A Colony of Bluestripe Snapper

Jeff Poses with the Octopus, Bonaire 2009. Are we being followed?

    Paul Allen has returned to Kona.  This time he is driving the Octopus, his mega-yacht that looks like a small cruise ship with a helipad on the back.  The Octopus was floating off shore as I swam on Paul's eponymous reef this morning.  I'm hoping that someone will let him know that I am trying to popularize that bit of coastline as Paul Allen's Reef.  Maybe I'll receive an invitation to dine aboard the Octopus with the great man himself.   If you're out there and you know Paul Allen, let him know that I would be delighted to sing (through my trusty snorkel) the octopus doxology as a pre-dinner toast.  I'd love to see that boat.  But I digress.

    The main thrust of this evening's symposium is the Bluestripe Snapper.  At least three game fish have been introduced to Hawaii.  All three are reputed to be ciguatoxic, so from the standpoint of dinner, the experiment has been less than a total success. Looking at pure numbers, though,  the Argus Grouper, has been a remarkably successful transplant.  One sees a gazillion of these blue and silver fish scooting around the reef.

    The other two nouveau fishe are snappers...Blacktail and Bluestripe.  Both used to be fairly common...twenty years ago.  Now their numbers have dwindled. The Blacktail is slightly more common than the Hawaiian Hogfish.  Which is to say just this side of rare.   In the last six months I have seen one immature Hawaiian Hogfish.  Such a rare sighting that it took me an hour with the books to puzzle out the ID.  In that same time I have seen maybe two Blacktail Snapper.  I caught one especially approachable individual at City of Refuge.  Look for his picture in the Summer in the City blog.  Tell Paul, if he would like, that I will sing my version of that great Lovin' Spoonful hit along with his karaoke machine aboard the Octopus as an after dinner treat.  Or not...its totally his choice.

Bluestripe Snapper,  Kailua Kona 2012

    The Bluestripe Snapper is slightly more common than the Blacktail.   But still not a common fish.  Just recently, though, a colony of this black eyed beauty has appeared on the Ironman side of the pier.  I see them every time, just on the shore side of the big orange buoy to which the Body Glove attaches her bow line.  There they reside among some luscious coral,  in ten easy feet of Kona crystal.  I don't mind revealing this location because, as above, they are not safe to eat.  If Paul, or one of his guests would like to take a look, tell them to contact me here at jhill257.  We'll leave a fish out for you.

How can the Great Paul Allen, he for whom is named the magnificent Paul Allen's Reef,  resist these Handsome Snappers?   (Not to mention the photographer and his lovely bride?  Who are awaiting the invite with bells on.)