A Crab, a Fish and a Kuki'o Beach Update

  Over the last two days I have been lucky enough to experience a couple worthy sightings, one on the home court and another in a surprising location.

Snap!  No wonder he's smiling!

     Wednesday morning, after dropping off another trunk full of yard debris, I headed down to the pier.  The cruise ship was in and it was very busy, even in the water.  What a change from two days earlier when the place was virtually deserted.  As I swam out, I saw those small fish that I identified in the last blog as juvenile blue fin trevally.  As I came up with that ID on my own, with the help of Google images (an unreliable source, for obvious reasons) I gave them another look and said to myself, "Snap!  If those turn out to be maturing flagtails, I'll be eating crow again." 
 
    Snap, as defined in the Modern Urban Dictionary, is a term of dismay.  As in "Snap!  My pit bull just ate my last three oxycodones."  As it replaces a phrase or two that might cause one to be labeled coarse or vulgar in genteel company, "Snap!" can be quite useful.   But I digress.

    It was usual suspects all the way our to the palace, where I was momentarily surprised to see a fellow swimming rapidly fifteen feet below me wearing very long fins.  "Why is he swimming so fast in the opposite

Seven Eleven Crab Carpilius maculatus  Kailua Kona 2014

direction?" I wondered.  I made a leisurely loop back and was doodling along in the vicinity of the outermost swim buoy when the man with the long fins appeared at my side and said, "Would you like to see a cool crab?"

    Well, I always want to see something cool. I suppose that's why I go snorkeling.  So I followed him back about five yards and, amazingly, the crab was still there.  It was a Seven Eleven Crab, dining happily on the sand just outside the reef.  As it was only about twelve feet down, I was able to dive quite close to get the pictures you see here.  

    The crab was remarkably large, perhaps eight inches across.  In Hoover's critter book, John notes that this crab is usually seen at night.  This may explain why I haven't seen it before.  (I really ought to swim at night more frequently.)  He also discusses the distinctive coloration.  His photo shows a tan carapace with burgundy spots.  This animal had a gray blue carapace with dark gray spots.  If one uses her imagination, one might be convinced that the spots are a dark shade of violet.  Regardless, there is no doubt about the identification.  This was a Seven Eleven Crab!  Tick it off.

    In defense of the photographer, if you want to take a really sharp underwater picture, you need really clear water.  The water here has been cloudy at best since our return. 

How much air remains in your lung after forced exhalation?

   Back on the beach, I encountered my guide, whose name is Rob.  Rob likes to free dive with his Go Pro camera.  He had some amusing tales of diving with the rays at the cleaning station which segued into a description of the mild delerium he experiences when he stays down too long.  After a brief discussion of hypoxia, hypercarbia and respiratory physiology, we bid a fond farewell with hopes that we might meet again in the briny deep.

    Yesterday Sandra and I took an excursion.  Our grandchild, my very namesake, and his parents are coming for a visit in a few short weeks and we wanted to check out the beach near the Four Seasons.  It was our recollection that Kuki'o Beach might be just the place for young Keahi to become acquainted  with Kanaloa. 

    Taking the first left after Cemetery Beach,  were greeted cordially by Lono at the gatehouse and issued a visitors beach pass.  After traversing multiple jarring traffic bumps, we arrived at the parking area.  It was

Milletseed Pair in Denuded Kuki'o Bay

about 10 AM as we made our way down to the well groomed beach with the killer tidepool.  This must be the nicest place on our coast for a toddler to encounter the ocean.  We strolled over to the pleasantly shaded lawn where I noticed that there was now, in front of a couple gazillion dollar homes,  a small sandy entry to the bay.

     Sandra settled down to read her book, while I made my way to the sandy entry.  In times gone by, entering here might not have been so easy, but the rocks at the shoreline have been stripped of coral.  Swimming out, I could not avoid noticing that most of the rocks in the shallows were now devoid of marine life,  Maybe just a thin veneer of algae.  Que triste!   In spite of this lack of coral,  I did encounter a pair of Milletseed Butterflyfish.  to the bitter end, I will not lose hope that this handsome species, once so common, recovers.

     Further out,  there were small patches of coral among larger areas where coral had lived before the era of coral death.  Fish were not especially plentiful and very spooky.  There were a pair of spear fishermen

Longspine Pufferfish  Diodon holocanthus  Bonaire 2009

nearby which probably explains the nervous fish.  The water was cloudy and overall it was not the glorious Hawaiian reef experience one hopes for.

    But suddenly right below me was a Longspine Pufferfish, Diodon holocanthus.  Although I used to see this handsome fish every time I came to Hawaii back in the 80s it has become really uncommon.  I can't recall the last time I saw one in Hawaii.  Sandra and I did see one in Bonaire five years ago, so I have a photo to show you.  The fish in Bonaire were quite docile...           spearfishing is not allowed on that small Caribbean island.   This fish, quite to the contrary, took off like a bat out of hell.  It makes me wonder if spear fishermen are so indiscriminate that they take poisonous puffers, or do all the fish get jumpy when they are in area of frequent spear fishing?  Well, as any fish in the sea can out swim me,  my pursuit was in vain; I did not get a lovely photo, but at least I got a good, brief look.  Tick it off!

The Beach Scene at Kuki'o Bay

    On our way out we got another look at the beach, now littered with keikis in their colorful bathing costumes.  Happily, even at 11 AM on this weekday, there were a few parking spots available.  We'll see you back on this beach in early August with little Keahi!

Aloha Keahi!  Lookin' Good at the Bay Luau!

We're Back ... And So Are the Trumpetfish

 Juvenile Bluefin Trevally Caranx melampygus  Kailua Koan

   Three days ago, Sandra and I returned from two months in the Pacific Northwest.  The climate was cool and dry (relative to Kona, which if you are not living here this July is most assuredly hot and stultifyingly humid).  Back in the PNW there were few fish to be watched, so we were eager to renew our acquaintance with our fishy friends here in Hawaii.

    Yesterday we made our way down to the pier, which was fenced off, having  just received a fresh coat of asphalt.   Hitting the water. we were delighted to cool off, but we were also anticipating some interesting fish watching.  Summer is the time for juveniles, especially the handsome Hawaiian Hogfish.  Who knew what we might find?

    Almost immediately we saw  a few very small jacks.  Overall they had a slight bronzy sheen with delicate white barring.  As you can see, the pectoral fin

A second look at the immature Bluefin Trevally

was yellow, while all the other fins were black.  There was a small orange spot at the base of the anal fin. Due to the fine barring on the side, I had thought they might be Barred Jack immatures (Casrangoides ferdau).  As it turns out, the juvenile Barred Jack has extremely strong barring, such that at first glance you might mistake it for something else, like a poisonous puffer...pretty good strategy.

  That renowned scientist, Dr. Google, suggests that these beauties were almost certainly the extreme immature of the Bluefin Trevally,  Caranx melampygus.  This isn't surprising, as this species is far more common in our waters than barred jack.  Soon these guys will become deeper bodied, lighter and sport handsome blue fins.  It was quite a treat to see them at this early stage.  With luck,  Dr. Google will post our picture, which shows the Bluefin Trevally at an earlier stage than he currently displays. 

Trumpetfish, A. chinensis  Kailua kona  July 2014

    As soon as we left the baby jacks, we began encountering a host of baby Trumpetfish.  You may recall four months ago, when in the biggest faux pas of my fish watching career, I heralded the decline of this quintessential Hawaiian species.  It can now be revealed that during  that two week period, all the adults were getting busy in the Herb Alpert suite of the Louis Armstrong Hotel.  The results of this amor were everywhere to be seen!  A couple immature trumpets is not unusual, but judging from today's observations, the species is in good hands for at least another year.

   Out by the second swim buoy I found three or four Flea Cone shells (Conus pulicarius) 

Flea Cone  Conus pulicarius  Kailua Kona 2014

perched incongruously on top of the coral.  It will come as no surprise to you that these shells were harboring  small hermit crabs.  Try as I might, I was unable to get a good look at the crab;  a couple furtive appearances of light colored legs was all we got for our near drowning experience.  Over the years I have found several instances where an unusual shell appears out of expected habitat in unusual numbers, all occupied by a single species of hermit.  By and large, cone shell snails live burrowed in the sand where they feed on worms.  When you see a cone shell (or almost any shell for that matter) sitting on top of the coral, it's highly likely that a hermit crab has carried it there.  With out certain knowledge, I have always assumed that this has to do with reproduction. Why else would an animal place himself in such a dangerous position? 

A treat for a good paddle doggy

   At this point, we can leave science behind.   The outing was completed with the requisite lady on the paddle board with her pooch (Good doggy!)  And a delightful in shore look at Mr, Scribble.  All is well in Kailua Bay.  And we're back! 

Mr Scribble says, "E Komo Mai, Sandra!"