Kahalu'u Bumpy or a Tail of Two Parrots

     Kona has been blessed with non-stop fantastic surfing conditions for several weeks.  The swell mostly comes from the north, leaving Kailua Bay protected.  The water is a little cloudy around Kailua Pier, but by and large the sea is flat.  This has not been the case at Kahalu'u.  On several days in the last month the lifeguards, perhaps with the blessing of the County of Hawaii, have closed the park.  On most other days, the surf is so high that there is a ripping current and few swimmers venture far from the entrance.

A recent day at Kahalu'u, photo SKG

   Yesterday, as the sun rose over Hualalai, Sandra and I noted that the surf down at Lyman's  was a bit smaller than usual.  While there were still surfers, they weren't getting many killer rides.  And so we thought we would make a morning dash to K Bay.   I checked Tides4Fishing and noted that if we got there a little after 8 we would be one hour after the low high tide, which was 1.2 feet at 7:10 AM.  Perfect! 

   By the time we made it to Kahalu'u the surf was up  just a bit, with a few waves sloshing over the Menehune Breakwater.   As I was getting organized, a gentleman of about my age came over and asked if I snorkeled in the bay...his way of asking for some advice.  I showed him the best entry for us kapunas and commented that the surf was low enough that the current might not over power us.  When it became apparent that he was going in at that time, I noted that the tide was just right, but if we waited two hours he would be crawling over rocks in the entry like a primordial lungfish.  

   My good deed for the day under my weight belt, I hit that very entry.  On this day I had new fins, a pair of medium long Cressis.  It is a curiosity of living in Hawaii that you wear out things like swimsuits and swim fins that, if you lived on the mainland,. might last close to a lifetime.  

Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse, juv.  Kahalu'u February 2022

   Soon I was out in the bay.  The current was fairly strong, but there was a bigger problem.  The water was so bumpy that it was continually washing over me and flooding my snorkel.  There were many periods when I couldn't take three breaths without having to surface and dump out my snorkel. 

    Despite these challenging conditions, I was seeing a few good animals.  A Stripebelly Puffer led me out and at the first coral head I encountered a tiny blue streak juvenile of the Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse.  In the same hollow was a Gosline's Fanged Benny.  In my opinion, both the cleaner wrasse and the blenny will occasionally take a bite of the fish as opposed to simply removing the parasite.  In this instance neither was attracting much business.  

   I struggled in the direction of the old hotel bar, the only thing left of the once beloved and now demolished Keahou Beach Hotel,  and achieved another coral head.  There I spied a small shrimp on the top of the coral.  He was only an inch long and hiding beneath the spines of  a sea urchin.  Despite the surging current I was able to snap two pictures, one of which is good enough for the identification, an Eyespot Shrimp. 

Eyespot Shrimp, Kahalu'u February 2022

  Tiny shrimp identification is one of those instances in which the camera has to do the heavy lifting: until I got to the computer and looked at the images I had no idea what it might be. Luckily, I have seen this fellow under better conditions. Here is the picture I took yesterday.  At the end of the blog I will show you my best picture of this handsome little animal, taken 6 years ago. 

   Leaving the shrimp to his own devices, I plowed laboriously through the current in the direction of  a seaward coral.  On the way I got a nice look at an old pirate of Bluespine Unicornfish.  This was a new fish for the year, although one might hope to see it every time out.  

   Finally I made it to a familiar coral that in the past has yielded such treasures as a leaf scorpionfish hiding in the distinctive depression on the leeward side.  If there is a spot in this bay that gets me seething with nostalgia, I suppose it's this coral head.  

Bullethead Parrotfish Kahalu'u February 2022

   Luckily for me this spot didn't disappoint.  While swimming hard to keep in position, I watched as a gorgeous parrotfish appeared over the top of the coral.  His flank was scalloped blue with a hint of pink on the edges.  He had blue lines and orange freckles creating an intricate face pattern.  But there was no doubt about who he was. He had a blue tail with a flat trailing edge and a blunt face that could only be that of a Bullethead.  We have tons of experience with this species along the Kona Coast, but to see a supermale still takes one aback.  

   I'm going to show you two pictures.  the first is one that I took yesterday  although my picture does not do this fish justice, please note the blue tail with the flat edge.

The second picture is one that I lifted from the internet, so my thanks to Reef Guide.  This picture gives you an idea about how beautiful a super male bullethead can be and approximates (although there is more pink in this fish) what I saw yesterday.

Bullethead Parrotfish super male, courtesy Reef Guides

  This male bullethead circled a bit and then left the area.  I turned and to my surprise, a similarly colored, large parrotfish was swimming towards me.  Luckily I still had the camera in my hand.  As I watched he raised his dorsal fin and circled vigorously. 

  

 As before, I'm going to show you two pictures.  The first is one that I took.  Please note the moon shaped scallop of the tail, not to mention the flamboyant dorsal fin.  I guess you will have to take my word that the sides were a beautiful blue, the scalloped scales outlined in pink.

Regal Parrotfish Kahalu'u February 2022

  I'm calling this a male Regal Parrotfish.   As far as I can remember this is the first male regal that I have seen south of Kohala.  Around the pier we occassionally get a juvenile regal, but nothing like this.  

   The second picture is one taken by our good friend Peter Krottje.  Peter had the good fortune to snorkel regularly at Mahukona where this species is far more common.  Suffice it to say, he a very good underwater photographer, as well.

    As an aside, Peter has just sailed through a little medical episode that had Sandra and I more than a little worried.  Thank goodness, he is doing very well and his neurosurgeon says he can be photographing parrotfish in two short months, as long as he doesn't do any free diving. Getting older is a drag until you consider the alternatives, which can be pretty darn scary.  We look forward to enjoying Peter's company and his photographs for years to come.

Regal Parrotfish, Mahukona, photo Peter Krottje

    Back on shore I ran into my new friend, who as it turned out is also named Peter.   Standing in the morning sunshine, we shared experiences: bumpy water, strong currents, flooded snorkels   But both us old guys saw some fish and made it back to tell the tale.  In my case two tails, one flat and one with streamers.

jeff

Eyespot Shrimp, Kahalu'u 2006

Bluespine Unicorn Tang  Kahalu'u  February 2022