Springtime at Kahalu'u

Our resident pair of Saddlebacks swam by. April 2024

    Its springtime at Kahalu'u.  One can tell because the girls are all wearing their short summer dresses.  No.  Wait a minute.  This is Hawaii and the dress code at the beach doesn't change, be it January or July.  The way I can tell is that the water is warmer.  And this was the first day when I didn't have to wear my neoprene vest.  Springtime means freedom!

    So Sandra dropped me off and went in search of tombo.  I entered a very shallow bay through a throng of tourists and swam away in the cool, clear water.

     I worked my way towards the breakwater, when I spotted that pictus moray, with his scarred head sticking out, hunting for an unsuspecting crab, no doubt. 

Moorish Idol  Kahalu'u April 2024

   In the corner, an area that once was near the balcony of the Keahou Beach Hotel, I tracked down the resident pair of Saddle back Butterflies.  One doesn't see this happy couple every time out, but I'm sure they are there.  One of our prettiest fish is still swimming at K Bay.

   Clearly the bay was in a fishy mood, because shortly after swimming with the saddlebacks,  I had the opportunity to chase a single red labrid wrasse for a few minutes.  And then I happened upon a fine group of Moorish Idols. It's not uncommon to see a cohort of small idols, especially in the fall.  When that happens, I tend to think that I'm looking at members of the same brood.  

   These fish were close to full adult size, but still sticking together in a school.  Do you think that the bunch of them, there had to be at least eight, came from the same brood of eggs laid last summer and have stuck together for nine months?  

   I'm showing you a nice shot of a single idol out of this large group, posing as it were, in a slightly face down attitude.  And lucky me,  I got a short video to upload, so you can see, if only for six seconds, the school of idols swimming together.

    Moorish idols have to be one of the favorites among our tourists, who call them angelfish.  But I think even those of us who watch fish would be pretty bummed out if they sorta disappeared, which is far from impossible. 

Peacock Grouper K Bay 2014

    I've been snorkeling at Kahalu'u several times recently and I'm pretty sure I have not recently seen a Peacock Grouper.  This is an introduced fish, but it is big and beautiful.  And its cool the way these big guys hang out between the corals, waiting for prey to swim into range.  Just a year ago it was super common.  Kathleen, the steward of the bay, thought they were still present.  But I looked very carefully today and did not see one.  

  For those of you who are not fish watchers , I'm including a picture I took in 2014 right here in K Bay.  I'm sure you'll agree, if this beauty is no longer here, its a big loss. 

    On the bright side, I'll leave you with a sweet female Pearl Wrasse that I photographed a couple days ago, just before Kathleen Clark asserted that the grouper was still in attendance.  I hope I'm wrong and we haven't lost another fish, but in the meantime, illegitimus non carborundum.  Let's enjoy the fish we have.

Pearl Wrasse Kahalu'u April 2024

jeff