A Day at the Pier with Charles

Haig's Hermit Crab Goes to War Against the Donald  Graphics by Don Batkins

  
Early in my son's visit, we went down to the pier for a get reacquainted snorkel.  Considering his full beard, the mask and he got along swimmingly.  The water was cold, but we had such a good time swimming together that we swam happily until it was time to get out and head to the shower.

   It didn't hurt that the water was clear and all the usual suspects were out and about.  Not only that, but we saw a couple pretty good critters.  The first was a large reticulated  cowry, harboring in a coral head about three feet down.  Just like most invertebrates in Kona, these aren't as common as they once were and its always fun to see one.

    But the best was yet to come, on the way in I spotted a cone shell high up in a coral crevice.  As cone shell snails, with their poisonous spears, live in the sand, it was highly likely that this was a cone shell hermit crab.  I dove down and repositioned the shell with the aperture facing up.  With luck, the crab would emerge from the shell in order to resume his preferred aperture down position. 

The Cone Shell Hermit Crab, kailua Kona Pier, January 2018

    As we watched, young Mr. Stripey did indeed come out of his shell and stayed out long enough for both of us to dive down for a good look and for your humble correspondent to nab this wonderful picture.  Don't you just love those fancy legs?

    I can't say for sure how they compare to the gams on Stormy Daniels.  Perhaps we should let the first lady vote.  Or maybe the first philanderer himself should weigh in.  If he'll give me $130,000 I will disqualify all the other voters on some trumped up technicality.

    And what if he prefers the crab? Is it an impeachable offense?  Do we need to call on Robert Mueller to get to the bottom of this?  Too many questions in these politically charged times.

    It should be noted that while some hermit crabs are found on occasion around the pier, this is not one of them.  While we see the cone shell at Kahalu'u with some regularity, this may be the first time we have spotted him at the pier. 

All this talk about crabs is giving me an itch.