An Update from the Pier

   Over the last three days while swimming at the Kailua pier, we have enjoyed some excellent sightings and one tantalizing tip.

African Pompano immature

    On Wednesday, the day of the cruise ship, with the pier in a carnival atmosphere, I went swimming in the early afternoon.  Out on the water I immediately encountered two gentleman of about my age, which is to say not particularly young.  They were both clad in full wet suits including hoods with snappy orange and red logos and one of them was holding a  giant $3,000 camera.  As they looked so official, I

Scribbled Filefish,  Kailua Kona,  January 2014

asked if they had seen anything good.  They reported that they had seen a "threadfin ulua".  Seeing my puzzled look, one of them added "the immature African Pompano," and then started to describe it.  I said that I knew the fish (feeling extremely lucky to have seen it once) and asked where they had seen it.  It turns out they had seen it Tuesday, were unable to get a satisfactory picture and had returned that day.  They had seen two hanging out over the sand on the far side of the swim buoys.  Here on Wednesday they were disappointed that the bustling tenders from the cruise ship were keeping them out of that area.  Cruise ship day is like that. 

   Suffice it to say, after hearing that news I could not stay on my own side of the swim buoys.  Luckily, the

Is this a great picture, or what? 

 tenders did not shred me like a brisket and I was able to continue my swim.  The water was super clear, hence I was able to nab a superb photo of a scribbled filefish on the reef in front of the palace.  I don't see this individual every time, but he is currently fairly regular.  If you need Mr. Scribble for your list, or you just want to renew acquaintances with an old friend, this is a good place to look for him. 

     Equally good, just before I got out, there was a mature Flying Gurnard in the shallows.  The water was only two feet deep, so I was able to provoke him into spreading his fins for some great looks and a couple killer photographs.

      Perhaps best of all, over in the showers I met a father from Australia and his two boys who had enjoyed snorkeling while off the cruise ship.  I'm not one of those guys that thinks kids ought to be given all the foul balls (after all, I care as deeply for the game as they ever will) but for me it is truly heartwarming to see young boys and girls happily indoctrinated into fish watching.

      The following day, Sandra and I went down to find the threadfins.  The area was virtually deserted, especially compared to the day before.  The water was clear and we worked the sandy area on the other

Bluestripe Butterflyfish,  Kailua Kona,  Januaray 2014

side of the buoys, thoroughly and methodically, but saw no threadfins.  We did see a group of adult Polynesian halfbeaks.  On coming in we took a closer look at what we presumed to be a large school of Keel-tailed Needlefish, only to discover that they were immature halfbeaks.  I did not get a good picture, but I can report that they had black tails of even dimensions and when you got a really good look you could make out the red tip on the beak.  They were a bit fuller through the body than keel-tails, but not as plump as the adults.  At least once, the adults swam through the school of immatures as we watched.  One tends not to think of bony fish interacting with their maturing progeny, but this relationship seemed more than a coincidence.

     Today I hooked up with Jon, a good friend from Vancouver island who visits Kona six weeks each winter.  He is more of a recreational swimmer, but also enjoys snorkeling, as well.  The water was still clear and not too cold.  Good conditions three days in a row!   On the way out we saw a Bluestripe Butterflyfish.  Jon was not as pleased by this fish as I was.  Being a Congenitally Considerate Canadian, he controlled his urge to swim away while I got a pretty good picture that you see here.

     Out in front of the palace we saw a really nice octopus that hung around to get his picture taken.  

Because the water was so pleasant, we swam as far as the Kona Inn, Jon stopping a couple times to greet his fellow recreational swimmers.

    On the way back in we spotted a dive boat and on closer examination a bod of spinners along with a bevy of  paddle boarders.  I convinced Jon that we should give it a try, it was only another hundred yards out and boat traffic was minimal.  The dolphins stuck around for our arrival and gave us several close passes.  What a treat.  You can never see too many total eclipses or have too many encounters with wild dolphins.

On the way back in, I saw three really good things over the sand.  First was a pair of Stripe Belly Puffers.  We rarely see this species that used to be so available.  Next, in about twenty feet of water, I saw a second Bluestripe Butterflyfish.  The black wedge this side of the caudal peduncle made this fish pretty easy to identify at a distance, given the nice clear water.  You will recall that we saw one about two months ago.   Is this rare fish becoming more common?

    Last I saw a Common Box Crab.  His legs fit completely under the carapace, so he looked like a snow white doorstop scuttling across the sand.  So comical was his progress, that I dove down and attempeted to take a movie.  White on white, twenty feet deep, so it didn't turn out.  I guess you can't have everything.   But this week we had a lot to be thankful for.

jeff

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow!