Dolphin Disaster and Some Great Sightings at Ho'okena

      Early in the week we set aside Thursday for a trip to the beach.    When the day dawned cloudy with a

Spinner Dolphins, Ho'okena, March 2013

 prediction of more rain,  we changed our plans based on the inclement forecast.  By 9 AM, though, it was sunny with fleecy white clouds, so we loaded up the Honda and headed for Ho'okena.

    Arriving at the park, the first thing we noticed was that no one but ourselves had bought into the rainy weather prediction; the parking lot was full to the brim!  After parking on the north side of the small kiosk, we spotted dolphins swimming in the bay.

     Wiki wiki we got into our suits and swam out to the dolphins.  On the way we saw many Gilded Triggerfish  (Rare everywhere else, but a regular here at

Spinner dolphin with Full Thickness Skin Lesion

Ho'okena) and a school of a dozen Rainbow Runners.  The dolphins were a bit coy at first, seeming to surface just out of good photographic range.  We got many good looks and eventually several individuals surfaced just a few feet away.   Swimming with wild dolphins is a special experience.

     On this day, though, the delight was tempered; a few of the dolphins bore frightful full thickness skin lesions through which you cloud see the underlying muscle.  Several others had what looked like early lesions.  Suffice it to say, this made me very sad.  More on this later.

    While we watched, a couple of the spinners leap clear of the water.  Under water I was able to capture one of the spinners carrying a leaf on his pectoral

Spinner Dolphin Engaging in the Leaf Game

fin.   The leaf game is classic spinner play.  A dolphin bearing the leaf lets it go and a trailing dolphin picks it out of the water on his pectoral fin or tail.  Members of the pod were sick, but the group is still engaging in play.

     Eventually it was time to leave the dolphins.  As Sandra and I swam north over the sand, we spotted a sparse colony of Conger Eels.  It has been so long since I have seen Conger Eels in Hawaii, that I do not clearly remember the experience...at least fifteen years.  Conger eels live in the sand, their bodies waving gently in the water like blades of asparagus.  Hence, they are also known as Garden Eels.

    There was a couple swimming near us and I told them about the Conger Eels.  I said, its at least thirty feet deep here, so its too deep to dive down to them.  The man of the couple promptly free dove the thirty feet to the bottom to look at the congers.  I guess it was too deep for me to dive.  Ah, well.

Hawaiian Flagtails at Ho'okena

    Pushing on, we swam over the deeper coral.  turning in at the old landing, we saw some very blue Keel Tailed Needlefish.  Remember the very blue halfbeaks?  Is there something in the luscious water of Ho'okena that turns these fish so blue?  We were getting cold and talking about heading for the barn when I spotted an aggregation of active fish up against the reef by the old landing.  Swimming up to the surging reef, I was treated to a large school of Hawaiian Flagtails.  These silvery fish have a distinctive body shape.  the immatures are common in our tide pools and I have seen a school of immatures in the shallows.  But I had never seen a school of mature Flagtails.  It was quite a treat.  As I watched, the entire school swam up and on top of the shallow reef.

      We were both getting cold, so it was definitely time to make the long swim back to the south end of the

Potter's Angelfish imm hides in the Coral

beach.  When we were almost back, I suddenly spotted a small orange fish in five feet of water.  It was an immature Potter's Angelfish.  This little guy was gorgeous.  He was predominantly orange, unlike the adult who has a predominatly dark blue flank and an orange rimmed face.  I tried numerous times to get a picture of this tiny angel, but each time I dove he took cover in the coral.  I finally had to settle for a picture of him hiding in the coral.

     Immature angelfish are fairly uncommon.  Even in Mexico, the Carribean and the south Pacific.  (If you think about it, Angelfish at snorkeling depth are less common in Hawaii than anywhere else.)   This little guy provided a superb end to very interesting swim.

    As a post script to the dolphin story, this morning I contacted Gregg Levine, DVM, a local expert on

Another Look at the Hawaiian Flagtail

 dolphin medicine.  He looked at our pictures and agreed that this is probably not shark bite.  He told me that dolphins may contract a virus, weakening their immune system and rendering them susceptible to secondary infections.  He promised to keep us in the loop as experts in Honolulu consider what these lesions might be.  Lets hope for the best.

jeff   

A Face Off

   I think I'm getting old.  For the third time recently I have arrived at the water's edge with my fins somewhere else.  And I think I must be getting crazy, too, because I figure it must be fate, God's will, what

Rockmover and Snowflake Investigate the Same Rock

ever, and go for my swim anyway.  Each time it seems a little special; certainly it requires a heightened level of thoughtfulness.

    Yesterday I swam at Kahalu'u.  It was high tide at mid-day so the entry was easy.  I scooted out between the legs of the mob and because of my lack of appropriate propulsion, I was obligated to remain fairly close to the entry.  And of course, I was swimming much slower and looking at each rock a little more carefully.

    Early on I saw a miniature Undulated Moray Eel poke his nose out from under an algae covered stone, bare his fangs (although I can't imagine that anyone was scared) and swam free for about a foot or so to another stone where he disappeared.  You may think this is inconsequential. but I haven't seen an undulated in months, so I thought it was a pretty good find.

Rockmover and Snowflake Moray Face Off

     Soon there after, I saw a large Snowflake Moray Eel swimming towards me with a Rockmover watching him.  The eel probed under a rock and the Rockmover was right with him.  I assume that Mr. R was hoping that something delicious would pop out from under the rock, fleeing the sharp jaws of the eel, only to satisfy the appetite of this nosy fish.   Both Rockmovers and larger Yellowtail Coris (and Threadfins and Stripe Belly Puffers) pay close attention to us snorkelers, especially if we are turning over rocks, looking to see what might be underneath.  They  are clearly hoping that we will reveal a tidbit.  In fact, this is a really good trick if you want to attract the attention from some of the more common fish.

 The eel tolerated this attention only so long.  Almost immediately he ceased foraging and went nose to nose with the Rockmover.  "Back off, Boogaloo!" he seemed to say.   And we were there to record the face off!

 Honor Restored, the Snowflake Moray Swims Away.

   I had not seen a fish hunt with an eel before.  It is common to see Many Bar Goatfish hunt together with Day Octopus.  And  Ulua hunt with Blue Goatfish all the time.  In both those cases it seems that both parties benefit.  From the actions of the Snowflake Moray, one would assume that he felt all the benefit accrued to the Rockmover.  After making his displeasure known, the eel slithered away to a rocky refuge.

    I hope you enjoyed this gripping tail of symbiosis (or not!)   I apologize that my shadow dims the exciting photo of the face off.  and I hope that we all see something interesting the next time we go in the sea.  Oh! And don't forget your flippers.

jeff    

   

A Hot Day in Kailua Bay

Bigfin Squid, Kailua Pier March 3013

    For three days it was cold and rainy here in Kona.  I mean, we're talkin' highs below 70.  If you take into account the wind chill, the temperature might have been below 60 at mid-day.  It didn't keep me out of the water, but maybe it should have.  Yesterday, though, the skies were blue, the air was warm and sweetie and I schlepped our snorkels down to the pier.

    The water was fairly clear and not too cold...what can you expect in march?  But things heated up almost immediately.  Just past the first swim buoy we saw three reef squid.  They were substantially more wary than the pair I encountered at Kahalu'u a month  ago.  But we were able to approach within ten feet before they went scooting away.

     Its always a treat to see this unusual (for Kona in the daytime) cephalopod, but more was to come.  Further out we saw an octopus.  In fact, we were directed to the octopus by a lady of a certain age who was

Day Octopus, Kailua Kona March 3013

treading water and was delighted to have someone with whom to share her find.   He was a beauty, only a few feet below the surface, and ignored our guides flippers while I snapped the accompanying photo.  Not bad, if I do say so myself.  Octopus pictures are so difficult because these guys are the masters of disguise.  We watch them change color and texture and our mind is delighted.  The still camera sees a single instant of cryptic coloration.

    Two cephalopods in one day is a record for me, at least in Hawaii.  Just goes to show that I need to do a little more night snorkeling.

   Not wanting to rest too heavily on our laurels, we pushed on about a hundred yards past the last swim buoy.  As we were donning our swimming apparel a man was telling everyone who would listen that he

had seen an eagle ray in the sand in that vicinity.  I had just increased my squid sightings in Hawaii from two to three, maybe we could do the same for eagle rays.  Alas, it was not to be, but we did enjoy a look at a Scribbled Filefish who was getting cleaned under a coral head out in front of the palace.  the water was clear enough that we got a nice look at As you may recall, Mr. Scribble is Sandra's favorite, so she declared three strikes. 

    Ashore, we were treated to a fish of a different feather.  Or was it a bird.  A nice young man had brought his Blue and Gold Macaw "Bubba"  to the beach.  He was easily as much fun to photograph as the

Bubba!

the fish.   And we got to exchange parrot stories with his owner.   Bubba doesn't bite and he eats a balanced meal from a plate at dinner time.  And he has never done you know what in the car.  Good Birdy!

    From a purely informational point of view, we saw a Blacktail Wrasse and a Mu the next day in the deeps out in front of the palace.  Both good fish for that side of the pier. 

    Good luck with your fish list and enjoy Kona.
    jeff

49 BSB Dude!

The View from Your Room at the Mauna Lani

    A couple days ago Sandra and I took a trip north to Waikaloa.  We visited the art galleries and strolled around the Mauna Lani, pretending we could actually afford to stay there.   To be fair, I suppose we could afford it.  But for a couple nights at the Mauna Lani, eating at their restaurant, Sandra and I could have a whole vacation to Europe.  Which may say more about the way we travel than the prices at the Mauna Lani, which are only exorbitant, certainly not outrageous or usurious.   

    Following our stroll, we turned south at the traffic circle and wound through the links to 49 Black Sand Beach.  To enter here, you stop and register.   There's only twenty or so parking spots, but we have never

A Beautiful Day at 49 Black Sand Beach

been turned away.  The resort supplies clean restrooms, a shower by the beach and a shaded table by the tennis court, where Sandra and I dined al fresco.   This day, 49 Black Sand Beach was outstanding.   The sky and the water competed for the bluest blue.  There was just enough breeze to keep you cool.  No Waika-blowah hurricane this day!  Virtually no swell made for an easy entry.

    Finally, we're in the water and it was amazingly clear.  There are two complaints against this beach for snorkeling, the rough conditions and the lack of clarity, both probably related to the Waika-blowah winds.  In their absence, one can enjoy delightful conditions and a handsome coral reef.  On the left near the pinacles, I saw a pair of Oval Chromis.  This is a pretty uncommon fish and these two were beautiful, only

Oval Chromis, 49 BSB, March 2013

ten feet below the surface.  Sadly, they headed deeper when I dove to get a picture.  I saw a single individual here in cloudy water a year ago.  If you need Oval Chromis for your list, you might try 49 BSB on a calm day.

     After oogling the Ovals, I headed across the bay to the fine patch of coral off the near point.  As I swam in, the water became cloudy.  But suddenly there was something silvery swimming just in front trailing tentacles!  Could it be a squid?  No.  It was small silvery Day Octopus.  He landed on one coral head and spread out, showing off the webbing between his tentacles.  Spotting me, he swam to the next coral, accompanied by a Many Bar Goatfish.  This is a common association and I was happy to get a picture.

   Actually, I was extremely pleased to see an octopus.  This intelligent mollusc is quite possibly my favorite

Day Octopus hunting with a Many Bar Goatfish

animal in the sea.  I haven't seen one of my friends in months and I've been missing them terribly, wondering if I would ever see another.   I sang him the snorkel doxology and he changed colors and textures.    What a treat. 

    To cap off the day, as I was swimming in, a beautiful Black Tail Wrasse appeared in clear water off the point.  This was a fantastic afternoon at 49 Black Sand Beach.  If you're heading north, keep this lesser used beach in mind. 

Black Tail Wrasse, 49 BSB, March 2013

Halfbeak Season

Pinkerton Avocados Growing On Our Tree

   Its spring up on Ono Road.  Two weeks ago the Kau'u orange and the lemon trees bloomed on consecutive days, filling our air with sweet perfume.  About the same time the mango tree bloomed and, just a couple days ago, so did the avocado.  

    All of our fruit trees have responded to the lengthening days...what's that got to do with the goings on down at the beach?  Well, its still winter back in the PNW and so on our beaches we still have a few ladylike tourists wearing bikinis.  A delightful few weigh in under 12 stone.  Meanwhile in the sea, we are noticing a congregation of halfbeaks.  It struck me as more than coincidental that many of my previous pictures of halfbeaks were taken in Februaries past.  Is early spring a time when this fish approaches the shore in increased numbers?

    You may recall the previous blog where we discussed the beautiful blue halfbeaks seen at Ho'okena.  It is my pleasure to announce that Jack Randall, the dean of Reef Fish Biology on the planet, believes that these are Acute Halfbeaks.   My first sighting of this species. In my query to Dr Randall he replied:

    Thank you for your remarkable photo of a group of halfbeaks.  I agree with you that they seem to be the Acute Halfbeak.  I did not know they could be such a bright blue.  I will e-mail your photo to Dr. Bruce Collette at the Smithsonian Institution. He is the world authority on halfbeaks and needlefishes.

Dr. Collette Engaging a Halfbeak

    Like Dr. Randall, Dr. Collette is an ichthyologist.  When push comes to shove, they do not identify fish the same way you and I do.  We look for field marks, they count scales and  dorsal fin spines.  Suffice it to say, if Jack Randall had one of those blue beauties from Ho'okena in his lab, he wouldn't have to guess what it was.  The scale count would tell the tale.  And of course, after counting the scales he would take the fish back to the bay, release it and it would swim merrily away with its buddies.  Not!  (Note to halfbeaks...steer clear of Drs. Collette and Randall.)

 Well, John Hoover, who, being a hobbyist, identifies fish like we do, wasn't quite so sure. With this lingering doubt in mind, I felt fortunate, indeed, when swimming yesterday at the pier, I was presented with a school of halfbeaks in clear water. They were fairly cooperative and one of my many shots was quite good.

Polynesian Halfbeak Kailua Pier  2/19/13

In examining the pictures, I believe I have noted a better field mark than the one listed by Randall and possibly quoted by Hoover. (the position of the impossible to see dorsal fin)  Please note the angle of the bill in the two fishes.  The fishes seen yesterday in Kailua have a slightly upturned bill.  The bill relative to the line of the body forms an obtuse angle. Hence, the Obtuse Halfbeak!

    In the fish seen at Ho'okena, pictured below, the bill is perfectly straight with the line of the body.  This was seen in all the fishes of that school.  

Acute Halfbeak, Hookena  Feb 2013

If you look carefully at the picture to the right, you will notice the the upper lip of the mouth, clearly demonstrating that the beak is a swordlike extension of the lower jaw.   I am attempting to get an opinion from the experts as to whether this an artifact of my photography or a genuine anatomic difference.  Is it possible that in different situations, the fish hold their beaks at a different angle?   For those of us who make our identifications in the wild this would be a useful field mark.

    I'll let you know if there is any word from the experts on this fieldmark.  In the meantime, I'm leaving you with a lovely picture of a Threadfin Butterfly taken

Threadfin Butterlyfish, Kahalu'u, Feb 3013

the other day at Kahalu'u.  I hope springtime brings you lots of delicious fruits, pretty flowers and maybe a new fish!   

jeff

Happy Birthday Halfbeaks at Ho'okena

Yellowfin Surgeon,  Ho'okena Feb16, 2013

    Today is my birthday.  I have reached a certain age, so the exact number isn't critical.  But Sandra and I decided it was worth celebrating so we schlepped our aging bones out to Ho'okena.  We left nice and early so we arrived in time to park next to the handicap ramp.  Not that we're handicapped, but it's a really good spot.   

   After a delightful breakfast of banana bread with supplemental banana slices (the sweet Hawaiian bananas make this a real treat), we donned our swim gear and headed down the beach.  The waves were breaking with about 1 foot faces...not enough to trouble the snorkelkids.  Soon we were swimming through cool clear water.   Very cool, actually.  We were immediately rewarded with a school of

Acute Halfbeak  Hoo'kena February 2013

Yellowfin Surgeonfish.  The water was clear and they let us get pretty close resulting in this nice picture.  This fish is common at Ho'okena.  At the pier we routinely see Palani, but only rarely this large, handsome cousin.

     At this point we swam north across the beach front to the spot where the landing meets the reef, creating a wave tossed shallows.  As we approached, I saw a large school of beautiful blue fish swimming at the surface with some needlefish.  At first I thought, based on their size, color and numbers, that they were Heller's Barracuda, but the only place we have seen Heller's is at Honokohau in deep, still water.  The school let me swim right up to them and as they turned past me I could see the bright red point of their beaks.  "Polynesian Halfbeaks", I called to Sandra.We were treated to a wonderful close look in clear water, finally choosing to

Acute Halfbeak  Note the body color and fin position

swim away from the school. 

    After that treat, the remainder of the swim was pleasant, but disappointing.  For several years we have seen both Potter's and Flame Angelfish in the coral heads just off the landing.  This swim marked three in a row where we did not see these remarkable fish.  Has the water or coral changed?  Have aquarium fishnappers made off with our angels?   Whatever the reason, they aren't there any more.
 
    Also, about twenty minutes into our swim the water turned cloudy.  This is a curious phenomenon that happens all the time.  Sometimes it works the other way and the water clears.  I've never been able to make sense of why this happens, but I certainly prefer clear water!  So we swam home through the cloudy water, made an uneventful landing in the small surf.

Polynesian Halfbeaks,  Kailua Pier Feb 2012

   To top off a wonderful morning, we had a fine birthday lunch of tuna sandwiches in the shade of the bodhi tree.  Our dining companions were a charmingly tattooed and pierced young gentleman and his lady friend from Northern Virginia.  Eating sandwiches and chips purchased from the local concessionaire, they related that they were taking the winter off to camp in the parks on the Kona coast.  Far out.

     It wasn't until I got home and took a birthday nap while the camera soaked, that I got a chance to look at the pictures.  I had remarked to Sandra that due to the proximity and clarity of the water, that I thought these would be our best photos of Polynesian Halfbeaks.  As you can see, the photos we took today are really nice.  I was struck by how green these fish were.  We encounter Polynesian Halfbeaks occassionally in Kona (as recently as yesterday!) and they always seem silver and deeper bodied than our fish today.  Both Hoover and Randal state that the dorsal fin originates anterior of the ventral fin in Polynesian Halfbeak.  In both books this feature is not demonstrated  to my satisfaction.  In the Acute Halfbeak the fins are directly opposite.  In my photo from today, I think you will see this feature in the fish I'm calling Acute

Saddleback Butterflyfish, Kahalu'u Feb 2013

Halfbeak.  And they both note that the Acute is iridescent blue and has a shallower body.     I think we got a great look at a life fish!  What do you think?

     As a special birthday gift I'm including a pic of the Saddleback Butterfly taken at Kahalu'u last week.  That was the same day we saw the squid, which we have not seen on three subsequent attempts. 

    I hope all your birthdays are as rewarding as this one was for me.

jeff

Calamari for Valentine's Day

    Last year I saw squid in Hawaii for the fist time.  This experience (and all my other squid stories) are documented in the February 14 blog, cleverly entitled "Squid".  Sandra and I saw a school of five Bigfin Squid, Sepioteuthis lessoniana, near the third swim buoy on the Ironman side of the Kailua pier.  About a week after our sighting, we heard through the coconut telegraph that someone had spotted a school of squid in the bay off Kona Makai.   Both of these encounters were single day occurrences in relatively open water. And both were in February.

   Yesterday was Thursday (The 7th of February) and so we packed up the car and headed to Alii Villas.  The idea was that Sandra would exercise in the pool with the ladies and i would kibitz with my old condo-bound friends.  However, when we got there, the ladies were halfway through the routine and it was decided that we would go shopping instead.
As we drove down Alii Drive I was muttering about how we don't spend enough time at the beach.  So we decided to stop at Kahalu'u, where I would take a quick swim and Sandra would read her book under a palm tree.

     I changed quickly and left sweetie in search of the perfect patch of shade.  The water was calm, clear and, the tide being half in or out, depending on your perspective) not very deep.  I turned left toward the sea and swam about ten yards.  Suddenly I was eyeball to giant eyeball with a pair of Bigfin Squid.  There were three snorkelers approaching from the other direction.  I pointed and luckily they saw the squid and stopped their progress.  One of the three looked up and asked, "What's that?"   I replied, "Reef squid.  Its a chance of a lifetime!"

     We watched the squid for awhile.  Unlike the squid at the pier, these two were not particularly shy;  I was able to photograph them at about two feet.  This was dramatically different from last year and made for some very nice pictures, as you can see.

    It occurred to me that Sandra might be able to use my mask (it being exercise day, we had left her mask back at Casa Ono)  So I swam to shore and found her in the shade chatting on the phone.  I waved my hand like a crazy person and said, "If its not life and death you should hang up."  After all, the squid were in the balance.  As it turned out, she was wearing contacts, so my idea of sharing the mask was a non-starter.  She thanked me for my thoughtfulness

and bid me a pleasant swim.

     On my way back out, while putting on my fins,  I attempted to alert the elderly Reef Teach dude (he's actually about the same age as yours truly, and isn't that depressing) that there were a pair of squid out there.  Although a couple of the tourists, with whom he was clogging up the narrow entry, seemed interested, he seemed rather blasé about the SOT situation.  I swam back out and saw some pretty fish in the clear water but was unable to locate the squid again.

     Back on the beach, I talked to the Reef Teach guy, who at that moment was between clots of dilettantes.   He said that four squid have been harboring in K Bay for over a week.  I noted in last years blog that this species of squid has a Caribbean equivalent that looks identical, but is more diurnal.  Not only that, but you frequently see Sepioteuthis

sepiodea, very close to shore, in or near rocks and crevices.  This quartet seems to be taking a page from their Caribbean cousins.  Next thing you know, they'll be dancing under the limbo stick.

     We have noticed seasonal variation in all sorts of things here, where the seasonal change is slight but obviously important to both the plants and the animals.  Perhaps February, the beginning of spring here in these very Sandwich Islands, is the month when squid come to shore to make the beast with two backs.  Please note in the first picture that one squid is discernibly larger...males of this species are 40% larger than females.  This could be a mated pair!

  For those of you who follow the blog from Kailua, this is a rare species alert.  As for Sandra and I, we are going to take both our masks down to K Bay and try for another look at the molluscan lovebirds. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

jeff