Blood and Dragons at Kahalu'u

         One doesn't get material for a blog every time he steps into the water.  Following my experience with the wrasses, Sandra and I went back to Kahalu'u the very next day in hopes of seeing the female Blackstripe Coris.  We did score the pair of Pearl Wrasse, with quick looks at both the colorful male and the female, who with her lines of pearl-like dots gives the species its common name.  But no big blackstripe.  

Stocky Hawkfish Kahalu'u  March  2022

    In fact, the only good picture I came away with was one of a stocky hawkfish perched on a coral.  The stocky used to be the third most common hawkfish, but that is no longer the case.  Both the Arc Eyed Hawkfish and the sporty Mr. Freckle (Blackside Hawkfish) are in such decline at the snorkeling reefs in Kona that it is common for me to take a turn at KBay or the pier and see neither of those species.  On the other hand, I invariably see at least one stocky, even on a day at the pier when the water looks like dilute milk.

   On that day, about a week ago, we had a chance to converse with the redoubtable Kathleen Clark.  While she is always full of wit and wisdom, Kat was far from the most interesting thing happening in the shelter.  As Sandra and I arrived, we were surprised to see two dozen shining faces arrayed at the picnic tables.  Although I tried to be discrete, I couldn't help but notice that most of these faces were affiliated with well groomed young women.  And they had an instructor who, while sweetie and I were donning our winter snorkeling garb, was telling them what a wonderful bit of lore they were going to receive as they sat at the feet of the redoubtable Ms. Clark.  

The best looking Bulldogs this side of Honoka'a!

    The convocation broke up, the better to move to a different venue, in time for us to query one of the young ladies.  She claimed, in impeccable American English, that they were a group of foreign exchange students. They went their way, trailing a mystery behind them, while Sandra and I went out to meet Mr. and Mrs. Pearl.

   On our return, after a freshwater ablution, I was able to button hole one of the young lovelies, who was now in a swimming costume, stowing her gear in a fashionable backpack.  "So," I asked, "You are a group of foreign exchange students?"  

    "Not exactly," my victim responded, "We're from the University of Georgia. " (By which she meant UGA, not an academic institution in the former USSR.)  Further inquiry revealed that they were on a Spring Break study experience, delving into the social and environmental facets of the Big Island.  They had begun their sojourn in Hilo, spent the last five days in Kona and were leaving the following morning for the volcano.  Never one to bypass the opportunity to teach, I proceeded to stultify this sweet young thing with a complete rundown on the Kamehameha Butterfly, its relationship with the Hawaiian nettle, māmaki, and just where to find the state insect in the HVNP.  As she fled in terror I admonished her to use this information to flumox her tour guide at Kilauea. 

Flowery Flounder, almost invisible atop a rock.  Kahalu'u 2022

    Sadly neither Sandra nor I captured a picture of these young ladies. But thanks to the worldwide web,  I discovered the name of the program, Study Abroad Hawaii ( (which the catty Ms. Sandra renamed "Study A Broad, Hawaii.") and I'm able to provide a charming shot of two of the young lovelies smiling next to the Great God Ku at the City of Refuge.

   Note to Vlad the Bomber:  Don't you dare try to invade this Very Sandwich Island or my man Ku is gonna put a cap up yo' Russian ass.

  Two days after we encountered Study Abroad, Hawaii! I made an attempt to study the Ironman side of the pier.  The water was a little cloudy, but worse, there was little to write home about swimming in the sea.  From an editorial point of view, the day was saved by a gentleman, ensconced in one of the changing room toilets.  While I swapped out my swimsuit for shorts, he serenaded me with a country tune,  accompanied at full volume by a song on the dubiously named smartphone. When I told my son,Charles, about this encounter, he asked, "Was he drunk?"  to which I replied, "I think so."

An adolescent Rockmver cowering beneath a stone.

   The powers that be have removed the benches from this changing room, presumably to discourage homeless drug addicts.  Will the toilets be next?

   All of this brings us to yesterday back at Kahalu'u, where the action will segue mercifully into the ocean.  To accommodate the tide, I chose to swim at noon.  Suffice it to say there were lots of tourists, especially compared to the number we encounter as the sun rises over Hualalai.  However, this was balanced by higher water and low surf and I soon found myself out in the bay. 

 Almost immediately I happened upon a small flounder sitting on top of a rock.   He was easily spotted, but equally convinced of his camouflage.  I took this picture at about five feet and he remained non plussed throughout..  I wonder if enough is made of the flounders ability to mimic the surface upon which he is resting.  With equal facility, he can do black sand, salt and pepper sand and an algae encrusted rock.  Do you wonder how he knows what the surface looks like and accomplishes the mimicry?  I do. 

   A bit further on I spotted an octopus in a rocky crevice.  He remained brown and mostly hidden.  As photography was inadequate for the blog, I mention him mostly to point out that this is a very good year for the Day Octopus.  This is at least my fourth one for 2022. Other animals have become less common, by this particular cephalopod is having a banner year.

Bloody Hermit Crab, Kahalu'u March 2022

      Near the old hotel bar I was lucky to see three Rockmovers, one of which was in the last stages of converting from a Dragon Wrasse to an adult.  I chased him around a bit...once he realized that I wanted to take his picture he did his best to make it difficult...typical adolescent, right?  

    As I tired of the chase, I realized that right next to me were two young ladies in sneakers, which is the information you glean from the underwater perspective.  I surfaced and asked them if they would like to see something interesting and one of them accompanied me a few feet to where the large dragon wrasse was up to his antics.  She was amused for about ten seconds and we bade each other adieu.  

   Heading back towards the middle, I spotted the well encrusted shell of a large strawberry drupe.  This shell looks remarkably like a knob of dead coral and thus is perfect camouflage for a large hermit crab.  I plucked  the shell up, noting a claw in the opening, and positioned it in a depression about afoot below the surface.  I then backed off about five feet to wait.  About a minute in, I was rammed by a young male snorkeler.  Wham!  Luckily the crab ignored the episode and in another minute or so he emerged. 

A Veiled Drupe, Drupa ricina, sans hermit.  March 2022

   If you follow the blog, you might guess that this was a Bloody Hermit Crab, Dardanus sanguinocarpus.  If one is good at finding hermit crabs, and I suppose I number myself in that auspicious fraternity, this species is not particularly uncommon at Kahalu'u.  Nevertheless, it was the first one for 2022.  And, like communing with an octopus, having a few private moments with this large, hairy hermit is always special.  As he was sitting there waving his legs in the air (er, water) a fellow snorkeler swam close by.  He was carrying a camera and I pointed at the hermit.   He paused for a moment and swam on. Now this was surely the most interesting animal he would see in the bay, but he didn't even try for a shot.  Sometimes I wonder..do I just not get it?

   Before moving on, I returned the crab to his preferred orientation and took a little video of the shell, basically, as it scuttled along the coral and down into a depression.  If one looks carefully he will see a tiny leg supporting the shell, lowering it gently down the incline. It is interesting that when one finds active invertebrates, and not counting the girls and the two gentleman, I had already found three, they just keep on coming.  And so I soon found another shell that must have been home to a crab.  I turned it over and waited and waited.  No crab appeared, but as you can see, it was a beautiful shell, the former home of a Veiled Drupe, Drupa ricina.  This was a real beauty and the first one for the year.

   The rest of the circuit revealed a saddleback butterfly and many snorkelers.  As I negotiated the exit, there was a small school of Hawaiian Flagtails swimming in the shallows.  These fry were common at the pier until recently.  So we had one more fish for the 2022 list to cap off a fine afternoon of fishwatching at Kahalu'u.

jeff