Dodging Hurricane Douglas or A Big Fish at Kahalu'u

   Yesterday we got out in the yard early and cut some monstera.  It has been raining with such regularity that two of our spider lillies had rotted at the base and fallen over.  We got those

A Turtle swims by at Kahalu'u

to the yard debris in Waikoloa with little difficulty.  These are large plants, but once the tops were cut off, the base pulled right out of the rocky soil.  I'm eager to replant that area, but my co-conspirator will not let that happen until I clear out the monsteras behind the remaining spider lillies. 

   I did my job and then dodged inside as the rain increased.  If we were going to be hit by the first big hurricane of the year, this would be the day.  Three days earlier, the weather people at KHNL told us that there would be a direct hit on the Big Island.  But it's a big ocean and, despite our name, we are a relatively small target.  In the last 36 hours Hurricane Douglas had veered north, the eye passing 100 miles north of Hilo.  All we received from Douglas was the rain and that was hardly different from any other day.

   To reward her gardener, Sandra prepared a lovely breakfast, a cheese omelet, papaya, juice and toast.  By the time I had consumed that feast, the sun was shining through our front door.  Grabbing opportunity by the nose, I said, "Let's go swimming!"

Heh, heh.  Heh, heh.  He said, " Dog Do."

 

Soon enough we found ourselves down at Kahalu'u.  This has become the only show in town.  Here is the run down of the swimming opportunities from north to south:

    The Corps of Engineers has locked a gate that prevents car access to the Dog Beach at Honokohau.  This is unprecedented and we can't fathom why they have done this. We don't swim at the Dog Beach very often, but lots of people (and their dogs) do and they now have a longer trek to go along with the scramble over the lava ridge and boulders. 

The illuminated black durgon

    I actually went swimming at the Kailua Pier a few days ago, the water was cloudy and the algae bloom beside the pier was especially disgusting.  But worse yet, when I got out of the water and made a move towards the showers, I encountered a portable fence that surrounded the restrooms and the shower with a large Keep Out sign ... just in case one didn't understand the purpose of the fence.  This would explain the extreme paucity of fellow swimmers.  As I was standing there fuming, who should show up but a water inspector, who told the few of us assembled that, following the sewage spill a week earlier, the water in Kailua Bay was definitely mo' bettah.  This, of course, did not preclude a hot shower back at the ranch.

   Finally, down at Keahou Bay, the Sheraton has removed the ladder that they installed only recently to support the kayak concession.  One might assume that if Donald Trump forces Hawaii to re-open to the tourists,  the hotel will once again rent kayaks and re-install the ladder.  For now, we are left with climbing on the rocks, which was never much fun. 

   Back at Kahalu'u, the sun was out and the bay was welcoming.  Mobile Graphics had predicted that the tide at that moment would be +1 foot.  What we saw was more like +3; the Menehune breakwater was completely submerged.  As it was a peaceful day out on the ocean, this didn't matter very much.  As I was entering, three recreational swimmers exited,

The super male rockmover patrols the bay.

leaving me the entire bay all to myself.

   This high tide presumably represented storm surge from Hurricane Douglas and was the most significant thing we witnessed from the storm. 

   Early on I saw a barred jack, which while not very photogenic is a little unusual, and a turtle.  At about the same time I saw a group of black durgons.  One was illumunated as if he or she was in state of excitement.  At times in the past, I have seen several durgons even prettier than this one, but he or she is included for your enjoyment.

   After that it was pretty much usual suspects until I got to the area by the Rescue Shelter.  There I ran into a large super male rock mover.  I see a similar individual every now and then, but compared to the intiial phase and even the juvenile dragon wrasse, these big boys are much less common.  I suspect that they spend most of their time outside the bay, coming inside for whatever reason only occasionally. 

   As I watched the big male rockmover swim back and forth, appearing moderately pissed off that someone like yours truly would have the temerity to enter his domain.  As chance would have it, he led me right to an octopus peeping out from beneath one of the boulders.  This is the second octopus at Kahalu'u recently.  This particular beast was quite shy, so I don't have any remarkable pictures to show you.  Yesterday was Sunday and the octopus provided me with the opportunity to sing the doxology which, as you know, concludes with, "Praise octopus the Holy Ghost."  Amen.

   Back on shore, Sandra had noticed a new Aloha sign on the side of the shelter.  This is much more in the spirit of Hawaii.  When the politicians have cured the Corona virus, perhaps you will all come and visit and enjoy some of that signature Hawaiian spirit.

jeff