Transfiguration Sunday and the Devil (Scorpionfish)

Moses, Jesus and Elijah.  Go Transfigure.

   Yesterday was Transfiguration Sunday.  We were unaware of the day until Pastor Brian revealed this  piece of liturgical trivia in his sermon down at the Lutheran church.  Yes, Martin, we are Lutherans now, at least after a fashion, having abandoned the Samoan Methodist Alliance over a dust up involving a pagan necklace dedicated to the god Mammon.

    It was a glorious Sunday, cool and clear, and one would have been forgiven if the view of the Kona Coast out of the window of the church was a little distracting.  That sunny view with palm trees and all must have been especially attractive to the Lutherans visiting from Minnesota.  At this time of year there are so many that Sandra wonders if there is a non-stop from Minneapolis to KOA.

Backstage. Delaney (center) as Sophie. Courtesy of Aloha Theater

   Did you know that when Moses received the Ten Commandments his face glowed to such an extent that he frightened the Israelites and, as a consequence, had to wear a veil?  This glowing visage was, I believe (for this part was curiously not tied together during Brian's typically excellent sermon), adopted by Jesus 2,000 years later.  Hence the Transfiguration.

    Church is good, but the after the service snacks, aka fellowship, can be pretty spectacular.  Say what you will about the Lutherans, but you can't deny their baking abilities.  Out on the lanai, coffee and pastry in hand, I cornered Delaney.  Delaney, the daughter of our pianist, is a graduate of Columbia in musicology, and is currently starring in the Aloha Theater's production of Mama Mia.  She is really good in the role of Sophie, the girl who (spoiler alert) doesn't get married. More important than her singing and dancing, at least in this context, she is willing to talk to an old goat without outwardly appearing to be plotting an escape.  It may be noted that I have had that effect on women, (How quickly can I extricate myself from this situation?) long before I became an old goat.

Devil Scorpionfish  Kahalu'u  March 2019

   We chatted about her acting, her ambition to garner a PhD at Harvard, and my having parked a car in Harvard Yard, which is as close as I ever got to attending that bastion of veritas.  As Delaney has no interest what so ever in fish identification, I encouraged her to read the blog.  And she sort of promised that she would.  Suffice it to say, if she reads this blog I will hear about it!  At least she has a good sense of humor.  I hope.

   At this point Sandra decided that I had enjoyed my fill of spiritual nourishment, Scandinavian bake goods and young female companionship and said, "Gee.  Isn't it time to go snorkeling?"  Or words to that effect.  After exchanging our liturgical duds for snorkeling attire, we soon found ourselves back at Kahalu'u.  This Sunday represented a break in the high surf conditions and I was determined to give old K Bay a second chance.  In the meantime, I had embarked on a beard trimming project, removing roughly a quarter in of mustache south of my nose, in hopes of providing a mask fit.  One sinus wash per week is my limit.

    As I was getting ready to take the plunge, and Sandra was setting up her beach chair in a prime shelter location, I somehow managed to strike up a conversation with a sweet young thing perched upon the adjoining table.  As she wished me a good swim I think I could hear Sandra mutter, "Mama mia, here we go again."

Broad Fronted Crab  X. latifrons, Kahalu'u March 2019

   Happily the water possessed less current and slosh than a few days previous and my mask was leaking only an acceptably small amount.  

     Early on I spotted a Devil Scorpionfish. He was only two feet deep and tolerated numerous photographic passes.  You will note from the pictures that he was on the shady side of the street, or coral head as the case may be.   And so, like the field of the Rose Bowl as we enter the third quarter, he was half in and half out of the shadows.  With luck, you will find the effect dramatic.  Or perhaps you will just find it annoying.   

   As I was preparing to bid El Diablo a fond farewell, A large lady came along bearing two cameras.  I was able to attract her attention and got her hooked up with the scorpionfish.  I was pretty sure that was the best thing I would see on this outing and its always nice to be able to share a good find.

Broad Fronted Crab, Courtesy of  Kaleo Wong

    I swam around the area in front of the now demolished hotel, which is sometimes quite productive, and then made a turn up the middle.  Investigating the coral on the left, which ascends almost four feet from the bottom, I spotted a small crab deep in one of the crevices.  He was hiding under a small coral outcropping, but when first noticed, I had a good quick glimpse at half of him.  And as the old saying goes, half a crab is better than none.  My impression is that he was an inch or so across the carapace, a rich mahogany brown and had several distinctive white stripes on his legs. 

    I took four dives at him, attempting to photograph this small animal while he cowered under the overhang.  I am including my best effort, which at least gives a pretty good look at those dramatically banded walking legs.  Recently I have found a new tool in my Corel photo processor: fill in light and clarity.  It lives in the same box with my old friends brightness and contrast.  FIL&C is an amazing tool and did much to help me bring you those banded gams which provide some photographic documentation for my life crab. 

I like  the whole nut, sheriff.   

   For those of you, who like Dom De Luise in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, like to see the whole nut, I am including the only picture I could filch from the internet that looks like what I saw.  In Hoover's Sea Creatures there is a less than perfect picture, although it is good enough to verify my identification.  Curiously, if one searches the internet, there are several pictures of  Xanthias latifrons, but this is the only one that was remotely like what I saw.  There are green crabs, spotted crabs, crabs with no bands on their legs.  John Hoover's description is right on: dark maroon carapace...Bright white bands adorn the legs.  Go transfigure.  




     At this point, with the fine look at the Devil Scorpionfish and a life crab to show for my outing, what right did I have to expect anything else?  It was proving to be a pretty good day for critters, though, and I was keeping my eyes open when I came upon a small Evermann's coral, its central compartment hosting a cleaner wrasse that was working on a black durgon.  This was in shallow,

clear, calm water.  What an opportunity.  As I was readying the camera, the durgon stood aside and the cleaner wrasse proceeded to service a four spot butterflyfish.  I snapped away and you get to enjoy the best of these pictures.  I think its a dandy.

   Sandra greeted me as I exited the water, offering a helping hand as I crossed the rocks of what used to be the sand entry at K Bay.  Right away she told me that she had made friends with my nubile acquaintance.  The girl was really nice, my beloved reported.  She said she was from Utah. When Sandra mentioned that our friends Bob and Kim Hillis live in St. George, Utah, the young lady remarked that they were lucky to live in such a pretty place.  And then she allowed that she actually lived on Vancouver Island.  Go transfigure.

jeff

A few days ago Sandra and I enjoyed this look at the palace and the Mokuaikaua Church from the south.