkeling.  From the end of the short trail turn right and grab a patch of white sand near the bay.   This is a superb spot for children with soft diggable sand and minimal surf.  And plenty of shade near the water for mom and dad.

and a Shortnose Wrasse!  Does fishwatching get any better?

    Not only that, but the bay is posted: no fishing by spear or net.  And someone is there to enforce this rule.  Perhaps unique on the Big Island.  And this pays off with the presence of some really good fish and critters that are a bit more approachable than elsewhere.  From the beach turn right toward the north cusp and  snorkel the decaying coral heads.  Wonders await!  Of course like any sandy spot, it is cloudy when conditions are rough.
    If you drive into the community of Puako you will notice that the lots are numbered with houses on both sides of the road.  At lot 102 there is a beach access.  Walk to the beach and turn left and walk south 40 yards.  Before you is a large tide pool with a sandy entry If you head straight out you find an entrance to the ocean between two rocks.  The ocean beyond did not seem very special.  The tide pool did have a variety of critters and I would recommend this for an otherwise rough day.  The people whose properties front this beach were friendly and deserve our repect.
    There are no facilities here but you’ll find the works back at  Waialea or Hapuna.

                                                                                ©  Jeffrey Hill  2011

The Mauna Lani Great for Kids!

The  Petroglyphs.  Is this guy the quaterback?

The Mauna Lani   

Great for kids!

    This famous resort is more welcoming than the stuffy Mauna Kea.  There are several things worth knowing about this complex. 
    First, if you drive north from the traffic circle, towards the Orchid, you will come to a parking area with a great beachside picnic area by the sea.  From here you will find the trailhead to the Puako petroglyphs, less that a mile walk on a dirt trail.  These are absolutely authentic; the product of pre-historic Hawaiian culture!  Something every person interested in ancient cultures should seek out.  Its only a 15 minute "hike", but  go early to avoid the heat. 
    There is a shopping area with a good art gallery and a grocery store.  Mongo likes art galleries and grocery stores.
  Back at the  roundabout follow the signs south to 49 Black Sand Beach.   You must get a beach pass, but this has not been a problem for us yet.  Park near the tennis courts where you will find restrooms but no shower.  Walk about 50 yards to the bluff overlooking Honakaope Bay.  Note the primitive shower on the bluff.  Below is a strand of fifty yards of true black sand.  Pretty cool if you've never seen black sand before! The water is fairly clear and the fish pretty good.  The bay itself is an old crater and sheltered from the open ocean. It is a safe place to turn the keikis loose for a romp on the beach.  The drive through the Mauna Lani links is OK, too.  (Major golf tournaments are held on this course every year!)
    If you go all the way to the hotel, the grounds are quite lovely with a dressed up fish pond.  It is about half a

The author and Andrew at the Mauna Lani Fishponds

 mile to walk south to the Mauna Lani Beach Club.  Along the way note the outrigger canoe in its little house and the authentic fish ponds, arguably the best you will see anywhere.  The Hawaiians employed these fishponds for aquaculture way before us hau'olies thought of it.   At the beach club you will find a fancy café, showers, spotless restrooms  and a protected beach with loungers.  The management will not chase you off

Why not see a gorgeous Saddleback Butterflyfish at the Mauna Lani?

 the loungers like they might elsewhere (MK).   The water is often fairly clear, usually flat without current and the fish are pretty good.  And the beach is soft white sand ideal for digging if you were successful in getting your keiki to make the walk.
   Lots of options here and the staff is friendly.





               ©  Jeffrey Hill  2011

Great For Children (Keikis)

   It has been my observation that a lot of families with young children come to Kona and spend an inordinate amount of time  lounging by the cement pond and the kids in and around the pool.  I would like to suggest some amazing alternatives that will enhance the lives of both the adults and the kids.  Please note that the beaches at Mauna Kea and Beach 69 are outstanding for kids.  In fact, at those two spots you will find that families with children vastly outnumber unaccompanied  adults.  On most days both offer soft, diggable sand, a calm ocean with minimal surf and extremely accesible, clean restrooms.
    Below I present a couple spots that are uniquely great for kids, both fairly close to Kailua.  These spots are family friendly and an unaccompanied mom with her brood should feel totally safe.

The Keiki Ponds     Great for Moms with Toddlers!

    If you are in Kona with Keikis (young children) here is a local secret you may wish to pursue.  Follow the Kuakini Hwy across Palani,  cross Kaiwi St. and park in the lot for the Aquatic Center.  (If you end up at the Old Airport you’ve gone too far.)  Lug your keiki across the soccer field, find a gap in the fence and see the beach access sign.   Pass through the stucco fence onto walkway between the gazillion dollar homes and..voila!  You see a stretch of sand behind the breakwater with a large shallow tide pool.  For generations, young Kona mothers have brought their children here to catch some rays and relax by the sea.   You are entirely welcome.

Kukio Beach   Great for kids

    Heading north from the airport you will pass two entrances to Kona Coast State Park.  The second of these is opposite a sign for a national veterans cemetery.  We call this park  "Cemetery Beach."  There are clean restrooms and showers, but the beach is short and dangerous.  I do not snorkel at Cemetery Beach.  
    Continue north and take the next turn to the left.  This is totally unmarked, but there is a turn lane. (If you end up at Hualalai you have gone too far, your destination is an easy u-turn and a half mile or so back toward Kailua.)   Here you will find public beach access for the Four Seasons Resort.  There is a guard station and if you are early enough they will give you a beach pass.  Follow the signs and it will take you through the lava field to a parking lot.  A very short walk will bring you to clean restrooms and  a sandy beach and a manicured lawn and bountiful shade trees.  You will think you are in heaven!  Additionally, there is a huge tide pool ideal for young children.  One could not imagine a safer place for a family outing.  The snorkeling in this tide pool is not great, but that is hardly the point.  This place is totally perfect for kids and their parents.

                                                                                                   © Jeffrey Hill  2011

North of Kailua The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Great for kids!

North of Kailua    The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

     Heading north of Kailua used to involve a mindless drive on a deserted road.  Much development has occurred in North Kona and northbound traffic has increased commensurately.  With luck, you can make it from your Kailua condo to the Mauna Kea in about an hour.
    The Mauna Kea was once one of the most glamorous hotels in the world.  After you pass Hapuna Beach Park (where you and the Keikis might want to go boogie boarding) look for the entrance to the Mauna Kea at the top of the next hill.  There is a guard who will issue you a beach pass.  There are about 30 passes.  If you arrive by 10 AM you should get  one, later, maybe not.  If you fail to get a pass, see Beach 69, which is nearby, later in the blog.

The Short-bodied Blenny, with his red leopard spots.

From the parking spots just past the golf shop it is a pleasantly shaded ten minute walk on an access road to the beach.  The MK provides  restrooms and showers here for the visitors.

          Also perched on the coral, the Frecklefaced Hawkfish

    The beach is a  lovely crescent of white sand, often called the most beautiful beach in the state!  Walk to the far end of the beach opposite the hotel and put your stuff near the steps.  The entry is soft sand.   Swim out the north cusp and work the wall.  Perhaps 100 yards out turn left over the reef.  If the water is clear this is a very productive spot.  This reef is fished less than most, possibly not at all, and some exciting fish may await you.  At this point, I must tell you that if it is rough elsewhere, the waves and currents here can be tricky and dangerous.     
   Another experience the Mauna Kea has to offer involves Manta Rays.  Come for a drink at sunset (the hotel may insist on parking your car). As the sun sets, walk down to the designated promontory where the hotel illuminates the water below.  Most nights mantas come in, swimming  around this spot as they feed on plankton.

                                                                                                                             ©  Jeffrey Hill  2011

Snorkeling and Enjoying Ho'okena

Ho’okena

Ho'okena Beach Looking South

    If you had continued on Hwy 11 past old Napo'opo'o Road, it would have rolled through six miles of rural south Kona before arriving at the interection of the new road down to City and the Painted Church.  If you continue another few miles you will see the turn for Hookena Beach Park.   An even steeper, windier road takes you down to the beach.  Turn left into the large parking lot or park at the end of the road by the picnic structure.

Mom, Toddler and Auntie enjoy the Ho'okena Tidepool.

   Facilities have always been good here.  There are solar powered warm showers, restrooms and tables in the shade.  At times there has been tension between the local people and the tourists.  This is much less an issue currently, but come with the attitude that you are going to be relaxed, friendly and not provocative.

    There are camping facilities here which can be reserved through an office in Hilo.  In addition to us hau'olis, its not unusual to meet folks from Denmark, Holland and Germany camping on the beach.  There is a concession that rents stuff  (like tents) and sells food, towels and t-shirts. 

 

Ho'okena is a great beach for kids to play in the surf.

   And the beach is great!  Here we find a strand of 100 yards of fine black and white mixed sand, which can be extremely warm on your feet!  Walk on the wet sand to the far end of the beach.  (consider taking your sandals for the return trip or be prepared to dash to the showers.)

Enter at the far end…there are submerged rocks right up to that point and if conditions are rough, be cautious.   If you can’t see the bottom, walk in slowly to avoid falling on a rock.  If it is completely calm, this is easy.  If not, put on your mask and work your way through the breakers holding your fins.  Once clear, put on your fins.

Gilded Triggerfish, Ho'okena April 2011

  Once you are in the water, the direction you take will depend on what’s going on.  Dolphins swim here about as frequently as at City.  They swim in the area enclosed by the curving lava point to the south.  If they are there, you will see them and  some accompanying swimmers.  It might be a 150 yard swim, but so worth it!   There is a small amount of shallow lovely coral about 40 yards to the left of where you enter.
  

The Gilded Triggerfish says, "Come to Ho'okena!"

    If the dolphins are not present, we usually swim out about 30 yards and turn right.   We swim the length of the beach over a depth of 30 feet and then turn towards the beach, swimming by the south edge of the old boat landing.   We return south over shallow coral.   You will encounter coral pinacles, the old boat landing and some very good fish.  The deeper water is a dependable place for Gilded Triggerfish, which is rare elsewhere.  We have seen Potter's and Flame Angelfish nesting in a coral head seaward of the ruined landing.  Bridled Triggerfish, another rare species, is fairly regular here.
  
   Back ashore, there is some acceptable tide pooling north of the park, good for warming up after the swim.  The picnic tables are in the shade of a spreading banyan tree.

.  Invariably we meet some interesting people here.  this is much different than the City of Refuge where one encounters a nice mix of tourists, similar to yourself.  At Ho'kena we encounter some real characters, some locals and some friendly Hawaiians.    So take your picnic and your book.  Leave your existential anxieties at home and make friends with the local folks.  Hang out and enjoy Ho’okena .

We always meet someone fun at Ho'okena. 
This nice man gave me a beer glass from Germany!

Beach Pictures by Sandra
 

                                                                                                                                ©  Jeffrey Hill  2011


                                                                                                                          

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