The O'Reilly Ohana Family Reunion

    When I arrived at Kahalu'u for my swim this afternoon, a teeming mob had taken over the shelter.  It is far from unexpected that a party, a baby luau for example, might be taking place in this popular civic structure, but this was SRO.  I would guess that 150 souls were crammed onto the picnic tables. 

Lisa and Maggie O'Reilly at the Kahalu'u Shelter.

I hadn't seen so many people crowded into that shelter since our encounter with the Hortonville (Wisconsin) Band two years ago. 

   As I was changing into my snorkeling outfit, a master of ceremonies clanked two bottles together to gain the crowd's attention.   After a few words of welcome, he noted that there was still a chance to sign up for the upcoming bingo game. Having taken care of the gaming, he plunged right ahead, noting that lunch the following day was at Teshima's ( a tiny Japanese restaurant in nearby Kainaliu).  One could arrive at 11, he intoned, but lunch wasn't until noon.  Teshima's might seat thirty five hungry participants, so getting there early might be a good idea.

Teshima's Braces for the O'Reilly Ohana

    Finally, dinner tomorrow night was going to be at the condominium.  He didn't say which condominium...presumably the multitude knew where they were staying.  By this point, though, I was hoping he would name the place so I would know what to avoid.  Dinner would start at 5 and end at 7, he said, because it would be dark by then and the eating area at the condo didn't have lights.  He went on to say that if you were still dining at that late hour, you might have to finish up by the light of your cell phone in the dark.

   Before I headed to the water, I asked one of the middle aged white ladies sitting near the danger tape, that separated me from the festivities, just what organization they were with.  "This is the O'Reilly Ohana Family Reunion." she told me, as she contemplated a mound of mac salad and a bratwurst remaining on her plate.

    I delayed my swim another moment to look the group over.  There were a couple guys who looked like they might be part of the Hawaiian mix...Japanese, Chinese, dirty knees and Hawaiian, with some Portuguese thrown in for good measure.  But most of the people, including my new friend who spoke with a mid-western twang, looked very Caucasian.

    As it turns out, the majority of the O'Reilly Ohana is from Springfield, Illinois.  The idea for this ohana got started when a boy from Hilo, recently graduated in engineering from UCLA, took a job at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.  Soon he was able to hook up his brother with a job at the plant.  This little brother wasn't much of an engineer, but he was a pretty good second baseman.  He worked at the plant when time allowed and played  infield for

A quick trip from AA Springfield to the Cardinals

the Isotopes, the minor league team sponsored in part by the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.  And remember, it's not very far from Springfield to Busch Stadium.  Right Kolten Wong?

   While the isotopes are the AA affiliate of the Cards, its not so clear if there is a connection between Budweiser and Duff Beer, the Springfield entry in the beer business and a co-sponsor of the Isotopes.

    As one might suspect, Springfield is not rife with Hawaiian girls.  Or Japanese or Chinese girls, for that matter.  Soon the brothers were dating a couple sisters who worked for the aforementioned Duff Brewery.   They were not LaVerne and Shirley, but rather Lisa and Maggie O'Reilly.  One thing lead to another, what with a large extended family of Irish uncles, grandparents and nieces.  This was a clan in need of a tropical paradise to call a second home, and the O'Reilly Ohana Family Reunion was born.  Apparently they have been making an annual pilgrimage to Kona for some time; how, in my many years of residence, I have failed to run into them is a bit of a puzzle.

   So here they were, overpopulating K Bay.  As I walked around the shelter a small school bus was disgorging yet another dozen O'Reillys.  Better break out another case of that mac salad. Lucky for me, from the back of the shelter it wasn't very far to the water.

 

Canthigastor jacator, the Hawaiian Spotted Toby Kahalu'u July 2017

    Today the water was warm.  And for the most part cloudy.  But there were some spots where it cleared out and I was able to take advantage with a couple pretty good efforts with the new camera, which is still struggling to earn its place in the hearts here at the blog.

   The first shot was of one of our favorite endemics,Canthigaster jacator.   The current common name of this fish, Hawaiian spotted toby,  just doesn't do it justice, so I prefer the scientific nom de fish. Only rarely do I find one that is as cooperative as this guy.  Our mentor John Hoover states that the name jacator means boaster.  I've always imagined that it refers to a jester. A man who may not be large but projects intelligence and wit.  Somehow this little puffer always brings a smile

    Just a little later I found one of my favorite fish, the juvenile of the freckle faced hawkfish,  currently named the blackside hawkfish.  This was easily the largest individual of this green capped juvenile that I have seen.  And you will notice that he is already developing a crop of freckles.  As he ages, that lime green will change to cornflower blue.

Got Freckles?   A Blackside Hawkfish juvenile at Kahalu'u July 2018

    I saw two more young fish as I circled the bay.  The first was a blue striped juvenile of the Hawaiian cleaner wrasse.  He was cleaning a yellow tang and it would have made a great picture, but I wasn't quick enough.  The  yellow tang swam away and the baby cleaner wrasse, after giving me the fish eye, disappeared under his coral head.  As you can see, I managed a picture of this combination just a few months

Yellow Tang with juvenile cleaner wrasse.  Kahalu'u March 2018

ago.  I'm including it here so you can enjoy it again.

The second was a tiny yellow tailed coris; his raiment was that of a mature
adult, a royal blue flank with bright turquoise spots and a yellow tail.  She was still small enough that one had a right to hope for some intermediate coloring, a fading white stripe and maybe some red.   

Yellowtail Coris Transitional Phase, Kahalu'u 2012

Once again I wasn't quick enough for the picture.  Here again, I am including a picture from the past so you don't have to refer to your favorite search engine for a photo.

   As I swam ashore I could hear the lifeguard warning the O'Reilly Ohana (by name) to swim with caution and respect the coral and the turtles.  I can not recall any previous instance where the lifeguard singled out a group over her loud speaker.  Apparently, one can never be too careful with a couple hundred O'Reillys on the loose.

jeff 

In a word, the fishwatching in Springfield is "Excellent."