Bluestripe!

Strolling under the Vog in Kailua

  I suppose that there are lots of reasons to take a camera with you in the water.   First, its possible that the water will be clear and the sun will be out and there will be some really pretty fish close at hand to photograph.  Second, its a sightseeing tool.  I take pictures of my swimming partners, the boardsurfers and pictures of the shore from the perspective of the swimmer.  The last reason is, that regardless of the conditions, I might see something that merits documentation.  I saw this fish in that place on that day... regardless of the art.

Nose down Bluestripe Butterfly from above

    Yesterday was a type three sort of day.  The vog was dense making Kona look like something out of a Stephen King novel.  And the water was on the Ironman side of the pier was a little less than crystal clear.    It was Sunday and the local artsy fartsy folk were holding the Stroll.   The stroll  is a small art fair held one Sunday a month along Alii Drive as it winds through the village.  Usually during the stroll there are continuous  live music performances, and its sort of fun to swim while they play.  On this Sunday I was swimming without the tunes.
   The one good thing about Sundays afternoon at the pier from my perspective is that the boat operations seem to be suspended.  Having the entire pier to myself, I headed on out to where the larger boats tie up.  Almost immediately I spotted  a Bluestripe Butterflyfish.  This was the first one for the season and I was very pleased.  As we were further out the pier than usual, he was in about fifteen feet and showed no inclination to surface.  I attempted to dive and was rewarded with a brutal headache at only a few feet.  Playing through the recurring pain, I dove for five or six shots and then bid this uncommon butterfly farewell.   As you can see from these pictures, my results fall more into the documentary type of photo as opposed to lovely art.  Oh well.  We got the fish. 

This is the clearest picture of the Bluestripe

    This swim had little else of merit until the end when we spotted a nice and cooperative Banded Butterfly.

    Today I took Sandra back to see the Bluestripe.  I had been violently ill the night before and I am assuming that explained the headache when attempting to dive.   At any rate, you don't see fish if you don't get in the water.  Today was Monday.  There was no stroll and no vog... it was a lovely day in the neighborhood. 
    The big boats were not docked against the pier, so we took advantage of their absence and  patrolled the spot that the Bluestripe was seen previously. Ten minutes of searching failed to reveal our fish.  We spotted a Milletseed (probably the same one that has been around the pier for the last couple months) but no Bluestripe.  He apparently put in a cameo appearance lasting only one day!

Citron Butterflyfish,  Kailua Pier, March 2012

    Everyone agrees that the Bluestripe Butterflyfish is endemic to Hawaii and usually occurs in shallow water.   I certainly hope that it is more common elsewhere than it is in Kona.  Our friend John Hoover notes that when they aren't breeding, Bluestripes tend to be solitary.  This is unlike most other butterflyfish; many species are found swimming in pairs, a few, like Lined Butterflyfish, swim in larger groups.  To the best of my recollection (officer),  I have never seen more than one Bluestripe Butterflyfish at a time.
    As the water was clear and the sun was out, we went in search of aquatic delights to photograph.  On this day we saw the small Citron Butterfly swimming among the coral.  There was also a really nice Intermediate Pearl Wrasse.  And last, and perhaps most pleasing, a Collector Sea Urchin that had donned a multi-colored plastic bracelet like the one we had borrowed a couple moths ago.  I withhold judgement as to whether it looks better on the urchin or on Sandra's wrist! 

If  I was a Collector Sea Urchin  /  The first thing that I'd want to do /  Is to collect pretty things 'till eternity passes /  And save them  to give them to you.

I hope you enjoy the pretty pictures and that a Bluestripe Butterfly is in your future.
jeff