A New Years Day Swim and a List for 2022

           Following a week of cloudy weather, New Years Day on the leeward side of the Big Island dawned clear and bright.  Those cloudy days had been accompanied by some great surfing conditions; despite the surf we could see from our lanai, I was confident that Kailua Bay would be calm enough for a nice New Years snorkel.  

    Down at the pier,  9:30  on New Years Morning, there were a modest number of swimmers and only a few homeless people chilling in the shade.   Sandra commented on what a lovely morning it was and then, having deposited me and my stuff, headed up Palani to do some shopping while I began a new year in the water. 

Bob Hillis, scouting out a new fish back in 2015.

       What would the first day of the year be without a resolution?  For the last few years I have abandoned my annual list of Big Island fish sightings.  This year I have resolved to  do my best on a year list.   As I made this resolution, I recognized that the list would be impacted by two very large caveats.  Foremost, this will be the first year in a long time when I have neither Bob Hillis or Peter Krottje to find fish for me.  Like any other mediocre fishwatcher, I'm on my own.  Second, as we have become more attached to our grandchildren, we have been spending more time away.  If things go as planned, we will miss all of the summer months.  I suppose we will dwell on the ramifications of summer fishwatching, or the lack thereof at another time, but its not without significance.  

   With these thoughts swimming in my head, I plunged into the cool, cloudy water.  Visibility was about ten feet, so we weren't missing much.  Photography would have been problematic, but I had forgotten the camera, so this was a non-issue.  As I catalogued the usual suspects, this thought bounced around in my head:  Being superstitious, I assume that if I forget the camera I will see something good.  Hence, missing the camera would be bad for the blog, but good for the new list.

Bluestripe Butterfly  2012, Kalua Kona Pier

     Out by the second swim buoy, I encountered a healthy example of a small cauliflower coral.  On the Ironman side of the pier, these corals are so rare that if one is so disposed, it would be possible to dive and check out each one.   This one was home to at least one Speckled Scorpionfish, hiding between the leaves.   These small branching corals are absolutely required for both this small scorpionfish and the coral croucher, so we are lucky (no other way to look at it), that climate change has not wiped them out completely on our shallow reefs.

    A bit further on, out by the third swim buoy, I saw a familiar shape bearing a distinct black patch by the tail.  Diving down, I verified that this was a blue stripe butterflyfish.  What a fine New Years surprise!  Reviewing my lists, I feel pretty safe in saying that I have not seen this fish in Kailua in over five years.  With luck, it is still dependable up in Kohala. 

    This is a difficult species to photograph.  I'm showing you the best I can find, which was taken by the pier in 2012.  At Mahukona, where they have been dependable, they tend to stay deep.  Whenever I get close, as in this case, they are elusive.

Happy 2022 from a Devil Scorpionfish  Kahalu'u March 2019

     I swam back through the shallows and then crossed over the swim line to patrol the area where the tenders from the  cruise ships disembark their tourists.  There, between a few large rocks, was a fat Devil Scorpionfish.  Unlike the bluestripe butterfly, which swam away immediately, this fellow, with his enormous mouth, wasn't going anywhere.  At last I had a subject, holding still, not too deep and in fairly clear water.  This specimen would have been ideal for photography.  Luckily, we have lots of pictures of these specie with which to amuse you.

    Back on shore, I stepped carefully around a pair of homeless ladies sprawled on the walkway and enjoyed a New Years shower with a view: a throng of families, tourists and locals, playing together, on the beach in front of the King Kam Hotel.  What a lovely sight!

    I saw only thirty species on this inaugural 2022 swim.  There are lots of species around to fill in the blanks.   While we are recording the dependables,  Sandra and I hope to see some unusual treats.  Happy New Year!

jeff