On Monday we were at the Keahou Shopping Center and, although the surf was still high. We stopped by Kahalu'u on the way home. The nice lady who collects the outrageous parking fees told us that our friend, Yasuko would be working the following morning. Even better, she consulted her laptop and proclaimed that the surf would be down the next day and on Friday. A veritable palantir it was.
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| If your name was Yasuko, you could have one, too. |
Dutifully the next morning, we arrived at dear old K Bay to find incredibly flat water. And shooting to our side was our dear friend, still speaking English with a bit of Japanese thrown in for good measure. We presented Yasuko with a paper mache butterfly fish with Mele Kalikimaka emblazoned on a Christmas ornament. She and Sandra settled down for a visit while I plunged ahead into the water.
Tuesday was one of those days when there is very little tidal exchange. At 8:30 it was at half a foot and around 1:00 it was going to peak just above a foot. So, as I entered, there was plenty of water to float me out into the bay.
The water was fairly clear, although blurred by cold and warm water coming together. Almost immediately I saw the fish of the day, a male Pearl Wrasse who was in no hurry and let me get what should have been some good pictures. Unfortunately, I have not made best of friends with the Olympus recently and most of my pictures were inexplicably blurry. The good news is that this morning I made kissy face with my SD Card reader and so I have the best of a sorry lot to show you.
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| Pearl Wrasse male, Kahalu'u December 2025 |
There was just enough current to inhibit an old guy who hasn't been swimming very much, but I lasted 45 minutes. There was a nice variety of fish, including a school of Keel tailed Needlefish, which used to be routine at K Bay. It was a great day for long spined sea urchins, of which we will speak later. And I enjoyed a cleaner wrasse who had set up shop conveniently on the shore side of the first corals.
On the way in, I photographed a Spotted Linkia Starfish, about five inches across. Look carefully and you will see the red dotted markings on an otherwise flesh colored sea star.
As we were getting ready to leave, Kathleen Clark, Queen of the Reef Teachers, dropped by for a chat. I complemented her on her fine collection of long spined sea urchins. I couldn't help mentioning one of our favorite fish of all time, the Bengai Cardinalfish, which we saw at Weedy Pirates, Permuteran, Bali. There, it was harboring among the spines of some super long spined urchins. It was an unforgettable sight.
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| Spotted Linkia, Kahalu'u December 2025 |
A fortnight ago in our immediate past, Sandra and I were reminded of this fish in a most unexpected way. My son and his family, having moved to Boise, of all the God forsaken locations, were celebrating my daughter-in-law's birthday, at great expense. This, apparently, is what yuppies these days do. Anyway, they found a swanky hotel on a lake in McCall , Idaho. While Tara was at the spa, James and my grandsons were in the game room where they encountered a large saltwater tank full of Indonesian fish. La de da. And among them was a Bengai Cardinalfish. At my request, James texted me a picture and so, phone in hand, I was able to tantalize Kathleen with his photo. And now I'm tantalizing you. Some fish, n'est pas?
Until I was appraised of the nightly rate, I thought I might go the Shore Inn and spend a few minutes gazing at their fish. Instead, I looked up my favorite spot to stay in Permuteran, and discovered that for the price of one night at the Shore Inn I could spend 10 nights at Pondok Shindu. Lovely tropical breakfast and flowers on the bed included.
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| Bengai Cardinalfish, Shore Inn, McCall Id. photo James Hill |
Kathleen noted that the baby Dascyllus are hanging out in her long urchin spines. We agreed that she really needs to get to Bali, but that appears to be for a later stage in her busy life. Hopefully the ocean and its wonderful creatures will be there when her time arrives.
jeff
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