A Potpourri of Late Summer Sightings

   The nice people at KHNL tell us that today is the beginning of fall.  Does that mean it is going to rain less, hopefully become a bit cooler?  Lately, Sandra and I have been going swimming as much to thwart the

Spiky Sea Cucumber  Holothuria hilla., Kahalu'u  Sept 2014

 afternoon heat as to look for animals.   Not that the ocean water has been all that cool, but the cold shower after certainly helps.  In the process of cooling down, I have run across a couple things that I thought I might share with you.   So with out further ado, let me present my late summer potpourri. 

   The most interesting thing we have seen lately was this spiky sea cucumber.  We encountered him at K Bay last week.  John Hoover, in Sea Creatures, tells us that the correct common name is Light Spotted Sea Cucumber, Holothuria hilla.  Now I ask you, how silly is that?  I mean, this animal is obviously spiky... a veritable Bart Simpson among sea cucumbers.  This handsome cuke lives in the sand and is rarely seen.  This was only my third sighting.  I believe that he is primarily nocturnal.   This guy was still attempting to feed, so perhaps he survived the day.

    Sometimes as we paddle along, the Dear Good Lord affords us the opportunity to get in close and capture an excellent picture of one of our more common fish.   A few days ago, I was able to nab this photo 

Spotted Boxfish Ostracion meleagris  Kailua Kona Sept 2014

of a gorgeous Spotted (formerly Pacific) Boxfish.  Ostracion meleagris.  One tends to forget how handsome those orange colored spots are that adorn the flanks of our common super male boxfish.  This may be because many of the commonly used field guides do not present such a wonderful photograph!   The male Pacific Boxfish may actually be one of our most interesting fish, albeit one that we hope to see every time we get in the water.  Nest time you encounter the male boxfish, see if you can appreciate those orange spots.

    The second common fish I wish to present is the Manybar Goatfish, Parupeneus multifasciatus.  The manybar is one of our four most common goatfish (you may regard it as your personal quiz to name the other three) and the one most prone to hunt with the day octopus.  I saw this handsome gentleman at K Bay just yesterday.  The water in spots was uncomfortably warm, probably in excess of 90 degrees F!  One might hope for such a bath in January in Seattle, but not out in the ocean.
This individual permitted me to close within a foot or so to nab this wonderful picture. 

   The first three animals we presented in the potpourri were photographed in acceptably clear water.  (And without becoming inappropriately vain glorious, I would note that they are pretty fine pictures.)   If you hope for a nice picture, clear water is every bit as important as a nice looking animal that permits you to get close. Getting close helps, the less water (cloudy or clear)  between you and your subject the better.  But there is no camera, regardless of price, that will overcome cloudy water.

    Two weeks ago, while enjoying an afternoon cool down at the pier, I was presented with this Hawaiian Bigeye.  I know that this is not a rare fish, because

Hawaiian Bigeye Priacanthus meeki Kailua Kona

my friends who go angling at night show me pictures of the this species on the way to Da Poke Shack.  However, I rarely see it during the day and I had never before enjoyed truly close access.  This incredibly beautiful individual allowed me to get within two feet to take this startling picture.  How sad that the water was cloudy.

    Your brain is an amazing organ that somehow permits you to ignore, to some extent, the debris in the water.  Unfortunately, the camera reveals the brutal truth.  If I wanted a great picture of the bigeye, it seems that I should have brought along my water filter!

Pinktail Triggerfish Juvenile,  Kailua Kona, Sept 2014

   The last interesting fish I have seen recently is the orange tail immature of the Pink tail Triggerfish.  I saw my first orangetail just a couple years ago and had to repair to Hoover's Ultimate Guide to discover that I had not found a new species.  We have seen a few of these lately.  This picture was taken on Paul Allen's Reef ten days ago, right in front of the entrance to his private lagoon.  Perhaps if you hurry, Paul has one waiting there for you.

jeff

Answer to Quiz:  Blue, Yellowstripe and Yellowfin

Talk About Getting the Fish Eye!