Lobsters at Kahalu'u

    This week we caught a pause in the winter swell and took a quick dip at Kahalu'u.  In the pavilion, Sandra and I encountered the redoubtable Kathleen Clark, who verified that we weren't crazy (or lazy) and, if fact, the surf had been too high to afford acceptable snorkeling conditions for several weeks.  After a pleasant chat, I hit the cool, clear waters of the bay.  Even at this early hour, 0830, there were a few other brave souls snorkeling.

What nature of beast is living (or not) at K Bay

    I made my way into a moderate current and then found something unusual.  Protruding from a chunk of Evermann's Coral which was way past its prime, were two animals.  Were they molluscs?  No.  They were the  disembodied legs of a Tufted Spiny Lobster.  Around the corner I found one more leg, this one laying on the sand, so I was able to position it for photography.

    This may not seem like much of a find.  But in these days of global warming, coral bleaching and a commensurate drop in marine life, one has to treasure what one finds and put it in context.  First, the number of live, intact spiny lobsters I have seen in Hawaii fits comfortably on one hand, no wore than three encounters in 40 years.  This has a lot to do with the lobsters being nocturnal.  Only once have I seen lobsters on one of my rare night snorkels. 

A tufted Spiny Lobster leg, morte.

     So the bottom line is that that those of us who do not go swimming at night have to rely on evidence well south of an entire living animal.  With all these self effacing caveats in play, I still have had only a few encounters with lobster parts: carapaces, legs, etc.  And,to the best of my feeble, aging recollection, I have never before seen one at Kahalu'u.  (Over many years, Sandra and I have been night snorkeling here two or three times and never seen a lobster.)  

    So its good to be able to add this large crustacean to the list for the bay and ponder what nature of nocturnal beast might have defeated such a formidable animal in a battle to the death.  I'd like to think it was a large moray, like one of those yellow margins that leer  at you, nasty sharp teeth gleaming, from a crevice in the coral.  Those brutes remind me of a drug dealer's pit bull and i give them plenty of room.

    Lo and behold, a quick search on you tube uncovered this video of just such an encounter:

  

     While this takes place in the Caribbean, I believe it gives substantial credence to my hypothesis.  Perhaps the next time you go to Costco you can score some lobster tails.  Later, in the sanctity of your home, you can dress up like a moray eel and devour them.  The ultimate in environmental cosplay!

jeff

 

    For those of you who were hoping to end  this blog on a peaceful note, here is a video of a pair of Saddleback Butterflies I captured near the end of this swim.  Sweet dreams!