Instructions to Beach 69 along with some friends and fishes

       Yesterday we got together, finally, with Kathy and Vernon.  We met at Kahalu'u for some socializing and some fish watching.  Before we made it to our friends, we encountered Kathleen Clarke in the car park.  She had just finished giving her gang of Reef Teachers their marching orders, so we felt free to accost her and present her with her Christmas gift.  

Mele Kalilimaka to Kathleen!

    It wasn't actually a gift per se, but a personalized card.  It's always hard to tell if someone is genuinely happy with what you are giving them, but she seemed happy and promised to put it on her refrigerator for well into the new year.  And I ask you, what higher accolade could an amateur card maker aspire to than to have his art attached to a pretty reef teacher's ice box?  

    To say that I have gone crazy making AI tooled greeting cards is a bit of an understatement.  If you are a friend of the blog, there may be one in your future.

    After we gave Kathleen her card, we told her we were on our way to meet some friends, to which she replied, "I think she's already here.  And she was asking about sharks."

    Yes.  That would be Kathy.  The previous afternoon she and Vernon had stopped in at K Bay to check it out and what did they see but a sign saying the beach was closed because there had been a shark sighting. She interrogated a reef teacher, who had nothing else to do as the beach was closed.  April (that was the culprit's name) told her that it might be a Galapagos shark.  And that if she was going to swim in the morning, she might wait for the lifeguards to arrive.  Apparently, the lifeguards are better shark spotters than us swimmers.  Or perhaps she was thinking that they would hop on their surfboard, if the need arose, and haul your bleeding corpse out of the water.  

    Either way, we had pushed our meeting back half an hour to accommodate the arrival of competent civic supervision.

    Kathy and Vernon looked fantastic and soon she and I were threading our way out into the bay.  The water was surprisingly warm, maybe 80 degrees, and we saw a few fish.  

    As the current was moderate, we swam near the shoreline to get to the area near the Menehune Breakwater.  There we saw a lovely pair of Saddleback Butterflies.  Two days ago, Kathleen had alerted us that another couple (I guess they have taken our place as the ace husband and wife fish finding team) saw a male Shortnose Wrasse in that area.  I was looking hard but did not find one of those smallish beauties.  If you are going out, you should be alert!  

   As we swam back to the middle, a gorgeous fat Christmas Wrasse cruised by in the opposite direction.  We both got a good look.

   As we made the turn, my swim buddy spotted a hunting Zebra Moray.  This was a great fish, maybe four feet in length.  He was about ten feet away.  I retrieved the camera as I closed in on him, but by the time I was ready he had receded into the coral, never to return.  So, we didn't get a picture, but as you will soon see, this was a moot point.

   Clockwise we went and over by the Rescue Shelter we saw a fine, healthy Milletseed Butterfly.  This is the fish that used to be so common here at K Bay.  Now we feel very lucky to see one.  And this one was a beauty.  

Milletseed Butterflyfish, Kahalu'u December 2023

    In the middle we saw a small juvenile Hawaiian Dascyllus.  As Kathleen had mentioned two days ago, he seemed to be taking refuge among some long spined urchins.  These keiki dascyllus are revered among the local fish watchers, but as we said in the last blog, they ain't no Bengai Cardinalfishes.

   Before Kathy and I headed for the barn, I spotted a fine Snakehead Cowry in the sand beside a coral.  

   Once we were ashore and showered, I pulled out the camera, pushed the play button and got the message that there was no card in the camera.  Remember how I said that I had made kissy face with the SD card reader?  This, I suppose, was my morning after surprise.  We had seen some wonderful stuff, but luckily, I guess, nothing that would require a picture to verify a truly unusual sighting.  

                                         Instructions for getting to Beach 69

     As we were getting ready to go, I was telling Vernon and Kathy that I had recommended to their son and his family, also on this trip, that they go to Beach 69 (otherwise known as the Waialea Extension to Hapuna Beach Park) as it is very family friendly.  Overhearing my expostulation, a lovely young mother asked me what I could tell her about getting to Beach 69.  So, for all you young families, or simply the young at heart, here is the rundown.

    Beach 69 was once fairly primitive.  Now it is thoroughly developed with a large, modern car park, requiring a fee for non-residents.  There is a good walkway down to the beach and excellent shower and changing facilities.  At the end of the walkway, you can turn left to find picnic tables in the shade or turn right to find a short sandy beach where your keiki might boogie board on small waves.  Please exercise appropriate caution with your children around the ocean.

    To get to Beach 69 from the south, take the exit marked Puako, which is about a mile south of the turn into Hapuna.  Descend on this road for a short distance and take the first right onto a windy up and down road that is well paved and go for about a mile.  Here you will find a large sign as note above ... Waialea Extension ...  And there you are. 

   We had a wonderful morning at the beach, and I hope you do as well.

jeff