There has been a hiatus in blogs for which I apologize. The weather has been cool, making a dip in the ocean unnecessary from the standpoint of personal comfort, but that's no excuse. If there is an excuse, it has to to do with the Keiki Museum.
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| Jyness documents the butterfly installation photo SKG |
Yesterday, March 14th, Pi Day to those interested in circular geometry, welcomed the opening of a second museum. The museum in Kailua, where my complete set of reef fish swim happily above the rampaging toddlers, may not be making it from a financial point of view. Looking for a more solvent location, the ladies in charge have leased a location in the Queen's Shops at Waikoloa. It was always their hope to attract visiting children of means and this sprawling resort is rife with them.
Several large luxury hotels, a dozen condos and a golf course now exist near the waters of Anaeho'omalu Bay. Back in 1980, when I first came to Kona, there was a single small Sheraton and virtually no shops. Now one has to search to find the bay and the lodging and shops border on the overwhelming. Luckily for the keikis and those of us who pander to them, Macy's at the Queen's Shops has ceased to exist and my patrons at the museum have snatched up the lease.
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| A Snidely Freckled Hawkfish Trumpets the Legacy |
My occupational therapy coordinator, the lady with the heart of gold, the one and only Jyness Jones, has given me two windows facing the courtyard in this luxury mall. Ever since I started doing art, I have salivated like one of Dr. Pavlov's canines at the thought of decorating one of those windows. And now I have two! Additionally, the butterfly exhibit from the Kailua library has found a permanent home in a display case that once displayed fancy merchandise. The legacy is alive.
So the last month has been taken up with making larger fish and butterflies, some of which turned out rather well. And the last two weeks have seen Sandra and I trekking to Waikoloa to install our art in the windows. Jyness has held back control, promising to fill out the displays around our paper mache animals. So here we are showing you a couple pictures of what must be considered a work in progress.
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| A Houndfish in Clear Kahalu'u Water March 2024 |
At the last minute, my beloved convinced me to place an "About the Artist " placard in the fish window. We'll see if it survives. Maybe I'll be famous for more than a day.
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As there was a fantasy baseball draft yesterday afternoon, we could not go to the museum for its gala opening. Instead, we spent a blissful hour in the welcoming waters of Kahalu'u Bay. My poor sweetie's jaw is still giving her problems, so she dropped me off for snorkeling and went to the Keahou shops for fish and make up. (The mascara tasted great and the marlin looks great on her, one filet on each cheek.)
The water was not too cold and in some spots fairly clear. One would always want more fish, especially in these days when the coral is on the decline, but I did see a couple things that might titillate your ichthyological fancy.
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| Pearl Wrasse male, March 2023 |
Early on I didn't see much. But when I turned up the middle I found a pair of Crocodile Needlefish, sometimes referred to as houndfish. This twosome was cooperative and permitted three photos before swimming away. These guys were only mediums, probably under two feet in length. Rarely have I encountered really big houndfish and they are an intimidating beast.
Over by the rescue shelter I spotted a male Pearl Wrasse who got away before I could capture a good photo, (I'm including a really good picture of one taken in the same spot exactly one year ago) At the end of the chase I found myself in a bit of fishy activity and nabbed this video of a hunting Whitemouth Moray Eel.
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| Female and male wrasse trail the Ember Parrot |
I had ten minutes before my hour was up and I swam over to the near edge of the bay. Here I was in front of the bar at what was once the hotel. The Keahou Beach Hotel has been gone for ten years and whoever is in charge of the project has removed everything, including David Kalakaua's beach house, but they left standing the building that was once the bay front watering hole. Go figure.
Regardless of the structures remaining on land, here by the lava reef I encountered a juvenile cleaner wrasse. I took her picture and she was immediately in the company of a female Ember Parrotfish accompanied by a big adult cleaner wrasse. At least at Kahalu'u we see this association with some regularity. Its hard to know who is getting what in the way of an advantage. the best I can tell, the parrotfish gets nothing. Perhaps the Christmas Wrasse, who eats mostly invertebrates like brittle stars and crabs, uses the parrot like a stalking horse.
Usually this mis-matched pair is fast moving and one doesn't have the opportunity to to get a picture close up. In this case though, they stayed close enough for me to get a couple good pictures and the video you see here. Its interesting to watch the wrasse zipping over the reef, darting down to attempt a capture.
Back ashore we met Sandra with her purchases and bid sayanora to Yasuko. We have one more month in Hawaii before we return to the lad of lepidoptery. We'll try to find something interesting soon.
jeff
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