Kahalu'u Reef Teachers on TV and the Elegant Coris Flickering Out

    When you see someone that you know on the television, it brings a spark of joy.  Unless, of course, they are presented as victim or perpetrator of some heinous endeavour.  This week our friends the Reef Teachers made the news.  It was a ten second segment on Hawaii News Now trumpeting the reef friendly sun screen they

Reef Teachers and Sun Screen as seen on KGMB.

provide and a handy dispenser now placed at the entry to the beach.  Like most people who live here, Sandra and I don't use sunscreen, opting to cover up and stick to the shade.  

     I'm including the photo that flashed across the news.  Flipping the shaka is Vincent.  Some weeks ago, in a rare moment of candor, Vincent revealed that he is named for the Battle of Cape St. Vincent.  In that battle Horatio Nelson attacked three Spanish ships larger than his own and boarded their flagship crying "A baronetcy or death."   Nelson went on to become England's national hero, while Vincent has become the hero of the fish.  There is a rumor that tattooed somewhere not immediately visible, is a line of signal flags reading, "Kahalu'u expects every man to do his duty."  

    To his left is Yasuko.  Although she is more fluent in Japanese than English, Yasuko is a pure delight.  She is everywhere, making sure that all and sundry are having a good time at the beach. 

    Vincent and Yasuko can be found at Kahalu'u most days, giving advice, lending a helping hand and bringing a smile.  And encouraging the tourists to use reef friendly sun screen. 

    If you ask, they will do their best to point you to the nearest sea turtle.

   Kneeling is Kathleen Clark.  Kathleen is the paid organizer of the Reef Teachers.  She's been around for just a few years and seems to have made a significant difference in the program, which is dedicated to protecting the coral, the backbone of the reef.  Coral provides food for many animals and a structure in which they can live.  Under Kathleen's guidance, the Reef Teachers have increased their efforts to physically protect the coral and  have a program that tests the quality of the water for things like pH. 

Elegant Coris male, Kailua pier, 2016

   In addition to marshaling the Reef Teachers, Kathleen is a very good fish watcher.  Not only is she a competent identifier of the fish, it is my impression that she snorkels the bay regularly and has an ongoing log of surveys.  As such, when it dawned on me that I was no longer seeing Elegant Coris at Kahalu'u, she was able to turn to her records and tell me that the last time she saw that species in the bay of fishes was a year and a half ago.  

    Not so long ago, Elegant Coris, Coris venusta, was a resident at both Kahalu'u and the Ironman side of the pier; it was unusual not to see one if you knew enough to look.  2018 was the last year that I kept comprehensive records and I recorded it only from Kahalu'u.  I do have a picture from the pier in 2016 and from Beach 69, also known as Waialea Bay, in the same year. 

Elegant Coris juvenile, Kahalu'u 2016

  The elegant coris male has a double barred cross on his forehead, painted in a handsome aqua. Taking a cue from the cross, I had thought to popularize another common name, the Easter Chorus and stage an annual search for the fish on that religious holiday.   Five years ago, that would have been easy.  This year it may be impossible.  The picture you see here, which shows the cross on the forehead,  was taken on the Ironman side in 2016.

    The juvenile  Elegant Coris is small, of course.  It used to be seen commonly with other juvenile wrasses and parrotfish around the coral at Kahalu'u.  As you can see, it has a pattern that is distinctive, although a modest amount of work needs to go into the identification, as the juvenile saddle wrasse is similar.  The red eye is a good field mark.  If you are on a hunt for this species, learning this juvenile may be key.  As with the Belted Wrasse, Juveniles are more common than adults.

    In preparation for this blog, I took a swim around Kahalu'u.  Being winter, the water was cold and clear.  I didn't see Elegant Coris, but I did have a quick encounter with a larger Pearl Wrasse.  Towards the end of the swim I encountered a pair of Saddleback Butterflies.  Ordinarily, this species is a little wary.  On this day, they were almost languid, giving me the opportunity to nab this pleasant video.  Luckily not our of our beautiful fish are disappearing.

 

       Back on the beach, Kathleen had joined Vincent.  She gave me a quick hello, but was too busy giving autographs and otherwise enjoying her newly won celebrity to pay much attention to the hoi poloi.  I'm sure this will wear off and we will be getting more fish watching tips from the master fish watcher in the near future.