No Honor Among Thieves

   Yesterday Sandra and I took care of a little business with a friend.  While we were with her, she related that a girlfriend of hers had her purse stolen the previous day from the cubby at the pier (we call it King Kam after the nearby hotel).  You may recall in our opening article on this wonderful snorkel spot that we warned you not to leave your good stuff, much less your wallet, in that very cubby.  The pilfered friend had declared, "I've been leaving my purse there for years.  I thought it was the honor system!"  At which point Sandra  interjected, "No honor among thieves"
    If you have the urge to leave your wallet on the beach, you might go into the nearest tattoo parlor (I'm guessing there must be a dozen here in Kona) and have those wise words tattooed on your forehead.  Or you might have an extra set of credit cards and licenses in your desk drawer at home.  Whatever works.

Lagoon Triggerfish November 2011

    So today we went swimming at King Kam, wearing our old clothes and not leaving our valuables sitting in an unguarded cubbyhole.  Near the far end of our swim, we saw a nice fat Lagoon Triggerfish and an adult Rockmover.  Fish that are pretty common in the sheltered waters of Kahaluu, a little unusual in the middle of Kailua Harbor.
   On the way back in I spotted a Sidespot Goatfish.  King Kam is a pretty good spot for this unusual goatfish.   This guy was fairly shallow and let me take his picture.  Just as I surfaced from photographing, Sandra saw an octopus free swimming and then perching on a rock in three feet of clear water.  Octopi are so cryptic, that you don't see a lot of them and when you do its because they have moved.  I see only a handful each season.  I don't have a picture to show you because my photographic efforts never overcome the octopus's ability to look like the rock he is sitting on.

Sidespot Goatfish,  King Kam, November 2011

    Sandra declared this find by treading water and yelling my name followed by "Octopus!" It got me there, but Octopi are shy creatures and this one was gone.  If you see an octopus, stay back and be as quiet as you can.  With luck, while you watch he will change color and texture.  It can be a marvelous show.
    If I feel I have the octopus's trust, I sing him the doxology, of sorts, through my snorkel.  I didn't get a chance to sing to this octopus, but I will leave you with my song:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise him all Creatures hear me low.
Praise him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Octopus the Holy Ghost.

What can I say, I'm an animist.

Until we meet again may the dear lord bless you and keep you,
jeff