Hau'oli Makahiki Hou !

      The traditional two week Christmas holiday has seen a return to the good old days in Kailua Kona.  You remember those days, prior to February 2020, when cruise ships disgorged tourists aplenty at the pier, the many restaurants were thriving  and the beach parks were brimming with white bodies trying to turn brown in seven or eight sun filled days. 

From the foot of Keahou Bay, photo by SKG

   Covid 19 changed all that.   Suddenly there were no more cruise ships and tourists were permitted only under the most rigorous of conditions.  Even those of us who reside in Hawaii were severely limited as to how and when we could use the beaches.  By early October, with the Ironman cancelled, our busiest time of the year had turned into deserted streets and shuttered restaurants. The Marriott, home to the Ironman, was closed.

   The re-opening of our tourist industry came with the realization that the economy of the islands would collapse in its absence.  It is paradoxical, that at the moment when the mainland is suffering its grim post-Thanksgiving surge, with the highest incidence yet of virus infection throughout the population, that our politicians have found a way, based on rigorous pre-travel testing, to open the islands to tourists. If you look at this in a certain way this policy shift seems insane.

   While we are enjoying this influx of tourism, Sandra and I are keeping a lower profile.  We are shopping less and choosing spots away from the crowd when we go out.  Last Sunday we found a peaceful table at the foot of Keahou Bay and my lovely wife captured this peaceful Hawaii boat scene.

Reticulated Cowry on the sand.  Kailua Pier December 2020

    The opening has had spotty effects.  In the village, the Fish Hopper is open, while across the street from the recently opened Marriott King Kamehameha Hotel, Splasher's remains closed.  At the other end of the street The Polynesian Resort has just re-opened along with Hugos and Lava Java. 

    Kahalu'u, that sometimes heavily used bay, is once again bobbing with tourists, practicing the fine art of full contact snorkeling.   Recently the parking lot there was entirely full, just as in the good old days. Even the semi-illegal sparking spots were occupied. White Sands beach is once again covered with pale, unmasked bodies seeking some sun.  

   In an effort to remain Covid-free, I have limited my snorkeling, during the holiday period, to the pier.  On my outing early in the week I swam the Ironman side.  The water was cold and very clear  Despite a veritable flotilla of recreational swimmers,  the bay was essentially devoid of interesting fish.  A fine reticulated cowry, ten feet deep on the sand, was the only notable find..

    Yesterday I went out on the Paul Allen side, in front of the hotel.  The Inner Harbour is notoriously cold and yesterday it was freezing.  Once I got out into the little bay that fronts the luau grounds I started to warm up.  I followed a large Yellowtail Coris across to Paul Allen's estate.  (We missed his magnificent yacht this season, along with the helicopter.)

Ornate Butterfly fish on Paul Allen's Reef

    As I reached the other side, I traded the large wrasse for a school of ornate butterflyfish.  The ornate
is one of our most common butterflies, but it usually occurs in pairs.  Why fish that are usually solitary or paired sometimes come together in such an aggregation is a mystery to me.  I suppose it might have something to do with reproduction, but judging from the way these guys were behaving, it seems like it was something less involved.  Happy hour for ornates?

   Leaving the coffee klatch of butterflies behind, I made my way along the face of the reef for a fair stretch.  Elsewhere on our shore there were fine surfing conditions.  While Kailua bay frequently remains relatively calm, out here there was moderate surf that made getting close to the wall to look for wrasses interesting.  I searched fruitlessly for five stripe and Christmas wrasse and then headed back.  

Day Octopus imitating dead branching coral. Kailua December 2020

   Just as I re-entered the bay, I watched a large octopus swim to cover.  Although we have been seeing smaller octopi at Kahalu'u, it had been some time since I had seen one big enough that it might represent breeding stock.   The octopus was eight feet down, hiding under a dead branching coral, which unfortunately is the specialty of the house out on the PAR.  In my first picture you may note how cleverly the octopus mimics the dead coral.  

    I watched him for five minutes, getting washed back and forth when I made a hand hold.  I attempted a movie and several more pictures.  the second photo shows an interesting association with the Manybar Goatfish.  This species of goatfish is notorious for hunting with other animals.  Ulua, eels and octopus are all on his list of potential hunting partners,  In this instance, the octopus was more interested in hiding than hunting, so the goatfish moved along.

An opportunistic Manybar Goatfish invites the Octopus to Hunt.

   Back ashore, the beach was full of young families.  Curiously, while Kahalu'u is full of Californians, the beach in front of the King Kam seems to be full of people who are living here.  Like me, these folks look like they might be tourists, but with the realization that you can have a job in Phoenix and work from home in Kona, we are seeing many more young families with, I assume, white collar jobs.  This is bound to be good for the Hawaiian economy and it's fun seeing the young families enjoying the beach.  

    On that hopeful note, I will wish you a Happy New Year.  2021 has to be an improvement,

 jeff