tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55958637506898869522024-03-06T09:25:09.597-08:00UpwellingsJeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-26519460374100185992024-03-04T12:07:00.000-08:002024-03-04T12:07:03.534-08:00Longfin Anthias, and other marvels<p> Imagine how stoked I was last week when I heard reports of Longfin Anthias surfacing again after a long while. These beautiful little fish are exotic and rare; they live at moderate depth and are very wild and will dive into the lattice-work reef holes at the slightest hint of cameras in the area.</p><p>Today we went on purpose to a spot that one of our friends had got one in a video a few days ago. We descended to about 60 feet and slowly angled down the dropoff. Suddenly our guide, Rob, began waving his arm and pointing. That could only mean one thing: That he found one, and he had.</p><p> Shortly after, I stumbled onto a fairly rare and extremely cool endemic Black Longnose Butterfly. They only take on this black shade due to the food they eat, while the normal coloration is shown on the one below. But this black longnose is still transitioning; another very cool thing to see.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fI6jt-YvlfuJh4qdeRAqYq3xSWPenkcD5OgeL7ZnB6JfCocMj9CtUdKEfJiQmATsj6CCS9mWeKKiMA_3CMm803olRCwRUYw2Ue0bQ4iWHuNhODOvNUsmuQDpLioA5N0db01asMkqe6RnimrV0M_49uFP2qaC4pFuyKUZpbXUhnNjw3vDVxjz6az7T2k/s2631/longfin%20anthias.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1761" data-original-width="2631" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fI6jt-YvlfuJh4qdeRAqYq3xSWPenkcD5OgeL7ZnB6JfCocMj9CtUdKEfJiQmATsj6CCS9mWeKKiMA_3CMm803olRCwRUYw2Ue0bQ4iWHuNhODOvNUsmuQDpLioA5N0db01asMkqe6RnimrV0M_49uFP2qaC4pFuyKUZpbXUhnNjw3vDVxjz6az7T2k/w400-h268/longfin%20anthias.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-Y4NYbbn2Qa6WTjgTBU1T_3mlMx1g_ufvV0yW5ZVZhyphenhyphenOmUPLsIrbwyoeIdIB0v_GVGIZn8d5zCidqDFmiKb1-wIK8ZEUTODlUZ9DcAJaLPF5jYATR2P1msBXMMRUgCwetzjre7xnVB6WpLfZAtTSqlt0lVlNB5AhFDCYdgKw3gXt5NMlCxIC2rTbGIk/s4186/longnose%20butterfly%20black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2952" data-original-width="4186" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-Y4NYbbn2Qa6WTjgTBU1T_3mlMx1g_ufvV0yW5ZVZhyphenhyphenOmUPLsIrbwyoeIdIB0v_GVGIZn8d5zCidqDFmiKb1-wIK8ZEUTODlUZ9DcAJaLPF5jYATR2P1msBXMMRUgCwetzjre7xnVB6WpLfZAtTSqlt0lVlNB5AhFDCYdgKw3gXt5NMlCxIC2rTbGIk/w400-h283/longnose%20butterfly%20black.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfIi1zRrIpC9aickcIcEqLSVbiRzP5z_65TQG-fpsC2LeFIjpMsxWJ6FfTCA5Poq7kfROLTSVyxfJmIjU-lZNxR_5ex0Dt-FBgqzZ64geV5V39K0XYs-Y8JR4pzi4cigx6WJNhySykay2ZbAJgMDml92Y42QQPQwseXi3e_8YHF70Z_K1wOC_LQh86J8/s3651/longnose%20butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="3651" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfIi1zRrIpC9aickcIcEqLSVbiRzP5z_65TQG-fpsC2LeFIjpMsxWJ6FfTCA5Poq7kfROLTSVyxfJmIjU-lZNxR_5ex0Dt-FBgqzZ64geV5V39K0XYs-Y8JR4pzi4cigx6WJNhySykay2ZbAJgMDml92Y42QQPQwseXi3e_8YHF70Z_K1wOC_LQh86J8/w400-h278/longnose%20butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>The antler coral this year seems to be flourishing, after the bleaching events of seven years ago and before, and this is good for fish populations. Lots of fish live in the branches out of danger from predators, and some predators hang out on the branches to use as launching pads. Here's one: Blackside Hawkfish. These are so common but their coloration, posture and contrast with the coral branches makes them very photogenic. And they sit motionless until you swim up to them. I sneak up from below, pop up, shoot, and watch them flit at warp speed to another universe. The Blueline Surgeonfish is one I don't see a lot, so I was happy to find this one not running away from me.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyotElAqpK1gk-ZCO2L_Js2xZCft_RqlZJi2UcMmobTZ-oLiG9uW3D7-l80x_c5C_UQ2HSXbk64BQr-8OVMf8m6P1rUJj_LRR_JQhzd8F6i1skvH3w6yAmQ_2CDlJf4p6-Nhnz2GdBJtV61dkYlGyZwpwwQYewHh4Y5uV0lSFyLT5bUpSxG2B1OeGZ70/s4394/blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2864" data-original-width="4394" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyotElAqpK1gk-ZCO2L_Js2xZCft_RqlZJi2UcMmobTZ-oLiG9uW3D7-l80x_c5C_UQ2HSXbk64BQr-8OVMf8m6P1rUJj_LRR_JQhzd8F6i1skvH3w6yAmQ_2CDlJf4p6-Nhnz2GdBJtV61dkYlGyZwpwwQYewHh4Y5uV0lSFyLT5bUpSxG2B1OeGZ70/w400-h261/blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheCBBfFEKooQwXKrbkyzeRnGKZeVoJLi2cqqFVmfoUAGXxEMPfacC5YnNCIWarWSR9TwfK8ILuPS9TsGbkXmsFw6TLSVEglmKsYYBfN1JY0XT8pG1WxDIjMxUNG4v3kA2EssMyKftDfcKy0mRIiIFTzBK9shZ1fQPNXUEhI2S5mPfOJEE1fbx5laZbX4/s4625/blueline%20surgeon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3005" data-original-width="4625" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheCBBfFEKooQwXKrbkyzeRnGKZeVoJLi2cqqFVmfoUAGXxEMPfacC5YnNCIWarWSR9TwfK8ILuPS9TsGbkXmsFw6TLSVEglmKsYYBfN1JY0XT8pG1WxDIjMxUNG4v3kA2EssMyKftDfcKy0mRIiIFTzBK9shZ1fQPNXUEhI2S5mPfOJEE1fbx5laZbX4/w400-h260/blueline%20surgeon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Sometimes another diver motions me over to get a shot that they've just taken. Sometimes I sit there and look hard to see what they were pointing at, but they've already moved on leaving me to just wonder what it is I'm not seeing. This is one of those cases. When that happens I just point the camera in the general area and get off a couple of frames. If there's something there maybe I'll see it in processing. So this tiny Stout Moray was poking out of a hole at the edge of the frame. I zoomed in, glad to have the resolution of my FX sensor, and presented the shot as if I knew what I was doing. #confession<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSk8-wdRcc_t4wLYWj8rIqMt3lZjO7G-hNbe2cROc92LgXZTrP64mmd6Ixc4feZyQP78tQ1vzcZUsdkv2wKXM5W1J0oBJs1KbLUAO8YqCaEwUlj_46x68Mb0enQVB1hvi-T-LpWtaaZurcuzhgIl0CkiwGjxL23_Mkc7ojqAthwHF3w5EVpg3IxtUHfFk/s2334/stout%20moray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1812" data-original-width="2334" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSk8-wdRcc_t4wLYWj8rIqMt3lZjO7G-hNbe2cROc92LgXZTrP64mmd6Ixc4feZyQP78tQ1vzcZUsdkv2wKXM5W1J0oBJs1KbLUAO8YqCaEwUlj_46x68Mb0enQVB1hvi-T-LpWtaaZurcuzhgIl0CkiwGjxL23_Mkc7ojqAthwHF3w5EVpg3IxtUHfFk/w400-h310/stout%20moray.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Continuing the theme of getting fish that usually elude me, here is a Bird Wrasse. Not rare, but just hard to shoot. They are so fast and don't like people. I caught this one turning to run away.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAryQN74ibCjQhbnTXJA8ICjucSj4xDX_ZtEp9Q1zqom5enCEFI8iMHUA7KkqdoF6xI8PxybXidn5CxLSZ9PTqJFUi4IrKVHNPXMZORRfp1fuiZIykjTyOyyqeUt7EXWhh946iddJo9P_Pbf4F6RQwdw70m55xfUOXhcH0CcuYbq5_wf3T1JCjDBjBKc/s3520/bird%20wrasse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2410" data-original-width="3520" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAryQN74ibCjQhbnTXJA8ICjucSj4xDX_ZtEp9Q1zqom5enCEFI8iMHUA7KkqdoF6xI8PxybXidn5CxLSZ9PTqJFUi4IrKVHNPXMZORRfp1fuiZIykjTyOyyqeUt7EXWhh946iddJo9P_Pbf4F6RQwdw70m55xfUOXhcH0CcuYbq5_wf3T1JCjDBjBKc/w400-h274/bird%20wrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Back to shots that are easier to get. Here is a lovely Four Spot Butterfly. They are almost always with their mates, but this one strayed a bit far from it's partner so I only got the one. By the time I get to the Octopus it's either flown the coop or retreated to a hole. This one was giving me stink-eye from its hidey-hole. The Ornate Butterfly is another very common fish, but its coloration is so beautiful that I can't resist. This one was also checking me out before veering off behind a rock outcropping.</p><p>It was definitely a day for me to get shots of fish I usually just waste film on since they're so either small, fast or clever. The Ewa Fang Blenny is very small, maybe three inches long and very thin. They are so fast, it's hard to focus on them because of this. I hung out with this one because it stayed in the same area and let me waste about three minutes to get one in-focus shot. Great. Now where has my group of divers gone?<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4zYK3_hTOoKV2kUo8C9imco_t-uniFViGiq6nQNUk6ADOPrbrHnIxYyq-YItsRKo9DEO_gNylelGJelMd9bnm4pjNNLxbR6RHcfa5kvK9Ba3Dt_ZcVEEQzukniFPEq7WAbaTvvELB0lLdDuFt6_0SHGG-uwgrGnIH0gQd_hUhpARmf373Nj7Wd1ukW8/s3453/four%20spot%20butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2340" data-original-width="3453" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4zYK3_hTOoKV2kUo8C9imco_t-uniFViGiq6nQNUk6ADOPrbrHnIxYyq-YItsRKo9DEO_gNylelGJelMd9bnm4pjNNLxbR6RHcfa5kvK9Ba3Dt_ZcVEEQzukniFPEq7WAbaTvvELB0lLdDuFt6_0SHGG-uwgrGnIH0gQd_hUhpARmf373Nj7Wd1ukW8/w400-h271/four%20spot%20butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5FrykCTo05g9zGYfxvuTFEtlHsCU4fRUXJ8ANnmnJNt4rLjmkHexxZV3UZbz0omXwX0p9TDkbjWraImR__nhgmDs1yEPco9Fn6maPBdBhsWK7v-n4wWHPJAkX37c6q9QPvq6oBM4mgULs7BaheqPoyYX_bqwnTWuBiE9lsLtV7aFJWvllq6AGfQP4XY/s4721/octopus%20in%20a%20hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3410" data-original-width="4721" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5FrykCTo05g9zGYfxvuTFEtlHsCU4fRUXJ8ANnmnJNt4rLjmkHexxZV3UZbz0omXwX0p9TDkbjWraImR__nhgmDs1yEPco9Fn6maPBdBhsWK7v-n4wWHPJAkX37c6q9QPvq6oBM4mgULs7BaheqPoyYX_bqwnTWuBiE9lsLtV7aFJWvllq6AGfQP4XY/w400-h289/octopus%20in%20a%20hole.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt1gY3ShqqHweR8U6ScMSlEqTYwYSAl_Lp90lOB5lNv8dvIaDlytbIYHwDAc_jz88fPdf_RXj6Bm55V7nEza8jWZ9ZIpU_ZsUPEYpCpq56HXbafD5gqwzfa2WYd2uSa0BCMAj8J_JNSWhErYBPaodKPbqdsZC4FVOTo_v576R8M-T_ZfWpPg2FY75CvM/s3945/ornate%20butterfrly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3945" data-original-width="3028" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt1gY3ShqqHweR8U6ScMSlEqTYwYSAl_Lp90lOB5lNv8dvIaDlytbIYHwDAc_jz88fPdf_RXj6Bm55V7nEza8jWZ9ZIpU_ZsUPEYpCpq56HXbafD5gqwzfa2WYd2uSa0BCMAj8J_JNSWhErYBPaodKPbqdsZC4FVOTo_v576R8M-T_ZfWpPg2FY75CvM/w308-h400/ornate%20butterfrly.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXImg-7n1Is8r6OXIaqJSoKba5jF914mnZp_gwL4oogZOvq__PULzZFY9-RIKJ3uQBTGJ3vXEf2x-sX_L5IjthVbOEv0M0ZeX44o8mkWK8FFRSXD7vtYqrKcUGhVaOfYz2RFpzCTZ1y9LiPLRS-y8ArLSRZhWs9A-i2rCUR2xR8yvTV5fZ_8VlDACn_k/s2787/ewa%20fang%20blennie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1998" data-original-width="2787" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXImg-7n1Is8r6OXIaqJSoKba5jF914mnZp_gwL4oogZOvq__PULzZFY9-RIKJ3uQBTGJ3vXEf2x-sX_L5IjthVbOEv0M0ZeX44o8mkWK8FFRSXD7vtYqrKcUGhVaOfYz2RFpzCTZ1y9LiPLRS-y8ArLSRZhWs9A-i2rCUR2xR8yvTV5fZ_8VlDACn_k/w400-h286/ewa%20fang%20blennie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>If you stick your head into small caves and under overhangs you might see a Spotted Puffer. And so I did. After that, in the same overhang here was a nice stationary White Mouth Eel. He finally just cracked open his mouth, which makes them look way more menacing for the pictures.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFllkVMrAgeDFTfZNlbAxH5zMkTwLws2ZmIIVYCVxLBpxrhzAbRux1kJeLbySt2xNPV1c6tsKpcKKhX1g6XeLWgA89VTTG5yBAWceNTY0e-a-uMtyZUCrsWqnM75SkOx1jHRXEYIy8trLH-0PB9WoWrrnNJ-hNIj9JaYw-cBX7r63yNZL47qLZ2CZFG8/s4975/spotted%20puffer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3408" data-original-width="4975" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFllkVMrAgeDFTfZNlbAxH5zMkTwLws2ZmIIVYCVxLBpxrhzAbRux1kJeLbySt2xNPV1c6tsKpcKKhX1g6XeLWgA89VTTG5yBAWceNTY0e-a-uMtyZUCrsWqnM75SkOx1jHRXEYIy8trLH-0PB9WoWrrnNJ-hNIj9JaYw-cBX7r63yNZL47qLZ2CZFG8/w400-h274/spotted%20puffer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPD47NmVjcM4r2w9mq_zkMPmLK3dYOZnU22gzkowYX_1Z81jD5psmyA55uC0WU3kAxgqtdS-pohTnQ75nyWKD9_5u-zz6GXsF3W8QltaV-x8FrH25Qo-z4t3PT20P90zkP7NFtJ0y97Fpl247tocXtE-ymsLW02k-aWlHTAU5KnFwe86Tc2Lb6DmiOhg/s4787/whitemouth%20eel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3225" data-original-width="4787" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPD47NmVjcM4r2w9mq_zkMPmLK3dYOZnU22gzkowYX_1Z81jD5psmyA55uC0WU3kAxgqtdS-pohTnQ75nyWKD9_5u-zz6GXsF3W8QltaV-x8FrH25Qo-z4t3PT20P90zkP7NFtJ0y97Fpl247tocXtE-ymsLW02k-aWlHTAU5KnFwe86Tc2Lb6DmiOhg/w400-h270/whitemouth%20eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-60120279228152343732024-02-29T21:29:00.000-08:002024-02-29T21:29:36.414-08:00Not three but Four Frogfish!<p> So today we went back to the spot where I found the Flying Gurnard two days ago. I always love to dive this spot because the reef is so healthy and there are so many animals. We even sometimes see dolphins. And we'd also seen three big, yellow frogfish sitting out on big rocks just waiting for lunch to wander by.</p><p>Today there were four of them, all within about 50 meters diameter from the mooring in the direction of the dropoff. Here they are pretty much in the order in which I found them. As far as I can tell, they are all Commerson's Frogfish, one of the most common and largest species in Hawaii.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrsleqU45ipiV2YhM7mBFAvAcU7Qz8VxiHUazhl_siswI8X7UfgeSKLTGQqMOjk9AtLorE7uUo1jYQudNS07Y1LYoDN_CELytKff3QCi0ueibX1LSR7A6O763A4fgfvgkOJxd5p6_CPxPRohPrssyY6KBBDLhydhyphenhyphenSfCb7d4rcOn6PwDCDEHKLhmUNEw/s5280/frogfish%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5280" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrsleqU45ipiV2YhM7mBFAvAcU7Qz8VxiHUazhl_siswI8X7UfgeSKLTGQqMOjk9AtLorE7uUo1jYQudNS07Y1LYoDN_CELytKff3QCi0ueibX1LSR7A6O763A4fgfvgkOJxd5p6_CPxPRohPrssyY6KBBDLhydhyphenhyphenSfCb7d4rcOn6PwDCDEHKLhmUNEw/w276-h400/frogfish%201.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUr5bA_kO9LGYKeuh27xRVqZwVe75yZeko-YruTxqnj3ZGRz3fWMrEbi6bGG7dWeSI-THLSaBwnl7x9w7u59Y5coFfoVkkLLdLvE_yLYfm0xVb8qhHBysux02weA4Xagua0QwI5mZrDxz2ahPUmPdZqO-v8rbzNoNBbDB1tgD7gKLeBdcsrAtq6RJvGTg/s5290/frogfish%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="5290" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUr5bA_kO9LGYKeuh27xRVqZwVe75yZeko-YruTxqnj3ZGRz3fWMrEbi6bGG7dWeSI-THLSaBwnl7x9w7u59Y5coFfoVkkLLdLvE_yLYfm0xVb8qhHBysux02weA4Xagua0QwI5mZrDxz2ahPUmPdZqO-v8rbzNoNBbDB1tgD7gKLeBdcsrAtq6RJvGTg/w400-h346/frogfish%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEj0mBroggy9gEWK9V5FvzOit6RZqkZwkqzXGUgupoMdSNElQ6ousPSUU5mNPGYMtIm-KScwbYxuJz-if-_A_KsVtxJHpTKYfk7-93YZqNQW_mEvTM5lNnVnTqC1N1dN3E-LYWUhy_7R3pxFkUH-QqF7YzogvdsAvWGpjxuMf943LM4fvWDy-HfwIJTtE/s6880/frogfish%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEj0mBroggy9gEWK9V5FvzOit6RZqkZwkqzXGUgupoMdSNElQ6ousPSUU5mNPGYMtIm-KScwbYxuJz-if-_A_KsVtxJHpTKYfk7-93YZqNQW_mEvTM5lNnVnTqC1N1dN3E-LYWUhy_7R3pxFkUH-QqF7YzogvdsAvWGpjxuMf943LM4fvWDy-HfwIJTtE/w400-h266/frogfish%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHQUPSgoUZAOwpvBmEF5U_65Mhv_FuSvoZMig8pe_-sCRksgZ34BI-b8WKUTGyRh4rxzMMBp8xkVH-h-Jqdy-Fm2yQEc6LHpG45unpsDsJKSwDJxS4H7J2wZbuvfodtdXIOXLNEmkV7W-noBte-vs5t6ej47zYcNrKeslqqAhIHlsgRWwa3dObYEblKM/s6248/frogfish%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6248" data-original-width="4584" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHQUPSgoUZAOwpvBmEF5U_65Mhv_FuSvoZMig8pe_-sCRksgZ34BI-b8WKUTGyRh4rxzMMBp8xkVH-h-Jqdy-Fm2yQEc6LHpG45unpsDsJKSwDJxS4H7J2wZbuvfodtdXIOXLNEmkV7W-noBte-vs5t6ej47zYcNrKeslqqAhIHlsgRWwa3dObYEblKM/w294-h400/frogfish%204.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><p></p><p>While I was hunting down the frogfish, which to be fair isn't hard since they sit out on the rocks motionless in full view, I glimpsed a fairly cool and not that common fish, the Potter's Angel. They, like all Hawaiian angelfish are skittish, and its hard to get a bead on them with a camera in time before they flit away. </p><p>This One was like that; I chased it all over the reef, burning through my breathing gas, before he stuck his head out of a hole and I got at lease part of him. Why its so hard to get these pics is that the reefs are built up in a kind of latticework of interconnected coral branches with big interior areas where fish can hide. Often we will see a fish, raise the camera, and before you know it they dart into the depths of the reef never to be seen again.</p><p>Other fish, like the Threadfin Butterfly, cruise the reef looking for snacks and care less what the camera-toting bubble blowers are up to.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp84ZJFVppTcaH-bJRdA6ue_q-Vat6VxUnmgkeXlADOYe5jVhJ0TuhPgjY4UuoXOTsNhfRavwSeW8qw8aom7rcMFD2Hrj4sDazpHzDuYwWimEleCQdTvTsSLs67aE8NmX43oBtzO30SULLxr4B4oaiguSxotJrauQj3znOgz94J2n2Nsmjh1UwKqFlMJw/s2006/potters%20angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2006" data-original-width="1551" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp84ZJFVppTcaH-bJRdA6ue_q-Vat6VxUnmgkeXlADOYe5jVhJ0TuhPgjY4UuoXOTsNhfRavwSeW8qw8aom7rcMFD2Hrj4sDazpHzDuYwWimEleCQdTvTsSLs67aE8NmX43oBtzO30SULLxr4B4oaiguSxotJrauQj3znOgz94J2n2Nsmjh1UwKqFlMJw/w309-h400/potters%20angel.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2S1khC6RpJd7oegnEJi-oMlBD6EKTXy3qpUzKItuP6Ebnjy5M_CRmEuDT3oCI8maxKWT4b4orD44j_ZTSnPwM7WY5zG7xFCFdSO34k9-4lPEz-G0-FNavAxuNYMYfG93EqKsxFIM7YEY8Pk-QwA8ukDMj6B2vWt4t6hZqqtO3t-0fTe5YA3kaPRgwBY/s4584/threadfin%20butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="3697" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2S1khC6RpJd7oegnEJi-oMlBD6EKTXy3qpUzKItuP6Ebnjy5M_CRmEuDT3oCI8maxKWT4b4orD44j_ZTSnPwM7WY5zG7xFCFdSO34k9-4lPEz-G0-FNavAxuNYMYfG93EqKsxFIM7YEY8Pk-QwA8ukDMj6B2vWt4t6hZqqtO3t-0fTe5YA3kaPRgwBY/w323-h400/threadfin%20butterfly.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><p></p><p>You have to keep your head on a swivel out on the reefs; there are definitely animals that will defend their territories. One of these is the Undulated Eel. Here one is signaling me to leave the area.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfG6l9ZBJipksCBC_G2lYxyd4zYfwBO1AkWddyrjKkylXSjphARYiZo3ABmBi0GJGi4YPt8XR39mJCAZYhNpTUutpJ1Uj1LZSi9sBNEALerLSh4vhyphenhyphenhiNDOtUzBcRM6W4N2HXq7tJAH35VU87oWilViEI9ShGVEDkb3afPpMsX4vD9agY1GtTIrvxsgrU/s6880/undulated%20eel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6880" data-original-width="4584" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfG6l9ZBJipksCBC_G2lYxyd4zYfwBO1AkWddyrjKkylXSjphARYiZo3ABmBi0GJGi4YPt8XR39mJCAZYhNpTUutpJ1Uj1LZSi9sBNEALerLSh4vhyphenhyphenhiNDOtUzBcRM6W4N2HXq7tJAH35VU87oWilViEI9ShGVEDkb3afPpMsX4vD9agY1GtTIrvxsgrU/w266-h400/undulated%20eel.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p><p>More docile are the White mouth Morays like this one. They just sit with their heads poking out of their holes hoping for a morsel to chance by, or maybe just to admire the beautiful reef.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpp5IRwyKhbK1zu61sQWsRQjsJoxJCjmsmwOU4itacW68nx8YIjaZk-B-qqoCpJD6ooCJLCUh5BpY_sS1wFKT8DfjBKIAUN6DZ3w-ypeeWwONXgi1ZR2nCUHHZ1iIitoEZV3mNhSikPiBSmOL7xsClAhKN1O87ciI0dYUI9-1X9bYNCYZQahcrYeE6ihY/s4560/whitemouth%20eel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3185" data-original-width="4560" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpp5IRwyKhbK1zu61sQWsRQjsJoxJCjmsmwOU4itacW68nx8YIjaZk-B-qqoCpJD6ooCJLCUh5BpY_sS1wFKT8DfjBKIAUN6DZ3w-ypeeWwONXgi1ZR2nCUHHZ1iIitoEZV3mNhSikPiBSmOL7xsClAhKN1O87ciI0dYUI9-1X9bYNCYZQahcrYeE6ihY/w400-h280/whitemouth%20eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I found all these eels within about a ten minute span. This one, a Yellowmargin Eel, was the deepest, hanging out in a pile of rocks on the sandy bottom at about 80 feet depth. Interesting that in the hole with him was a Whiteline Cleaner Shrimp. These often live with yellowmargins and clean them up when they need a spa treatment. Bonus sighting here was the juvenile Bicolor Anthias. Another impossibly skittish fish that will disappear at the slightest hint of human presence. Naturally, since I'm usually the last diver to get to them, I rarely see any.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hWACmCmZ2MgrkZLLKp3E_90tuf596GCzkDlvAKGbZREZEsMlETFbHfgRvTled_dNciQcgNeLeqJA73VrzA2nSC9y3DjhygM17S-0k6nptlGP3E57ayKc4o0tTJn7BwTekFvKUUmEFkUGX70IDFhGxvf-jyhCL4uuO6BiaYUHdIce4va1MAXcRiFg2Yk/s4635/yellowmargin%20eel%20and%20cleaner%20shrimp%20nd%20anthias.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3936" data-original-width="4635" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hWACmCmZ2MgrkZLLKp3E_90tuf596GCzkDlvAKGbZREZEsMlETFbHfgRvTled_dNciQcgNeLeqJA73VrzA2nSC9y3DjhygM17S-0k6nptlGP3E57ayKc4o0tTJn7BwTekFvKUUmEFkUGX70IDFhGxvf-jyhCL4uuO6BiaYUHdIce4va1MAXcRiFg2Yk/w400-h340/yellowmargin%20eel%20and%20cleaner%20shrimp%20nd%20anthias.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Another fish getting cleaneds was this male Bullethead Parrotfish. He's being cleaned by a Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse, a very common and well regarded fish out on the reefs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Further below and from the first dive is the resident Porcupine Pufferfish in one of the large arches formed when lava tubes collapsed long ago. He's being sideswiped by a young Bigeye.<br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVGEXKqloqQxRH2VBqkII7KYz5QQg5S0m2i89s_eu3ev3r8JWHuPZcsOKVjwmSmzY2AKgBeTNEswlJg0rRJQU1mlGV4ZcQafjItw_gQLJrj-kM29ce7nqkEprDYJ5eTVVx6k0DIB3fTjivuN7sdOcK4IBAm73L4FUsahs7vbEjq5FnddfE4xHiY5wOKc/s4780/male%20bullethead%20parrot%20being%20cleaned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3148" data-original-width="4780" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVGEXKqloqQxRH2VBqkII7KYz5QQg5S0m2i89s_eu3ev3r8JWHuPZcsOKVjwmSmzY2AKgBeTNEswlJg0rRJQU1mlGV4ZcQafjItw_gQLJrj-kM29ce7nqkEprDYJ5eTVVx6k0DIB3fTjivuN7sdOcK4IBAm73L4FUsahs7vbEjq5FnddfE4xHiY5wOKc/w400-h264/male%20bullethead%20parrot%20being%20cleaned.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3xjK61H6cqefoiT1w-rXtIR_BG1Du-zda8m7_D50JJQRuTMzj9miKBTFCTjed4V6HAu0KfdWoPXlZk2PhNQpPFpJ_6b8uPWnknz9CmWy34QpwIPRm6OxkZzX5nLyMrOQLszjPkHD7sV60IfqeP-us8tT6QaYg_dEscXxsc8DYIhGnmv0qtB_8cWKmUQ/s6880/porcupine%20puffer%20and%20%20bigeye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3xjK61H6cqefoiT1w-rXtIR_BG1Du-zda8m7_D50JJQRuTMzj9miKBTFCTjed4V6HAu0KfdWoPXlZk2PhNQpPFpJ_6b8uPWnknz9CmWy34QpwIPRm6OxkZzX5nLyMrOQLszjPkHD7sV60IfqeP-us8tT6QaYg_dEscXxsc8DYIhGnmv0qtB_8cWKmUQ/w400-h266/porcupine%20puffer%20and%20%20bigeye.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I cant seem to resist photographing the Raccoon Butterflies, Their coloration is so stunning. Nearby to the Raccoon one of our divers found this beautiful Red Spot Nudibranch. I've seen about four of them in my entire time diving in Kona.</p><p>Back in the rubble near the mooring I can always count on the Yellowtail Coris to be my companion. Many have learned that divers will turn over rocks for them revealing tasty treats. Here's on that wanted to be my BFF.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpMgQLueUFJq-5L6jaHuMYfsG_Q8UYYSdhz5yH4MX0DGmSzYOlYzAgwLsLIJzcGLGNJPuFh20jHifLrh2xXgcqKD1cD49tFqYx096wp-u9yPcWuDmSYUSz0SY9DSURj610hjfhd6OD33ZjriXNTMNa5edeM2RE7DfV9l7ErKmdNSgAaEAKPrw4JI-3d6k/s5544/raccoon%20butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3727" data-original-width="5544" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpMgQLueUFJq-5L6jaHuMYfsG_Q8UYYSdhz5yH4MX0DGmSzYOlYzAgwLsLIJzcGLGNJPuFh20jHifLrh2xXgcqKD1cD49tFqYx096wp-u9yPcWuDmSYUSz0SY9DSURj610hjfhd6OD33ZjriXNTMNa5edeM2RE7DfV9l7ErKmdNSgAaEAKPrw4JI-3d6k/w400-h269/raccoon%20butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8gn608Vbo56teZkh5sf0Gd8m7lz2gWIrSyYXRHW_z-2hd_lXPqUXqg42bRt_H36jbu2jN47erZJYR2fTvAnIP_ugQfAQGeRl_YypHNP-lciNikZPv9wzthLzjC5-JE3vQrdf24cGyrqf7hYyc07WW5adzgvf5TCN2pVY5a9hVkDXAiKT2MNG6iGRYpQ/s3695/red%20spot%20nudi1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3695" data-original-width="2728" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8gn608Vbo56teZkh5sf0Gd8m7lz2gWIrSyYXRHW_z-2hd_lXPqUXqg42bRt_H36jbu2jN47erZJYR2fTvAnIP_ugQfAQGeRl_YypHNP-lciNikZPv9wzthLzjC5-JE3vQrdf24cGyrqf7hYyc07WW5adzgvf5TCN2pVY5a9hVkDXAiKT2MNG6iGRYpQ/w295-h400/red%20spot%20nudi1.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUaxs4bkvAcN_k_zQbRaYC2mrAHYwT-scrJQzY5y9dMeDCwfJMYvy6t_apNzxrE0pqG7mSvVeJeIVd8o5CeqKAQGkxPiJPVuEV3AeAJ3G3XqI50AP0xfB0sLaIKiLtYI9eO8eQLvX9q-iMtqkidViWwR4rde7b_zx4IwMNnRdXg88PM_nQuWc45Oxa1g/s3499/yellowtil%20coris%20head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2786" data-original-width="3499" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUaxs4bkvAcN_k_zQbRaYC2mrAHYwT-scrJQzY5y9dMeDCwfJMYvy6t_apNzxrE0pqG7mSvVeJeIVd8o5CeqKAQGkxPiJPVuEV3AeAJ3G3XqI50AP0xfB0sLaIKiLtYI9eO8eQLvX9q-iMtqkidViWwR4rde7b_zx4IwMNnRdXg88PM_nQuWc45Oxa1g/w400-h319/yellowtil%20coris%20head.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-65257205976803774642024-02-26T17:20:00.000-08:002024-02-26T17:45:42.793-08:00Finally! I chase down a Flying Gurnard<p> As each year has passed I notice that there are some ocean critters I have yet to see, and everyone else seems to run into them with ease. The Oriental Flying Gurnard is one of those. It's a cool smallish fish that scoots along the bottom of deep sand patches and has wings that it extends for some reason that only the Gurnard knows. Well, I finally saw one. It was in retreat from the onslaught of cameras that had already blinded it before I got there, but I swam hard and almost caught up to him/her/they/them. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDQXowbVOiiftsoV0d-7Js-imoCbuKRC4iPaCwoflCNpPW0bN3riHEGg7mDLAxw5l5PO5AjUOm8OVlY8NHFFoByBIB9o5YxeiWZQPcQntvsYX8p2D15V6QgucA9blI_XvyDTM7AW6Pu1hzcJprRsAiTDO3jxznJTUw77qOdgVR3UgKq9chQ0qH9wo3N0/s4785/flying%20gurnard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3425" data-original-width="4785" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDQXowbVOiiftsoV0d-7Js-imoCbuKRC4iPaCwoflCNpPW0bN3riHEGg7mDLAxw5l5PO5AjUOm8OVlY8NHFFoByBIB9o5YxeiWZQPcQntvsYX8p2D15V6QgucA9blI_XvyDTM7AW6Pu1hzcJprRsAiTDO3jxznJTUw77qOdgVR3UgKq9chQ0qH9wo3N0/w400-h286/flying%20gurnard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>But I run ahead of myself. We had done a first dive at a favorite site along the Pine Trees coast and I was really hoping for a good camera day. I'd been diving without camera for a week or so just to get reacclimated in Kona waters after a six month absence. But I was stoked on this day to have my camera ready to record whatever I found, with hopes it would be fruitful...and it was.</p><p>The tiny Leaf Scorpionfish usually lives way down in the depths of antler corals, where camera flashes can't reach. But this lavender tinted two-inch long Leafy was sitting right out sunning itself. </p><p>Then, incredibly, a Sailfin Tang swam into view. This is another critter that has eluded me for over ten or so years of trying to find one. Backstory is that, days earlier, I'd been out with my dear friend Sarah B, and one swam right in front of me. But no camera so no pic. So when this one, below, darted in front of me I was delighted and got this pic.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPlz1htCjBReG6lZloEm46Mk0TbeOLQYxzr7EEKvDTLQS1SKKXdHGepa6BnKcQvad3Fx0SdpRbrDcG-QzPQF6MeyF20nT_Tv2am5dwhit007VIWyXQNNYZvoByAsTdRT49PX6p2zBxqYdL-NRy1cS4VejgDC2fnsSCrmYDPMYcG4cFF3LFOl9HHR8fRQ/s4113/leaf%20scorpon%20no%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3214" data-original-width="4113" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPlz1htCjBReG6lZloEm46Mk0TbeOLQYxzr7EEKvDTLQS1SKKXdHGepa6BnKcQvad3Fx0SdpRbrDcG-QzPQF6MeyF20nT_Tv2am5dwhit007VIWyXQNNYZvoByAsTdRT49PX6p2zBxqYdL-NRy1cS4VejgDC2fnsSCrmYDPMYcG4cFF3LFOl9HHR8fRQ/w400-h313/leaf%20scorpon%20no%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkT06wag4aKDerUT5IlodBM5CVrfnJD4vVvqNYJtTu_wq23DVgwqYXJGAtqTpW7ZlP9whYBPmn6jiVeyg-tTbw58JVNk86gxA9uqpyNH504rIgRZ6aCZgrzZ2eGfz5Fdre2JMLbQXqziA_QZRGNXsjIxnbE6CVkAgIzHEUBlb_Pz4lYEEG-7s5oN-OGM/s3876/sailfin%20tang.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3006" data-original-width="3876" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkT06wag4aKDerUT5IlodBM5CVrfnJD4vVvqNYJtTu_wq23DVgwqYXJGAtqTpW7ZlP9whYBPmn6jiVeyg-tTbw58JVNk86gxA9uqpyNH504rIgRZ6aCZgrzZ2eGfz5Fdre2JMLbQXqziA_QZRGNXsjIxnbE6CVkAgIzHEUBlb_Pz4lYEEG-7s5oN-OGM/w400-h310/sailfin%20tang.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Always on the lookout for tiny animals, but almost missed this Trembling Nudibranch until one of our divers pointed it out. It's maybe a centimeter long. Much bigger was the Whitemouth Eel that I glided over. Hard to miss that white mouth and big teeth.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlqMt2Du4q0v37bZCLxiqJ5klVGXkneKgyRrmEvWCHyMExdOEl8XiDkP8zkYFVCoEcF094V9lzjIColR0dJKC8b3VDBtAI9ojxAjhhkP5octzF7FF8Qf7YZO1EtIv9MeOv3aFFrrmBt625GzCyIPM7Ow20tXgeE6qpvbjKQEaq7bNysFDfVFayIcwi9s/s1717/trembling%20nudi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1717" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlqMt2Du4q0v37bZCLxiqJ5klVGXkneKgyRrmEvWCHyMExdOEl8XiDkP8zkYFVCoEcF094V9lzjIColR0dJKC8b3VDBtAI9ojxAjhhkP5octzF7FF8Qf7YZO1EtIv9MeOv3aFFrrmBt625GzCyIPM7Ow20tXgeE6qpvbjKQEaq7bNysFDfVFayIcwi9s/w400-h279/trembling%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNBB3YesdnqaLzJ5a7kwkBbd4c-Rw5d-_3kAD7TtV9HFFtARONF-mJuWTqSwJCLPx7iJfI8N4PTUrYq3y6C284iOuz6FTlBHIlnaSuEJ2Uac4uRY9Gxg2NlUpdMGI79Xreq-Pxzq9GRSeLtpy2hWXovk4vbuj6av4zersF_hP6AwIIWJ1awPExGQgVCM/s5944/white%20mouth%20eel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4282" data-original-width="5944" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNBB3YesdnqaLzJ5a7kwkBbd4c-Rw5d-_3kAD7TtV9HFFtARONF-mJuWTqSwJCLPx7iJfI8N4PTUrYq3y6C284iOuz6FTlBHIlnaSuEJ2Uac4uRY9Gxg2NlUpdMGI79Xreq-Pxzq9GRSeLtpy2hWXovk4vbuj6av4zersF_hP6AwIIWJ1awPExGQgVCM/w400-h289/white%20mouth%20eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>As the reef slopes downward to the abyss it us full of nooks and crannies where animals live. Here is a Flamebacked Coral Shrimp, and just next door I found a couple of Four Spot Butterflies hovering under a ledge.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_SrHWgIwDjgYYevtUwVgP0Zv3VeblnRZxqYQJRH9N-OvjuNbUZuhcCJON4TXni60f3h3IxPul8VMjwgylTIhXuWKAAgmeVOFv3zejtpdTqPvH_iRZVyHPE2yFSeEjj9hnZc_ouojHTodRQXaqGqB_b-5TvGSnaqUQ-0yEai6nMdDNLY2X7N0huPo8nYI/s4860/flameback%20coral%20shrimp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3375" data-original-width="4860" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_SrHWgIwDjgYYevtUwVgP0Zv3VeblnRZxqYQJRH9N-OvjuNbUZuhcCJON4TXni60f3h3IxPul8VMjwgylTIhXuWKAAgmeVOFv3zejtpdTqPvH_iRZVyHPE2yFSeEjj9hnZc_ouojHTodRQXaqGqB_b-5TvGSnaqUQ-0yEai6nMdDNLY2X7N0huPo8nYI/w400-h278/flameback%20coral%20shrimp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHg7nLDHX6K1fLxqYxsxU1frB2oxN5KAPS8QzJJ36Jlo_8B8zooHxHIoIbasxUTfDAD5UNFcNu6hDlWOmZsRA28eJEw65pvyhCzapmWZ6iZla6cDu0bGxUNi9m4wgssx_IKp6Zkvtt2riyAZYZaqAuWMK46otfduSdwfZ3a60JCcw80BTeDfrRKhPFxY/s4947/four%20spot%20butterfly%20pair.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3243" data-original-width="4947" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHg7nLDHX6K1fLxqYxsxU1frB2oxN5KAPS8QzJJ36Jlo_8B8zooHxHIoIbasxUTfDAD5UNFcNu6hDlWOmZsRA28eJEw65pvyhCzapmWZ6iZla6cDu0bGxUNi9m4wgssx_IKp6Zkvtt2riyAZYZaqAuWMK46otfduSdwfZ3a60JCcw80BTeDfrRKhPFxY/w400-h263/four%20spot%20butterfly%20pair.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Back out on the sand we are always looking for Dragon Wrasses and peacock Razor wrassses. This time I found a Peacock Razor Wrasse flitting about and not being shy. What was being shy was the Redbarred Hawkfish with subdued coloration that I happened upon. I raised my camera and it shot off its perch (ambush hunter) but I got it a microsecond later.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROtaU36AVIpU3fYya_W-i3WfTV9VybV6F8FEWyT5ZiXd1MriUd3lKfs_LyrdaprnfdE5ZrJYQ_bl-wLdGb0W2w9IPBY-hUoq8lhoqD8SZGUDbEIs4iWFZqnbTcK3j5SFs-IQiEXB1B-EByrjPKluh0VpihPAT6qskPknWlr8dvDKVHDWjhfv-uGGGeaU/s2580/peacock%20razor%20wrasse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1892" data-original-width="2580" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROtaU36AVIpU3fYya_W-i3WfTV9VybV6F8FEWyT5ZiXd1MriUd3lKfs_LyrdaprnfdE5ZrJYQ_bl-wLdGb0W2w9IPBY-hUoq8lhoqD8SZGUDbEIs4iWFZqnbTcK3j5SFs-IQiEXB1B-EByrjPKluh0VpihPAT6qskPknWlr8dvDKVHDWjhfv-uGGGeaU/w400-h294/peacock%20razor%20wrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVwHJCWoags44mfGH-jZDj2puCpa5jBQ9xoZpUfx_sjn4JsPzr3vgKlL48ngz4axdF6_mE6AmXSEivV_inQugOY21Zp_X4FXQTPnRnHYwztOzPq0OrMozpLgKt8gzID-Dhxf21gi_ftyvPBQA7pik8PhuN7g38kLAXx-gnEAjv4EyVjpir2ZPaH0iWYM/s3112/redbarred%20hawkfish%20dim.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2274" data-original-width="3112" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVwHJCWoags44mfGH-jZDj2puCpa5jBQ9xoZpUfx_sjn4JsPzr3vgKlL48ngz4axdF6_mE6AmXSEivV_inQugOY21Zp_X4FXQTPnRnHYwztOzPq0OrMozpLgKt8gzID-Dhxf21gi_ftyvPBQA7pik8PhuN7g38kLAXx-gnEAjv4EyVjpir2ZPaH0iWYM/w400-h293/redbarred%20hawkfish%20dim.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Back in the arches I always find schools of Blue Stripe Snappers, they're also in the video at the bottom of the post. On the other side, back on the reef I found a Flowery Flounder sitting on a rock. Perfect camoflage.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4OLCx_PKFM8JkRyp0I9IL0-l9MwhZCe-e01Kz_H5sfP1hWM4pcVB-L79jba60L6vkVbU8VAm9PB4EVs5Wbh0yx5Vldm7nYY2TdY5HAErTI7LyszmD5PfkDtWPVxKv0-CHA3s-iL1pkYjgCvNer0-YH4p2se9KcboLQmn5xqvm11332WXDpPkwd0xOPM/s6243/blue%20stripe%20snappers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4263" data-original-width="6243" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4OLCx_PKFM8JkRyp0I9IL0-l9MwhZCe-e01Kz_H5sfP1hWM4pcVB-L79jba60L6vkVbU8VAm9PB4EVs5Wbh0yx5Vldm7nYY2TdY5HAErTI7LyszmD5PfkDtWPVxKv0-CHA3s-iL1pkYjgCvNer0-YH4p2se9KcboLQmn5xqvm11332WXDpPkwd0xOPM/w400-h274/blue%20stripe%20snappers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrEg2jiv2bqyHIFXj8GuDPqJMNy3OdYCZi_8HOqxRjeQVcOxlpY-ut_1fxogtnykiGI3_5SxiuC4KcDMPw_1c48pE5-vxEd6wkKZoj5K11xoTALW1nhas3FqwOCT_E8nBwHH6eX-vk9mg39g22mQF-Blgt3oDWYcPGIOG5XfRzTNMYx1Gj8YjSNTVpn4/s6011/flowery%20flounder.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6011" data-original-width="4584" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrEg2jiv2bqyHIFXj8GuDPqJMNy3OdYCZi_8HOqxRjeQVcOxlpY-ut_1fxogtnykiGI3_5SxiuC4KcDMPw_1c48pE5-vxEd6wkKZoj5K11xoTALW1nhas3FqwOCT_E8nBwHH6eX-vk9mg39g22mQF-Blgt3oDWYcPGIOG5XfRzTNMYx1Gj8YjSNTVpn4/w305-h400/flowery%20flounder.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><p></p><p>So many fish posed for me; here are a Raccoon Butterfly and a Threadfin Butterfly. Other butterflies, like the Ovals ran away and that's why no pics of them despite the cubic feet of breathing gas I wasted chasing them.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7tvpS5yErXpSMoKm6AMI4UfljjaJLITo7MPm6JA8-dyAwaFYg7sIW1MVW7v_eKwjfi_YT_WLvS8ozkJh5Mj5eNX60Pjqxbfa6MCQD4SyBZwsBGxpd3qwi7B4StmICZHK3TDR6T45gtFMvgDHbqaUqkxc2t35c5631aSvFRbSYKGK-keMssf8YknH1G4/s6003/raccoon%20butterfly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6003" data-original-width="4157" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7tvpS5yErXpSMoKm6AMI4UfljjaJLITo7MPm6JA8-dyAwaFYg7sIW1MVW7v_eKwjfi_YT_WLvS8ozkJh5Mj5eNX60Pjqxbfa6MCQD4SyBZwsBGxpd3qwi7B4StmICZHK3TDR6T45gtFMvgDHbqaUqkxc2t35c5631aSvFRbSYKGK-keMssf8YknH1G4/w278-h400/raccoon%20butterfly.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxPOnkyfDjSb6BjFaNYYaq9-J0O8ZHsoae-CeWn3GUJVKUQ1bgv83GVnsfkJFqw652NJY4tVSTLXBaJm-7mOZBAcdqFBpmO5WYmL01TmChp5BwEhUFrxqOPUUgr9ro12dupa2YelCrY2D9yhttOtm4ZkQn2uDLNQkBGVOzztAha0z9gKqopCe1aTATeU/s4291/threadfin%20butterfly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3062" data-original-width="4291" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxPOnkyfDjSb6BjFaNYYaq9-J0O8ZHsoae-CeWn3GUJVKUQ1bgv83GVnsfkJFqw652NJY4tVSTLXBaJm-7mOZBAcdqFBpmO5WYmL01TmChp5BwEhUFrxqOPUUgr9ro12dupa2YelCrY2D9yhttOtm4ZkQn2uDLNQkBGVOzztAha0z9gKqopCe1aTATeU/w400-h285/threadfin%20butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>A pretty common fish here is the Orange Band Surgeonfish. This doesn't stop me from taking more pics of them because i love the coloration. <br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXMaSRjA0EFDhg3N2RrVaBh8HrMhZUIKBu9Plhk1IF7ZOWa8vkSt9QoS6ftxOd_rMkZ3ChEoxJJL8Bi3PzOeacJGRlzh32tfRhSiRLvs1cewLipR3efjHgbBKz40PzkEYzGQwHXlXB-OvKT_6ViW-YdVlY7wHvjeWaPY-GnizADFSjWF-dEXL_nBni7E/s5940/orange%20band%20surfeon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3978" data-original-width="5940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXMaSRjA0EFDhg3N2RrVaBh8HrMhZUIKBu9Plhk1IF7ZOWa8vkSt9QoS6ftxOd_rMkZ3ChEoxJJL8Bi3PzOeacJGRlzh32tfRhSiRLvs1cewLipR3efjHgbBKz40PzkEYzGQwHXlXB-OvKT_6ViW-YdVlY7wHvjeWaPY-GnizADFSjWF-dEXL_nBni7E/w400-h268/orange%20band%20surfeon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Every time I see a school of Raccoon Butterflies I think of my friend Tara P, an original Diva of the Deep, who can summon hundreds of them to her with a wave of the hand. I have no such powers, so i had to get these before they scattered.</p><p><br /></p><p>Always be looking up for big things and down for the tiniest things. Here is a very common but beautiful Strawberry Nudi. Much bigger was the Yellow Margin Eel that decided to come out of its hole to greet? me. neither of us were harmed in the exchange.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3psbgm7Z0xqZzrUVnebIWsgweTMtsfRzSY2bRY7SBqIf2ItIdn4TPCmJ696CYEgHqqbp1XwUn4vBw1dM1gPWYaxP8RKm0MXuJzhUFaNGnqJq8SnYJFt9MC6H6exZBTGaAjpQPEmJWj-fns-8SdVieybKerkY68b90gfbfT5Vh2VdoVcZBmZqDoKLCls/s5939/raccoons.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="5939" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3psbgm7Z0xqZzrUVnebIWsgweTMtsfRzSY2bRY7SBqIf2ItIdn4TPCmJ696CYEgHqqbp1XwUn4vBw1dM1gPWYaxP8RKm0MXuJzhUFaNGnqJq8SnYJFt9MC6H6exZBTGaAjpQPEmJWj-fns-8SdVieybKerkY68b90gfbfT5Vh2VdoVcZBmZqDoKLCls/w400-h280/raccoons.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXDQiXGIASlrYsKxaHRxUNrhha8jy9VRaYL_EDkce_ug0zc1cs74KnL1nu7pr7HF1USD7QqTPFifVBXAoyTwbj9oy9XQMecv6z0xHxGLlf9q_3VInak2Tv_gfIDC7rwW6L5DkBmdqAL9xd-SjyAtOwTmz6pFlkalisVOGJxqtPpAKjidiyt_0eIAHO5M/s2187/strawberry%20nudi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="2187" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXDQiXGIASlrYsKxaHRxUNrhha8jy9VRaYL_EDkce_ug0zc1cs74KnL1nu7pr7HF1USD7QqTPFifVBXAoyTwbj9oy9XQMecv6z0xHxGLlf9q_3VInak2Tv_gfIDC7rwW6L5DkBmdqAL9xd-SjyAtOwTmz6pFlkalisVOGJxqtPpAKjidiyt_0eIAHO5M/w400-h268/strawberry%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-axZQr-6Tx1HDMv3y3Ac-AZrdoVMvB93MyZxinU2DprvzJzqy2M20E0UY-6vxqz3n3CZ7VBaamnZ6MgkxkxYtkeBaGY4ORoy0gzlMXxMVjAj9XmmmHss8tovsN-G6Xm92CwTjBMD0MU0pzzHfxSxqC-MojsD00rWPsk_XLGA_nLv80pGqqXMCl2BY82c/s6179/yellow%20margin%20eel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4142" data-original-width="6179" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-axZQr-6Tx1HDMv3y3Ac-AZrdoVMvB93MyZxinU2DprvzJzqy2M20E0UY-6vxqz3n3CZ7VBaamnZ6MgkxkxYtkeBaGY4ORoy0gzlMXxMVjAj9XmmmHss8tovsN-G6Xm92CwTjBMD0MU0pzzHfxSxqC-MojsD00rWPsk_XLGA_nLv80pGqqXMCl2BY82c/w400-h269/yellow%20margin%20eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>This eel is probably the reason this Ewa Fang Blenny was so reticent to come out of its hole. It couldn't have been because a giant black monster blowing bubbles was bearing down on it.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7IAL2jJ4FRSkD4jz2FyysttMPPThw6dxbJcOYkGfchFFu_3_rOLfEPa7eW7Gs5WFyqJ7o9szMNRgkW6K6XDEOPERvOBnQsXkJnXdYs9lralyPcQzwXpmUE4-3XhD-yGs9Vpo8WVBIRbqpujsy8Lb0CBML5L7HO3-Zz0FTRBo9dDF6jkyyJGk38ge-hQ/s2658/ewa%20fang%20blenny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="2658" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7IAL2jJ4FRSkD4jz2FyysttMPPThw6dxbJcOYkGfchFFu_3_rOLfEPa7eW7Gs5WFyqJ7o9szMNRgkW6K6XDEOPERvOBnQsXkJnXdYs9lralyPcQzwXpmUE4-3XhD-yGs9Vpo8WVBIRbqpujsy8Lb0CBML5L7HO3-Zz0FTRBo9dDF6jkyyJGk38ge-hQ/w400-h271/ewa%20fang%20blenny.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>On the boat before the second dive people asked what I wanted to see. I said, "I wannna see a Flying Gurnard and a Frogfish." You already know about the Gurnard, but on the way out over the dropoff where the reef is super healthy we found not one but three Frogfish. Here they are.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2jCZFh5-WhZEGdhlXU5-sWvS3wwWAIOnvLtujHymbMJ_d88uGsr9xbhELqakX2d0jSuE6WcGtMFi_vEzfM7AsQpihdo4atDUKgwa4kcnXRYBALUL5-ooE3XDYtLgMc8FDbIMO2wNVolm-nFu2A_3Pque6Td5iek1vWd-zTuH8EqX1h1ZLUXwDO0ej5A/s6192/frogfish%201b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4322" data-original-width="6192" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2jCZFh5-WhZEGdhlXU5-sWvS3wwWAIOnvLtujHymbMJ_d88uGsr9xbhELqakX2d0jSuE6WcGtMFi_vEzfM7AsQpihdo4atDUKgwa4kcnXRYBALUL5-ooE3XDYtLgMc8FDbIMO2wNVolm-nFu2A_3Pque6Td5iek1vWd-zTuH8EqX1h1ZLUXwDO0ej5A/w400-h279/frogfish%201b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDF-sD1ZRQ1b9LkZ5N5SkcvlTzY1TRF8hxCsXfO3UsnKR5hCFCOuRS4s9SFJpobup3QW4fkFnx9996gzr0jcOr9jYoa2r70CC5f_OSRJZm-nd1Gbd0-_l2oxWcJy_zV_O5bKywNz0mSFK9y-GhB6uJ0b2f0bBvtxJbNZlO-Vf9gfmU5rMXpEY694mxvvw/s5838/frogfish%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4355" data-original-width="5838" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDF-sD1ZRQ1b9LkZ5N5SkcvlTzY1TRF8hxCsXfO3UsnKR5hCFCOuRS4s9SFJpobup3QW4fkFnx9996gzr0jcOr9jYoa2r70CC5f_OSRJZm-nd1Gbd0-_l2oxWcJy_zV_O5bKywNz0mSFK9y-GhB6uJ0b2f0bBvtxJbNZlO-Vf9gfmU5rMXpEY694mxvvw/w400-h299/frogfish%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdiEmdY1iNXugZWLVSTY3BkYT3gJLERpeHl_Ust2RpKLRoigDvr96T9XhiD00dnbZ6OioyZeBswxV-Kvh3pr-QLKa4Q-HcvxYj36-2chnfdSbjI-k9f0bUobdEvn6is6kJa2Y6UWevrS7pdLhoyO1nqZhGFLdVaVmvR_qF40X1x4hlIOTUBIqFp0oxEU/s4877/frogfish%203b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4456" data-original-width="4877" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdiEmdY1iNXugZWLVSTY3BkYT3gJLERpeHl_Ust2RpKLRoigDvr96T9XhiD00dnbZ6OioyZeBswxV-Kvh3pr-QLKa4Q-HcvxYj36-2chnfdSbjI-k9f0bUobdEvn6is6kJa2Y6UWevrS7pdLhoyO1nqZhGFLdVaVmvR_qF40X1x4hlIOTUBIqFp0oxEU/w400-h365/frogfish%203b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Here's the video from the day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aAjOl97tZi4" width="320" youtube-src-id="aAjOl97tZi4"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-62766524164687692072023-07-11T13:42:00.000-07:002023-07-11T13:42:27.127-07:00Last Kona dive for a while: epic!Every year in June I depart Kona for Northern California. This is because it gets hot and crowded and the dive boats fill up making standby slots fairly unavailable. Not that Kona doesn't have summertime charm: The water's warm and the sunsets are awesome, but I think northern California summers are pretty awesome too. Anyway, two days before I was to leave I snagged a spot of the Ohana charter with Kona Honu Divers and away we went out onto the glassy Pacific Ocean, headed north in search of some very rare fish, the Male Flame Wrasse, that we had seen a few days prior. <br><br>
So right out of the gate I have to confess that I was too slow getting out to the deep rockpile where the Flame Wrasses are, and I missed out. Other, faster kickers than I did see and photograph them, but they don't keep blogs so no Flame Wrasses today.<br><br>
What I did find was a Devil Scorpion, a Four Spot Butterfly and a SAnd Perch<br><br>
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On the next dive I found a fat Frogfsh perched right under the boat. <br><br>
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But patience and perseverence furthes, so when I got out to the deep buoy anchor block I was rewarded with multiple Hawaiian Green lionfish. These are supposed to be fairly common but I've only ever seen them in one place; the place I was at this moment. I've been out to this particular anchor block looking for these elusive fish and instead found Bicolor Anthias, which are fantastic and probsbly more rare than the green lionfish, but I was looking for the latter, and found them, in spades.<br><br>
In addition, on the way back to shallower water I found a nice Reef Lizard and a White Stripe Cleaner Shrimp.
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I did stop at the small rockpile on the way back in where another group of Bicolor Anthias hang out but they were not around so I kept going and ran into a couple of pretty juvenile fishes: a baby yellowfin Coris and a baby Shortnose Wrasse. The were photobombed by another wrasse that I couldnt identify. a few kicks further I found a beautiful Oval Butterfly, one of my absolute most favorite of the large butterfly family. Back up in the shallows of this site there are so many ledges and crevaces in the rocks and coral. In one of the holes I found a nice Porcupinefish who immediately left me for a more tranquile locale. Finally back under the boat I enjoyed a school of Yellowfin Goatfish that are always there and never disappoint.
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Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-44484782888918551622023-06-06T15:48:00.002-07:002023-06-06T21:57:43.361-07:00Magical dives and a pixel dumpI have a backlog of posts to catch up on. Lots of pics too, so what I’m going to do is write an account of the incredible dives I had on Sunday and then tack on a pixel dump of shots from earlier dives over the past few weeks. <br><br>
Saturday I got a text from a friend who told me a local 46 foot Newton dive boat was going out Sunday with the bare minimum of divers, and that there was plenty of space for me, him and his partner. OK! I got myself on the manifest and organized my gear and camera. <br><br>
There is nothing as comfortable as being one of about 10 people, including crew, on a big dive boat. Usually, you get a tank station on the dive deck that’s a couple of feet wide, and in that space you have to assemble your rig, store your fins and wetsuit, and keep the deck clear for the other divers. Then you hope they do the same for you. It usually works out ok, but you’re still cramped, along with everyone else.<br><br>
But on this day it was wide open spaces. Didn’t matter if you spread your whole kit out across four feet of bench space, nobody was going to need that space except you. Still, good habits apply and we made tight little piles of gear that collapsed into the 2 ft width of our tank stations, but there was none of the bumping collisions with others’ gear as you assemble you rig. <br><br>
We discussed possible sites to dive and, it being one of the calmest days all spring in Kona, we could choose pretty much any spot we wanted. Laura P said she knew where there were some male Flame Wrasses. So first dive decision was made right there. We’d go look for those impossibly elusive and rare creatures. She described their location as a clump of rocks and coral about 75 feet deep, just south west of a big pinnacles we all knew. <br><br>
Here's the Male Flame Wrasse. He isn't displaying his fins; they can look like sails, but he is a great specimen. On the way out to look for him we encountered so many other fabulous animals. Below they are: A Devil Scorpionfish, lurking with his camo completely blending him into the rocks, allowing him to wait for prey to swim by for the ambush. Just a moment later we found a very large Frogfish that, at first, I mistook for another Devil Scorpion due to his similar coloration. Out in the coral gardens covering the steep slope to the depths we often see Psychedelic Wrasses. They appear in groups of females and one male. Sometimes we get lucky and find psych babies. Here's one. Just beneath is a clutch of Spanish Dancer Nudi eggs. We call these "Sea Roses" and they are fairly rare.
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/AVvXsEh3vUpizBoGAWthRBSFz3qHl2hZ9gNvA75q15KoZfZnWA3iZoXFABwbFfxReKBLxZjz_9_V3YIHhBR1QVkM01sVtYwAP_Vgi-OVhUsNcd7487RrG4jYzVBFOZzJvy2CzOHDLg6TC6vbpvXu8OvLKjS_mnrm7-abFtBAAbTIeqiUv5CTojWeFXZE_rDV/s2237/juvenile%20Psychedelic%20wrasse.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="2237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl
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/AVvXsEgE27QIumsVqoNyIpD9FYmbG0mraYJ0MIFvg4yOYtAgmUIxjFbVEJo8SACjDlLoirfk7TlZ8HADYOJDl--sI7FkwC0ZDJHvpuNkT2Acol-6lVYHbFeAqIMHGhnexVacJOXE-gp2JtZM76ONLeRaKuRkZbLloKo8ZsHGLdPbxu-V8De01CM-cCr1OrLp/s6880/sea%20rose.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE27QIumsVqoNyIpD9FYmbG0mraYJ0MIFvg4yOYtAgmUIxjFbVEJo8SACjDlLoirfk7TlZ8HADYOJDl--sI7FkwC0ZDJHvpuNkT2Acol-6lVYHbFeAqIMHGhnexVacJOXE-gp2JtZM76ONLeRaKuRkZbLloKo8ZsHGLdPbxu-V8De01CM-cCr1OrLp/s400/sea%20rose.jpg"/></a></div>
Another baby fish we sometimes find is this baby Hogfish. They flit around the clumps of coral and rock and you spot them by their bright yellow band on their backs. Often we find magnificent growths of antler coral and around these are swarms of Hawaiian Dascillus, a kind of damsel fish. The Dascillus will make a kind of raspberry noise at you to display their displeasure at your presence. Here's one giving me a good side view.<br><br>
Another interesting find are juvenile fish transitiioning from their baby colorations to their adult appearance. The mostly red fish below is a juvenile YellowTail Coris transtioning from baby to Adult.<br><br>
Next we have a couple of related fish: an Orange spine Unicorn and an Orangeband Surgeon. They both have blades near their tailfins that they use for self defense.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9J3j6xccIfetKLmzvb-BTUhX6UCDQUWBDv-ygoeHVRmQsAQHB-FL8b3-pQKHxzBYqriuZzXFJbur4qVXzRsb9FHBqzMd46hYG__ua87sIeqNzPcBD9gKR6K4Y76_Q5SgLhPiR5_LLc4wAME9SHy4D6-ayAQtFhyGfexDu-pBFlWHJ5C2Y8Tps95-g/s1822/baby%20hogfish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="1822" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9J3j6xccIfetKLmzvb-BTUhX6UCDQUWBDv-ygoeHVRmQsAQHB-FL8b3-pQKHxzBYqriuZzXFJbur4qVXzRsb9FHBqzMd46hYG__ua87sIeqNzPcBD9gKR6K4Y76_Q5SgLhPiR5_LLc4wAME9SHy4D6-ayAQtFhyGfexDu-pBFlWHJ5C2Y8Tps95-g/s400/baby%20hogfish.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_q47U0NR4ALu4nnWrAXiICCcT__y6hXw2HHtjoPMWglZrkKikoAe_mUoWlMoEMSJnivmwBI4DYiKBwOt8sP7g-5IMmcjb5nVPkTkLRWwsrH-6s3VoXIlP2pXj3Jn0El-2i_csBCsebDP1_xpBjzRjjdLKG2EoqSxMtxxmylJ_7vNw6oV9ekHSWBk/s6201/dascillus.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4258" data-original-width="6201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_q47U0NR4ALu4nnWrAXiICCcT__y6hXw2HHtjoPMWglZrkKikoAe_mUoWlMoEMSJnivmwBI4DYiKBwOt8sP7g-5IMmcjb5nVPkTkLRWwsrH-6s3VoXIlP2pXj3Jn0El-2i_csBCsebDP1_xpBjzRjjdLKG2EoqSxMtxxmylJ_7vNw6oV9ekHSWBk/s400/dascillus.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0c5iOKmNh8vYYXmA1BBs2IukRKx5W9RXVqEuS1F2wU_1oPu_Z5qLUUlC6npUMFkuzBWLUW5pL-XvoModQzSCLsxmwPvphMhp5BCa39-YRQTn7J--T-YilsaQuUPBm4JNC4VhBIZwsaQsoP4j6FGQsR23eXNqwt4EQM2mHVIoz9cLLBw7zqeo7bvV8/s2379/juvenile%20yellow%20tail%20coris%20changing.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1759" data-original-width="2379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0c5iOKmNh8vYYXmA1BBs2IukRKx5W9RXVqEuS1F2wU_1oPu_Z5qLUUlC6npUMFkuzBWLUW5pL-XvoModQzSCLsxmwPvphMhp5BCa39-YRQTn7J--T-YilsaQuUPBm4JNC4VhBIZwsaQsoP4j6FGQsR23eXNqwt4EQM2mHVIoz9cLLBw7zqeo7bvV8/s400/juvenile%20yellow%20tail%20coris%20changing.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVhe3ERX72QQrak8aaB_vdEBUiJO5DzefdkmkTucZ-7v9mPqjEomY5suSC_Uy9mIVZBo5Lt-UgMR_mjwO4Cmrjn3iJe7v1yURiRsyWLzZXOr71Dlzu1AYAICF_OrJhZw_IDwaqqO_-5DAT-HVdrEVdm0-bxqcc8gYZ2AbTYihGrSgc2pcpJAM_qpN/s5459/orange%20spine%20unicorn.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3714" data-original-width="5459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVhe3ERX72QQrak8aaB_vdEBUiJO5DzefdkmkTucZ-7v9mPqjEomY5suSC_Uy9mIVZBo5Lt-UgMR_mjwO4Cmrjn3iJe7v1yURiRsyWLzZXOr71Dlzu1AYAICF_OrJhZw_IDwaqqO_-5DAT-HVdrEVdm0-bxqcc8gYZ2AbTYihGrSgc2pcpJAM_qpN/s400/orange%20spine%20unicorn.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezsIAPoSA63M0dAaaU5-cYMssy94SncrcVU--8Aqd-dKpvc-CNKnF885kmv1qe4-fNVD1j7XhP4ySssVjGaBwjwu86usoMvGTMqGHXpOBvl4NhLlj_MkSYLtrajG2TUl5E2uCoTgOnjW-G5P4wR77ZzHrhH0zt6MVkoJGYnImREDGhfNfZpU5bII_/s4314/orangeband%20surgeon.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3325" data-original-width="4314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezsIAPoSA63M0dAaaU5-cYMssy94SncrcVU--8Aqd-dKpvc-CNKnF885kmv1qe4-fNVD1j7XhP4ySssVjGaBwjwu86usoMvGTMqGHXpOBvl4NhLlj_MkSYLtrajG2TUl5E2uCoTgOnjW-G5P4wR77ZzHrhH0zt6MVkoJGYnImREDGhfNfZpU5bII_/s400/orangeband%20surgeon.jpg"/></a></div>
Another fish related to the surgeons and unicorns is the Achilles Tang. I see them rarely though they are fairly common, they're just skittish and it's hard to get a shot of them. But I got this one displaying his beautiful orange teardrop coloation.<br><br>
Continuing my lucky streak: a Female Whitley's Boxfish. These are rare, but they hang out in the same areas for long periods so we can find them occasionally. Here's one that appeared in a spot I didn't know to look for one. Out is the sandflats we look for Peacock Razor Wrasses. They like to skim along the sand and among small rock outcroppings. Here's a good one. Back in the coral I found this Potters Angelfish. Heading back to the shallows we looked under a ledge and found this brightly coloraed Common Bigeye. he was about two feet log.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpE1YaS5CPFFE03oBJv92PMBcfasbk5EOMdcgGmcB-EO4Xi3BV1w2wfmVBDv5xp5SpFxjmIHgc-EeJ89wd5BIsserfqQIJ-DqVqeonYX4NHnJ2VRJPI9eBA4AGvdslwjLYaYNv38hmH4KjBiki1cAdhYXott_QnmsljPFqWBmWmhGL-mFNwYuRWGf/s4314/achilles%20tang.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2825" data-original-width="4314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpE1YaS5CPFFE03oBJv92PMBcfasbk5EOMdcgGmcB-EO4Xi3BV1w2wfmVBDv5xp5SpFxjmIHgc-EeJ89wd5BIsserfqQIJ-DqVqeonYX4NHnJ2VRJPI9eBA4AGvdslwjLYaYNv38hmH4KjBiki1cAdhYXott_QnmsljPFqWBmWmhGL-mFNwYuRWGf/s400/achilles%20tang.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMG6PzmWB4V2pUG1B5Au_ltNv3kV0Dyq_UtRuG-qm6-KhWKa7hwzJbEd2mgLfriGJCKRlvUyESgp4DlepBBdKuRZ-Av5aQr20ZOmK-GkhWeZfXE6z2QhCCNL9wAsm3OdQctaOarEfJfk7gmt9VrDfxK-o6HSWMBPfCi0D7xgNoyd4a9CMZONZdvT-G/s2124/female%20whitleys.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="2124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMG6PzmWB4V2pUG1B5Au_ltNv3kV0Dyq_UtRuG-qm6-KhWKa7hwzJbEd2mgLfriGJCKRlvUyESgp4DlepBBdKuRZ-Av5aQr20ZOmK-GkhWeZfXE6z2QhCCNL9wAsm3OdQctaOarEfJfk7gmt9VrDfxK-o6HSWMBPfCi0D7xgNoyd4a9CMZONZdvT-G/s400/female%20whitleys.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5Efy-XjKQD9Tu-z8vb7SxM7wZBcBHBmgcH3ezgfai1xSyaQYOCSlAXNFinmWLzc-lng3XBoJJuFB08k2-f8lCEi1FJuPQBC8S1OZmxBNFPfCqnPahNt4fe7PPvXEyF1SDUL_7rC6PONB2S0aBRLr0zIbZFQQ1Ea643t8BxiihdFa3P85OHGx1i-_/s1603/peacock%20razor%20srasse.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1162" data-original-width="1603" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5Efy-XjKQD9Tu-z8vb7SxM7wZBcBHBmgcH3ezgfai1xSyaQYOCSlAXNFinmWLzc-lng3XBoJJuFB08k2-f8lCEi1FJuPQBC8S1OZmxBNFPfCqnPahNt4fe7PPvXEyF1SDUL_7rC6PONB2S0aBRLr0zIbZFQQ1Ea643t8BxiihdFa3P85OHGx1i-_/s400/peacock%20razor%20srasse.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikOTteN4A62GyDCcPkLMknGrxZinCRVM75HdbYrJFstcuyoLA4O3rmr25_gB0RoABGSf2ZqEdNiM_D4qPMjZ2prO-s4kDoG9Vdvf3ZxwFMBusg0_zviCxpYKDd83fjtFxqP-lPUciolG9vxF41KJgAS1PmhPPk9vcz8gEsEiTtFQwzXaed0A_XO-m/s3296/potters%20angel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2372" data-original-width="3296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikOTteN4A62GyDCcPkLMknGrxZinCRVM75HdbYrJFstcuyoLA4O3rmr25_gB0RoABGSf2ZqEdNiM_D4qPMjZ2prO-s4kDoG9Vdvf3ZxwFMBusg0_zviCxpYKDd83fjtFxqP-lPUciolG9vxF41KJgAS1PmhPPk9vcz8gEsEiTtFQwzXaed0A_XO-m/s400/potters%20angel.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyxyLdAU2MyIRREjMAQPSoziYa3dUhKnFZgQU5aOcXKpa00IS9cFCsKGb8w1CV6RUWb6Wd6W7l5C0X2Fb5XM6kfdsz1Kt_Kiw9_3vj7m8avcbCgCMD4E5eqXn9836SKFDkcfUBDETHVmJ1aFZc4xjx5-vpx9UfPPDV2bCNFLJQEVMG8twZGqOfhw3/s6880/red%20fish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyxyLdAU2MyIRREjMAQPSoziYa3dUhKnFZgQU5aOcXKpa00IS9cFCsKGb8w1CV6RUWb6Wd6W7l5C0X2Fb5XM6kfdsz1Kt_Kiw9_3vj7m8avcbCgCMD4E5eqXn9836SKFDkcfUBDETHVmJ1aFZc4xjx5-vpx9UfPPDV2bCNFLJQEVMG8twZGqOfhw3/s400/red%20fish.jpg"/></a></div>
A very common ambush predator, the Blackside hawkfish, likes to perch on coral outcroppings and jump on their lunch when it swims close by. They don't like camera flashes and will dart away if you get too close. Usuall get only one shot. here's one just milliseconds after he took off.<br><br>
Another animal that stays put is the Lincya Star, also called Blood star. They are fairly rare. Here's one. This male Pencil Wrasse was trying to hide in some coral but I got this shot of him with his unique coloration. Another small animal with unique coloration is the Scrambled Egg Nudibranch. They actually are one of the largest nudis. This one was about 2 inches long. Finally, here's a very common White mouth eel sticking out of his hole to watch the passing show.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1m6VMpmcXIIkEjpc8ruBp0J0BVy85i8E3rBB1wLA3vNrIA2Eay5VG8-lWzX1WUbxL1RxN_UP98A5LaqyvAt2YyVVDFYHsZPcouLMmDNZO1kPemxfoVha4LA4dOPx0mlAW3hUWcqkN-qJSd4Gn09vVoiWqWeXbMh_Y-7A1l9Ft2VR6jo4GASCnjjM/s4969/black%20side%20hawkfish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3308" data-original-width="4969" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1m6VMpmcXIIkEjpc8ruBp0J0BVy85i8E3rBB1wLA3vNrIA2Eay5VG8-lWzX1WUbxL1RxN_UP98A5LaqyvAt2YyVVDFYHsZPcouLMmDNZO1kPemxfoVha4LA4dOPx0mlAW3hUWcqkN-qJSd4Gn09vVoiWqWeXbMh_Y-7A1l9Ft2VR6jo4GASCnjjM/s400/black%20side%20hawkfish.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_JrrKYOej57xgoINMBPLgB7SZPRxdBscFZvBLojnbvbk0uEJBuW3tVD6e9B8XKWy10g71FNOxrW5-V5M1Ad_EQ2ftVX-wbN11BGvLagVqNxQwkaNxkM4Pvnj-fi3L5FVrJ-lw5fhEd66NxV7bZdTusm94Yao2SrWbaskWZwSFBTtOa8xBywF14gL/s3372/lincya%20star.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2614" data-original-width="3372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_JrrKYOej57xgoINMBPLgB7SZPRxdBscFZvBLojnbvbk0uEJBuW3tVD6e9B8XKWy10g71FNOxrW5-V5M1Ad_EQ2ftVX-wbN11BGvLagVqNxQwkaNxkM4Pvnj-fi3L5FVrJ-lw5fhEd66NxV7bZdTusm94Yao2SrWbaskWZwSFBTtOa8xBywF14gL/s400/lincya%20star.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHl5kiUI3EP-OL-nvM0jQHFIyYat-85yPmxYr4_qHIIHXy1J_Jt5883fGqXMRfZRZq0XBP33oYYBad01b9U3vwRYJzEtkL2j9RRttGIv1hzx1Ffbkln5ycUPn5RDgJW9MABKhgVW6BdON5VLK7-82AGKgLjcCaDnujPo6m6CnKuhOkThg_ZMfYoCq/s2522/male%20pencil%20wrasse.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1629" data-original-width="2522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHl5kiUI3EP-OL-nvM0jQHFIyYat-85yPmxYr4_qHIIHXy1J_Jt5883fGqXMRfZRZq0XBP33oYYBad01b9U3vwRYJzEtkL2j9RRttGIv1hzx1Ffbkln5ycUPn5RDgJW9MABKhgVW6BdON5VLK7-82AGKgLjcCaDnujPo6m6CnKuhOkThg_ZMfYoCq/s400/male%20pencil%20wrasse.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTUjmFTSgqGj_BP4X4qyffaDRNRTebgPdF6n8ZD0qG3___RL-scDr2wZrBoE11bOB1AnIXuukKgIerRm75eL-pvLjuqcnuczhxNBEB5Z8M-qoZUuH8BMM_kSh6hFysBsg05LwT0goWyrkwA4xorH6Y38Ma6p_re3Y9MSFhF1BdaEhMegb9IHRPmcT/s4862/scrambled%20egg%20nudi.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4862" data-original-width="3406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTUjmFTSgqGj_BP4X4qyffaDRNRTebgPdF6n8ZD0qG3___RL-scDr2wZrBoE11bOB1AnIXuukKgIerRm75eL-pvLjuqcnuczhxNBEB5Z8M-qoZUuH8BMM_kSh6hFysBsg05LwT0goWyrkwA4xorH6Y38Ma6p_re3Y9MSFhF1BdaEhMegb9IHRPmcT/s400/scrambled%20egg%20nudi.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImSyXmTJnJga0qBO7SptB28JJ5_Pji4kUPEdevH0OmbG684veTYta9VXhBzfP0JmNRrxXJD3pb1C3EykOfrsQ4s5-4O5QMI3usVN3bKk06e3Vd0cKC8mN1xA2ylNfQOsjl4vMwZ5vaq5njkAeBgONNdFrc0IBNOwsgjmkgcRwYxDtHHTeMmEWIh4r/s6880/white%20mouth%20eel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImSyXmTJnJga0qBO7SptB28JJ5_Pji4kUPEdevH0OmbG684veTYta9VXhBzfP0JmNRrxXJD3pb1C3EykOfrsQ4s5-4O5QMI3usVN3bKk06e3Vd0cKC8mN1xA2ylNfQOsjl4vMwZ5vaq5njkAeBgONNdFrc0IBNOwsgjmkgcRwYxDtHHTeMmEWIh4r/s400/white%20mouth%20eel.jpg"/></a></div>
Now for the shots that I've taken over the past month or so, but was too tired or lazy to post.<br><br>
Below another Devil Scorpion and a very well camoflaged Flowery Flounder. Have to mention that the very tiny yellow nudi with red trim is about the size of a grain of rice. We call them Rubber Duckys. They show up in summer.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYfadujBuTW3525coBHrBKTP-DGhVyk6rECV5W326c0KtvshsdoD-PLjHvz7rscSfL81bWiokuxrmKbB8yyt9m_v4Ic3dqkSBbgPq9nFmiiOkBpTEggctjngEOiQ98M9mRK2NocHsHfe3CM_JDs787-2D2MHaISMB1B1cPUvEk3EFxV6CslMORE_d/s5767/devil%20scorpion.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="5767" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYfadujBuTW3525coBHrBKTP-DGhVyk6rECV5W326c0KtvshsdoD-PLjHvz7rscSfL81bWiokuxrmKbB8yyt9m_v4Ic3dqkSBbgPq9nFmiiOkBpTEggctjngEOiQ98M9mRK2NocHsHfe3CM_JDs787-2D2MHaISMB1B1cPUvEk3EFxV6CslMORE_d/s400/devil%20scorpion.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GEGyIrOxZsumomxLzk3n8xbcaVHKwkTz1FW0Te28K_1bd95ii1044hy206Wl9ViUHBuqCOv3AadYVn-jdlYwuzA2kvJZ0ZTOLGSxZ2gekzXq1_w5Z5F05N8HxIVZafkfz-gvoJYyRDJ6vvyVGlPR8SSb9m8BBFZdcVb8Xmk3gPb2pxe0Z30Z5qY2/s6088/flowery%20flounder.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4130" data-original-width="6088" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GEGyIrOxZsumomxLzk3n8xbcaVHKwkTz1FW0Te28K_1bd95ii1044hy206Wl9ViUHBuqCOv3AadYVn-jdlYwuzA2kvJZ0ZTOLGSxZ2gekzXq1_w5Z5F05N8HxIVZafkfz-gvoJYyRDJ6vvyVGlPR8SSb9m8BBFZdcVb8Xmk3gPb2pxe0Z30Z5qY2/s400/flowery%20flounder.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsG-8YfeAgO5fP51l4RYicwbU63KoEHtL9_GncDQlIRkYUtBAyjAI8MlfZKNf-NgWjybjLAHU6vOa9M2DUMYoHqfHatAeToyIU5qMUWAYW-nR-g8zEh8bzPj-P_c1MpGBBtRYO9F13Cz4PgxXGBhWSBc0Z2DgfClofVOvd-lPQp5_PdO7HGqc0xxr-/s489/rubber%20ducky.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsG-8YfeAgO5fP51l4RYicwbU63KoEHtL9_GncDQlIRkYUtBAyjAI8MlfZKNf-NgWjybjLAHU6vOa9M2DUMYoHqfHatAeToyIU5qMUWAYW-nR-g8zEh8bzPj-P_c1MpGBBtRYO9F13Cz4PgxXGBhWSBc0Z2DgfClofVOvd-lPQp5_PdO7HGqc0xxr-/s400/rubber%20ducky.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRo304uyzDHAw2a3_CQ1RTsfcKVeUBW_VyzTB02qSJUzjGzBtkcq4HgI3r_E-W7f5AkH6kDAHQ_24k97ukHKyJYCO4K33ppepzRdKayUuHATHu4XgyxNDfFPIm7NBHauxo0Do4lB0OtgjgG0p695xTJ9cHLVR-LBS4C6bEuf1wFuNevQaD6Bz6SW9/s3108/undulated%20eel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2164" data-original-width="3108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRo304uyzDHAw2a3_CQ1RTsfcKVeUBW_VyzTB02qSJUzjGzBtkcq4HgI3r_E-W7f5AkH6kDAHQ_24k97ukHKyJYCO4K33ppepzRdKayUuHATHu4XgyxNDfFPIm7NBHauxo0Do4lB0OtgjgG0p695xTJ9cHLVR-LBS4C6bEuf1wFuNevQaD6Bz6SW9/s400/undulated%20eel.jpg"/></a></div>
Butterfly fish often appear in mated pairs. They follow each other and stay close to one another. Here are two of my favorites: Ornate Butterflies and Oval Butterflies. Just below, another ambush predator, the Reef Lizard. Also, a large Tiger Cowrie.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRe4dC4c0mUH2EzeOOPhN4ug2XH2_X0zu-DY_WGUtX99fqGg886EqgRTyPzIQBpkX7B2yzlBQpnaUH7OdpP7aoTp6QwUBcpyyrpRNaqBHOmPtWb1WHzLDk8V9WwnAc-_wEd-g3v-sM1QHqtYfXCuTKDK-zQzrsOTx3cwSD3gXL_LUSzlbl_by06rF3/s4319/ornate%20butterflies.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3328" data-original-width="4319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRe4dC4c0mUH2EzeOOPhN4ug2XH2_X0zu-DY_WGUtX99fqGg886EqgRTyPzIQBpkX7B2yzlBQpnaUH7OdpP7aoTp6QwUBcpyyrpRNaqBHOmPtWb1WHzLDk8V9WwnAc-_wEd-g3v-sM1QHqtYfXCuTKDK-zQzrsOTx3cwSD3gXL_LUSzlbl_by06rF3/s400/ornate%20butterflies.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRPWrmoE9f8rn9sGA43a7AP_SjwmIlBduwAKjEnb9BEGWodn3DTNt1r7dsKr8kEGyOkpom8OsuPoBFV40rTPyqbFdDSxUtWhu5fiWUyoSZ_wvAKGNSyXP7-AvVcs9n1kFKK2lBd_ZvD5b39r0Stw57oj3b8Vn56fUrPcBxxDZMOwV-47bDZQrbSuw/s6386/oval%20butterflies.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="6386" data-original-width="4425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRPWrmoE9f8rn9sGA43a7AP_SjwmIlBduwAKjEnb9BEGWodn3DTNt1r7dsKr8kEGyOkpom8OsuPoBFV40rTPyqbFdDSxUtWhu5fiWUyoSZ_wvAKGNSyXP7-AvVcs9n1kFKK2lBd_ZvD5b39r0Stw57oj3b8Vn56fUrPcBxxDZMOwV-47bDZQrbSuw/s400/oval%20butterflies.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcxcsmojOgYq0LoozLmmls-RlrO_uBcKmkzcV2moONhshAO3b2By5dm4H0_j1N1w3IZzuPGHz6THIuLGoqJbRfqnwCsFlGcK5sAQviQMffG99KVIigZfpN5i4DQMi4vr_4QCzvKAcxYIS2yudhj9EJxx1i76Nj8uJEfTjlvsehV6RscwF7oBw0Cgp/s3740/reef%20lizrd.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2682" data-original-width="3740" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcxcsmojOgYq0LoozLmmls-RlrO_uBcKmkzcV2moONhshAO3b2By5dm4H0_j1N1w3IZzuPGHz6THIuLGoqJbRfqnwCsFlGcK5sAQviQMffG99KVIigZfpN5i4DQMi4vr_4QCzvKAcxYIS2yudhj9EJxx1i76Nj8uJEfTjlvsehV6RscwF7oBw0Cgp/s400/reef%20lizrd.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuEVQzsyV-WG3zvfbA4dTRs3_Byq8RXPFrO50TpijU60qEXRZ3SJ4yyw-1wMzmco1w-zOnyfNjyL7b9BkgTj8NJUM1TrUFH6vm5jemn5Nl5_djF8ltotKXocpKAuksiLm2up6RUJTODrRCQU1hEKVFIjeyOHnLHdWnqMrbFKD1r-1IVOOakolgdgl/s3968/tiger%20cowrie.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3968" data-original-width="2901" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuEVQzsyV-WG3zvfbA4dTRs3_Byq8RXPFrO50TpijU60qEXRZ3SJ4yyw-1wMzmco1w-zOnyfNjyL7b9BkgTj8NJUM1TrUFH6vm5jemn5Nl5_djF8ltotKXocpKAuksiLm2up6RUJTODrRCQU1hEKVFIjeyOHnLHdWnqMrbFKD1r-1IVOOakolgdgl/s400/tiger%20cowrie.jpg"/></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MkGxCajI5gkAEw88eSZibx3USBzcBBptx2kS4aozXGrUheaQvq7x9_J4zf3Yo3PdJHW09EPmA4kzWh6lU-Vq4pwHSHn03TsIEFnqh0_VC-Ea6psl3V63vHUa1EcUI829Fvw71SgWU_PFWDqR7cf34C3tRaSvGNsxjuA-gvGfnLTu5gOtBIZCHO2Z/s4519/male%20bullethead%20parrot.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3176" data-original-width="4519" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MkGxCajI5gkAEw88eSZibx3USBzcBBptx2kS4aozXGrUheaQvq7x9_J4zf3Yo3PdJHW09EPmA4kzWh6lU-Vq4pwHSHn03TsIEFnqh0_VC-Ea6psl3V63vHUa1EcUI829Fvw71SgWU_PFWDqR7cf34C3tRaSvGNsxjuA-gvGfnLTu5gOtBIZCHO2Z/s400/male%20bullethead%20parrot.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrkQ-zYhA09yksI6lYOMZ038_RwZc7oY1eTYzcCDGZLxK11ffCLuhz97r16xc3nC9w2PrKZD6b04wI8kTTSDVpibcYt9N2XD794nakboyC1ZEa5JmTSSJv08Fr9cpyCbsJT9sYuVWmi6GbVqtwtQPnlMMEkiDq3H1SxyQvhotJFldPz6OGppXo288/s5376/stocky%20hawkfish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3463" data-original-width="5376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrkQ-zYhA09yksI6lYOMZ038_RwZc7oY1eTYzcCDGZLxK11ffCLuhz97r16xc3nC9w2PrKZD6b04wI8kTTSDVpibcYt9N2XD794nakboyC1ZEa5JmTSSJv08Fr9cpyCbsJT9sYuVWmi6GbVqtwtQPnlMMEkiDq3H1SxyQvhotJFldPz6OGppXo288/s400/stocky%20hawkfish.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPHVXdPdbe5EHoACOpJfzw9XdrFn_mv9xmxyjfbkj2f8_jpNVeZDf28sRXdVTByd_M6EJcSjr9cCvBOvF1-w_WCPDObDfVyoS256WT8TYwZ8CE81u_ufp4Bs3jBntefj0oaBeMWsABZi1TIseZtXl6vvwA-7aZcu2ze-CJBjF5a8CatxNQfA1tFQh/s4876/undulated%20eel2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3574" data-original-width="4876" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPHVXdPdbe5EHoACOpJfzw9XdrFn_mv9xmxyjfbkj2f8_jpNVeZDf28sRXdVTByd_M6EJcSjr9cCvBOvF1-w_WCPDObDfVyoS256WT8TYwZ8CE81u_ufp4Bs3jBntefj0oaBeMWsABZi1TIseZtXl6vvwA-7aZcu2ze-CJBjF5a8CatxNQfA1tFQh/s400/undulated%20eel2.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WHMKRu4kf9-nqGPQ2MeFMFSU1XhtgMljhA3F4WPQBng1sIQ1PdoDA79cCnMZ2srfHa3hirTFVSf8XCO2nQ85uqphaR00bLZl4MFZNegJ22e-4YthkfQaaLkgfsmwAQEoX7by9frg5iH0oI026LD2YGW_TQWJJ9-17MaEPQTBo_N_RsuOSEaCxwjp/s6880/undulated%20eel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WHMKRu4kf9-nqGPQ2MeFMFSU1XhtgMljhA3F4WPQBng1sIQ1PdoDA79cCnMZ2srfHa3hirTFVSf8XCO2nQ85uqphaR00bLZl4MFZNegJ22e-4YthkfQaaLkgfsmwAQEoX7by9frg5iH0oI026LD2YGW_TQWJJ9-17MaEPQTBo_N_RsuOSEaCxwjp/s400/undulated%20eel.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACNTdmZ8oLBUsi8H5tEZuMZlDNQMBlJojmQLEkV3RecL1mAQgmpdw6p6kDiUX8PYwtKphfWE0m9gD-b2i5L3qegVOZ9zElqGr8SbnFvtfipgpxq1QEawvMVm4xEnx6mwpAk0MKWF2KbTzQEloCBEOUtk_B399RV-yyTP49Jxfav5SckBMa9gMUV_t/s6132/yeloowmargin%20eel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4203" data-original-width="6132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACNTdmZ8oLBUsi8H5tEZuMZlDNQMBlJojmQLEkV3RecL1mAQgmpdw6p6kDiUX8PYwtKphfWE0m9gD-b2i5L3qegVOZ9zElqGr8SbnFvtfipgpxq1QEawvMVm4xEnx6mwpAk0MKWF2KbTzQEloCBEOUtk_B399RV-yyTP49Jxfav5SckBMa9gMUV_t/s400/yeloowmargin%20eel.jpg"/></a></div>
Have to mention the Snowflake Eel below. First one I've seen. They live in the sand and stick their noses out to see what's floating by, but divers scare them and they pop back in the sand. i was lucky to get this shot. Another beautiful butterfly: Threadfin Butterfly. See the thread fin trailing behind? One more thing to notice. Further below, an eel that it looks like had a big bite taken out of him. Not sure he was alive.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBpESADdClUmvMnAJ1YxNSKgVu528RaKtM-iDmI8uI7fwgwtvgVfT0YX-14gB4RuKhfkbw7Lia3cbwpYszXr1P7ySyELy2itgrFHGs7WSC-_RAXfb6MhZMjNbv1WYOD-XK-9liW1worTIio30N98afRBAQQ4wTwQG_wd1vPpPSce_nl7c_A-BalJD/s3895/snowflake%20eel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2674" data-original-width="3895" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBpESADdClUmvMnAJ1YxNSKgVu528RaKtM-iDmI8uI7fwgwtvgVfT0YX-14gB4RuKhfkbw7Lia3cbwpYszXr1P7ySyELy2itgrFHGs7WSC-_RAXfb6MhZMjNbv1WYOD-XK-9liW1worTIio30N98afRBAQQ4wTwQG_wd1vPpPSce_nl7c_A-BalJD/s400/snowflake%20eel.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7fqW-IF2OwH_sx5HuTCT5GmyB-DqiqbKbD0QSb1S-Yv9hi67udAb6ogWxtvIphbMUpogpdNVRW0UAuhN8LusYFAurMZwv8qcYardmjuSlNDQG8CsYeEB39RUTXFb_8xW7e1rj7sCjHtF7LHDqmPRWVCCiWdQ5tPrbxIA_kTbFSb0Ua-AKgIGNJjz/s6534/threadfin%20butterfly.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4385" data-original-width="6534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7fqW-IF2OwH_sx5HuTCT5GmyB-DqiqbKbD0QSb1S-Yv9hi67udAb6ogWxtvIphbMUpogpdNVRW0UAuhN8LusYFAurMZwv8qcYardmjuSlNDQG8CsYeEB39RUTXFb_8xW7e1rj7sCjHtF7LHDqmPRWVCCiWdQ5tPrbxIA_kTbFSb0Ua-AKgIGNJjz/s400/threadfin%20butterfly.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTo0MTTC6i7crdJIOnWluYLWBl1YXU4TPaQA412z9mn3sKnh2zzQOtJLU1OApJJl4WvIIPTuWFPA6QHVyjmeHvCNxGd8Lb1plkUn8bth34Hxn-NAnwKzMGGMz6ygvauAWLD4hZL7U8jM91JtWmI2VSibcxmH_ih1iD1kLFRlhbvTG1uQLGw_cbm94/s3762/trevally%20head.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2697" data-original-width="3762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTo0MTTC6i7crdJIOnWluYLWBl1YXU4TPaQA412z9mn3sKnh2zzQOtJLU1OApJJl4WvIIPTuWFPA6QHVyjmeHvCNxGd8Lb1plkUn8bth34Hxn-NAnwKzMGGMz6ygvauAWLD4hZL7U8jM91JtWmI2VSibcxmH_ih1iD1kLFRlhbvTG1uQLGw_cbm94/s400/trevally%20head.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_6MydFd9m7GRQnS6tOq103Rugi_ferc2W-5pPq9V3XrD5S7LkuOqdIqEN-mlC3zdc29IaNPHgc7uZL4oJ3am7Fi2rstLPJdDRo9WFfJHQjnhb4CpwXdZQgX_qbCbWkVQfSglnOstwp2RPX1BWaV9_6USnIjmv1vWF6zKdSrMjshGb9TwdSogcCoM/s6106/turtle.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4231" data-original-width="6106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_6MydFd9m7GRQnS6tOq103Rugi_ferc2W-5pPq9V3XrD5S7LkuOqdIqEN-mlC3zdc29IaNPHgc7uZL4oJ3am7Fi2rstLPJdDRo9WFfJHQjnhb4CpwXdZQgX_qbCbWkVQfSglnOstwp2RPX1BWaV9_6USnIjmv1vWF6zKdSrMjshGb9TwdSogcCoM/s400/turtle.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfS4odh8EwjsFF60dOGdGBc6v-QoiG3d2a8lI2XECO5MUKlDNVgH0k_drvvN3KA5EgpGn-93UG-nX21fzPGiHMWTZKjiWI-R4JboAkp7SzYBy9yK_nHiQo1qPyZ0o0mKjLsl6TRVdQ0sOPDSdUeWnJKIHA829r5tNNjs7qRNHETN3u93odm_BszFD/s6880/undulated%20eel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfS4odh8EwjsFF60dOGdGBc6v-QoiG3d2a8lI2XECO5MUKlDNVgH0k_drvvN3KA5EgpGn-93UG-nX21fzPGiHMWTZKjiWI-R4JboAkp7SzYBy9yK_nHiQo1qPyZ0o0mKjLsl6TRVdQ0sOPDSdUeWnJKIHA829r5tNNjs7qRNHETN3u93odm_BszFD/s400/undulated%20eel.jpg"/></a></div>
Above we saw a baby Psychedelic Wrasse transitioning to adult female. Here's an adult female. Below a Longspine Porcupine and, very awesome and rarew, a Male Whitley's Boxfish.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNk5Xk2i8ofvDE7OvF88R9zZqkZOKwmJNZtNJwi8oeszA80fhR1JdJJJXEG2KSScDjExHPt7Ma2dIOLLw-jCy-PDPKsKRKi2wyy_B5F3IMXTBOWZF94-4zKz9PkwGHrR5Rs164OLzS75aBGVz2-objF1NXQj8y2diqLogvEdIMq3YSR6oqXPWv4oUE/s2876/female%20psych%20better.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1870" data-original-width="2876" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNk5Xk2i8ofvDE7OvF88R9zZqkZOKwmJNZtNJwi8oeszA80fhR1JdJJJXEG2KSScDjExHPt7Ma2dIOLLw-jCy-PDPKsKRKi2wyy_B5F3IMXTBOWZF94-4zKz9PkwGHrR5Rs164OLzS75aBGVz2-objF1NXQj8y2diqLogvEdIMq3YSR6oqXPWv4oUE/s400/female%20psych%20better.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHh55LLiRPmqrOof4Ac_RvMcujIvvdLIwIXd9UjCa8NW-gmKWU9oJwygUnrrToEQsGdsS6YQjr2e8l5f5Iqme3b8nFoUmvooifMYy7Yf8so5FXvdR9t_a1K8ZmQGSWVpQ_1O4lSGWNz-_79Nk-wrwRT5tWL-oDjNuHWhhVssVilXOYa2MCjr5qEuX/s5648/longspine%20porcupined.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4079" data-original-width="5648" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHh55LLiRPmqrOof4Ac_RvMcujIvvdLIwIXd9UjCa8NW-gmKWU9oJwygUnrrToEQsGdsS6YQjr2e8l5f5Iqme3b8nFoUmvooifMYy7Yf8so5FXvdR9t_a1K8ZmQGSWVpQ_1O4lSGWNz-_79Nk-wrwRT5tWL-oDjNuHWhhVssVilXOYa2MCjr5qEuX/s400/longspine%20porcupined.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TJxp2kbueKm8IupCNsDEK-L_-VQZgCMgQdfgpD0tXFGGlhQM8J7DB44hMEmIUktOLJe_WhgwUUjeKMiI1_kqHbYUIA_zpwUsHFcn9mdMF5NnLNQRt5tdmzTwvtRIZiVdSo0V-UVo7r0k9ZZrjtbVfdEQm_UTCpTwURgJZWqXvSiRuiIkX9aByGry/s3954/male%20whitleys.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2433" data-original-width="3954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TJxp2kbueKm8IupCNsDEK-L_-VQZgCMgQdfgpD0tXFGGlhQM8J7DB44hMEmIUktOLJe_WhgwUUjeKMiI1_kqHbYUIA_zpwUsHFcn9mdMF5NnLNQRt5tdmzTwvtRIZiVdSo0V-UVo7r0k9ZZrjtbVfdEQm_UTCpTwURgJZWqXvSiRuiIkX9aByGry/s400/male%20whitleys.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_gKDBE2S1PtQE8ad_jL60r_mLqfYok9BFvHZl-vDWoSz8OXYiNlFLAKgwRbFx05MWf_8JrTFlcWtsWcUdqfCgMBtjhD1VqHHjNT1KPIWucTZIzd8_f8V_9hqRJamxFIBZsYm32mPuonJv9hobTUREWvKnD5rjyBxeJ2TUpshqOlpiSYs2fjVEam1/s2987/red%20barred%20hawkfish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2056" data-original-width="2987" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_gKDBE2S1PtQE8ad_jL60r_mLqfYok9BFvHZl-vDWoSz8OXYiNlFLAKgwRbFx05MWf_8JrTFlcWtsWcUdqfCgMBtjhD1VqHHjNT1KPIWucTZIzd8_f8V_9hqRJamxFIBZsYm32mPuonJv9hobTUREWvKnD5rjyBxeJ2TUpshqOlpiSYs2fjVEam1/s400/red%20barred%20hawkfish.jpg"/></a></div>
Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-64214899392332011962023-04-12T19:07:00.002-07:002023-04-12T19:15:20.335-07:00A dive family is a familyAll of the Kona dive operators have club memberships available for Hawai'i Island residents, and these allow members deep discounts on dives and merchandise. But a few operators also set aside days of the week for club-only "ohana" charters, on which you can dive favorite moorings with old and new friends. One such operator is Kona Honu Divers, which offers Ohana charters mostly every Tuesday. I've been frequenting these charters for about the last four years, and enjoy friendships with most of the ohana divers that go back a ways, even before I started diving with Kona Honu.<br><br>
So this morning I showed up at the slip, having made a reservation earlier, and schelepped my gear bags down to the landing. Skipper Johnny C and the rest of the crew were already there unloading tanks from the truck and loading tanks, diver gear, and supplies onto the boat. <br><br>
The weather was variable, as it has been all year, partly sunny with cloud banks rolling down to the shore off the mountain.<br><br>
As we drove out of the harbor and past the green can I noticed we were slanting off to the south, which means a likely first dive somewhere along the stretch of coast called Pawai Bay. Johnny picked one of the middle moorings and we hopped into the light morning surface chop and dropped onto the reef. Pawai bay features inshore cliffs and shallows with many big and small arches and caverns. Some of them, like the one at Airstation, are small eyelets connecting two larger expanses, and when there is surge you can position yourself to get shot out of one side and into the other. I don't much like to do this with a camera, but it's a fun thing.<br><br>
Today, we initially angled along the cliff face and did a few swim-throughs before heading out into deeper water. The other thing about Pawai Bay is that, if you swim southwest over the steeply sloping, luxurious reef of mostly finger coral you will find yourself quickly dropping into the blue water abyss. This is a place where I've seen whales, Hammerhead sharks, and other pelagics. Spotted Eagle Rays are common.<br><br>
On the reef we find every fish species found in Kona waters, including all the butterflies, Angelfish including Flame Angels, and all manner of Wrasses. One common species of Wrasse to be found there are the Psychedelic Wrasses. They get the name from the crazy red and polkadot heads of the males. They're also hermaphroditic, so that when a male is lost one of his harem of females becomes the male and off they go a restored family. A harem of Psychedelics is featured in the video if you scroll down.<br><br>
My first cool fish of the day was this Potter's Angelfish. They too live in harems, with the males being identified by larger dark patches on their sides.<br><br>
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Very frequent on our reefs are the Common Longnose Butterflies, of which this is one. We also have a larger cousin called the "Big" Longnose Butterfly. It can be distinguished by the small dark dots extending back behind the dorsal fins. <br><br>
Parrot fish are critical to the health of our reefs; they scour the rocks of algae and poop out the sand we find on the bottom. here's an Ember Parrot doiong its thing. Hardly a minute goes by on a reef dive where i don't see an Ornate Butterfly. This was the first fish I saw when I started diving here that made me go, "Whoa, what was that?" I still think they are very pretty. here's one. It's still spring and not really nudibfranch season, which is summer, but other divers are finding them, just not me. I did find a very common, large (2 inch) Scrambled Egg nudi. I've forgotten it's scientific name becsause I just don't care.<br><br>
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We have a couple of common hawkfish here that, if you read my blog, you've seen a million times already. I thiink they are pretty, and they sit on coral tendrils waiting for lunch to swim by. I sneak up on them and get the one shot I can get before they dart off down the reef looking for a less busy perch to sit on. This one is an Arceye Hawkfish."<br><br>
Now for a fish I'd never seen before: a Lobel's Lizardfish. Very common here are the Reef Lizards, but the Lobels have different eyes. I was stoked to find this fish and check off another box on my "fish I haven't seen yet" list. A fish I can't seem to resist shooting is this Orangespine Unicorn. I think they are so beautiful.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6C-T5SFDT43EdpB2zkwfPreUTXuziA78QzNhCj2a9656Gl9ip6UR2DwfhXqgH778noevS0BwVXSUehBXGuanFab6BfLsVoQeNtZZhSr4NW2bFo5kHPWMDFClO3fwS7OXVW94Ctw4LI3TwtgXjAL7UcVt0Rm5fMLArJhDrgwS5YjDyMjakv1Jrx6e/s5074/arceye%20hawkfish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3388" data-original-width="5074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6C-T5SFDT43EdpB2zkwfPreUTXuziA78QzNhCj2a9656Gl9ip6UR2DwfhXqgH778noevS0BwVXSUehBXGuanFab6BfLsVoQeNtZZhSr4NW2bFo5kHPWMDFClO3fwS7OXVW94Ctw4LI3TwtgXjAL7UcVt0Rm5fMLArJhDrgwS5YjDyMjakv1Jrx6e/s400/arceye%20hawkfish.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xxzJiB3GAiKq_pEoLyHc55R92OWkTM9h4sxRIUmopUDhReIH_UOjM0h2AfTvVTLbF0U5SzdyLEN90vHy6IC7VWvA1Jt2iFdr44pHcuARcRpm5T0_tF2-spYEqlFR0kGH4LtejKozfsrdfk6w1BZcRpRcvxtmg6QeLXhLig3nGks0AixnjfkYbkVh/s4161/lobels%20lizard.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2691" data-original-width="4161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xxzJiB3GAiKq_pEoLyHc55R92OWkTM9h4sxRIUmopUDhReIH_UOjM0h2AfTvVTLbF0U5SzdyLEN90vHy6IC7VWvA1Jt2iFdr44pHcuARcRpm5T0_tF2-spYEqlFR0kGH4LtejKozfsrdfk6w1BZcRpRcvxtmg6QeLXhLig3nGks0AixnjfkYbkVh/s400/lobels%20lizard.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibW_DCYELvcdjgZSSOdk5WWMp3p565stuGLH9I-VMwRwkITEES7BjAmf-OCq9AwXmM4M9XmrALP1FNOoQ2GcHQ26_ZvnENIo6sg3noCNUbmYnLvpA1Uf5lCSIXkpLwfndLYcGFfrPwJ_dm3Eu7POfGDFf6MjB5kAEfBym65z1PnzcsJEJLvDVNg4h7/s4582/orangespine%20unicorn.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3059" data-original-width="4582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibW_DCYELvcdjgZSSOdk5WWMp3p565stuGLH9I-VMwRwkITEES7BjAmf-OCq9AwXmM4M9XmrALP1FNOoQ2GcHQ26_ZvnENIo6sg3noCNUbmYnLvpA1Uf5lCSIXkpLwfndLYcGFfrPwJ_dm3Eu7POfGDFf6MjB5kAEfBym65z1PnzcsJEJLvDVNg4h7/s400/orangespine%20unicorn.jpg"/></a></div>
Off we go to another spot along the Kona coast, this time up north to a stretch of coast called O'oma. There are six moorings along this coast, and it's also a good surfing area. We dropped onto a site that features a large and intricate inshore cave-lavatube system that you can only explore when the surge and swell are very slight. We elected to go deeper first and then spend the remainder of the dives in the shallow swimthroughs. Out on the reef I found this Ringtail Wrasse. See the white ring around its tail? Peeping out from under a ledge was this Spotted Boxfish, less rare than the Whitleys but still a nice fish to capture on film. Our dive guide Bob P signaled me to go look in a hole he'd just glided past. I looked. It was in between two walls and there was enough surge to keep me from getting to the hole. When I did I saw this magnificent Tiger Cowrie, and I took my only shot as I was being propelled past the hole by the surge.<br><br>
As we wandered back toward the shallows it seemed as though the current we'd felt earlier and the surge had abated a bit, and we were able to get into the lava tubes and overhangs to see what we could find. One thing we always look for in a deep fissure with a sand bottom are White tip Reef Sharks. Today there was only one. I had my macro lens so only got the front half of this one. The video shows its whole body. They sleep under the ledges, and we try not to wake them with too much thrashing and kicking up sand. <br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-O6xpemXMOL8caoaLll-714_X0ApZd-NOoKKB1sKWRpdE_AS9u2Wf998cWTRmnaBmGx2MWPfWk-Qex_2W4du5clzRQmVImv4HqledfQtUOvmIK7Et-CyP3HP0Cd8k4A_urAUHB5-o7HjGLci3zKH04XRzbuUDBObqkGzOj_WWAC8EUWkgB3wP3xf/s4138/ringtail%20wrasse.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4138" data-original-width="3386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-O6xpemXMOL8caoaLll-714_X0ApZd-NOoKKB1sKWRpdE_AS9u2Wf998cWTRmnaBmGx2MWPfWk-Qex_2W4du5clzRQmVImv4HqledfQtUOvmIK7Et-CyP3HP0Cd8k4A_urAUHB5-o7HjGLci3zKH04XRzbuUDBObqkGzOj_WWAC8EUWkgB3wP3xf/s400/ringtail%20wrasse.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUw0zi6_bnXYlcROBD_taJqHgVA_tP5p3_amDX791YtpB8oIlwYA8ART5y4uBUBpRoMv3uXWKEVBSZ0F-pFwH4LXF7I91g7l0Iomq7wmcUrLhp5a1AqLP0S-Y61JiKcJMylP5M-1KHEIn7iUmZPR05XM2eiS4le4fVdiBCniFhGBZqoM_rcwA88Wg2/s2541/spotted%20boxfish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2541" data-original-width="2213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUw0zi6_bnXYlcROBD_taJqHgVA_tP5p3_amDX791YtpB8oIlwYA8ART5y4uBUBpRoMv3uXWKEVBSZ0F-pFwH4LXF7I91g7l0Iomq7wmcUrLhp5a1AqLP0S-Y61JiKcJMylP5M-1KHEIn7iUmZPR05XM2eiS4le4fVdiBCniFhGBZqoM_rcwA88Wg2/s400/spotted%20boxfish.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_hOclljIkDEbC8Esm6afsH_GEKKgT1oKdwoRcNTMDkc0weNQkailUgpQ9eSIDDtx06zASnicgGipke4t8EEkToNMAi_0oDqlOWleV7x1fjOPspayAM5ejwySs_JbcpjXSku1vpGVjWTgcBuZPYkk_A4i4xRV53vQg7xqBKenhy6oRspWltVDvWnK/s2729/tiger%20cowrie.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1945" data-original-width="2729" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_hOclljIkDEbC8Esm6afsH_GEKKgT1oKdwoRcNTMDkc0weNQkailUgpQ9eSIDDtx06zASnicgGipke4t8EEkToNMAi_0oDqlOWleV7x1fjOPspayAM5ejwySs_JbcpjXSku1vpGVjWTgcBuZPYkk_A4i4xRV53vQg7xqBKenhy6oRspWltVDvWnK/s400/tiger%20cowrie.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNFJ4HUZUi9jyvZ53VxH7aGpCf5_d_quIMDW53ZXojcCGDoQil9-FXvBTWnh1rRL9Qbidy7duty-5Kbc_qjfAlzfyzezr-sO2kZVqYsO0KeIfE7NlGE_7F_idRRAfIzHQtwBlHRsRQc8Zpv4L9EwONa7Zh7vuob3Njo7nOMdySwiO5VOzLoPAOQn9/s6880/white%20tip%20reef%20shcrk.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNFJ4HUZUi9jyvZ53VxH7aGpCf5_d_quIMDW53ZXojcCGDoQil9-FXvBTWnh1rRL9Qbidy7duty-5Kbc_qjfAlzfyzezr-sO2kZVqYsO0KeIfE7NlGE_7F_idRRAfIzHQtwBlHRsRQc8Zpv4L9EwONa7Zh7vuob3Njo7nOMdySwiO5VOzLoPAOQn9/s400/white%20tip%20reef%20shcrk.jpg"/></a></div>
Here's the video of the day.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe class="BLOG_video_class" allowfullscreen="" youtube-src-id="pG_PSwj5wKs" width="400" height="322" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pG_PSwj5wKs"></iframe></div>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-1368897771950218662023-04-07T22:06:00.001-07:002023-04-07T22:06:42.317-07:00Overcast sky didn't dim today's diving enthusiasmYep, overcast and some rain around Honokohau Harbor didn't diminish my hopes for a great diving day. After all, you are underwater so why worry about rain? I'd snagged a spot on Aquatic Life Divers charter today, which is cool because it's my birthday, and Tara P, one of the instructors aboard, and I have somehow managed to dive together on multiples of both of our birthdays. <br><br>
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On our way out of the harbor I could see dolphins ahead just cruising, half sleeping, after a night of feeding in deep water. A few of them surfed our bow wake as we powered up to head south to a spot where Tara and I have had many memorable dives, and one in particular years ago on my 70th birthday. It's on an exposed part of the coast, and as we approached it looked like the lingering swell might make it a challenging dive. On closer inspection, the site looked ok for diving, and we geared up and went in the water.<br><br>
One of the features of this site is that, among the giant boulders north of the mooring, both Hawaiian and Indo-pacific Sergeant Majors, a kind of damsel fish, lay their purple egg masses on the broad rock faces. The males stand (swim?) guard around the eggs because the Butterfly fish that populate the spot love to eat them. Any time a butterfly gets too close the Sergeant flys out at them aggressively and scares them off. But it's a constant battle. The clever butterflies have figured out that divers scare the sergeants away from their guard posts, leaving the eggs unprotected. Lightbulb moment for the Butterflies was that if they lured divers over to where the eggs are the divers would scare away the sergeants and the Butterflies would have an easy meal. Smart huh? Anyway, this behavior is so common that it can't be chance. <br><br>
Interesting was it, then, to find no butterflies around the boulders today. Only Sergeants of both types flitting nervously around their egg masses. Here are a couple of shots to show you the difference beetween Hawaiian Sergeants and the Indo Pacific ones. See how the Hawaiian sergeant's strips don't go all the way to the fish's abdomen, while the stripes on the Indo Pacific sergeants do? Otherwise they behave the same.<br><br>
The boulders are like fish nurseries and they are always very fishy. Here's an Orangespine Unicorn fish and a White Mouth Eel I found as I was running away from the Sergents.<br><br>
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I was diving with Anna L because Tara had students. Anna is fun and curious underwater; she is good at finding hidden things, like this cowrie shell. She found two of them, but one still had an animal in it so she threw it back in the water. She makes jewelry out of the things she finds. Cool.<br><br>
Another common fish at this mooring is the Bullethead Parrot. They are so vibrantly colored, like this male. Out of the boulders and back on the rubbly reef Anna found this cool assembly of the two most common nudibranchs we have in kona waters, the Strawberry and scrambled egg nudis. You can guess which is which.<br><br>
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We drove out to sea on surface interval looking for pilot whales, or any whales, since we'd seen humpbacks just a few days earlier. No luck with that, so we headed back to the coastline looking for an unoccupied mooring. We found one on the Pine Trees section of coast and jumped in. <br><br>
Here is a Four Spot butterfly on his or her own today. Usually they are in pairs. We spent much of the dive exploring caves, which you'll see in the video below, looking in vain for nudibranchs, but out on the reef there were plenty of fish. This Peacock Grouper was just making a U turn when my strobes went off, and upon that flash of light he darted away. In a crack Anna found this Spiny Lobster who couldn't dart away, so I got a nice shot of him. <br><br>
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Here's the video. <br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe class="BLOG_video_class" allowfullscreen="" youtube-src-id="OtTK3TWjbCk" width="400" height="322" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OtTK3TWjbCk"></iframe></div>
Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-42890757755554455022023-04-01T19:14:00.003-07:002023-04-01T21:28:47.083-07:00Whales, Sharks, and an all-star appearance of underwater crittersRight out of the slip on Kona Honu Divers' _Honu One_ Sarah M headed for the bow to look for tiger sharks. They do sometimes come into the harbor, and we see them as wiggly dark shadows creuising over the lighter sand of the harbor entrance. Sure enough, we spotted a smallish Tiger Shark wiggling her way off the starbord bow toward the harbor entrance. Further out I looked for dolphins but they were elsewhere today. Present, however, increadibly this late in the season, were a mom and baby Humpback whale. The mom gave us a tail salute to send us on our way north to our first dive site.<br><br>
The site we chose, despite some slight current and south swell was a favorite, however exposed, because of the large structures and inshore swim-throughs. Whether we'd actually be able to transit the long cavern-like structure was another question. On the way there we feasted our cameras on the largest Slipper Lobster I'd ever seen, and I startled a Flowery Flounder who found a new perch to blend in with hs extreme camo. Small creatures were on display too, and this Reef Lizard hung out long enough for me to get the shot. The first swim-through was just a small arch with lots of Blue stripe Snapperes congregating, but I was more interested in the tiny White Margin nudis that Kevin S pointed out. Two of them with eggs, so a family portrait.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiybBba0NpbjQXBnJQ_VqL7OOzOjzIUTlhAfq8psX7FxLzupZCZ8ZUEqh8MWG66-asWryhnCfmK0g6U9UWCPkOu_goLkp6KNQ2LbBKdM_0Tob_hjBNi8jYV5pJ4wFYxfoKCgp5VMIr1aN3e9oPpehCiViiN6AXHiZWUAtic0RfHXFvQlTSeHx432vz/s6206/big%20slipper%20lobster.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4218" data-original-width="6206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiybBba0NpbjQXBnJQ_VqL7OOzOjzIUTlhAfq8psX7FxLzupZCZ8ZUEqh8MWG66-asWryhnCfmK0g6U9UWCPkOu_goLkp6KNQ2LbBKdM_0Tob_hjBNi8jYV5pJ4wFYxfoKCgp5VMIr1aN3e9oPpehCiViiN6AXHiZWUAtic0RfHXFvQlTSeHx432vz/s400/big%20slipper%20lobster.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQsot9j-g0gRFJibHSPUGrFTY3FEBhwwK1h9AIpLGAac_y6TVlfM71T7SsJEgkXLrP14fiuN2R8cJ9LAFrXhMe5Uh-6DAtd04c20VYm_kDd54pVrh9VpBGPnCljJqMu5ndOgCNI33-fUJdU7VrNeflOC5cqVAcXAeqgKDbR1Td-L960Rj2qj2ua9p/s5725/flowery%20flounder.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4002" data-original-width="5725" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQsot9j-g0gRFJibHSPUGrFTY3FEBhwwK1h9AIpLGAac_y6TVlfM71T7SsJEgkXLrP14fiuN2R8cJ9LAFrXhMe5Uh-6DAtd04c20VYm_kDd54pVrh9VpBGPnCljJqMu5ndOgCNI33-fUJdU7VrNeflOC5cqVAcXAeqgKDbR1Td-L960Rj2qj2ua9p/s400/flowery%20flounder.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUNy47IShu_j1vjYosCgA4Nv5k9JbMyU5NB1xMA91ggeqQd5No6pkcugDKtwo8aUGjvehabmg1kvViucWGel3Cppbt5WZ1kRcoxyZFPasc6M-vhwJySzB5lApieKml4NQEs3d2cDlgy347gFrGiAG39JZyQaiQyKZ7LlS2Z-bPKjFtGETf6LvU3Lq/s3234/reef%20lizard.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2330" data-original-width="3234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUNy47IShu_j1vjYosCgA4Nv5k9JbMyU5NB1xMA91ggeqQd5No6pkcugDKtwo8aUGjvehabmg1kvViucWGel3Cppbt5WZ1kRcoxyZFPasc6M-vhwJySzB5lApieKml4NQEs3d2cDlgy347gFrGiAG39JZyQaiQyKZ7LlS2Z-bPKjFtGETf6LvU3Lq/s400/reef%20lizard.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBENoIxhWVsgWo8uuZg5YPL04FNE41lQNvHuloCRqfzam7eFZ7eQTExsydk0GxoGLnkWR8q-cI4cT6-Uw7P6AN_ey7gt3oA0wGt2q50xqEZwwL6hQC2-Z-5kPybouoO_S5-359l8sEIYK6TWbNVxoIXJYrBzAVehCC0UeTA0zLhSXe9s1w9jjzfEX/s2946/white%20margin%20nudis%20and%20eggs.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2095" data-original-width="2946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBENoIxhWVsgWo8uuZg5YPL04FNE41lQNvHuloCRqfzam7eFZ7eQTExsydk0GxoGLnkWR8q-cI4cT6-Uw7P6AN_ey7gt3oA0wGt2q50xqEZwwL6hQC2-Z-5kPybouoO_S5-359l8sEIYK6TWbNVxoIXJYrBzAVehCC0UeTA0zLhSXe9s1w9jjzfEX/s400/white%20margin%20nudis%20and%20eggs.jpg"/></a></div>
The cleaner Wrasses were everywhere; perhaps it was car-wash day. Here's a Four Spot Butterfly gettting spiffed up. Nearby, under a ledge I found a Giant Porcupine fish who didn't want anything to do with me. He tolerated one shot and then beat it, but I got another shot of him on the run out of the hole. He wasn't the only underwater thing moving fast. The surge was strong and it was throwing us back and forth like a carnival ride. As I tried to move through a narrow crevasse I spied another White Margin nudi on the wall. I literally took the shot as I flew past him, and that shot, the only one I got, was miraculously in focus.<br><br>
As we got deeper I rounded a rock to find a Pale colored Orange-Band Surgeonfish, Usually they are darker but a few have this paler color. Out on the reef i found a Juvenile Stareye parrot showing off her teeth.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLfu9xxQWa5T5qfpcCejgPN6D6vgkujs1HQzDOQe3SLQCIqGev23uoMi0pLo37-ZRVALnKwdhMnq0QDAsz2xstkelruJDWfr_vKVL2YjLhm5K9105AqI-9OZWvCzT5IFf49SQrLyrPnWabeby9zS55S9k2sn_tiwwzpsu21r37Es0mqAvuza84rmW/s3556/four%20spot%20being%20cleaned.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2571" data-original-width="3556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLfu9xxQWa5T5qfpcCejgPN6D6vgkujs1HQzDOQe3SLQCIqGev23uoMi0pLo37-ZRVALnKwdhMnq0QDAsz2xstkelruJDWfr_vKVL2YjLhm5K9105AqI-9OZWvCzT5IFf49SQrLyrPnWabeby9zS55S9k2sn_tiwwzpsu21r37Es0mqAvuza84rmW/s400/four%20spot%20being%20cleaned.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAm3imcxbTZuE_wQoDYarRxUE2QkGOc-iNFG4fSOA7d0DWEXg0K25oGZeIJkzz1-naH_p047B7vlytScILPdPfqSXRq4IPW0CyUUDrEgl5X8YMfD9SGoiKQvxOlZCfZvsv2R6vJkKevCeOfWtwHkjqW2XEvteIdcbOeHJ-X6FCyaxTqOaHHSLghGKf/s5070/porcupine%20puffer%20running.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3583" data-original-width="5070" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAm3imcxbTZuE_wQoDYarRxUE2QkGOc-iNFG4fSOA7d0DWEXg0K25oGZeIJkzz1-naH_p047B7vlytScILPdPfqSXRq4IPW0CyUUDrEgl5X8YMfD9SGoiKQvxOlZCfZvsv2R6vJkKevCeOfWtwHkjqW2XEvteIdcbOeHJ-X6FCyaxTqOaHHSLghGKf/s400/porcupine%20puffer%20running.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPJ8FMM3xoaGtOsGLoRo6_1RNDCRdWi1CyV5N7XYrENJot0SGt2A-tWbcrOCAA5D0ImDbE-NEXwPMHrjfiy3itC_PXrgzzdpnq7FUgUAH5gXjH0HgmTYaQTc38ZGikGlC0OVqKfx0Fs_tIzX9ZDbBL-VNRNZ5kJE9mZrr4lGSUDIWtyS11OyVXUeM/s4267/porcupine%20puffer_.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2834" data-original-width="4267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPJ8FMM3xoaGtOsGLoRo6_1RNDCRdWi1CyV5N7XYrENJot0SGt2A-tWbcrOCAA5D0ImDbE-NEXwPMHrjfiy3itC_PXrgzzdpnq7FUgUAH5gXjH0HgmTYaQTc38ZGikGlC0OVqKfx0Fs_tIzX9ZDbBL-VNRNZ5kJE9mZrr4lGSUDIWtyS11OyVXUeM/s400/porcupine%20puffer_.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPct0N_5WYEwinVks7b4PXoBwmTwGGiM-086DAH7AR8K_npn42_HTZJDkjJHllVa9IT6Q_Z-gTTMfV2l1jxZq89RlxEKJbFtKPKBILcU2yiW6MpFPMZUXdPjHkRZAVDARr4Fey81JhVWw-AklIn6R-UbhlKgEdkmZdJDxSkUrYtxaZEcDIC5w5PouK/s2496/white%20margin%20and%20sponges.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1910" data-original-width="2496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPct0N_5WYEwinVks7b4PXoBwmTwGGiM-086DAH7AR8K_npn42_HTZJDkjJHllVa9IT6Q_Z-gTTMfV2l1jxZq89RlxEKJbFtKPKBILcU2yiW6MpFPMZUXdPjHkRZAVDARr4Fey81JhVWw-AklIn6R-UbhlKgEdkmZdJDxSkUrYtxaZEcDIC5w5PouK/s400/white%20margin%20and%20sponges.jpg"/></a></div>
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On the deeper reef slope, as we headed for the dropoff, I was on the lookout for Psychedelic Wrasses. They are interesting due to the fact that the males are surrounded by a group of females who make up the harem. And if the male gets eaten or runs off, then one of the females transitions into a male and the family is whole again.. I didn't expect to actually find this treasure of Psychedelic Wrassehood: First, a transitioning female-to-male, second a bunch of females, of which this was one (more in the video at the bottom), and a male who might have been ditched by the females for being a knucklehead.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwd8B3XClMQsGddt7gZgO9AfZvielRY1IOJHaonMHh557u1MPpKBwiFL4lYpEZo0rAhhMDMzxzm91itA6uNrb4g5fnlnMT_22s3r4GFf7bXSnxsGZjKrK_HDncWhiAzew7w4s8me2a1kmrrKV2eqNT14u81_SNPZI0t_EMQ514w59Dwx0qHR166yWP/s2633/psychedelic%20female%20traqnsitioning%20to%20male.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1687" data-original-width="2633" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwd8B3XClMQsGddt7gZgO9AfZvielRY1IOJHaonMHh557u1MPpKBwiFL4lYpEZo0rAhhMDMzxzm91itA6uNrb4g5fnlnMT_22s3r4GFf7bXSnxsGZjKrK_HDncWhiAzew7w4s8me2a1kmrrKV2eqNT14u81_SNPZI0t_EMQ514w59Dwx0qHR166yWP/s400/psychedelic%20female%20traqnsitioning%20to%20male.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjn8LvWPlVv0eLCrGxBz-i4-eQN2U9W6U8pMPMbQ-YRphCu3JYuSnNzdUa_AVOZkEQq5ntLkMJbE1A0n4KhM6lQpCQLzXbI2yzfCgX7UQIH-PUgl3TS6CgUYVKPV9zCQcgKjm-F4kG5RchHorjeeX6iNGiL1_PLet9OWUXNYWgrO8GLVMVOVIxBMQu/s3619/psychedelic%20female.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3619" data-original-width="2725" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjn8LvWPlVv0eLCrGxBz-i4-eQN2U9W6U8pMPMbQ-YRphCu3JYuSnNzdUa_AVOZkEQq5ntLkMJbE1A0n4KhM6lQpCQLzXbI2yzfCgX7UQIH-PUgl3TS6CgUYVKPV9zCQcgKjm-F4kG5RchHorjeeX6iNGiL1_PLet9OWUXNYWgrO8GLVMVOVIxBMQu/s400/psychedelic%20female.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRz3B3DUE4Qb_0V9ty4xPmBPh3_QWz7f70keATIbn7Oh9ckJd6bCeVLyOSBf-RGUHekLwPvGjjXirvaz8GLNb0VGdqRXgXf6YfAPSCgTrRvruuGH24kLCzcIk_ISNEMI3YG5R3DLwzNf-WDgsWdpRKrK8rReKmdAe7vbRZxfVnTmG8WA4meiI9uKWf/s2678/psychedelic%20male.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1811" data-original-width="2678" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRz3B3DUE4Qb_0V9ty4xPmBPh3_QWz7f70keATIbn7Oh9ckJd6bCeVLyOSBf-RGUHekLwPvGjjXirvaz8GLNb0VGdqRXgXf6YfAPSCgTrRvruuGH24kLCzcIk_ISNEMI3YG5R3DLwzNf-WDgsWdpRKrK8rReKmdAe7vbRZxfVnTmG8WA4meiI9uKWf/s400/psychedelic%20male.jpg"/></a></div>
It wasn't an especially Eel-filled day, but the ones I saw were big and posing out of their holes. Here's a large White Mouth Eel, later I found one a bit smaller, but still large. <br><br>
A very cool thing about butterfly fish is that many of them pair off in couples and go everywhere together. Here's a pair of Milletseed Butterflies and a solitary Threadfin. He's a threadfin because of the tiny thread trailing his dorsal fin<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgey8NGMrW-vXr9aMa9TL6njvdQSrft025BZWS-CWcwFMaQ6Li2u7Bm0_YQHrxc_E15jcygNO1z6f1uNvkzgmi2K6XiYI0VOfBrAMFfZKXHQvR5Wo82jjRQTGn2AgLE-PfLbsH9uEFhUfMDufqCOEkq7mWXZvJKWW_FkcLfccH_v2BcNE376f1LaySD/s5404/big%20whitemouth%20eel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3770" data-original-width="5404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgey8NGMrW-vXr9aMa9TL6njvdQSrft025BZWS-CWcwFMaQ6Li2u7Bm0_YQHrxc_E15jcygNO1z6f1uNvkzgmi2K6XiYI0VOfBrAMFfZKXHQvR5Wo82jjRQTGn2AgLE-PfLbsH9uEFhUfMDufqCOEkq7mWXZvJKWW_FkcLfccH_v2BcNE376f1LaySD/s400/big%20whitemouth%20eel.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5e6gSNMdz8avoXj3xnyz4UrAyOXed35T-FiBtsm9Y37Jjp_g3Oz_dC7xzmlRlP6FiBPZLJKUxE4h-mewkdXQoCl0tdqlmSclxpZ466miutvi2pYTooyykw_U0mGIl4Fu6eoHowHPrNccCffDKspgZeSToRyT1RjhMfN5_MHIy7ZpogFw3WIl0Qxj/s3925/milletseed%20butterflies.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3925" data-original-width="3130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5e6gSNMdz8avoXj3xnyz4UrAyOXed35T-FiBtsm9Y37Jjp_g3Oz_dC7xzmlRlP6FiBPZLJKUxE4h-mewkdXQoCl0tdqlmSclxpZ466miutvi2pYTooyykw_U0mGIl4Fu6eoHowHPrNccCffDKspgZeSToRyT1RjhMfN5_MHIy7ZpogFw3WIl0Qxj/s400/milletseed%20butterflies.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEz8DPC_yEgc2Sa7EkzjfqG7j7iukOwRVKtbQK8uI9T1Fo8s4txQdk4Mc-puwr2eWRgHFtPR073g_XyVAb0CqKYWOIOqxqNpOsWH-J6FuDRtkE-Y2ZAwCq6S5HtYho1DZcSoT1hOxiti4E3-q0UQ4fQP6PtyHMlv8DVOXaHGV2tIR91g7M9p-hvl3t/s3895/threadfin%20butterfly.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="3895" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEz8DPC_yEgc2Sa7EkzjfqG7j7iukOwRVKtbQK8uI9T1Fo8s4txQdk4Mc-puwr2eWRgHFtPR073g_XyVAb0CqKYWOIOqxqNpOsWH-J6FuDRtkE-Y2ZAwCq6S5HtYho1DZcSoT1hOxiti4E3-q0UQ4fQP6PtyHMlv8DVOXaHGV2tIR91g7M9p-hvl3t/s400/threadfin%20butterfly.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-q9YQ7qiToqFKP0PNR6y1u1BUHHFw_aJsWrUfHpnxqesfajNfsF8eDZOxaoztD439Naqx6L20i2ym3H_KDCOCV3EZUr2_JsxsM7ijaLB80Dcy3xJL5qGwJ7Wi3hL8US0piqOD31SEqBBQE-FK9SPbrFydlnuoiNoP_KPz_w4o0B9YeaRh3E20oc_i/s5438/whitemouth%20eel%202.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3779" data-original-width="5438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-q9YQ7qiToqFKP0PNR6y1u1BUHHFw_aJsWrUfHpnxqesfajNfsF8eDZOxaoztD439Naqx6L20i2ym3H_KDCOCV3EZUr2_JsxsM7ijaLB80Dcy3xJL5qGwJ7Wi3hL8US0piqOD31SEqBBQE-FK9SPbrFydlnuoiNoP_KPz_w4o0B9YeaRh3E20oc_i/s400/whitemouth%20eel%202.jpg"/></a></div>
On an earlier post from last week i found an Indo-Pacific Sergent guarding his eggs. Here's one just hanging out under a ledge, apparently he got a baby sitter. Another instance of a fish getting shined up by a Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse, this time an Island Goatfish. <br><br>
We found a couple of very large Scrambled Egg nudis, this one was about 3 cm in length which is pretty big. Looking up, I saw Laura P kicking toward a ledge. That meant she found something cool and so she did: a Female Whitley's Boxfish. The site we were diving on is famous for being home to both male and female Whitleys. Apparently, the male was on a bender and not presentable.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAV0UR_FSChiH1ufWAsYY76RoFF9vk0hnxK5glCcjWm8HLcd8vcMm7u30mwmpX8eeL0YJ-WhgHBHUK3pk8JFHgJ0rQsvu4kiYQISo2T1I-FvqX1EX4YHFbjzwW5jpaMI0g1k8hM1QTIZvN0na_s3Y-8anydlN2DO82kGoeg7FNmKkS7LheYPePmvNi/s4366/indo%20pacific%20sergent.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2877" data-original-width="4366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAV0UR_FSChiH1ufWAsYY76RoFF9vk0hnxK5glCcjWm8HLcd8vcMm7u30mwmpX8eeL0YJ-WhgHBHUK3pk8JFHgJ0rQsvu4kiYQISo2T1I-FvqX1EX4YHFbjzwW5jpaMI0g1k8hM1QTIZvN0na_s3Y-8anydlN2DO82kGoeg7FNmKkS7LheYPePmvNi/s400/indo%20pacific%20sergent.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2EBvwg5LIV9MVVOWqYjfh94m2LHYturiyYozMNIR_QiYDmxP2TMSvD-iYTxyTiBSoy6cuxEsEigv2WpSsEU34T9jDNPP48Ai6UViFIZmimVSyLyXi_adryJ2X-2_BPXFZpNnJhlTA0h3305LUOGi1OMmT559SvcoHyCgXzZ3E4jfRBtTaikkhNjG/s5878/island%20goatfish%20and%20cleaner.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3957" data-original-width="5878" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2EBvwg5LIV9MVVOWqYjfh94m2LHYturiyYozMNIR_QiYDmxP2TMSvD-iYTxyTiBSoy6cuxEsEigv2WpSsEU34T9jDNPP48Ai6UViFIZmimVSyLyXi_adryJ2X-2_BPXFZpNnJhlTA0h3305LUOGi1OMmT559SvcoHyCgXzZ3E4jfRBtTaikkhNjG/s400/island%20goatfish%20and%20cleaner.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8YtTn2uTRou5nyE4LwJXdUQssvj1s9wthVjMN_V6YlSl5rcng6bEp4mDKndVbiv4olwHtY5tOeL2JukQRkV2qBI7KNIWWXEEn2b03g2uXVlYGCAl53r-9YIKQ6jMl5eZ4uPf7Uv2QE2OIkLc_4UfDJWRop4iAhmgOOqpZtzQQ81eOC6wJxuVkKkf/s2871/scrambled%20egg%20nudi.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2871" data-original-width="2503" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8YtTn2uTRou5nyE4LwJXdUQssvj1s9wthVjMN_V6YlSl5rcng6bEp4mDKndVbiv4olwHtY5tOeL2JukQRkV2qBI7KNIWWXEEn2b03g2uXVlYGCAl53r-9YIKQ6jMl5eZ4uPf7Uv2QE2OIkLc_4UfDJWRop4iAhmgOOqpZtzQQ81eOC6wJxuVkKkf/s400/scrambled%20egg%20nudi.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrH-dDPiRvIifFoQj9zqcA8S4XtozpHY9nxI62RjPVoZIaQtP-Z0rFp1YwOcmbsD48sgin-3KhfEkT7e22SwX9BTrVkynyW2POu5ntoc2EKVzAHTdPDN1qEIz3AFYXuc0yYmNE7NBoNc9IBxpGe4yeOorVqWH6TdqrRxnLHzgjcvEvu64DhZWAdKsy/s2710/whitleys%20female.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1872" data-original-width="2710" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrH-dDPiRvIifFoQj9zqcA8S4XtozpHY9nxI62RjPVoZIaQtP-Z0rFp1YwOcmbsD48sgin-3KhfEkT7e22SwX9BTrVkynyW2POu5ntoc2EKVzAHTdPDN1qEIz3AFYXuc0yYmNE7NBoNc9IBxpGe4yeOorVqWH6TdqrRxnLHzgjcvEvu64DhZWAdKsy/s400/whitleys%20female.jpg"/></a></div>
Hear the end of the second dive I saw Laura P again crowding into a hole under a coralhead. I thought perhaps she'd found an Octopus trying to become invisible to no avail. After she moved on I slotted in to prolong the poor Octopus's ordeal for this shot. Turning around to find the mooring line a Redbarred Hawkfish was sitting in a coralhead, and beneath, over the side of a wall a Supermale Bullethead Parrotfish was biting into the rock.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAdV97AMnF3ppp5uKVwTlaDu9RuGTT7psnxDofvFEF0_5Y_00o6IHWe7v3oCTMLpJIUPbGPYo6TtUBcsIo9DaBy8dylWCK-aYNbSAGF04DNZfR8Z663867OkAi6wKkDlrnfz0nv_UMNvEw4faOVO4zkU01iX2CRNamm4qptzua4b16OwEzR-3JWYl/s6880/octopus%20hiding.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAdV97AMnF3ppp5uKVwTlaDu9RuGTT7psnxDofvFEF0_5Y_00o6IHWe7v3oCTMLpJIUPbGPYo6TtUBcsIo9DaBy8dylWCK-aYNbSAGF04DNZfR8Z663867OkAi6wKkDlrnfz0nv_UMNvEw4faOVO4zkU01iX2CRNamm4qptzua4b16OwEzR-3JWYl/s400/octopus%20hiding.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTrOw2hbbVQN5HqhGJCUEvyvYpr1H54tL05UPg8f-cSprTRz_Yd1OL81Gz2Io7zHt8fCbmawekxS-2liOizWsot0k_JmHqyLiUQaVIxaqDYt7WV2e0J2rSZKZOXHei3h1PsS32DauAh_COopN-AiHZHk8tq4PL0-Y1YgceCnL7_0PLonLAeJ3j8T9/s2952/redbarred%20hawkfish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2301" data-original-width="2952" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTrOw2hbbVQN5HqhGJCUEvyvYpr1H54tL05UPg8f-cSprTRz_Yd1OL81Gz2Io7zHt8fCbmawekxS-2liOizWsot0k_JmHqyLiUQaVIxaqDYt7WV2e0J2rSZKZOXHei3h1PsS32DauAh_COopN-AiHZHk8tq4PL0-Y1YgceCnL7_0PLonLAeJ3j8T9/s400/redbarred%20hawkfish.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvRqgiJSy1wdeP34Uw-cJ8s6o7I8r_Xzip3Y61-9DGcjlC9nSzG9EKCrTkx0dYHCmYXasiz3vkukUp1EmnIotKIKOfi9zaZRIQaUZddPXPegVfYSMby5ciz9RvD3LMr9TqUUpNajumoKC1jQ9V1hbNi2kHqRj226YUZhPtM3huk0GHvS79S3NdYwF/s4908/supermale%20bullethead%20parrot.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3283" data-original-width="4908" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvRqgiJSy1wdeP34Uw-cJ8s6o7I8r_Xzip3Y61-9DGcjlC9nSzG9EKCrTkx0dYHCmYXasiz3vkukUp1EmnIotKIKOfi9zaZRIQaUZddPXPegVfYSMby5ciz9RvD3LMr9TqUUpNajumoKC1jQ9V1hbNi2kHqRj226YUZhPtM3huk0GHvS79S3NdYwF/s400/supermale%20bullethead%20parrot.jpg"/></a></div>
Here's the video.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe class="BLOG_video_class" allowfullscreen="" youtube-src-id="YgVLnP6YcVM" width="400" height="322" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YgVLnP6YcVM"></iframe></div>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-88202089978820536022023-03-25T18:09:00.005-07:002023-03-25T18:19:52.305-07:00A few deep dives with lots of crittersProspects for a great day underwater were high Today when word circulated that there were only six divers signed up for the Kona Honu Divers morning charter. And so it was that four KHD Ohana divers showed up at the slip and jumped on the boat while the ocean lay flat and the sun peeked through the cloud cover.<br><br>
Capt. John cleared the green can buoy marking the harbor channel entrance and we turned north on our way back to O'oma, a stretch of coastline south of the airport where I'd been doing a lot of diving lately. There's current there often, but not today. There is a mooring that features lots of big spires and pinnacles and that's where we dropped for our first dive.<br><br>
At this site we usually hang around the pinnacles a bit before heading off to the drop off, but today we just kicked due west into deep water. Along the way there is a mixture of reef, pinnacles, walls and rubble. In the reef there are always animals hiding or resting depending on when they like to be out. Eels, for instance, often like to hunt at night and rest under ledges, in holes or under the latticework of finger corals that are so plentiful here. Indeed, i found a young White mouth Eel poking out of a hole in the reef and an Octopus that tried to jam himself into a hole way too small for him, but he managed, keeping an eye on me. There were a few cool nudibranchs today, and its getting warmer, so thats when they become more plentiful on the walls and under the arches, or just on a boulder like this big, fat Scrambled Egg nudi. Not far away my friend Laura found a tiny Trembling nudi with suvh pretty yellow-purple coloration. <br><br>
In deeper water, where we stayed for a good while, the deep blue of the ocean became more saturated as the light weakened and I had to use my flashlight to find things under the ledges we passed. This Viper Eel was curled up in a hole in the characteristic coiled snake-like posture that always makes me feel like they are about to strike. That's never happened to me but it has to one of my regular dive partners. Jumped out and bit her on the arm, putting a small tear in her wetsuit. This one just stayed there, thank you.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9I1Xd0pvvX7NO0C5ocx4PM-63h88Ywb0T0DZuttM0IIiOpC_CsSsMpuYUMyO6_XVlAq7AZvQA8PyAYXfXVrw9YE5HJwYTGhBjL1QIsaafrlU7MTZLerfY8MQ9-COmT88x7HNDJ0_W4sFag211mKb49DYkAafQv9iYBWLOboStqfh1g9JyEYP1848d/s4584/baby%20white%20mouth%20eel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="3598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9I1Xd0pvvX7NO0C5ocx4PM-63h88Ywb0T0DZuttM0IIiOpC_CsSsMpuYUMyO6_XVlAq7AZvQA8PyAYXfXVrw9YE5HJwYTGhBjL1QIsaafrlU7MTZLerfY8MQ9-COmT88x7HNDJ0_W4sFag211mKb49DYkAafQv9iYBWLOboStqfh1g9JyEYP1848d/s400/baby%20white%20mouth%20eel.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUpMvMbYs4syiabsF_xHONglLj7dt6PIFUrkHdFxRG570milEJcOvgsrTMRl9szN8YXlX5MM_xjuAdpLJJsu58itUhNu6a4ynu5wUzCAYHWzLT55iiUYNC5khcwG_y3ZLFWak7ri86jNiBdfmfaKnuvwumRBQ3lHNW1pqlaXXMV8GrWX9xYOYu63T/s5874/Octopus.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3921" data-original-width="5874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUpMvMbYs4syiabsF_xHONglLj7dt6PIFUrkHdFxRG570milEJcOvgsrTMRl9szN8YXlX5MM_xjuAdpLJJsu58itUhNu6a4ynu5wUzCAYHWzLT55iiUYNC5khcwG_y3ZLFWak7ri86jNiBdfmfaKnuvwumRBQ3lHNW1pqlaXXMV8GrWX9xYOYu63T/s400/Octopus.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlADaLSKjG2uSmLirzcMBavgihIvtqj4CySz1lgE6gyqJnpGmIvyWRQ9T5s4S5xhktOe003ryw9aS-mnJmFMei1TqaRceH6cnmDqynewP_T1NHbqrqmHSbhnzkENZfrncM_YgupqDVVe6rSDqsIwlLG3mztMZXJHjNV_rOePnjAJzj_XH7HlIdhEkf/s4054/scrambled%20egg%20nudi.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2741" data-original-width="4054" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlADaLSKjG2uSmLirzcMBavgihIvtqj4CySz1lgE6gyqJnpGmIvyWRQ9T5s4S5xhktOe003ryw9aS-mnJmFMei1TqaRceH6cnmDqynewP_T1NHbqrqmHSbhnzkENZfrncM_YgupqDVVe6rSDqsIwlLG3mztMZXJHjNV_rOePnjAJzj_XH7HlIdhEkf/s400/scrambled%20egg%20nudi.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlbDSOa7CRDAhjsf2gqMC4aSSmq4XejMH6Zq_6xCQ5kttxDfxvU7ysU7cpLSoHyxGZnqKL6zDmAJu0i-q1lT91iRDgX5HZ5AGZ6lY_-XX3C203rYtpOSShilSEOEaSTgLbitOecZOWfXK3PVEfhuQcGn0k24CC0xXtBc9MioMlNBHN8p--tkX91Qx/s2205/trembling%20nudi.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1501" data-original-width="2205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlbDSOa7CRDAhjsf2gqMC4aSSmq4XejMH6Zq_6xCQ5kttxDfxvU7ysU7cpLSoHyxGZnqKL6zDmAJu0i-q1lT91iRDgX5HZ5AGZ6lY_-XX3C203rYtpOSShilSEOEaSTgLbitOecZOWfXK3PVEfhuQcGn0k24CC0xXtBc9MioMlNBHN8p--tkX91Qx/s400/trembling%20nudi.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciN6Jkm8Z-jidCYXK6Y3y4b72WMQYeP4Y8IKvAsF07LvJyFoW00SHtsg20PhUqUm1hr5hFCICf_Gc2QxJ0fMadFyGVsdu4dzHnJFE9lYeiZkXB4S-3Jnpm326zFq8tqKfG4_x4u_vJZiO7Em6jeXROJd9Iq0CZhEIs2xM6fnAbAh0NwTrmcSOn4eG/s6153/viper.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4146" data-original-width="6153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciN6Jkm8Z-jidCYXK6Y3y4b72WMQYeP4Y8IKvAsF07LvJyFoW00SHtsg20PhUqUm1hr5hFCICf_Gc2QxJ0fMadFyGVsdu4dzHnJFE9lYeiZkXB4S-3Jnpm326zFq8tqKfG4_x4u_vJZiO7Em6jeXROJd9Iq0CZhEIs2xM6fnAbAh0NwTrmcSOn4eG/s400/viper.jpg"/></a></div>
We glided down the slope of the reef, steeper as we approached the dropoff, and there were lots of big structures out there that I'd never seen, so we hung around in about 75-80 feet depth flitting from big rock to big rock, always glancing out into the abyss for pelagic things to swim by. But smalle3r animals were abundant. Here's another nudibranch, a Gold Lace nudi, and under a ledge I found darting about a juvenile hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse that I mistook at first for an Indigo Dartfish. Abundant at all depths are Longnose Butterflies and this one was swimming up a vertical rock face. Then, out of nowhere swwam this big Bluefin Trevally, right past me.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIXC3YptJSMXWqNbvugjCBaBg2QHJ_AUiGAGbFiFmaqgQOV23JJFp9jTjejTdV9CHN-QwcY40wsSEbAO1NH56bANP_iEdoAAWyJM3UrxeKcewhtlgvvhQjq9SdsEcZa1Tmj1NVoHbESOEv3EjQC6V12_81S9RvDUliyl-LqRB7wKhHGBn4Cm1AwoE/s2951/gold%20lace%20nudi.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2157" data-original-width="2951" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIXC3YptJSMXWqNbvugjCBaBg2QHJ_AUiGAGbFiFmaqgQOV23JJFp9jTjejTdV9CHN-QwcY40wsSEbAO1NH56bANP_iEdoAAWyJM3UrxeKcewhtlgvvhQjq9SdsEcZa1Tmj1NVoHbESOEv3EjQC6V12_81S9RvDUliyl-LqRB7wKhHGBn4Cm1AwoE/s400/gold%20lace%20nudi.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9OYW5UUqdhMBV6Ik1dysrFQCCSMAtC6uUYYcW08dF47Kb80QNxgMcueUM4mKoXkdrMj1HjyLPkpjZyEot2efsz7cnIQNgTuLItUNg-Ay6jNX_rq5tkne4qLGH6297FmSebupV7lh15-teJ4ViLUMJTPy5wzmESWdV2wvqFi22pJSoR4GFbSFMYc7/s2728/indigo%3F.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1820" data-original-width="2728" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9OYW5UUqdhMBV6Ik1dysrFQCCSMAtC6uUYYcW08dF47Kb80QNxgMcueUM4mKoXkdrMj1HjyLPkpjZyEot2efsz7cnIQNgTuLItUNg-Ay6jNX_rq5tkne4qLGH6297FmSebupV7lh15-teJ4ViLUMJTPy5wzmESWdV2wvqFi22pJSoR4GFbSFMYc7/s400/indigo%3F.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrAO3L14aKbAyH6l6mi9BxF_cipNe9I9mk4gt2kRjLp6C21RSVqIVtcK0WkYgxEmZ-g68kTBieV0oQCXnj6xyKf4RHeFmPqYntVR_TyKMCzahtJouL6fOhKcPx6inUe9o6yVceYWO359Bnijs_zGsMfPTWcwDQFM8XF-mzWk-FU1UC5J4HjyPIy2q/s5714/longnose%20butterfly.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="5714" data-original-width="4189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrAO3L14aKbAyH6l6mi9BxF_cipNe9I9mk4gt2kRjLp6C21RSVqIVtcK0WkYgxEmZ-g68kTBieV0oQCXnj6xyKf4RHeFmPqYntVR_TyKMCzahtJouL6fOhKcPx6inUe9o6yVceYWO359Bnijs_zGsMfPTWcwDQFM8XF-mzWk-FU1UC5J4HjyPIy2q/s400/longnose%20butterfly.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBGnJzKapYNc-0rYfJbzj-jjPTfTXnCFbpGmMKJNXgxa6iA1K6tA52NETiwr_t-Gdn-b1UksBCZU2MyrEbhFDrEVJqld7ywRFTcke-7TdJKbR-7Zq4jYSgybEMlizYdeR5K8irAAFF0osthJTG_PVEriT_A2EdF5Ie2qN4kpeIAwXQL8dEzhCqpy0/s5531/trevally.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3704" data-original-width="5531" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBGnJzKapYNc-0rYfJbzj-jjPTfTXnCFbpGmMKJNXgxa6iA1K6tA52NETiwr_t-Gdn-b1UksBCZU2MyrEbhFDrEVJqld7ywRFTcke-7TdJKbR-7Zq4jYSgybEMlizYdeR5K8irAAFF0osthJTG_PVEriT_A2EdF5Ie2qN4kpeIAwXQL8dEzhCqpy0/s400/trevally.jpg"/></a></div>
Now for the highlight of the day: a very rare Hawawiian Green Lionfish. This fish has been around off and on. Last year I got a not great shot of him, but today we found him again at our second site and he was more accessible. Again, we weere at depth, around 90 feet, and so the light was dim, but he was hard to miss. I'll get a better shot of him if I see him again but this is my best one so far. We had to glide across an expanse of sand to get back to the reef, and there were garden eels but they'd all popped back under the sand by the time I got there. Once back in the rocks and reef I did find a couple of White Stripe Shrimp upside down in a hole. Also lurking nerby were two Yellow Margin Eels, One more out in the open than the other.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkcooghVEvj45F5MRavRvTpX2cRwpTY4q4mvJ7-7NYIdc2gSl-FZgooRArdEZGR0YT9mWFOAms7qn-d-n65rrMv-hFoT2c4J4D5q3i8qdpojZ53H7hy2mUqqGfRaqfMV2T1L2Dbylvi88obbBH-wUkfi2yhboj7sD4rT-j4p1u4-V5kBs7zAzW2S1/s4340/green%20lion%20fish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3058" data-original-width="4340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkcooghVEvj45F5MRavRvTpX2cRwpTY4q4mvJ7-7NYIdc2gSl-FZgooRArdEZGR0YT9mWFOAms7qn-d-n65rrMv-hFoT2c4J4D5q3i8qdpojZ53H7hy2mUqqGfRaqfMV2T1L2Dbylvi88obbBH-wUkfi2yhboj7sD4rT-j4p1u4-V5kBs7zAzW2S1/s400/green%20lion%20fish.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis95bUPf5aQTTDpgooB9yABfzZMgS-qw48KrVhhcmtxWXdlGrgnrUFczq5i0V_KRH8evxndjWOkUZAP0haBZ22MegZpOeQLLdf3C6obrf4IhnEYtioUDVxdmedZvLEO3rmHHaHuap4vG4VSwAuCTxmeGJse6J5aVA8i6GeSMp_rMr1Op0NOlFYyV9I/s6225/white%20stripe%20cleaner%20shrimp.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4266" data-original-width="6225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis95bUPf5aQTTDpgooB9yABfzZMgS-qw48KrVhhcmtxWXdlGrgnrUFczq5i0V_KRH8evxndjWOkUZAP0haBZ22MegZpOeQLLdf3C6obrf4IhnEYtioUDVxdmedZvLEO3rmHHaHuap4vG4VSwAuCTxmeGJse6J5aVA8i6GeSMp_rMr1Op0NOlFYyV9I/s400/white%20stripe%20cleaner%20shrimp.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM58u_cvEjRepCZIYzKoQ5qK__IHbTRznhYQAhasTq4e3dXSerRXo0frSm3eYt-Io12yV_7pDprEhj0ekQ6trVPDr14CkIueDd3pIjus5YOn2eUben1gIiEQDa-xcl2BqLf4UKuo4klIM_Hrl8fxCF_jovYACfg3uRHC3sxqht--cFqrInCwntM3xF/s6436/yellow%20margin%20eel%20in%20crack.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4402" data-original-width="6436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM58u_cvEjRepCZIYzKoQ5qK__IHbTRznhYQAhasTq4e3dXSerRXo0frSm3eYt-Io12yV_7pDprEhj0ekQ6trVPDr14CkIueDd3pIjus5YOn2eUben1gIiEQDa-xcl2BqLf4UKuo4klIM_Hrl8fxCF_jovYACfg3uRHC3sxqht--cFqrInCwntM3xF/s400/yellow%20margin%20eel%20in%20crack.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_dAQZq0ILGo39YELvI2Q5jEfvSVmWVikg6ofdL41ffrChjEowtgrMBfUGQCmOKy8C_mruWuge936NJrH9j4QEhsP4TEWT5mKGJAwKYyFF0ynVcRCg9-UBPfPuo0QJgAPidh1HZGE6mTUF6IbCttaGk9K__ZU_xIni2RQwaGCHwEpV9v3ZihCwUy4/s3498/yellow%20margin%20eel%20in%20hole.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3498" data-original-width="2835" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_dAQZq0ILGo39YELvI2Q5jEfvSVmWVikg6ofdL41ffrChjEowtgrMBfUGQCmOKy8C_mruWuge936NJrH9j4QEhsP4TEWT5mKGJAwKYyFF0ynVcRCg9-UBPfPuo0QJgAPidh1HZGE6mTUF6IbCttaGk9K__ZU_xIni2RQwaGCHwEpV9v3ZihCwUy4/s400/yellow%20margin%20eel%20in%20hole.jpg"/></a></div>
Unable to resist this Blackside hawkfish with her white spotted face, just sitting on a rockface. AS soon as my strobes flashed she bolted, but light is fast. My other Laura friend and I were swimming back up the reef-slope and a Flowery Flounder just took off right under us. I flashed my light at Laura to look down and then she saw him. This fish has the best camoflage of almost any animal in the ocean. As I looked up to resume oour languid tour of the upslope a Gilded Triggerfish just swam right at me. Dont often get this angle since they're always running away from us. Another fish decided to give me a frontal view, this time a Moorish Idol. Amazing how narrow they are from the front.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjswStNfm5jyRr-08R3-fVBNL9jpzdC0FMILv93s6a3DpCGB_jjHSB3R2o5M56z-ujBi6EmDdiSrQqyzL9TPmjldeeT9weNBS9SLiKDAF3oO0EqDAQL1QtugYIztmkEnst6FDaBHLKCP8nJyM-XshXjMRLnqjxndASLP955S_ftAXIhNx9WzOBD8-m/s5625/blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3793" data-original-width="5625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjswStNfm5jyRr-08R3-fVBNL9jpzdC0FMILv93s6a3DpCGB_jjHSB3R2o5M56z-ujBi6EmDdiSrQqyzL9TPmjldeeT9weNBS9SLiKDAF3oO0EqDAQL1QtugYIztmkEnst6FDaBHLKCP8nJyM-XshXjMRLnqjxndASLP955S_ftAXIhNx9WzOBD8-m/s400/blackside%20hawkfish.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDCrzE41XjB7FefhdJPmQiM78kO-llkhAPfxhSt_OjwjJehwNip1Y_izQOFq9GtTH_cxfJvZIVRtZgR5cY9fTkCcntz3IeKpFrCJYXDEuL6j152GvKX9okRsy2nbvduzrYG38P-yoMBP3Kg_9vtS-Ep3HooLRJio-2JIF3S8HVGy3HmWDEv6Lx-fI/s5083/flowry%20flounder%20camo.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3660" data-original-width="5083" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDCrzE41XjB7FefhdJPmQiM78kO-llkhAPfxhSt_OjwjJehwNip1Y_izQOFq9GtTH_cxfJvZIVRtZgR5cY9fTkCcntz3IeKpFrCJYXDEuL6j152GvKX9okRsy2nbvduzrYG38P-yoMBP3Kg_9vtS-Ep3HooLRJio-2JIF3S8HVGy3HmWDEv6Lx-fI/s400/flowry%20flounder%20camo.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUhfgoHyw8vbUUPS7wnZtBxx7-Ondjw-mUygZ-dI4fqBk_W59toHvzIqItNVfhzEOgNW3I4OYLKLDyB-KoLDc3jOO4eikYCwIJaoKWcBwJnMFt0Kn43FBHZRK4c14Fmtt1BHLy2NyqvST5yaCJpm1nGvG6i9cz6ggIv-iak9dRxdjWjy896_EBEQ2/s4151/gildfed%20trigger.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2967" data-original-width="4151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUhfgoHyw8vbUUPS7wnZtBxx7-Ondjw-mUygZ-dI4fqBk_W59toHvzIqItNVfhzEOgNW3I4OYLKLDyB-KoLDc3jOO4eikYCwIJaoKWcBwJnMFt0Kn43FBHZRK4c14Fmtt1BHLy2NyqvST5yaCJpm1nGvG6i9cz6ggIv-iak9dRxdjWjy896_EBEQ2/s400/gildfed%20trigger.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6_kf6nPTzMjUraj8UNCqrW2t0YLoTkvDKH9nrtvGA-0G3ZovtVXGePrRq_SOFChWiRGAy7Ayd4ChSrbb1rKW_ucvmcnojqgMmr8Ui-2RRhfpZGEY1mRzvGmqTVP9UUgW691nkdKD-sOyWHTT2WPhBDqszU3lA1gq8lZFABvPJfhWINVa2WEI0mzK/s4584/moorish%20idol%20face.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="3806" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6_kf6nPTzMjUraj8UNCqrW2t0YLoTkvDKH9nrtvGA-0G3ZovtVXGePrRq_SOFChWiRGAy7Ayd4ChSrbb1rKW_ucvmcnojqgMmr8Ui-2RRhfpZGEY1mRzvGmqTVP9UUgW691nkdKD-sOyWHTT2WPhBDqszU3lA1gq8lZFABvPJfhWINVa2WEI0mzK/s400/moorish%20idol%20face.jpg"/></a></div>
Finally back in shalllower water there are lots of big boulders and coral where marine life flourishes. Here's a Hawaii-only fish: a Black Longnose butterfly. This coloration is due to their local diet. If you take them to another island or (don't do this) capture them and put them in a tank they'll revert back to yellow and black. We often see them transitioning between colors. Everywhere on the reef we see Parrotfish. They eat coral polyps off the rocks and then poop out sand. here's one at lunch on a rock face. Another denizen of the reef is the Potter's Angelfish. I saw an unusually large number of them today, but they are very shy. Got this one as he darted into a hole.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCwuqKEZkSJ6xOcAI__CE1mrVuk0LSD0J0nsmaaS608hp4nyu6sG2Ulppltl6J4THi2ir0TrQNOkPxxKh5uj0bboLNFD2GM0opWTJSPON_9-llPl_tEr9tIZTN0AdATCUPDCN_C0bWb3UI8jymomBcG9HOhESCrDmD9BxdqkvK1JhocfrWzNo6sAI/s3413/black%20longnose.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2454" data-original-width="3413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCwuqKEZkSJ6xOcAI__CE1mrVuk0LSD0J0nsmaaS608hp4nyu6sG2Ulppltl6J4THi2ir0TrQNOkPxxKh5uj0bboLNFD2GM0opWTJSPON_9-llPl_tEr9tIZTN0AdATCUPDCN_C0bWb3UI8jymomBcG9HOhESCrDmD9BxdqkvK1JhocfrWzNo6sAI/s400/black%20longnose.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6NRw4EbWJWU6uKfLpFsdL3cpseTmnQWos8FHeXI1V5Zn3gXAWaNwXFKZ054PSdT1B1OVz_-kM1wCnANfGF-NPy2kE2IlLjofoB07_4rHglGI6HNXJy39sPgD0Y74rffKypJSD82f_zc9BIl3LlMuhwsJzjMwEhzbsFcHCMR5ZY-jS1mNI4NRA_tv/s5580/initial%20phase%20bullethead%20parrot%20male%20or%20female.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3935" data-original-width="5580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6NRw4EbWJWU6uKfLpFsdL3cpseTmnQWos8FHeXI1V5Zn3gXAWaNwXFKZ054PSdT1B1OVz_-kM1wCnANfGF-NPy2kE2IlLjofoB07_4rHglGI6HNXJy39sPgD0Y74rffKypJSD82f_zc9BIl3LlMuhwsJzjMwEhzbsFcHCMR5ZY-jS1mNI4NRA_tv/s400/initial%20phase%20bullethead%20parrot%20male%20or%20female.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwq1zbZZX86tMB7uGvNPva8pZm6RePlrXT2c0N_ZJ2OuI9Sjv8ogrRHmAkWNG8LlGG3n0f0QqXX1kTaVNh2o33xIM7k4C7m0_52-02BjB9qRC0oyjXYku0XoOv-CreUN9GLxHT9LuEjDflMMbMenc2FMz74njpFUPJuRgpTSNJPDpQK9PbRzSQ-N8/s3157/potters%20angel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2182" data-original-width="3157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwq1zbZZX86tMB7uGvNPva8pZm6RePlrXT2c0N_ZJ2OuI9Sjv8ogrRHmAkWNG8LlGG3n0f0QqXX1kTaVNh2o33xIM7k4C7m0_52-02BjB9qRC0oyjXYku0XoOv-CreUN9GLxHT9LuEjDflMMbMenc2FMz74njpFUPJuRgpTSNJPDpQK9PbRzSQ-N8/s400/potters%20angel.jpg"/></a></div>
Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-73377602401487218262023-03-21T19:31:00.001-07:002023-03-22T13:19:49.872-07:00Critterlicious dives, especially eelsAs I drove down the hill to Queen K I could see the ocean, flat and calm. Sky was clear, vaulted blue with no clouds in sight. wind was just a breeze out of the east off Hualalai. Recipe for a perfect day of diving.<br><br>
At the Kona Honu Divers boat, _Honu One_, early, which is what I like since I have such a large kit, including wetsuit, mesh bag with all my gear, backpack with food and flashlights, and My camera bag. Maybe a sweatshirt and a water bottle too. Capt Johnny C. was already on the boat, and I handed him my gear bag which he leaned up against my tank station. #8 huh? That's a pretty lucky number for me, so i was hopeful it'd be a great day, and it was.<br><br>
Rob-Bob spied a Day Octopus lurking in a hole. As I approached he flashed his chromatophores at me. I thik it meant leave me be please. So, I took one pic and then moved on. On a flat rock I found a Flowery Flounder, second day in a row I've seen one. Then back to the main event for the day: Eels. First a Stout Moray that was just peeeking out of his hole, and the next, at about 70 FSW, a very large Undulated Eel. These I approach with caution, cause some of them have attitude. This guy was pretty chill hanging out under a ledge.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZmAZXIlli7nm5UR1mmoP2nORCSRwTII-XN7G0LIwx83QA06uhrwJ6hOZdq30IJNfOGhx59gEi_lWn2G8hz4ImNWup_zRV98KPLuM-5L_nNwdZ1OpE90tHJPJPVTKu7iSHsStqN96s8ONuZ_xNIWGigLgYppHTaJX2WokMAAh05dmf-biG5R_A-8G/s4903/day%20octgopus.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3838" data-original-width="4903" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZmAZXIlli7nm5UR1mmoP2nORCSRwTII-XN7G0LIwx83QA06uhrwJ6hOZdq30IJNfOGhx59gEi_lWn2G8hz4ImNWup_zRV98KPLuM-5L_nNwdZ1OpE90tHJPJPVTKu7iSHsStqN96s8ONuZ_xNIWGigLgYppHTaJX2WokMAAh05dmf-biG5R_A-8G/s400/day%20octgopus.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9Y307tIaR43EMdYVwq--wLry2tDQoKldBkIuHB8GmdrGeJmcSC2UAzTcYFDHtGpQgCrPFlwSyeCwTbsncFY5MBdB3eMlm2JtEqyYoVgPo5DhozaCPBOkUXyUZa_uunHybJM1Ms3fjfq_HYJKnlbs1v5HkRih3lIDWyjZcpRJjS8OJwqxye1SlsV_/s5067/flowery%20flounder.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3527" data-original-width="5067" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9Y307tIaR43EMdYVwq--wLry2tDQoKldBkIuHB8GmdrGeJmcSC2UAzTcYFDHtGpQgCrPFlwSyeCwTbsncFY5MBdB3eMlm2JtEqyYoVgPo5DhozaCPBOkUXyUZa_uunHybJM1Ms3fjfq_HYJKnlbs1v5HkRih3lIDWyjZcpRJjS8OJwqxye1SlsV_/s400/flowery%20flounder.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwv8TVCGoks84OQzieoxmcXR7q5WMUK9FJEMmcx7yDck7scT10WwvGaGTazcQqZz8JLIjj_k0f3nLtRrrLxo5NwXhYXQ_-S4XhhuZ-PHpXDq8oxVP78pO6BF7HbQz8sX2dluzD7ia_UG0h8gLlQop6S8sm1ZN1v1PPhKvsxx0BqMbx9zpkwO5pvwx-/s3918/stout%20moray%20and%20urchin.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2986" data-original-width="3918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwv8TVCGoks84OQzieoxmcXR7q5WMUK9FJEMmcx7yDck7scT10WwvGaGTazcQqZz8JLIjj_k0f3nLtRrrLxo5NwXhYXQ_-S4XhhuZ-PHpXDq8oxVP78pO6BF7HbQz8sX2dluzD7ia_UG0h8gLlQop6S8sm1ZN1v1PPhKvsxx0BqMbx9zpkwO5pvwx-/s400/stout%20moray%20and%20urchin.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbIDlGq9cPpmTqW_0_0bXIMkCYcfkr_EHa7SSNGLyjwn_01X_mJcWwl52JG6zXVAICXcVy0L2RqFVcP2VirMRYZADdrdayBnmXxsW-Rg1MlFy6JtNs0rzkO0fpq2eZ7mRqOmrr0Q4uZtEsuPtf9RGC280qwojuKVY-_Xr_CWw4dAHOW9MXpyTRcaH/s6880/undulated%20eel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbIDlGq9cPpmTqW_0_0bXIMkCYcfkr_EHa7SSNGLyjwn_01X_mJcWwl52JG6zXVAICXcVy0L2RqFVcP2VirMRYZADdrdayBnmXxsW-Rg1MlFy6JtNs0rzkO0fpq2eZ7mRqOmrr0Q4uZtEsuPtf9RGC280qwojuKVY-_Xr_CWw4dAHOW9MXpyTRcaH/s400/undulated%20eel.jpg"/></a></div>
Continuing with the main theme of the day: Eels, Here's a very large White Mouth Eel positioned vertically in a crack. I had to get sidewaqys and tilt the camera to get all of him in there. And I couldn't pass up this beautiful Blackside Hawkfish. I know, they're common, but they will sit there for you to focus and frame, but you can't dawdle or they will dart off. This one was outathere as soon as my strobe went off.<br><br>
Next is the first of two male Pencil Wrasses I saw. At first I thought it was a belted Wrasse, which I haven't seen yet, but Male Pencil Wrawsses are cool too. Near the drop off I found two Threadfin Butterflies, but one bolted away, leaving his mate to be tortured by my strobes. Out of sympathy I only took one shot.<br><br>
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In the coral rubble on the way back to the boat everyone stopped by for a shot at the Devil Scorpionfish. Cool thing, his right pectoral fil's yellow and red coloration is partly visible. Usually we don't see this unless they move, annoyed by all the flashy things going off. Once I was done with the Devil Scorpion I had to race to catch up to the bubbles of my group's divers; I'd stayed too long, but then I realized that Rob-Bob, our Instructor/DM never lost sight of me. Very comforting. On the way I found my second Male Pencil Wrasse, and, very cool, a Tiger snake Eel poking out of hole.<br><br>
We headed into the shallows a bit north of Skull Cave beczause Rob-Bob saw a couple of sharks in a labrynthine maze of boulders. It was pretty surgy so I didn't go in. People said there was a Frogfish too, but once again, I missed it.
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On the way back into deeper water I spied, flitting around in some rubble, a Juvenile Yellowtail Coris, also called Rainbow Wrasse. Very tiny. Here's a more mature one, but not as big as a lot of them, so maybe a teenager. Sometimes you can find ones that are transitioniing to mature, and their coloration is a mixture of the two. <br><br>
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Ron W and I chased a couple of big Scrawled Filefish around under the boat. They were too fast for me to get anything but this shot, too far away for my strobes to reach. Last of the day was this Yellow Mzargin Eel, hiding, like the Undulated, deep under a ledge. I had to squirm down under the lip of the overhang to get the shot.
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Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-50437370096069546252023-03-20T19:24:00.003-07:002023-03-20T21:25:47.355-07:00Last dives of winter 2023, buh bye!I was betting that the warmer ocean readings I was getting last week would be more than one-in-a-row, so I booked a spot on Sunday's charter with Kona Honu Divers to see if the warmer water would hold. I arrived at the slip to see that there were only 6 divers signed up...so, like a private charter. The rain forecast was wrong–it was clear, and the wind forecast for light breeze was right. That, plus the calm ocean forecast, all combined to promise a great, relaxed day in the water.<br><br>
The visibility had settled after the swell last week to be pretty good, maybe 60 feet. The spot we dropped first, High Rock, is known for eels and lots of fish that feed in the rubble still left over from the great storms of the past few years and the coral bleachings of 2015 and 2017. I was greeted almost as I reached depth by a pair of Four Spot Butterfly fish. Another feature of this site is the large patches of Leather Coral, here is a typical patch.<br><br>
Sometimes I see things I can't ID. Here's one: a transparent animal that I first took to be a plastic bag. But it's a living organism, perhaps one of the deep water jellies that live deep in the abyss and only come up at night. This one's clock was clearly off. Turned and almost immediately found a nice Stout Moray in a hole. They hardly ever come out, and just stick their heads out to view the passing show.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYcdlcFH67iHfx_KZm26bVBqb7Xd_Lx-v6e8A9KO-ndzMdzjaE2dqsyiLdMTKnOgKpN__0QYlPIb27hr9marpgumXsMUTxObuDlCVzGdh9Rtw8ECfym7v37C_dq-noOt9lQtqhY7Vsowqg6mCyoesYj1B4-grZj9c7_rgeICiEfUpCmTmz3ctLjMW/s5594/four%20spot%20butterfly%20pair.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3696" data-original-width="5594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYcdlcFH67iHfx_KZm26bVBqb7Xd_Lx-v6e8A9KO-ndzMdzjaE2dqsyiLdMTKnOgKpN__0QYlPIb27hr9marpgumXsMUTxObuDlCVzGdh9Rtw8ECfym7v37C_dq-noOt9lQtqhY7Vsowqg6mCyoesYj1B4-grZj9c7_rgeICiEfUpCmTmz3ctLjMW/s400/four%20spot%20butterfly%20pair.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDEePx2f1sP-AwHhVERA-3OsLdH4XZv9Iw6Dd_c87fCZOC9bTdZc6KldmCQKr4MGCiXd8rzp4IIXEwqzBamfiQxskRjE_IT8s9t1umGBOWsfB5kX_lXEilAORATjMbULePvB1jcO0dSm81UQEd85CNokc2LwkjLSSy2g0zSRi1xiLzQ1vV4sP1n5b/s6880/lezther%20coral.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDEePx2f1sP-AwHhVERA-3OsLdH4XZv9Iw6Dd_c87fCZOC9bTdZc6KldmCQKr4MGCiXd8rzp4IIXEwqzBamfiQxskRjE_IT8s9t1umGBOWsfB5kX_lXEilAORATjMbULePvB1jcO0dSm81UQEd85CNokc2LwkjLSSy2g0zSRi1xiLzQ1vV4sP1n5b/s400/lezther%20coral.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLBg17nTFYtb50A3YHSa_VTqv12I3YQk8110zJPaqUQgXsXJT8tFp5eDjgqj-zPzPdJrtIca4vdE74W51_9Y3rTFdbyoBqmz3lrTpogYcxeoZwVmhmpYtCTG-eZqaPCYtGsuqU51Z9UkfPYcMWzXNl2rRifftSwbLJDq4SZ81o-zf2ucnmZBCNq5O/s3240/not%20a%20plastic%20bag.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2118" data-original-width="3240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLBg17nTFYtb50A3YHSa_VTqv12I3YQk8110zJPaqUQgXsXJT8tFp5eDjgqj-zPzPdJrtIca4vdE74W51_9Y3rTFdbyoBqmz3lrTpogYcxeoZwVmhmpYtCTG-eZqaPCYtGsuqU51Z9UkfPYcMWzXNl2rRifftSwbLJDq4SZ81o-zf2ucnmZBCNq5O/s400/not%20a%20plastic%20bag.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRz5Xnvbce8kXgtdwN_0Q2KlQh4Y3Rr7omxbkT8QrfjQOuu7jEhZzFKSfxYlTnHMtzaRs90aGkn801HpZUm96j4om3oiYfgbjxCtZ4LvQamLpclgkE2I7Pc8AHrRCruNmZfK6sytiCM5nYKHUi3sETY7uPEHbocTfIDqa3fP3kCETdG8WtLnbMygY/s2664/stout%20moray.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1895" data-original-width="2664" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRz5Xnvbce8kXgtdwN_0Q2KlQh4Y3Rr7omxbkT8QrfjQOuu7jEhZzFKSfxYlTnHMtzaRs90aGkn801HpZUm96j4om3oiYfgbjxCtZ4LvQamLpclgkE2I7Pc8AHrRCruNmZfK6sytiCM5nYKHUi3sETY7uPEHbocTfIDqa3fP3kCETdG8WtLnbMygY/s400/stout%20moray.jpg"/></a></div>
White mouth Eels are very common here, so I wasn't surprised to see this little guy poking out of a hole. Probably my favorite fish of the dive was this beautiful Devil Scorpion. They usually just sit there so everyone can have a turn flashing their strobes in their eyes. Sometimes they;ll become annoyed and move, and then you get to see the colorful red and yellow hues of their pectoral fins as they extend them to swim, or rather lumber to another spot a few feet away. This Lei Trigger, another common fish, turned right into me before realizing I might be a thing that wants to eat it. I didn't and had a chance to get this frontal view, much different from the view we usually get of fish butts swimming away. More paired butterflies presented under a ledge, this time Raccoon Butterflies.<br><br>
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This striped fish is a Hawaiian Sergent Major. It's different in subtle wasy from the Indo-Pacific Sergent which has thicker vertical stripes. He was warding off butterflies from trying to eat his egges, which were plastered on a verticsl wall of a rock. <br><br>
At out second site there is a very large arch which usually houses lots of bluestripe snappers, all kinds of nudibranchs and often, Moorish Idols. I was 0-fer on the nudis despite scouring all the walls and ceiling and getting stuck very far behind our group, which had moved on from the arch. So I got this shot of a Moorish Idol diving upside down on one of the walls before sprinting out and after the group, whose bubbles I could still see as they headed off to view the drop off.<br><br>
One of the most beautiful fish on our reefs is the Orange Band Surgeon. It's called a surgeon fish because it has theses viscious barbs on its tail that it uses for defense. You can't see them in the shot, but you can see the side view which features the distinctive orange band. Another diver waved at me to come over. He saw something he wanted me to see. It was this fairly large, for a nudibranch, Strawberry Nudi.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Yx-kcaQbxAyj2KBaJgpgVnnw-VnuzCLWtpln_RbgeBCqS7vD6YMXC8G1Ti9cZLrkwWfWM0nYN_OxHV1u4-0IP3qUUxNzTf3REzeTql7v4yfan-vgdWv4KFfJqLTuCzDgEHUDdKvY36tWpMgeWPWNkOvEVjb1gprBq-5GyexjK0bg2ZiRD1UVDLpH/s2754/Hawaiian%20sergent.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2035" data-original-width="2754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Yx-kcaQbxAyj2KBaJgpgVnnw-VnuzCLWtpln_RbgeBCqS7vD6YMXC8G1Ti9cZLrkwWfWM0nYN_OxHV1u4-0IP3qUUxNzTf3REzeTql7v4yfan-vgdWv4KFfJqLTuCzDgEHUDdKvY36tWpMgeWPWNkOvEVjb1gprBq-5GyexjK0bg2ZiRD1UVDLpH/s400/Hawaiian%20sergent.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUMwzlrEcPgEcVLw-A6MkbSl0wN4yVuy4KN94DDCdQeS5r6NjLoVVgRs2gb6FLwNN0zsHvDbUWEKd-GKZ2z-AX3BrC3VVCIqULvFnuUwFf4fBExyKU-LdqHUVy-h8vAHnOtQZB7zDVHU22SDsQA3nThG8ZFYz3AXNFOHv152r2xdhzBscgZLi4-rf/s4145/Moorish%20idol.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4145" data-original-width="3494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUMwzlrEcPgEcVLw-A6MkbSl0wN4yVuy4KN94DDCdQeS5r6NjLoVVgRs2gb6FLwNN0zsHvDbUWEKd-GKZ2z-AX3BrC3VVCIqULvFnuUwFf4fBExyKU-LdqHUVy-h8vAHnOtQZB7zDVHU22SDsQA3nThG8ZFYz3AXNFOHv152r2xdhzBscgZLi4-rf/s400/Moorish%20idol.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNiS-tqfynRjyWdXtWhwddTImmaNt-GkF2vp-K7a0Bp6dveQJEiTx7VbeU68Edul8dso2Ki6xi4QQ0tqHO5rDCXA683DJ4PBxjgLjhw0J66LHgo-Rz1XsHU_F50hkcwHjyw7sKGIr_QqmS4tDXi8JrSoRMcnc8U2JJNUwpKpWeD3Hzjk_S-WaYAgz/s5158/orange%20band%20surgeon.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3381" data-original-width="5158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNiS-tqfynRjyWdXtWhwddTImmaNt-GkF2vp-K7a0Bp6dveQJEiTx7VbeU68Edul8dso2Ki6xi4QQ0tqHO5rDCXA683DJ4PBxjgLjhw0J66LHgo-Rz1XsHU_F50hkcwHjyw7sKGIr_QqmS4tDXi8JrSoRMcnc8U2JJNUwpKpWeD3Hzjk_S-WaYAgz/s400/orange%20band%20surgeon.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUzXngZDbFWOaSrO435agrZR6VdHbsUTe3yIXw45Id9MIcG-u5aWjHmAsxz7RvrtHnsyPMsg0rYs_QAcS7M-c5MmHfiJI2_VXEKSPqpYgtHp5b_AhRXISejkrqf7fZNJ6UlNoe8OrWr5IEEwnWAo0Eu38rWCdWiokzxlw1Ew2HikJ-sSatWF8ajRY/s2843/strawberry%20nudi.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1957" data-original-width="2843" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUzXngZDbFWOaSrO435agrZR6VdHbsUTe3yIXw45Id9MIcG-u5aWjHmAsxz7RvrtHnsyPMsg0rYs_QAcS7M-c5MmHfiJI2_VXEKSPqpYgtHp5b_AhRXISejkrqf7fZNJ6UlNoe8OrWr5IEEwnWAo0Eu38rWCdWiokzxlw1Ew2HikJ-sSatWF8ajRY/s400/strawberry%20nudi.jpg"/></a></div>
On the way back from the abyss I saw my friend Laura peering with her camera into a coral head. This could mean a few things, and in this case it meant she'd found a tiny Leaf Scorpionfish. They are about four centimeters long on average and they have little feet kind of like frogfish which they use to steady themselves on their perch in the surge. That also makes them mostly stationary, good for photos, and this one was posing nicely for Laura and then for me.<br><br>
Suddenly I saw Laura and everyone else swimming off to my left at a high pace; not usual for diving where you want to work very little to conserve breathing gas. Something was up. Indeed it was, and I saw that it was a good sized Spotted Eagle Ray, swimming so languidly that I was able to catch up and get a shot and some video.<br><br>
After the excitement of this encounter drained off we went back to our normal snail pace headed roughly back toward the mooring. On the way there is a lot of rubble where reef fish pick around to find little morsels. I often will turn over rocks for the Yellow Tail Corises to feast on whatever's underneath. They've become fairly friendly because of divers doing this over the years, and this one came right up to me. Yes, I turned over a few rocks for her.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxtntC3Dx1P1iMTbTh02lro17v7EtcvmuXCpsAZdiOLqrKsy1ExomPZlD37O-bPMib7TPRvbBfzjSV8VZZ8Ll9h14twpbQ9dsHRbYaPQoXeGRXFc1NKUBUcGdpbAQDX5FX_RrzsefLGbzQRkJy9b2STxmn6gcoA9owNISCNsu5O51N6dCFXsP4Vlmp/s3091/leaf%20scorpion.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3091" data-original-width="2484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxtntC3Dx1P1iMTbTh02lro17v7EtcvmuXCpsAZdiOLqrKsy1ExomPZlD37O-bPMib7TPRvbBfzjSV8VZZ8Ll9h14twpbQ9dsHRbYaPQoXeGRXFc1NKUBUcGdpbAQDX5FX_RrzsefLGbzQRkJy9b2STxmn6gcoA9owNISCNsu5O51N6dCFXsP4Vlmp/s400/leaf%20scorpion.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSRV-xkVVZZNaIRa9qwUKlnOwNoHqhRoteMw29KRY_7xpF3vhi9jnBN9w1i5QakeHTnvJYCzIEEDSwCOA3AD_7Zm4ik6ALDEq8-EEX5fT9-x5Y0VoE8M4kRF9efzOAxoMRXgbMlgdKY7Rqo0rdu9ubUTvYCc-puavk48AoqJZWbiABgHsko7Ww-or/s3760/spotted%20eagle%20ray.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2643" data-original-width="3760" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSRV-xkVVZZNaIRa9qwUKlnOwNoHqhRoteMw29KRY_7xpF3vhi9jnBN9w1i5QakeHTnvJYCzIEEDSwCOA3AD_7Zm4ik6ALDEq8-EEX5fT9-x5Y0VoE8M4kRF9efzOAxoMRXgbMlgdKY7Rqo0rdu9ubUTvYCc-puavk48AoqJZWbiABgHsko7Ww-or/s400/spotted%20eagle%20ray.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeU7WaFzm3YBlf_MzTVcz4obACrgRVDbOkGr52gxY3MDr6WLw2lQiCHr7uX2kONrR-JQcsjYXnfrZ0cgHFt8ERF2pf1SdSw1ryQqjZs5H1qxIDAo2Lo3vP9HcWir2bXlL7UZsOg9_f5qlc4GtG3IucxGdtDjz-BZITa6BEaWXR_d4S6XajnFUMpvY/s5872/yellowtail%20coris%20close.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3749" data-original-width="5872" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeU7WaFzm3YBlf_MzTVcz4obACrgRVDbOkGr52gxY3MDr6WLw2lQiCHr7uX2kONrR-JQcsjYXnfrZ0cgHFt8ERF2pf1SdSw1ryQqjZs5H1qxIDAo2Lo3vP9HcWir2bXlL7UZsOg9_f5qlc4GtG3IucxGdtDjz-BZITa6BEaWXR_d4S6XajnFUMpvY/s400/yellowtail%20coris%20close.jpg"/></a></div>
One of the most fun fish we have are the little immature Rockmover Wrasses that we call Dragon Wrasses. They are very small, and they just flit and drift around on the sand patches apparently at random, only sometimes to hide under rocks when you get too close. This one I chased around a sand patch and took ab out half a dozen shots hoping that at least one would be in focus and show more than it's cute little butt. This is what I got. Finally, another very common fish that I didn't have to work too hard to get: an Orangespine Unicorn. Like the Orange band Surgeon, its cousin, it is everywhere on the reefs and I got this shot as it swam by.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLLExH2iEFLtmFfbdHoqw7-5I15RsZVBgAijQnYztzEqd2Bbh0-I57Mai3WXgLnYtSjYaJKYdvNCXmE03y6fHZHgPd6q_6CmUVtPB5UQzPAUKcuUW9hh1asP8epGqI7YcTwVIRVw5Pp3Ww26TkapQT4RoWcGSwQdzaj3AIMZMjg6k9YdbSCng5FfW/s2280/dragon%20wrasse.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="2133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLLExH2iEFLtmFfbdHoqw7-5I15RsZVBgAijQnYztzEqd2Bbh0-I57Mai3WXgLnYtSjYaJKYdvNCXmE03y6fHZHgPd6q_6CmUVtPB5UQzPAUKcuUW9hh1asP8epGqI7YcTwVIRVw5Pp3Ww26TkapQT4RoWcGSwQdzaj3AIMZMjg6k9YdbSCng5FfW/s400/dragon%20wrasse.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2bp7oly2669l77XcyVyhvM0cz2vzaRNhIJdRHw0Hxw5ad79DTL4vXC5-mUZ2GPYLjpqsZ577jVxy1yZESYGc59DuQPduryaUZHl4RkRrVVCsQhX050VOIRKmXYqflcvaYhvr5Ch1s7VG2_URZjWRvNklUs4TkqV98s6lKLmlOheh_tNZJBgEQ7j2/s3707/flowery%20flounder%20eyes.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2545" data-original-width="3707" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2bp7oly2669l77XcyVyhvM0cz2vzaRNhIJdRHw0Hxw5ad79DTL4vXC5-mUZ2GPYLjpqsZ577jVxy1yZESYGc59DuQPduryaUZHl4RkRrVVCsQhX050VOIRKmXYqflcvaYhvr5Ch1s7VG2_URZjWRvNklUs4TkqV98s6lKLmlOheh_tNZJBgEQ7j2/s400/flowery%20flounder%20eyes.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrfEWPyMU_Btt_GP_5v-aTmIvcjSBZsNDcJkV0L13pfTP07EDeuOetWQe9mzCqLOXBP4uk1oaqBjJD9xB4tfxu1csHQ_kO5AwHpSyH4uYb7eLj2j6tMl_MAZJ2rI2MDcWjwIouilwGtXEPewMMRt3lQvnxNO8aDKNgCpZgTey8LaA2w5SULclaQ9m/s4218/orange%20spine%20unicorn.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2935" data-original-width="4218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrfEWPyMU_Btt_GP_5v-aTmIvcjSBZsNDcJkV0L13pfTP07EDeuOetWQe9mzCqLOXBP4uk1oaqBjJD9xB4tfxu1csHQ_kO5AwHpSyH4uYb7eLj2j6tMl_MAZJ2rI2MDcWjwIouilwGtXEPewMMRt3lQvnxNO8aDKNgCpZgTey8LaA2w5SULclaQ9m/s400/orange%20spine%20unicorn.jpg"/></a></div>
Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-84672949427685569632023-03-18T14:36:00.003-07:002023-03-18T14:38:42.398-07:00Dives with Tara and Aquatic Life Divers: Fun coefficient - off the chart<p> I've been crossing paths with Tara in the harbor parking lot, over the past few months, as I've headed off on a bike ride and she went down the ramp to the Aquatic Life Divers dock area. But not today; today was a dive day. I got there early and loaded some gear down to the boat before she arrived. On my way back up to get the rest of my rig she drove up, and we cheered the fact that we'd be sharing underwater moments once again. At the dock Capt. Frankie was prepping the boat and DM Anna was bringing bottles onboard. </p><p>As we left the harbor I noticed how clear the water was and how nice the conditions were. It was shaping up to be an epic day. Dolphins greeted us as we left the harbor, and friends from Big Island Divers joined us in watching Spinner Dolphins leap and spin. Here's a video link to Youtube of the moment.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WMEdfdebwEY" width="320" youtube-src-id="WMEdfdebwEY"></iframe></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Back in the cabin the fun was underway.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiXmJj10PxfHlx0h6jpfcAPkAbhOVXuGGEO6cyjvKdZJB0e0n5f1L1_gVWsW0_BZCCGmaY0Q5ApqxoCdf4PLX9QYpMaNT4rHwEPJAecX029x1-pDYJ6tPBBPTCtG-vQUJJewD-CrNOnBoa75bBzwEh1y9u5kH__MZExeSfQ2T373aMmVdKNqJgYIc/s2604/Screenshot%202023-03-18%20at%2011.23.36%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="2604" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiXmJj10PxfHlx0h6jpfcAPkAbhOVXuGGEO6cyjvKdZJB0e0n5f1L1_gVWsW0_BZCCGmaY0Q5ApqxoCdf4PLX9QYpMaNT4rHwEPJAecX029x1-pDYJ6tPBBPTCtG-vQUJJewD-CrNOnBoa75bBzwEh1y9u5kH__MZExeSfQ2T373aMmVdKNqJgYIc/w400-h219/Screenshot%202023-03-18%20at%2011.23.36%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara, Anna and Frankie<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>Descending at a site I usually take a few test shots to dial in exposure. At the bottom I found myself in the middle of a big group of Yellow Tangs. They are so common that I usually pass them by, but I had the camera up and saw an Agile Chromis framed perfectly against a Black Surgeon. </p><p>As we got sorted at depth into groups Tara and Anna obliged me for a pic or two, Also took a video (see below). Later, as Anna took us out toward the drop off she found a cute little Dwarf Moray peeking out of a hole.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-HzcamgAXl_Pffi03SdKfBpJr4PruvsHKX2XQ4BNF0jOfti9JWJnEn1EsnCt98wOMrXyeiBcWw2pk04Exge5uJCEgcgWSE6RUIRqWavJs1bPfc-VcmcNv4r0MVfE9rFrfM8w2Za8RdfRXKPGt_r6lLdSgDKaZlf_TWQuj7PdnHIBp-VqiLBaBMtR/s4623/agile%20chromis%20and%20yellow%20tang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3093" data-original-width="4623" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-HzcamgAXl_Pffi03SdKfBpJr4PruvsHKX2XQ4BNF0jOfti9JWJnEn1EsnCt98wOMrXyeiBcWw2pk04Exge5uJCEgcgWSE6RUIRqWavJs1bPfc-VcmcNv4r0MVfE9rFrfM8w2Za8RdfRXKPGt_r6lLdSgDKaZlf_TWQuj7PdnHIBp-VqiLBaBMtR/w400-h268/agile%20chromis%20and%20yellow%20tang.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJPhI-vA4wMUJPTpFaXWqpQqPKw8RCy14iD7k-PTH58L4mGJYZZ5MaSAEYUixCZzQCvVvDeb8TUP8hDrmtyZaaaVLNSB2pu_mxh6qdVdXs1Fpt9jdQFQdvB-DDyEc97hm5nmNx-rifbVn6s1ujPybVrpUeu62ewRsLgXzA4Lr9Netw--iYvolTwbi/s6880/anna%20tara%20heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJPhI-vA4wMUJPTpFaXWqpQqPKw8RCy14iD7k-PTH58L4mGJYZZ5MaSAEYUixCZzQCvVvDeb8TUP8hDrmtyZaaaVLNSB2pu_mxh6qdVdXs1Fpt9jdQFQdvB-DDyEc97hm5nmNx-rifbVn6s1ujPybVrpUeu62ewRsLgXzA4Lr9Netw--iYvolTwbi/w400-h266/anna%20tara%20heart.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kjNJKimyg1RFG3GRX4xBNDZxtFN70_k8VrMpAGXL_6sYeR-R2m52I4P6T5Nxnn2DPryHbA-lSq6tS1bY6x6HToQtcwDOzEf9FRhWk6-wIQEbea4-pH98uTrmU6v0tUq2QmHTdSszpbVHLhwygj4Jf3vswb6_dOKshN9cW-AkMgt4yqCel_KlcbOe/s6010/anna%20tara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4290" data-original-width="6010" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kjNJKimyg1RFG3GRX4xBNDZxtFN70_k8VrMpAGXL_6sYeR-R2m52I4P6T5Nxnn2DPryHbA-lSq6tS1bY6x6HToQtcwDOzEf9FRhWk6-wIQEbea4-pH98uTrmU6v0tUq2QmHTdSszpbVHLhwygj4Jf3vswb6_dOKshN9cW-AkMgt4yqCel_KlcbOe/w400-h285/anna%20tara.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNxVdKSKIwyv01HkE30QPHsRGAJ3XgXBye-X6Nr3BsPV7hoFcdT6vwYnfkkGiA1D_WZTlC5F_dwnO-Es9SEPqIc7KGDldI_M86gKSSuK-3klcPJLzXfrSt_hqNoPN7QO9ZDPAlam6PfBugriwWX6y4dtuRqAAmf4HY7RZNQUJ-cd7AqY65-yzjoGl/s3113/dwarf%20moray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1933" data-original-width="3113" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNxVdKSKIwyv01HkE30QPHsRGAJ3XgXBye-X6Nr3BsPV7hoFcdT6vwYnfkkGiA1D_WZTlC5F_dwnO-Es9SEPqIc7KGDldI_M86gKSSuK-3klcPJLzXfrSt_hqNoPN7QO9ZDPAlam6PfBugriwWX6y4dtuRqAAmf4HY7RZNQUJ-cd7AqY65-yzjoGl/w400-h249/dwarf%20moray.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Blue Stripe Snappers are also really common fish in Kona waters, and often they congregate under ledges, as they did today. Back out on the reef a Male Bullethead Parrotfish was on the hunt, and not for food. </p><p>One of the divers signaled me to come over to a hole where he pointed out a nice Strawberry Nudibranch.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQqXJmiGBjpZuvAMRvz3U3uIINYF6HGL6ryXFi-QEvPfarkHj-7LgrhfJFIC1zpkFvAjqRzLz_DSC5AdbZGNG3FAOBDI9GlVVvPOLUyEDdJ_v7ebLmzhSXyiCfFCCI5qNvi2YySuzntJLV3IZKdSsR0NGaQHGhXUFtZopMlnOUNRQQL7y9Z9d_J7Z/s4901/blue%20stripe%20snappers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3518" data-original-width="4901" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQqXJmiGBjpZuvAMRvz3U3uIINYF6HGL6ryXFi-QEvPfarkHj-7LgrhfJFIC1zpkFvAjqRzLz_DSC5AdbZGNG3FAOBDI9GlVVvPOLUyEDdJ_v7ebLmzhSXyiCfFCCI5qNvi2YySuzntJLV3IZKdSsR0NGaQHGhXUFtZopMlnOUNRQQL7y9Z9d_J7Z/w400-h288/blue%20stripe%20snappers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8Pefz9ZvUi1uy1Hpzh-1R_PQnl8xk4gEQXkCbgCCaTEyDoeEFhDGpWYKs5MpE-wXwxsXcOzib9KMAlhy3c9Mnbe-dOLlqOmw2FF0iIgyKe1xjgxMvQk9dFZwHW1MNSjGMFWU0nAR8a7KX0FKp6-wjQl1mrtW3l-n4KzPfEJgAEEPhPvT0mkXrmxB/s5719/bullet%20head%20parrot%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="5719" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8Pefz9ZvUi1uy1Hpzh-1R_PQnl8xk4gEQXkCbgCCaTEyDoeEFhDGpWYKs5MpE-wXwxsXcOzib9KMAlhy3c9Mnbe-dOLlqOmw2FF0iIgyKe1xjgxMvQk9dFZwHW1MNSjGMFWU0nAR8a7KX0FKp6-wjQl1mrtW3l-n4KzPfEJgAEEPhPvT0mkXrmxB/w400-h320/bullet%20head%20parrot%20male.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQjYCWh_CpSd-TwxEKRCEM-x3fajahMMYhOyWWanLndwmrtob3byMz9fUwf3XDtuZPx0EfI30NuJupfTqKXeFE4m1HgLWpyJ3MxOMy4UYyiHf1JPK4ZaeDQ1-6srtCzPzxuXh9NkI4SWnjcv4PTwB3NtjAPoAXrL6jBzkg0okJNDyrg-yRcjqPRIu/s2844/strawberry%20nudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1980" data-original-width="2844" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQjYCWh_CpSd-TwxEKRCEM-x3fajahMMYhOyWWanLndwmrtob3byMz9fUwf3XDtuZPx0EfI30NuJupfTqKXeFE4m1HgLWpyJ3MxOMy4UYyiHf1JPK4ZaeDQ1-6srtCzPzxuXh9NkI4SWnjcv4PTwB3NtjAPoAXrL6jBzkg0okJNDyrg-yRcjqPRIu/w400-h279/strawberry%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Often I stumble onto an organism that I can't identify. Here's an example of what I call "Mystery Thingy" which I found in a hole. If you can tell me what it is please do.<br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFvxXHdArmigi-IaCi-9ahtpTJ2Zl-mU6m43213ReytnMics0Gi6Bu5RV9W4e8O-ZRo7_HovcR0ChJVFFbg4WDjmqj_NATs3LkTOaICYAXDixQcOMubBndQ-Au4zhFb4eboqQDApnJit5LDLrr3-xgmXV-DyqNCEJPm7H5re29DOInkqNsyRDLVX1/s3460/mystery%20thingy%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2583" data-original-width="3460" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFvxXHdArmigi-IaCi-9ahtpTJ2Zl-mU6m43213ReytnMics0Gi6Bu5RV9W4e8O-ZRo7_HovcR0ChJVFFbg4WDjmqj_NATs3LkTOaICYAXDixQcOMubBndQ-Au4zhFb4eboqQDApnJit5LDLrr3-xgmXV-DyqNCEJPm7H5re29DOInkqNsyRDLVX1/w400-h299/mystery%20thingy%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>For me, the highlight of this dive site is the magnificent wall of soft coral Zoanthids. Here are some pics of them.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZj8-06a0ZrvT6uKuG3n1B8dQmQaOIxu2VViQ0PvnlRZKldq-PdDK8xVnVN0t6uidMoxn7L8ZGy7xj3nIKA-T0Hq1NpOAq3SCk8L48ldv7Ti8-01nuyjfTrEfW5s5TzNDfBMSsSuUJAbFU07DL_UzStJ1v6R1VoS68LIwV640Ba7NSy798H8eoRm5G/s6880/zoanthid%20field3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZj8-06a0ZrvT6uKuG3n1B8dQmQaOIxu2VViQ0PvnlRZKldq-PdDK8xVnVN0t6uidMoxn7L8ZGy7xj3nIKA-T0Hq1NpOAq3SCk8L48ldv7Ti8-01nuyjfTrEfW5s5TzNDfBMSsSuUJAbFU07DL_UzStJ1v6R1VoS68LIwV640Ba7NSy798H8eoRm5G/w400-h266/zoanthid%20field3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBTN6NVBs51jQbzg7Roq8RIYQrB8xBdujCj4DPldrtNDP4dtKVCXyQklbd4BrD4lLliWG74kNZWemQrFdETQg5buRjgyOrizhf_e4mm6ogx1gg1n4R-E585zAkClTxIk2uyLjmWriB22Ykau9kK2_tG28YEBRKarO_yn0OBXm-JJsHsfzttwSSh8y/s6880/zoanthid%20field4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6880" data-original-width="4584" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBTN6NVBs51jQbzg7Roq8RIYQrB8xBdujCj4DPldrtNDP4dtKVCXyQklbd4BrD4lLliWG74kNZWemQrFdETQg5buRjgyOrizhf_e4mm6ogx1gg1n4R-E585zAkClTxIk2uyLjmWriB22Ykau9kK2_tG28YEBRKarO_yn0OBXm-JJsHsfzttwSSh8y/w266-h400/zoanthid%20field4.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIHgmGldRz5xthaOV6-OT6UIamSP8j_niV4dhjR14Ogo3pcK7zvJXiBxtvYbytBNbPIAUQGSFtVw49mAJLFNkoJgK5HrGbqVZyYkWzpEPU_h5HdksoGUewLHz7MfVi30NJcKcISNt4vlMN5ZX4l-aCwg7zKRWk1woTI3DQmecsnNpsai-UYaAj6jj/s6198/zoanthid%20field.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4167" data-original-width="6198" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIHgmGldRz5xthaOV6-OT6UIamSP8j_niV4dhjR14Ogo3pcK7zvJXiBxtvYbytBNbPIAUQGSFtVw49mAJLFNkoJgK5HrGbqVZyYkWzpEPU_h5HdksoGUewLHz7MfVi30NJcKcISNt4vlMN5ZX4l-aCwg7zKRWk1woTI3DQmecsnNpsai-UYaAj6jj/w400-h269/zoanthid%20field.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Off we go to another of my favorite dive sites. I didn't take a lot of pics, but among the ones I did take was this big Rockmover Wrasse. Near the end of the dive Anna found this Tiger Cowrie nestled in a hole.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRgAnYeTsRQVyJGXpruuljLjXFXumZXgYw3mEDQ2X6PWRWm3HhSNzXSvnP19Kznw24z7MvSfNY9AxAnRJWSMV9jANVkhgfwilwv7yLyfKOMIYwNiJLkUnwoxQDeV2P-hxloc0TQe3vY-XzMr0HzMGizzys9mlGIez-1p_su6P2WNAT3_9LAObKynt/s4623/rock%20mover%20wrasse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3067" data-original-width="4623" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRgAnYeTsRQVyJGXpruuljLjXFXumZXgYw3mEDQ2X6PWRWm3HhSNzXSvnP19Kznw24z7MvSfNY9AxAnRJWSMV9jANVkhgfwilwv7yLyfKOMIYwNiJLkUnwoxQDeV2P-hxloc0TQe3vY-XzMr0HzMGizzys9mlGIez-1p_su6P2WNAT3_9LAObKynt/w400-h265/rock%20mover%20wrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCpycT8IiPNmxXcvT9h4WpRTKnTibqqsow3SO5MwvvuBCkn8Nn8T1zqE7kTgSPdAiI5mBlmSV5WuOWrAt6wpSLxGKLJwI4UwnN-7FxmxOAbwyMD1Z6B82frR4BZ6fqVufmIt0BWrRtCHmPu3ZLXIBA9eceJBDi6-hXPtGyyLq2Ob26RkMrdP1B4l1/s3728/tiger%20cowrie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2734" data-original-width="3728" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCpycT8IiPNmxXcvT9h4WpRTKnTibqqsow3SO5MwvvuBCkn8Nn8T1zqE7kTgSPdAiI5mBlmSV5WuOWrAt6wpSLxGKLJwI4UwnN-7FxmxOAbwyMD1Z6B82frR4BZ6fqVufmIt0BWrRtCHmPu3ZLXIBA9eceJBDi6-hXPtGyyLq2Ob26RkMrdP1B4l1/w400-h294/tiger%20cowrie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Had to take some video of moments in such a fun day. Here's a few clips featuring the big cathedral at Rose Garden. Usually, surge is too strong to go in there, making it more like a ride in a washing machine, but today it was super calm and nobody got launched up through the skylight. Stick with it to see Anna dancing on her safety stop. Here's the link to Youtube. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hHmRCcKzl3E" width="320" youtube-src-id="hHmRCcKzl3E"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-63117189866797578742023-03-13T22:55:00.007-07:002023-03-13T23:03:34.388-07:00Not exactly cold water diving, but cold water diving<p> The sea had been extra rough for the past week, with large multi-directional swells and wind. I thought that Sunday things would have calmed down a bit, and the wind wasn't howling, but the ocean was still stirred up as we exited Honokohau harbor on Kona Honu Divers _Honu One_.</p><p>Winter wisdom is to head south to Pawai Bay, where a number of moorings hide from the big winter swells. We moored at Kamanu and jumped in to very choppy water. It was cold for Kona waters. My computer read 75 degrees all day, and mine reads warm. Others were getting 73 and 74 degrees. Time to dig out my 7 mil wetsuit, i guess.<br /></p><p>Almost under the boat Dive master "Mo" Munoz found this unusual plumage on a decorator urchin: a leaf from topside and, the very cool Sailor's Eyeball Alga kind of shimmering on the right of the urchin. </p><p>Pawai Bay is known to be very fishy and Sunday did not dissapoint. A very large Ringtail Wrasse swam right at me, turning at the last second so I could get her good side close up. Immediately after a small but colorful Pencil wrasse poked out of a hole. There was so much surge that i got this shot as I flew by, only getting anything because of my fast shutter speed. </p><p>Mo had briefed us that we might see a female Bird Wrasse, so I wasn't surprised when one flitted under me and then rose up along a coral head, and at the same time, I turned to chase this Achilles Tang around until I got a good view of him.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8SYbBv60xdjvfp9J0rrTaCUiYIMojtLwi5qM_aSzcG5lIxzcRzNlISv9LiuLH6piNcgCb8gmQyTeH_uI1MI2qQjMmsQmpFnrjEmJiQEMEEd3pHHc_8KqBDokEsuyVc9ifUS2CikttsNoDkcy179pRajIrSsdG4jm8QH2TSkKklK5KzhH9Vk3pghy/s5007/decorator%20urchin%20with%20hat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3386" data-original-width="5007" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8SYbBv60xdjvfp9J0rrTaCUiYIMojtLwi5qM_aSzcG5lIxzcRzNlISv9LiuLH6piNcgCb8gmQyTeH_uI1MI2qQjMmsQmpFnrjEmJiQEMEEd3pHHc_8KqBDokEsuyVc9ifUS2CikttsNoDkcy179pRajIrSsdG4jm8QH2TSkKklK5KzhH9Vk3pghy/w400-h270/decorator%20urchin%20with%20hat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoXj4NlzsaHKyCsiKT1DNidWqqbzCtFyMeJwMIJvn6U551CMueJF2He4IFckeo3lujM3_c96HLZh_bU4Rk1eRlpRt4jlk22Zu7yrq5juAdENKuF0cMM9XGMj6PAVWxIKaIr40o-xa-lMGT_8lP8foduXgRvffRFEVQ7V_Ycbs3S29_bwpTPdl0-vs/s3351/rjngtail%20wrasse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2290" data-original-width="3351" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoXj4NlzsaHKyCsiKT1DNidWqqbzCtFyMeJwMIJvn6U551CMueJF2He4IFckeo3lujM3_c96HLZh_bU4Rk1eRlpRt4jlk22Zu7yrq5juAdENKuF0cMM9XGMj6PAVWxIKaIr40o-xa-lMGT_8lP8foduXgRvffRFEVQ7V_Ycbs3S29_bwpTPdl0-vs/w400-h274/rjngtail%20wrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0baFK_FLuZBKxQdI4GG6ZmfyxUKt0MeBq0Zfwjqy4mHwZtjpbjdCb1nxIvG8tAQStq0WYm1Cd8Ys1tVAqGXl18h67QnybYALbk7eJWB3OeoFXpCt_4pmLjNGeQl2LvElsZNpD4--AOdsep34Gnf0lmPdd3s9TDUCvMafc7HvA8Bwop9lzD7_6J43q/s2489/female%20flame%20wrasse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1658" data-original-width="2489" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0baFK_FLuZBKxQdI4GG6ZmfyxUKt0MeBq0Zfwjqy4mHwZtjpbjdCb1nxIvG8tAQStq0WYm1Cd8Ys1tVAqGXl18h67QnybYALbk7eJWB3OeoFXpCt_4pmLjNGeQl2LvElsZNpD4--AOdsep34Gnf0lmPdd3s9TDUCvMafc7HvA8Bwop9lzD7_6J43q/w400-h266/female%20flame%20wrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGeWiE6KsdCC3WhBF2qPG7NvoS0Bc77qSKRNGYXYsxR8rg98uV9czImlGUoJuRPlzQv4_N4U8U_1fg0Cg8WAgvzGfjpfWPClBIp9eicWtoOOvs-HVT--rDjpV99hEdA5qqJa5wF8_A_yPZ_e8leesl0_eTG5Kqg-YBE2xhGXToBatMGEmlp8sgqRSL/s3573/female%20bird%20wrasse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3573" data-original-width="2523" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGeWiE6KsdCC3WhBF2qPG7NvoS0Bc77qSKRNGYXYsxR8rg98uV9czImlGUoJuRPlzQv4_N4U8U_1fg0Cg8WAgvzGfjpfWPClBIp9eicWtoOOvs-HVT--rDjpV99hEdA5qqJa5wF8_A_yPZ_e8leesl0_eTG5Kqg-YBE2xhGXToBatMGEmlp8sgqRSL/w283-h400/female%20bird%20wrasse.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJkF1HWRW18DezjvqC8eb-MvOq_51NbzRbBPGAoU2fyxwfGyzbrcvdCqGcdM-8JGqg3LgzLAm8ZeLNta2lyyTYTceTDxGAPPbw1wpQschyJTkuT__Yy48Ko-bmoQ9jdIzibUyNBA6i3TKPv-W5TNvRpNY5qykdcTQr0RTJ29Ij73IxLmIM1hsDOFy/s3481/achilles%20tang.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2394" data-original-width="3481" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJkF1HWRW18DezjvqC8eb-MvOq_51NbzRbBPGAoU2fyxwfGyzbrcvdCqGcdM-8JGqg3LgzLAm8ZeLNta2lyyTYTceTDxGAPPbw1wpQschyJTkuT__Yy48Ko-bmoQ9jdIzibUyNBA6i3TKPv-W5TNvRpNY5qykdcTQr0RTJ29Ij73IxLmIM1hsDOFy/w400-h275/achilles%20tang.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Continuing to shoot from the hip in the surge, I captured these two Multiband Butterflies exiting a hole as I soared past in the surge. Along the reef gradient, as we descended the steep slope to the abyss, I found a very common fish, and perhaps the first one I really fell in love with, an Ornate Butterfly. I have so many pics of these fishes but one more always seems the thing to do. </p><p>Back up in the shallows under an adjacent mooring I found another oddity: a flower almost like it had been in an arrangement topside. I surmised that it had fallen off a boat and ended up on the reef for me to find. Another animal I have a hard time not lingering with is the very common White Mouth Eel. This is a fairly smallish one, but posed nicely so I took a pic.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8Z2F06JMD5OQnfLGXvNkMMMoTgVQ6YJi5bjR79GYqnB_jzb305H9fwuLIXdmaeiusyot34PWp_2R9xW0jFQn8tikFBLB-Og5dufqEJzqlXct0dRwTFvoHInq08MGdc8KEkKuA6a_7ne8aCn03TFSgMHu_kHut-ZQqkp2AFXhHyo8ja4e1xDTy2JN/s4045/multiband%20butterflies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="4045" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8Z2F06JMD5OQnfLGXvNkMMMoTgVQ6YJi5bjR79GYqnB_jzb305H9fwuLIXdmaeiusyot34PWp_2R9xW0jFQn8tikFBLB-Og5dufqEJzqlXct0dRwTFvoHInq08MGdc8KEkKuA6a_7ne8aCn03TFSgMHu_kHut-ZQqkp2AFXhHyo8ja4e1xDTy2JN/w400-h250/multiband%20butterflies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eLU3-1XwxcPohkTGK3465vmfQhQItlNZ1UcyhwNFcDC5DRPD99Q8_JW2HbmwvC-wfUCQZ5xTjhg_VzAxVNJnqG_dokyJtopIbtLEphEhmeMchbjZAvcDnmnx2xSRNQkJzzZFQ2uJLb3gJe6FOxyzbNKDAbhbvaXijvxHhI3cQ-8vCW8dYNGuLmNF/s3878/ornate%20butterfly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2960" data-original-width="3878" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eLU3-1XwxcPohkTGK3465vmfQhQItlNZ1UcyhwNFcDC5DRPD99Q8_JW2HbmwvC-wfUCQZ5xTjhg_VzAxVNJnqG_dokyJtopIbtLEphEhmeMchbjZAvcDnmnx2xSRNQkJzzZFQ2uJLb3gJe6FOxyzbNKDAbhbvaXijvxHhI3cQ-8vCW8dYNGuLmNF/w400-h305/ornate%20butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU852OaVjYnIEOTcriHS86iM4bU6IZwj0v_IzzdoSGKPlNRWf8KbLSUMbxSBAvYhkFydaRG2GwEfT9f0reFjZBONFvwblSImimW4CLac2BJ0fs50H-JgiM3mVA3Z3T4C9ILl6pd7pcIRJFMBw_ey-3IJkkfA5gu19YTvmaAn3EDVbLqIEFfRg8EEiH/s6211/sea%20flower.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4296" data-original-width="6211" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU852OaVjYnIEOTcriHS86iM4bU6IZwj0v_IzzdoSGKPlNRWf8KbLSUMbxSBAvYhkFydaRG2GwEfT9f0reFjZBONFvwblSImimW4CLac2BJ0fs50H-JgiM3mVA3Z3T4C9ILl6pd7pcIRJFMBw_ey-3IJkkfA5gu19YTvmaAn3EDVbLqIEFfRg8EEiH/w400-h276/sea%20flower.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-Ej1J3Ix4cTf2WxbYHHZ5DCwDq6iummxoJ37PEIVClyhTcI4sMqUMDqaE_BbAkJzecVhfn6CBwG7vFthT7nGNS_gO5BuvIdspIaRE42-3fn_OL0nj0xWzmTS6qfm-9CdwDDYU44Nb3y-NQ0uaSmdObKOtP_uzGpVH132Fsp4XGSH9R1cedOO5gdo/s5999/white%20mouth%20eel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3893" data-original-width="5999" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-Ej1J3Ix4cTf2WxbYHHZ5DCwDq6iummxoJ37PEIVClyhTcI4sMqUMDqaE_BbAkJzecVhfn6CBwG7vFthT7nGNS_gO5BuvIdspIaRE42-3fn_OL0nj0xWzmTS6qfm-9CdwDDYU44Nb3y-NQ0uaSmdObKOtP_uzGpVH132Fsp4XGSH9R1cedOO5gdo/w400-h260/white%20mouth%20eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p> </p><p>So why aren't there more photos from the second dive? Because one of my strobes fell off the reticulated arm it had been attached to after the tiny retaining screw slipped off. This happense to me all the time, so often that I've stashed extras in my dive tool kit, which was at home. Note to self: why not put one in your dive bag tool kit? So after I handed my camera rig back up to the crew and descended it was going to be a simple day of sightseeing but no pics. </p><p>I actually felt happy to have a dive in which I didn't have the preoccupation with the camera rig and could just cruise and enjoy the marine life. Which marine life of course was plentiful and wonderful, but as I've been told many times: no pics and it didn't happen. <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-83942775370085475162023-02-26T21:49:00.007-08:002023-02-26T21:49:55.436-08:00Cruising with Sarah<p> Today it was my great good fortune to get to go diving with two of the elite Divas of the Deep (tm), Sarah B and Katrina P. and Big Island Divers. Little did I know at the time that today I would see an animal that I'd never before seen, hang out with multiple octopi, chase multiple Dragon Wrasses around the sand flats, and generally enjoy a luxuriously peaceful and chill couple of dives. But before we could leave the dock, here's Katrina setting up rigs as divers arrived for skipper Tyler's briefing.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXv3kzKI1MgOMapYZA8lB-DUWNj7lxA1NRNqntVk00IGlCVkTpmyao9DBiBpeIYJs7zF1Cs8Ztiu9mgcpep4ihipAYyyC4vyThrYSWljG2vOIRtPHZVPVycbOZqHUR7W4jZaqjFWDr_V8TWCW-e9b7pKCDGEAK5CDfJ53SLuIWO257glYZE4I97DfC/s5012/katrina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5012" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXv3kzKI1MgOMapYZA8lB-DUWNj7lxA1NRNqntVk00IGlCVkTpmyao9DBiBpeIYJs7zF1Cs8Ztiu9mgcpep4ihipAYyyC4vyThrYSWljG2vOIRtPHZVPVycbOZqHUR7W4jZaqjFWDr_V8TWCW-e9b7pKCDGEAK5CDfJ53SLuIWO257glYZE4I97DfC/w400-h291/katrina.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Honu Iki was pretty full of divers so Sarah and I waited until they were all in the water with their DMs and then we dropped to go exploring on our own. We dropped at our first site, and I noticed a bit of current flowing north, the usual way. It made me remember when, years ago, Sarah and I got caught in currrent at this same site so strong that all we could do is bob our way north past Wackies almost to Dotties before the boat with Capt Andrew finally picked us up. Today it wasn't so bad and we were able to cruise out toward the dropoff, where I found a Crowned Toby and a fairly large Dragon Wrasse. Sarah found the scrambled Egg nudi and we were delighted when the first of our Stout Morays beat it ou tof his hole as we watched. He went so fat that i couldn't help but lose the tip of hiw nose out of the frame.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqnSiFueY3C1rVaO3mOuDdyn_CKelhlRkFyt0zpLCJAUuHWfbAl7eUPKkD2VXHD4Jp4H0u0sdRcfhg7eY66veXsyg9sdk4w0auMUmWm6H3qGgh0ajSmGSjiIQvGYF_IcIWYqw2rIJMVSctL3jqUVYPHqyaZAZOJXqCdjK42VcUZ17zCOpWob_A9y9/s4279/crowned%20toby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3084" data-original-width="4279" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqnSiFueY3C1rVaO3mOuDdyn_CKelhlRkFyt0zpLCJAUuHWfbAl7eUPKkD2VXHD4Jp4H0u0sdRcfhg7eY66veXsyg9sdk4w0auMUmWm6H3qGgh0ajSmGSjiIQvGYF_IcIWYqw2rIJMVSctL3jqUVYPHqyaZAZOJXqCdjK42VcUZ17zCOpWob_A9y9/w400-h289/crowned%20toby.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmf7lKVgyZsnVRIRbga6Oa2TTQyc4FjvoX90CD3SasaqY_f7U7EliBAnFcX2RK1crKFhomyAUsd3MXo8A9pbMoIG2jSGvFgTcaAd0Lbe5w6b4qouIVXboynh3tr5aB8TkNIF96U8a2dpkbTaZdRzsGFIvPQB2tCwp8tMrnrf-qN18Y4qfmeA0yW6t5/s2843/dragon%20wrasse1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2079" data-original-width="2843" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmf7lKVgyZsnVRIRbga6Oa2TTQyc4FjvoX90CD3SasaqY_f7U7EliBAnFcX2RK1crKFhomyAUsd3MXo8A9pbMoIG2jSGvFgTcaAd0Lbe5w6b4qouIVXboynh3tr5aB8TkNIF96U8a2dpkbTaZdRzsGFIvPQB2tCwp8tMrnrf-qN18Y4qfmeA0yW6t5/w400-h293/dragon%20wrasse1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwnqpMbfcHaBTnwCKviRx_pfeTVNKMik0BEofONNAye-0JFS-fAJuKbwNoHG4jKRPmr0-KPbxYi9qP7icxs39vTi1Kd9sMeMZYOSdFP9sGaSLG4N50ejkxs4Rb6mBJjdHPJh91pjeIls6YkVKiYwCdk9JSxoQNymmRyV9AuMhLk05lpwKcQTbPmDO/s3413/scrambled%20egg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3413" data-original-width="2609" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwnqpMbfcHaBTnwCKviRx_pfeTVNKMik0BEofONNAye-0JFS-fAJuKbwNoHG4jKRPmr0-KPbxYi9qP7icxs39vTi1Kd9sMeMZYOSdFP9sGaSLG4N50ejkxs4Rb6mBJjdHPJh91pjeIls6YkVKiYwCdk9JSxoQNymmRyV9AuMhLk05lpwKcQTbPmDO/w306-h400/scrambled%20egg1.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHym00RWmG9bcAeeisNKsLcPz_WxWbDEq6RCg--ZkIEOKW3hnoiSjZl1rWP9RXvO87PIVmBmStGuyb6fBFssEmOQ6J03toyzLi_pCu0tzTqORNAWigJN8Q1Szc4Kfw0vvUPEGyFE0ezR3yEiMjKOmBFf_ehg9La5c3nR7_PNZfLV8H5zt-mPy-fAB/s5002/stout1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3486" data-original-width="5002" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHym00RWmG9bcAeeisNKsLcPz_WxWbDEq6RCg--ZkIEOKW3hnoiSjZl1rWP9RXvO87PIVmBmStGuyb6fBFssEmOQ6J03toyzLi_pCu0tzTqORNAWigJN8Q1Szc4Kfw0vvUPEGyFE0ezR3yEiMjKOmBFf_ehg9La5c3nR7_PNZfLV8H5zt-mPy-fAB/w400-h279/stout1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>As we circled around to traverse the site and head back toward the shallows I found a number of really common fish, but They we3re posiing for me so I took their picture. Here''s an Arceye hawkfish that was on the move as I took the shot. You can see his tail a bit blurry. He was gone in an instant. Next I followed a nice, Longnose Butterfly around until he presented his best side to me. I had a lot of Fishbuttz today and this wasn't the worst. Some of the fish, however, turned toward me as I swam up to them. This Ornate Butterfly was one of those as well as the Raccoon Butterfly couple that regaled me from benreath a ledge.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjofLxYhrr5Cr1CkjavF3NnqxIgNzOdOH-duWA4eTj1P4jMD7sMlKJPNwy1NlBPnZtpqkYbO8KVER6rNfURPQweh4IWx5sim_jcyv4pVkGUqt041LVLR5mCybm1vzqnMgPPxBqFAJGjF9jwuuPGmWXSBggwm9R0-Kwx_TwTvw9O0dJ-_qk2xO1ezHG/s4610/arceye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3351" data-original-width="4610" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjofLxYhrr5Cr1CkjavF3NnqxIgNzOdOH-duWA4eTj1P4jMD7sMlKJPNwy1NlBPnZtpqkYbO8KVER6rNfURPQweh4IWx5sim_jcyv4pVkGUqt041LVLR5mCybm1vzqnMgPPxBqFAJGjF9jwuuPGmWXSBggwm9R0-Kwx_TwTvw9O0dJ-_qk2xO1ezHG/w400-h291/arceye.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbReF11O7OVLU7Uj-i-Q8Li-CLtI9MdYR6r1EZt1NjrBlBLF3BwnnlIPNk_GnhoaxPlPdX0WahwGXSq-8SNf0OYyE9Fc9EpvaqREfVZQDLTZf3yJbiOFklXjHW1ZBTC6-mEabl2aZYQnv670Eb8SxVBDx8NyFG0vM1y1d4pHGl_RO-1F5LgFIRnPX/s4998/longnose%20butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3417" data-original-width="4998" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbReF11O7OVLU7Uj-i-Q8Li-CLtI9MdYR6r1EZt1NjrBlBLF3BwnnlIPNk_GnhoaxPlPdX0WahwGXSq-8SNf0OYyE9Fc9EpvaqREfVZQDLTZf3yJbiOFklXjHW1ZBTC6-mEabl2aZYQnv670Eb8SxVBDx8NyFG0vM1y1d4pHGl_RO-1F5LgFIRnPX/w400-h274/longnose%20butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazocnPhoNqAEn5vJeBHIe5vaXjNUEwBSSp575BUkC9s9CV-FDo3kxJg-g7VZCtfqFNCsRCthUyboLXqQiErMdG_GJAXlmRH2fjNk3iU3C3Ldp6mhMZXEtscU8Dp29Ogs7JQI-Pe0cSUZoXRNMNQVGhrG-JfpwYXAJ5tPclLWx1FfAqmM2eDNRqG63/s5713/ornate%20butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3987" data-original-width="5713" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazocnPhoNqAEn5vJeBHIe5vaXjNUEwBSSp575BUkC9s9CV-FDo3kxJg-g7VZCtfqFNCsRCthUyboLXqQiErMdG_GJAXlmRH2fjNk3iU3C3Ldp6mhMZXEtscU8Dp29Ogs7JQI-Pe0cSUZoXRNMNQVGhrG-JfpwYXAJ5tPclLWx1FfAqmM2eDNRqG63/w400-h279/ornate%20butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZU3-Lt9Jf7BrI_RY2oJCczgs1bDIOYSutWNLEX7GkllvOA8q1TIHA5JMqf7z8QicNeHGnsrotX_SSOZncwiSnW5DXjTYu-kmL_yzFY2860mLIqBo-lgZIE9Qh4cJ19sig9bbNc7VStRHbGtQFCxbxjrCt7vWPvY8ACeR-jdcQsCtj4Qpt0ZLDDTD/s5601/raccoon%20butterflies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3941" data-original-width="5601" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZU3-Lt9Jf7BrI_RY2oJCczgs1bDIOYSutWNLEX7GkllvOA8q1TIHA5JMqf7z8QicNeHGnsrotX_SSOZncwiSnW5DXjTYu-kmL_yzFY2860mLIqBo-lgZIE9Qh4cJ19sig9bbNc7VStRHbGtQFCxbxjrCt7vWPvY8ACeR-jdcQsCtj4Qpt0ZLDDTD/w400-h281/raccoon%20butterflies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Probably the highlight of the day for me, since we didn't find the frogfishes that were supposed to be at both spots, was the Freckled Snake Eel out in the sand flats. We actually saw three of them, but this was the only one i could get close enough to for a shot. You have to creep along the sane very slowly as you approach or else they just back down into the sand and gone.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPX2g3WdWl2O6d-1A8HKdEqj9cwi0KEuxtMvCaidfiK5pzoumvH9qJ2NXmdDxiyW_T1Qre9E5AE1wqdtluGgP-tK8Oz-Mhr-qCYnzA0opWogd2Bafsv5RwH4TrA30vAHddWGe1H23WaRJ2eOiEoKUjaEY0aa91FfGQ1oKcg7dWu8HjFAWuziz8cVxU/s1702/freckled%20snake%20eel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="1702" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPX2g3WdWl2O6d-1A8HKdEqj9cwi0KEuxtMvCaidfiK5pzoumvH9qJ2NXmdDxiyW_T1Qre9E5AE1wqdtluGgP-tK8Oz-Mhr-qCYnzA0opWogd2Bafsv5RwH4TrA30vAHddWGe1H23WaRJ2eOiEoKUjaEY0aa91FfGQ1oKcg7dWu8HjFAWuziz8cVxU/w400-h288/freckled%20snake%20eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>We continued scouring the reef for cool fish, but that made the day for me. Howe3ver there were still surprises: A family of ManyBar Goatfish, and a very cool close up of a Peacock Razor Wrasse that didn't run away from me for the first time ever.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iGpAyowyLmUevBPnjNdJWFbR2zgYIxS-BHRttqHEM3dGZDrq9zMMiNKjNfXxrOqKtCu6JAUTWB9WsoYtAI-RejWV-8TGwFTYdZc0kC932H5YVrYZ-Xmea8DlyBwIu0nwdELmSixB0KZZ28MRudMJDUtiMKaCN11oY2Vj4Z0vLJxpalPVI4LHeLNM/s3864/manybar%20goatfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2744" data-original-width="3864" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iGpAyowyLmUevBPnjNdJWFbR2zgYIxS-BHRttqHEM3dGZDrq9zMMiNKjNfXxrOqKtCu6JAUTWB9WsoYtAI-RejWV-8TGwFTYdZc0kC932H5YVrYZ-Xmea8DlyBwIu0nwdELmSixB0KZZ28MRudMJDUtiMKaCN11oY2Vj4Z0vLJxpalPVI4LHeLNM/w400-h284/manybar%20goatfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2T1cpoK9A1EOqpLtO6teSvfw9mT57zvDGOKMSBtfJ4h90Uf5MQzvWvQ6cGTYGb4kqqeh5OtzQn7PQGZm3om6bsdl0HuiTVdvalPC91SQovxtaNu2lFpDPL5-JIZt7pZmJkxs2WgaK8COOeVTXcHds0jupLN2w5dGu6somjqyB_3XCNID8DzryoJU/s2211/peacock%20razorwrasse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1636" data-original-width="2211" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2T1cpoK9A1EOqpLtO6teSvfw9mT57zvDGOKMSBtfJ4h90Uf5MQzvWvQ6cGTYGb4kqqeh5OtzQn7PQGZm3om6bsdl0HuiTVdvalPC91SQovxtaNu2lFpDPL5-JIZt7pZmJkxs2WgaK8COOeVTXcHds0jupLN2w5dGu6somjqyB_3XCNID8DzryoJU/w400-h296/peacock%20razorwrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Mid-second dive Sarah found a good-sized Zebra Eel way deep in a hole. There just happened to be a nice fat urchin right near the hole and we nudged it over so the Eel could smell it. Actually I picked it up with my fingers and got a nice urchin spine stuck in my middle finger. I knew better. Anyway, the Zebra came out sure enough and I got the shot. Further below you can see Sarah always on the prowl for cool critters to see.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnp8afjHcAuub4wpCuxiMTIXUdHTnFlaoSD0TcF0J8kbxdXPVkpSUREfzMXLV2cCbg6vWsaY_z02ZeV212qezAEXpXht85XhC-g3tyNLlI1xgtU-G_sO5UrB-zlNr7yRF48qeUIBp8N5J5KAPKsmNsnX2TlixKZEsVlS3cw0UwOd_wfTj6pOWI4za/s6880/sarah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnp8afjHcAuub4wpCuxiMTIXUdHTnFlaoSD0TcF0J8kbxdXPVkpSUREfzMXLV2cCbg6vWsaY_z02ZeV212qezAEXpXht85XhC-g3tyNLlI1xgtU-G_sO5UrB-zlNr7yRF48qeUIBp8N5J5KAPKsmNsnX2TlixKZEsVlS3cw0UwOd_wfTj6pOWI4za/s6880/sarah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OnML0UTthrUZ3ePBxW1LDZ5jdiW3qKm1TcsIulYAk9StWAYRtpoIM2UPBuMuv9K2Yog02bVtjfAelTP00CxGi722NOQVGLkPCfNPH-zfj0U-uBPUSNhOwtoliKZWYzsi6UOIB5KdPB8wiQpUPreJXCpd7YtYFoD0j9CYQgS5OKCaP1Q2d8qhrzHc/s3476/zebra%20eel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2516" data-original-width="3476" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OnML0UTthrUZ3ePBxW1LDZ5jdiW3qKm1TcsIulYAk9StWAYRtpoIM2UPBuMuv9K2Yog02bVtjfAelTP00CxGi722NOQVGLkPCfNPH-zfj0U-uBPUSNhOwtoliKZWYzsi6UOIB5KdPB8wiQpUPreJXCpd7YtYFoD0j9CYQgS5OKCaP1Q2d8qhrzHc/w400-h290/zebra%20eel.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnp8afjHcAuub4wpCuxiMTIXUdHTnFlaoSD0TcF0J8kbxdXPVkpSUREfzMXLV2cCbg6vWsaY_z02ZeV212qezAEXpXht85XhC-g3tyNLlI1xgtU-G_sO5UrB-zlNr7yRF48qeUIBp8N5J5KAPKsmNsnX2TlixKZEsVlS3cw0UwOd_wfTj6pOWI4za/s6880/sarah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnp8afjHcAuub4wpCuxiMTIXUdHTnFlaoSD0TcF0J8kbxdXPVkpSUREfzMXLV2cCbg6vWsaY_z02ZeV212qezAEXpXht85XhC-g3tyNLlI1xgtU-G_sO5UrB-zlNr7yRF48qeUIBp8N5J5KAPKsmNsnX2TlixKZEsVlS3cw0UwOd_wfTj6pOWI4za/w400-h266/sarah.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyma3VuleV3SNAYv6JLwB72fB717R2N90-wi19Q38q6-j0tZCZI_GoOuhKLEZu10rbXg8Jgtcs8dDJC71lmtA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-34667602722438311552023-02-14T20:38:00.001-08:002023-02-14T20:38:23.936-08:00Back diving with the Kona Honu Ohana<p> Fast forward six months and here we are back in Kona waters again, enjoying the sun on the ocean and slipping beneath the surface to see the wonders below. </p><p>Last week I checked out all my gear and found it all dive-ready. Except that my wireless tank pressure transmitter decided to complain, once I was at depth, about a low battery. No problem, redundancy is a virture in diving, and I had an SPG clipped off on my harness. Here I am fiddling with my computer finding out that I would be monitoring my breathing gas the old way.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8714_HjkH3Pzg5KotgovUl0Z-e8nzflJdFwKP6UZbD7VmRFIWqiDzH7d4d_5f442c2K6hUSzHm4EriZJfR-0xfhqtkqfxFyYmPI2Z2LuFsElXDsy6Tf4vBKFplg_lZ5Z7r9WbMmaDPOMM4cz6vEIk2aUzTnHBgiqwzMKswSS0Ib8dqATp9Oj_Ywe4/s2048/IMG_0252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2048" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8714_HjkH3Pzg5KotgovUl0Z-e8nzflJdFwKP6UZbD7VmRFIWqiDzH7d4d_5f442c2K6hUSzHm4EriZJfR-0xfhqtkqfxFyYmPI2Z2LuFsElXDsy6Tf4vBKFplg_lZ5Z7r9WbMmaDPOMM4cz6vEIk2aUzTnHBgiqwzMKswSS0Ib8dqATp9Oj_Ywe4/w400-h190/IMG_0252.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Laura Posson<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Got it sorted and we headed for the dropoff. On the way out we ducked between a few pinnacles and I looked left to see this Tiger Snake Eel just hanging upside down. Very chill, he moved languidly across a Cushion Star and didn't mind me drifting closer.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOYLHElB8rOKpLuE7APZOSUViSXGQ1bRvAb8A-5ekC5pfxG6lX4e1Wnd2ccCp4d2yenJKWsr_VzRNWXjlewkkNeUWn_N0g8l5S_bQRr7qf32IOWhZPGkj1wwPb7fVDmFwWagddJtbzZ3kaHoZ82amS_87WLYWiU1sxpRxdoJnWiM63XvinEOmnHeu/s4594/tiger%20snake%20eel%20closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3282" data-original-width="4594" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOYLHElB8rOKpLuE7APZOSUViSXGQ1bRvAb8A-5ekC5pfxG6lX4e1Wnd2ccCp4d2yenJKWsr_VzRNWXjlewkkNeUWn_N0g8l5S_bQRr7qf32IOWhZPGkj1wwPb7fVDmFwWagddJtbzZ3kaHoZ82amS_87WLYWiU1sxpRxdoJnWiM63XvinEOmnHeu/w400-h286/tiger%20snake%20eel%20closeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHm7L3fzH8msu7YVL3i7kbcuZEjSxu5TrlM7tkeySGj6mxb3ISCVp2gVgb3MKMn4rU9ypdyqjgYwTdyMsLBTcwoUiKJTfvgsfZAdFi1j-Mta57mvRRiHTYUVOwYZiDo89dmuQlEyEC9S5wBonzX1VXQdC2L1qf9g40C_eYp2FYxmMjJkGGeFO59YYa/s6880/tiger%20snake%20eel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6880" data-original-width="4584" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHm7L3fzH8msu7YVL3i7kbcuZEjSxu5TrlM7tkeySGj6mxb3ISCVp2gVgb3MKMn4rU9ypdyqjgYwTdyMsLBTcwoUiKJTfvgsfZAdFi1j-Mta57mvRRiHTYUVOwYZiDo89dmuQlEyEC9S5wBonzX1VXQdC2L1qf9g40C_eYp2FYxmMjJkGGeFO59YYa/w266-h400/tiger%20snake%20eel.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p> </p><p>A highlight of the dive came when I turned a corner and saw Laura P huddled close on a wall. Once she departed I understood what had captured her attention: a very cute, yellow baby Frogfish. Further on, back in shallower water Moorish Idols were everywhere. A pretty common fish, but beautiful if you can get a good angle. this one was very accommodating.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6iAasSY7Ld4qk31Jy6R2c4tVF9U1KHHbFa0HvE0O6zQFNLCV2Qh-aZPzdIzeJDntp_k-hrs-miDfnjLZmDoqMQ_7mP2-EWg_o7zxHAf06f5FoDdGX15DbBdkYcEmoFKfIsyTF7m0TTPlQ3yfKCetjbvUQqsdD7ZH8P1hBNIm3KHkL6Ue44GF9FlG/s2227/baby%20frogfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="2227" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6iAasSY7Ld4qk31Jy6R2c4tVF9U1KHHbFa0HvE0O6zQFNLCV2Qh-aZPzdIzeJDntp_k-hrs-miDfnjLZmDoqMQ_7mP2-EWg_o7zxHAf06f5FoDdGX15DbBdkYcEmoFKfIsyTF7m0TTPlQ3yfKCetjbvUQqsdD7ZH8P1hBNIm3KHkL6Ue44GF9FlG/w400-h279/baby%20frogfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHX49xGaG10oE5HNixB7Lsxp5XjncsHcABj023PI4h6Qs-rXkp5MqVlGAhheF3zy45sAE9pgGXejQ3rwQuY03OP4aXyILr0b5D6eKbJFOmDpDpWOxm8xcOVUs-C4GKc09_FBMqNxN4vpaBF6hUywIRoYRNTzFRb9ct6yri5qxgFsoLu_XMDkiYk35/s5952/moorish%20idol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3841" data-original-width="5952" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHX49xGaG10oE5HNixB7Lsxp5XjncsHcABj023PI4h6Qs-rXkp5MqVlGAhheF3zy45sAE9pgGXejQ3rwQuY03OP4aXyILr0b5D6eKbJFOmDpDpWOxm8xcOVUs-C4GKc09_FBMqNxN4vpaBF6hUywIRoYRNTzFRb9ct6yri5qxgFsoLu_XMDkiYk35/w400-h259/moorish%20idol.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>A fantastic start to the second dive: Just as we dropped into pretty deep water and spooked a Hawaiian Stingray. I was too far away to get a shot or vid but others did, so it happened.</p><p>As I was lamenting not being in the right spot to record that one-in-a-million sighting I looked down ona rock and found this lovely Sea Rose, or Spanish Dancer egg mass. That would have to do.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieoTV8H5SAEN72K1cV3VVwbQ0hwrSLF7gnmSVw7lOVFSNrNXyP-X3QcoEkbHwg_cl7uTKpfgGE7tQDh-yA2hMysKjpXkohVsuvC9Jk2VnBp4zU1VLpNYkbBdwvzJT5yly_9GFNnVhVWixDm8GtzGyZ6Syp4ayumMBnDxp1CrjNSvXKLbYjRfgGi8C/s3886/sea%20rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2663" data-original-width="3886" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieoTV8H5SAEN72K1cV3VVwbQ0hwrSLF7gnmSVw7lOVFSNrNXyP-X3QcoEkbHwg_cl7uTKpfgGE7tQDh-yA2hMysKjpXkohVsuvC9Jk2VnBp4zU1VLpNYkbBdwvzJT5yly_9GFNnVhVWixDm8GtzGyZ6Syp4ayumMBnDxp1CrjNSvXKLbYjRfgGi8C/w400-h274/sea%20rose.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-10267048696754750402022-06-14T20:10:00.000-07:002022-06-14T20:10:30.729-07:00Gloomy Tuesday which was actually a good Nudi Tuesday<p> It's not that the day was overcast and gloomy, although the drive down to Honokohau harbor was a bit grey. It's that we found two Gloomy Nudibranchs within about 10 yards of one another. Donna found a third one we learned later. Here they are respectively, Gloomy 1 and Gloomy 2, along with a larege Fried Egg nudi that was chilling in the same area.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUe-ztlA39Mb_etMH4TpTZYz481Qe3iO19REdVg8qQY5fRYIDLr8T7o6GY7XgeCkoczX9_7rIXy1liSm5jv5UF2_yX5SAr1VQ9084JNjXfAjGDO8XIXuxuUCXG74BE9jorzBLZEqdvQbF7HjnegFLU5zmQy9HWdq_o0e1DqZGh6dHu2x4E7DXLokl/s4165/fried%20egg%20nudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUe-ztlA39Mb_etMH4TpTZYz481Qe3iO19REdVg8qQY5fRYIDLr8T7o6GY7XgeCkoczX9_7rIXy1liSm5jv5UF2_yX5SAr1VQ9084JNjXfAjGDO8XIXuxuUCXG74BE9jorzBLZEqdvQbF7HjnegFLU5zmQy9HWdq_o0e1DqZGh6dHu2x4E7DXLokl/s4165/fried%20egg%20nudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUe-ztlA39Mb_etMH4TpTZYz481Qe3iO19REdVg8qQY5fRYIDLr8T7o6GY7XgeCkoczX9_7rIXy1liSm5jv5UF2_yX5SAr1VQ9084JNjXfAjGDO8XIXuxuUCXG74BE9jorzBLZEqdvQbF7HjnegFLU5zmQy9HWdq_o0e1DqZGh6dHu2x4E7DXLokl/s4165/fried%20egg%20nudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nV_NlsMjFVgI2uApOIA5HfHfH8I6EIKLnRNVMnjruSK2JNQQbnsFUw7uSRhL7yFsKPFWfW2jYInaguv7ulIq6zC_KvL_-NCK6bAp_bsEM7uSP-B78x_oDxuCO9zlxZ1dWYMF3n8Y4fQG5yHdtN3Q6ZKFCnL6ql1vcUaemPvtsBs8yWReoiAXzjYw/s3410/gloomy%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3410" data-original-width="2257" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nV_NlsMjFVgI2uApOIA5HfHfH8I6EIKLnRNVMnjruSK2JNQQbnsFUw7uSRhL7yFsKPFWfW2jYInaguv7ulIq6zC_KvL_-NCK6bAp_bsEM7uSP-B78x_oDxuCO9zlxZ1dWYMF3n8Y4fQG5yHdtN3Q6ZKFCnL6ql1vcUaemPvtsBs8yWReoiAXzjYw/w265-h400/gloomy%202.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVY98tpoXNzbUw_7aNz_DWi3wjVGy21OCqGy2itFZ-h1q0XQqGDHMoQFsrOoj1YOc2V-MHVyI3JYt9db8Mi_mMhEGGureGz85Z-kM7gU7FBAA82DKStHZmKWfVUgXPHrXmVRcnmBFdWQdDPtTfTteA8cDosLzkCmsZlnZmZZfscUW2Cf6Doi5RuI0/s2579/gloomy%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2579" data-original-width="1936" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVY98tpoXNzbUw_7aNz_DWi3wjVGy21OCqGy2itFZ-h1q0XQqGDHMoQFsrOoj1YOc2V-MHVyI3JYt9db8Mi_mMhEGGureGz85Z-kM7gU7FBAA82DKStHZmKWfVUgXPHrXmVRcnmBFdWQdDPtTfTteA8cDosLzkCmsZlnZmZZfscUW2Cf6Doi5RuI0/w300-h400/gloomy%201.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><img border="0" data-original-height="3238" data-original-width="4165" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUe-ztlA39Mb_etMH4TpTZYz481Qe3iO19REdVg8qQY5fRYIDLr8T7o6GY7XgeCkoczX9_7rIXy1liSm5jv5UF2_yX5SAr1VQ9084JNjXfAjGDO8XIXuxuUCXG74BE9jorzBLZEqdvQbF7HjnegFLU5zmQy9HWdq_o0e1DqZGh6dHu2x4E7DXLokl/w400-h311/fried%20egg%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /></div><p></p><p>Continuing with the Nudi Tuesday theme here is a cave wall with numerousw White margin Nudibranchs and what are most certainly their eggs. Busy little nudis.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMSiGEftpMHHEyKNzA3NSHfTDbZXZFMUJ4PY_xCm-8NP8AgrpGs2lLzzVOdeGe7L7vHzYT3jWxgwPmH4ph44Ym1IIPbw3CaSgVg-H8JVY4xN3K7rEVIGl5bbnt3Z1EUKrGkgMjdHTo70TnnBk6Hgl6qlhIFCWUsFM-oiQxvzFIwD77rbrqmODpqHd/s2952/white%20margin%20nudis%20and%20eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2237" data-original-width="2952" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMSiGEftpMHHEyKNzA3NSHfTDbZXZFMUJ4PY_xCm-8NP8AgrpGs2lLzzVOdeGe7L7vHzYT3jWxgwPmH4ph44Ym1IIPbw3CaSgVg-H8JVY4xN3K7rEVIGl5bbnt3Z1EUKrGkgMjdHTo70TnnBk6Hgl6qlhIFCWUsFM-oiQxvzFIwD77rbrqmODpqHd/w400-h303/white%20margin%20nudis%20and%20eggs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>For me the first dive was a bit of a slog; I was feeling a bit off, maybe from fatigue after three days diving out of four, maybe from fretting over the eventual heat-death of the universe, but probably most likely because Doug, on whom I rely to spot cool stuff, was not feeling well either and had the good sense to stay home. </p><p>Since w3e're still talking about tiny things, Laura, who also relies partially on Doug, did manage to find a couple of very cool critters: Black Peacock Razor Wrasse and a Firedart. This was out in the deep rubble. I chased the Razor Wrasse trying to get a side view but he was too fast so a view from above was all I could get. <br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GRnp2OPzwQLwMdKqpt3QFYUZ1HL7W8Y30xu1xo6v7_4UpbbmmPdC7dASyvPgmcitgRxCRW8JT6xCjHExhvIftdD8c0E4H67iBONl2Z0U_w-f75GhvoVR-yMY_TMkTMP1zhssebXH3usvH0Zqj-Iu_3gSjumXvlpzNR6MTE6YwOR_OCQ3nxz47Jup/s1510/black%20peacock%20razor%20wrasse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1510" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GRnp2OPzwQLwMdKqpt3QFYUZ1HL7W8Y30xu1xo6v7_4UpbbmmPdC7dASyvPgmcitgRxCRW8JT6xCjHExhvIftdD8c0E4H67iBONl2Z0U_w-f75GhvoVR-yMY_TMkTMP1zhssebXH3usvH0Zqj-Iu_3gSjumXvlpzNR6MTE6YwOR_OCQ3nxz47Jup/w400-h268/black%20peacock%20razor%20wrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDq5jaqyT9ItqueFZLBoZUQ-WoYG20v5Us9sYchkvPEyNX-ZK1s6HFQ1zaU1dzOzjQg8WnIUsYUdEt6LGnY3hYq_Ca-Mc3ZQ_UnGoePjv7yjJt8dfzfTMHGvxIVgixwpWnh4wpxifvu7_qm9qikTTVfE2zbXCEutDR-HIyP_K-joS8CM98o5qKTLFj/s2123/firedart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="2123" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDq5jaqyT9ItqueFZLBoZUQ-WoYG20v5Us9sYchkvPEyNX-ZK1s6HFQ1zaU1dzOzjQg8WnIUsYUdEt6LGnY3hYq_Ca-Mc3ZQ_UnGoePjv7yjJt8dfzfTMHGvxIVgixwpWnh4wpxifvu7_qm9qikTTVfE2zbXCEutDR-HIyP_K-joS8CM98o5qKTLFj/w400-h270/firedart.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>On our way back from the deep we swam over a Flowery Flounder trying to be one with the rock. Good job. I got a couple of shotws of him and he didn't run away. In a crevasse someone, maybe Allen, found a Sculptured Slipper Lobster, my first time seeing one of those, so thanks Allen.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_oaqrYBbIyuq-becLODlgub82WmcV73KG8BfUxQjs8QxVvE9WSYTxCkXFSgGW2p7QXXfMJ4pwR5IKtDGbkQY84ezPcT0HHijFUMXAwmbOnX3aRxT0xgkOvtoDV6ZjnF3Aw5EsvawKAd_G92yrxhH2nykf63UpQWpobffeBaBbF9R9YkRvHhYAKdY/s6880/flowery%20founder%20eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_oaqrYBbIyuq-becLODlgub82WmcV73KG8BfUxQjs8QxVvE9WSYTxCkXFSgGW2p7QXXfMJ4pwR5IKtDGbkQY84ezPcT0HHijFUMXAwmbOnX3aRxT0xgkOvtoDV6ZjnF3Aw5EsvawKAd_G92yrxhH2nykf63UpQWpobffeBaBbF9R9YkRvHhYAKdY/w400-h266/flowery%20founder%20eyes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvV5JOvSrByWMpJBa0FL1q8yx_PjssCyKBRkfkgOWJBkDg-Uhib56-o62YQ-Fnzfw8bPihDijFR8_HTU_vcUHhfHgnJhvtgvJmyJoCL6aNuxNc_ja2CI9U8Fusv8wl-629HKoxE4TMajQeDjE9qF5Y4YbTwoQBL5CtjaiPn8juJcdcWUzzqEPTd-Jk/s6880/flowery%20founder%20wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvV5JOvSrByWMpJBa0FL1q8yx_PjssCyKBRkfkgOWJBkDg-Uhib56-o62YQ-Fnzfw8bPihDijFR8_HTU_vcUHhfHgnJhvtgvJmyJoCL6aNuxNc_ja2CI9U8Fusv8wl-629HKoxE4TMajQeDjE9qF5Y4YbTwoQBL5CtjaiPn8juJcdcWUzzqEPTd-Jk/w400-h266/flowery%20founder%20wide.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqb53g5ZUgiIGisbuUcoE9CAM1Gd7azbvssSteacXPGji6iRe83OEQBOHtO4UrtA1qG_lGZjMgksRHZJSSpq_auWozstFJbLISWIZ1s4ELLWaPTWoE51tvN0smab2H17koQZwT3-bS1XlssEvqQ0IhF1GutG3ne4pKhOEPpWOJ5-DXC32aG8aX0fuB/s3690/sculptured%20slipper%20lobster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2883" data-original-width="3690" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqb53g5ZUgiIGisbuUcoE9CAM1Gd7azbvssSteacXPGji6iRe83OEQBOHtO4UrtA1qG_lGZjMgksRHZJSSpq_auWozstFJbLISWIZ1s4ELLWaPTWoE51tvN0smab2H17koQZwT3-bS1XlssEvqQ0IhF1GutG3ne4pKhOEPpWOJ5-DXC32aG8aX0fuB/w400-h313/sculptured%20slipper%20lobster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>While meandering about the reef I ran into a few common fish we see all the time, and since they didn't quarrel with me shooting them, here they are. I didn't want to do any hard work, and they seemed to sense that if I was going to take a pic of them they would have to not run away.</p><p>Lei Trigger, Orangespine Unicorn, hawaiian Squirrelfish and a Threadfin Butterfly.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3LOyhGmsvQ_rwdwzKt2UjfpueO7IAcFxX2qDWvaky8r8VtkQG01WTxM8ipX-WxmfK34YbBcA-Ts6GxtWZyE8qpL_cm-hkUPbtP0JBfRuWJ-uzWbVJjeZgz6-XSdI5MZ7ESNJ-PgpQneNIh5T2_AyLd-EBAAYwyOQtQcOQNkEm_LwBIbBtvMvGzGu/s4360/lei%20trigger%20yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2908" data-original-width="4360" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3LOyhGmsvQ_rwdwzKt2UjfpueO7IAcFxX2qDWvaky8r8VtkQG01WTxM8ipX-WxmfK34YbBcA-Ts6GxtWZyE8qpL_cm-hkUPbtP0JBfRuWJ-uzWbVJjeZgz6-XSdI5MZ7ESNJ-PgpQneNIh5T2_AyLd-EBAAYwyOQtQcOQNkEm_LwBIbBtvMvGzGu/w400-h266/lei%20trigger%20yellow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9ZBZJ0bPOCbldtbTIJhDUrBfqkNZGf2vkI94Q-8NK7GnJeZiqA6-feZclM47v72Hc5P5qqZIgiP05n6vkCh4LP7Ikp2ammexyFXJEcSkbNKGW3uTYs2azVNNV2qIal9haf5v6KF28PzXY09nbF_a2WGyC4CSXNvbgYMaF8FhFwHBcNWs-bPvEt12/s4911/orangespine%20unicorn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3934" data-original-width="4911" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9ZBZJ0bPOCbldtbTIJhDUrBfqkNZGf2vkI94Q-8NK7GnJeZiqA6-feZclM47v72Hc5P5qqZIgiP05n6vkCh4LP7Ikp2ammexyFXJEcSkbNKGW3uTYs2azVNNV2qIal9haf5v6KF28PzXY09nbF_a2WGyC4CSXNvbgYMaF8FhFwHBcNWs-bPvEt12/w400-h320/orangespine%20unicorn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTY1QmyCbdk6alpNSuU8yd-dMi4ENPHiRkyuFjmPGrk8OC3CISzkqsY5cuVhapG7s851BBmwN8Qq0M2LMqB9dCnIV6FqNHy1nn9CHnK9xmT7UZ0y1get-FLsuxNJfq4nwfxXnyfJx3C31AA9jBnLTg9FFEziJPKAf2zcPx4l09BlWiCRtureQru9S/s4063/squirrilfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2811" data-original-width="4063" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTY1QmyCbdk6alpNSuU8yd-dMi4ENPHiRkyuFjmPGrk8OC3CISzkqsY5cuVhapG7s851BBmwN8Qq0M2LMqB9dCnIV6FqNHy1nn9CHnK9xmT7UZ0y1get-FLsuxNJfq4nwfxXnyfJx3C31AA9jBnLTg9FFEziJPKAf2zcPx4l09BlWiCRtureQru9S/w400-h276/squirrilfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuNGb_hw_WrxqwIp52iWX2V_AVNAxkwmdA1yi5VpSrNGuZK4t1-Pd_w-UuwFAuxG4sLYERt8JPVVT27oQIh9BfhEM-tcJMIBJNp2FJs6LXEYEzo4ir7YXeGDkbiBbWsuwHWY3-J6oUw_U8Q0tnIuBSJ3AVgcDeODKguZdpOTggwhd24CxSyUxqXKe/s3312/threadfin%20butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2481" data-original-width="3312" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuNGb_hw_WrxqwIp52iWX2V_AVNAxkwmdA1yi5VpSrNGuZK4t1-Pd_w-UuwFAuxG4sLYERt8JPVVT27oQIh9BfhEM-tcJMIBJNp2FJs6LXEYEzo4ir7YXeGDkbiBbWsuwHWY3-J6oUw_U8Q0tnIuBSJ3AVgcDeODKguZdpOTggwhd24CxSyUxqXKe/w400-h300/threadfin%20butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>For some reason it must be transition time for Juvenile Blackside hawkfish to turn adult. I've seen a number of them this past week at various spots. Here's the latest one, almost there. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHr76d69QHWgsFNuSg-zlfQcvjXlhTOiP5rsYMxfRf6PWPJ3z8gPvAAMaFvHy4fQj8g70GbBG0TEkxMBzaRDJJ-aiaxpwLl7yW3qm4hRlAZa05PmHwTW_DJZAjn0dXhIEYGHBZh3nx-2BRsKGDg86IkOljzA96re0L304DRRm2XvT-kVX8uFjz4Eg/s3335/blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2171" data-original-width="3335" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHr76d69QHWgsFNuSg-zlfQcvjXlhTOiP5rsYMxfRf6PWPJ3z8gPvAAMaFvHy4fQj8g70GbBG0TEkxMBzaRDJJ-aiaxpwLl7yW3qm4hRlAZa05PmHwTW_DJZAjn0dXhIEYGHBZh3nx-2BRsKGDg86IkOljzA96re0L304DRRm2XvT-kVX8uFjz4Eg/w400-h260/blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Finally, and this is pretty cool: Two Fireworms, at least I think it's two. Maybe a mom and baby? How long do Fireworms care for their offspring? So many questionsw that Wiki can't answer. I didn't bother them since Fireworms and centipedes have a lot in common.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutdW4QqtARHDff5Gj77atnvmUcMUtNKdoMWyrI7AKEU_2jpo-VdLoH7bamxiCnVZIQXZjbVbYJSwjIYyulPGI882wYpUdumKyEyAFye04u2yT58t0OI2vTUfK8QHUE0PY5dIvT1NSNbLLljLjEqJ999tYHDTL9R4ufSvSdBkuH1B9Knt2cjciHwuf/s1791/fireworms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1791" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutdW4QqtARHDff5Gj77atnvmUcMUtNKdoMWyrI7AKEU_2jpo-VdLoH7bamxiCnVZIQXZjbVbYJSwjIYyulPGI882wYpUdumKyEyAFye04u2yT58t0OI2vTUfK8QHUE0PY5dIvT1NSNbLLljLjEqJ999tYHDTL9R4ufSvSdBkuH1B9Knt2cjciHwuf/w400-h276/fireworms.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-40654075328921590452022-06-13T19:16:00.002-07:002022-06-13T19:16:24.649-07:00Puffer love and A Wirecoral Gobie<p> Cloud cover shrouded Honokohau Harbor in Kona this morning. It was low tide at the Kona Honu Divers _Honu One_ slip so we had to sit on the platform and drop down onto the deck.. Captain Connor thought we'd head north to try and find some sunshine. It was a super chill day and Milo summed up the vibe perfectly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6htSFoyJQdGM7gB6XAPsgrFXLr18mESOmKG4F0t821TjyRGLJAZ3fWtL6-83hiqcVhbzgZe73It1cGD3taNWjFycWUCN3dPWE1a6LTBMqzp8jkoe_rGN61gu9EGCFI1sIaQ7D3OBY7-J_yvbL7qFdvmvsGb3Hk2WwbFEJqqjkKQRjMwoxyaTSGAvc/s6880/milo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6htSFoyJQdGM7gB6XAPsgrFXLr18mESOmKG4F0t821TjyRGLJAZ3fWtL6-83hiqcVhbzgZe73It1cGD3taNWjFycWUCN3dPWE1a6LTBMqzp8jkoe_rGN61gu9EGCFI1sIaQ7D3OBY7-J_yvbL7qFdvmvsGb3Hk2WwbFEJqqjkKQRjMwoxyaTSGAvc/w400-h266/milo1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>We did find sunshine up past Pine Trees and the first thing that I was as i dropped into the crystal clear, warming ocean was an Octopus on the move. He'll show up in the video, but I didn't get any still shots of him due to his high rate of speed in a direction away from me.</p><p>Then a truly remarkable thing happened, something I'd never seen, but that Connor later said he'd seen before. This Spotted Puffer was on course to do a flyby closing on me like an opposing fighter jet. OK, this same thing happened two days ago at exactly the same spot. Maybe it's the same Puffer? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTabISLjt1BVmgpDRkZoMTGT0MC_MrVEYllPVF_D0VGclNNv1eBCS0EVaekaWOx_rWrhhkCMuIkIUKV7qRnUK3XhIj8yjUWOjeEOmhvGdYt92noRa3xCtKTWgmg-vDjoB0DPIBco23NfeNk6s8s00-zm19T4Sk0ipsTzQ4rnu4HkQR8Qa4JJRmqN_M/s5044/friendly%20puffer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3755" data-original-width="5044" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTabISLjt1BVmgpDRkZoMTGT0MC_MrVEYllPVF_D0VGclNNv1eBCS0EVaekaWOx_rWrhhkCMuIkIUKV7qRnUK3XhIj8yjUWOjeEOmhvGdYt92noRa3xCtKTWgmg-vDjoB0DPIBco23NfeNk6s8s00-zm19T4Sk0ipsTzQ4rnu4HkQR8Qa4JJRmqN_M/w400-h297/friendly%20puffer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p> </p><p>Here's the crazy part: instead of zipping past me like the other day, this Puffer turned back toward me and circled me, then actually swam right onto me, noodling around on my chest and sides, actually touching me. This went on for a little while until Milo came and nudged him away before anything more intimate had time to develop. So, did I make a Puffer friend who recognized me and came to cuddle? I prefer to think so.</p><p>Onward, and a little white mouth Eel poked out of a hole as I came by. Under a ledge I found a nice big Four Spot Butterfly, and ... another Spotted Puffer! This guy was nestled in a small depression in the reef and he didn't seem to mind me taking a pic. I guess I might be a Puffer Whisperer now.</p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRXCuWWN5rolFt5iNxcsYeeuj6KaCttDgXvZBO5ClIi6gIlYvI4-tnzrOnwq54vd0kjtRx9pyoXdvy_Lf2HSOd5r9gAcafU2jVumq6t7KRTkDkUyJlP717n0WzHwd1k5Klms_CLMV_6-wlBhfUo2wTLhAwgtU9JxzpNMcrAxeAEmZ-dZ8_w4ZEmF3x/s6880/eel%20in%20a%20hole-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRXCuWWN5rolFt5iNxcsYeeuj6KaCttDgXvZBO5ClIi6gIlYvI4-tnzrOnwq54vd0kjtRx9pyoXdvy_Lf2HSOd5r9gAcafU2jVumq6t7KRTkDkUyJlP717n0WzHwd1k5Klms_CLMV_6-wlBhfUo2wTLhAwgtU9JxzpNMcrAxeAEmZ-dZ8_w4ZEmF3x/w400-h266/eel%20in%20a%20hole-.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-ePJKRVTxK44ZkMMv4Pn2gD7CglogGdi7oV9dgKPOehFFc0mFCR8cX5LM-6U-wy9RdYtI14oLREl154KPo59O9hiVPA_6iqIB_ygEfwn3UNyu3PsjOypN1YQIssfs1WcgxlbQoTCDUuL153D3mLf7P3OL7Bcgjj5DjtDjZlilw7rW9Eh6xRwvtyQ/s3909/four%20spot%20butterfly%20couple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2771" data-original-width="3909" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-ePJKRVTxK44ZkMMv4Pn2gD7CglogGdi7oV9dgKPOehFFc0mFCR8cX5LM-6U-wy9RdYtI14oLREl154KPo59O9hiVPA_6iqIB_ygEfwn3UNyu3PsjOypN1YQIssfs1WcgxlbQoTCDUuL153D3mLf7P3OL7Bcgjj5DjtDjZlilw7rW9Eh6xRwvtyQ/w400-h284/four%20spot%20butterfly%20couple.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-zJ17I89dRz5sCl7vXR0WxqdwiMPvHC4ydAgWjlGGwrwwTnLHjdZKPkMcVYixHpDYK_t4TONwv0zcQrz9VGg-Wh8Bvbsapw5m7ZHUQRTcyi91dQiquyedPFpar6a3hpCZNImGH-LaWtBdYWL0K09pqmZ3JZdRPj_k254AHyQXk6TLNY9MnleXMm7/s4811/puffer%20in%20a%20hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3245" data-original-width="4811" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-zJ17I89dRz5sCl7vXR0WxqdwiMPvHC4ydAgWjlGGwrwwTnLHjdZKPkMcVYixHpDYK_t4TONwv0zcQrz9VGg-Wh8Bvbsapw5m7ZHUQRTcyi91dQiquyedPFpar6a3hpCZNImGH-LaWtBdYWL0K09pqmZ3JZdRPj_k254AHyQXk6TLNY9MnleXMm7/w400-h270/puffer%20in%20a%20hole.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>As we approached a wall Milo pointed to a small indentation. There was a White Margin Nudi on some red sponges.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nmU5VXIJxlrfOijVRLnAV-oru67NRNCRolfIEi7gR6Xi8ckoDe2LY2gYBTjY2PPm5aCMM5ZZxzGrjfyVc6qNZpzAE7Q5rbToUCcO7KoNXWwgkko13jy3fhRYRFdJgSyNa5WlTmHXd_IhYJFqJyX0_iUbN7iPnLXGBbceN6BI1XEWRwOnyE4ShNx7/s2154/white%20margin%20nudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2154" data-original-width="1589" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nmU5VXIJxlrfOijVRLnAV-oru67NRNCRolfIEi7gR6Xi8ckoDe2LY2gYBTjY2PPm5aCMM5ZZxzGrjfyVc6qNZpzAE7Q5rbToUCcO7KoNXWwgkko13jy3fhRYRFdJgSyNa5WlTmHXd_IhYJFqJyX0_iUbN7iPnLXGBbceN6BI1XEWRwOnyE4ShNx7/w295-h400/white%20margin%20nudi.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><p></p><p>I often overlook common, small fish that hang around coral heads and urchins but today I took a pic of some tiny Blackfin Chromis under an urchin. Out near the dropoff we found a Flowery Flounder flying freely across the reef. I chased him and got some video, until he lighted on a rock and i could get a shot of his face.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5OVRGo-mnWTQgjSwp6V_2eF7JthJQuknpJmgAq7DqR_8A-trFkPxJySxuSE6QjbKEaZ--V_XR3rPx2i2tp_AraoHDyA8uKMzGBY_dfXXut3HrO3VmeE6_ku10D6NqM0nkSOqjikov5udBGkfdNe2HaLgLJZYKtbCo69WoCYCYKQ0orrtukIcFbqW/s6282/blackfin%20chromis%20group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4209" data-original-width="6282" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5OVRGo-mnWTQgjSwp6V_2eF7JthJQuknpJmgAq7DqR_8A-trFkPxJySxuSE6QjbKEaZ--V_XR3rPx2i2tp_AraoHDyA8uKMzGBY_dfXXut3HrO3VmeE6_ku10D6NqM0nkSOqjikov5udBGkfdNe2HaLgLJZYKtbCo69WoCYCYKQ0orrtukIcFbqW/w400-h268/blackfin%20chromis%20group.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qGAcneuniWXkjVP0ru5ZCBZgLD6rp8xsR6UXiLlflYc42jUEqN9s9lSZLsJ7xFcW3R-hy7D_faWUArPIZC-4TUukFuiPA4Ly8nKL1WlJgcCj_2tkwW-RvUCitUWH7Lly-Vg5gGn3s2UhKN3n8qT8-ADAkxL8USob011s1kg65JRuSlyG0vpSJghy/s6880/flounder%20eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qGAcneuniWXkjVP0ru5ZCBZgLD6rp8xsR6UXiLlflYc42jUEqN9s9lSZLsJ7xFcW3R-hy7D_faWUArPIZC-4TUukFuiPA4Ly8nKL1WlJgcCj_2tkwW-RvUCitUWH7Lly-Vg5gGn3s2UhKN3n8qT8-ADAkxL8USob011s1kg65JRuSlyG0vpSJghy/w400-h266/flounder%20eyes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Milo found the first of at least two Gold Lace nudis, and I ran across some of the leather coral I saw the other day, this time surrounding a healthy cauliflower coral. Lots of Raccoon Butterflies today, here are the first couple.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcfq_3OS8SiwqrsBtq-jYdhGgeMU-LK0wTexvFkt-71yl6Q4c3qGeUQ1hndZDb8eAEZ3KyWIn1FOEN1hM1J07G_6j4kpW0K6X4ld_O4uiYyxNJN3-z_hS5N_z7poHyDJpmE5GMumWxZ7nw-LwIwHRkwzEGHDHYJSB75qlnAoE6_lt4k0_pi-1duZc/s2118/gold%20lace%20nudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="2118" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcfq_3OS8SiwqrsBtq-jYdhGgeMU-LK0wTexvFkt-71yl6Q4c3qGeUQ1hndZDb8eAEZ3KyWIn1FOEN1hM1J07G_6j4kpW0K6X4ld_O4uiYyxNJN3-z_hS5N_z7poHyDJpmE5GMumWxZ7nw-LwIwHRkwzEGHDHYJSB75qlnAoE6_lt4k0_pi-1duZc/w400-h280/gold%20lace%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3uLMxyjMYgz8sDlU4z6JFxdm5gIq5DdT0QPLGEbVnWdT2djQCleWbDVKPKMXQ3zsNai184BwiRTSgmy3bkxiuFaEQYCrfrlU8x49WeEM_4h1RV77GFfM4z2pL4c0PdgXPHNb7Yzg2iqN-19l_P0FPOfr4w9YpwxNLniqI-7t-r8VL-LhWKrrMN7-/s6880/leather%20coral%20and%20healthy%20cauliflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3uLMxyjMYgz8sDlU4z6JFxdm5gIq5DdT0QPLGEbVnWdT2djQCleWbDVKPKMXQ3zsNai184BwiRTSgmy3bkxiuFaEQYCrfrlU8x49WeEM_4h1RV77GFfM4z2pL4c0PdgXPHNb7Yzg2iqN-19l_P0FPOfr4w9YpwxNLniqI-7t-r8VL-LhWKrrMN7-/w400-h266/leather%20coral%20and%20healthy%20cauliflower.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJIf5gSy7bPfWauwBoBkurgoEm0juXeeiHlOvFh6POc0YTtAZNIsRWADQeJS-UhBzFI_F61zz4gUwzaxnJtpjRyal79qAcydQuawXq-lQH5jU7yD6gmLNfe0hxbONF148A_hzKwZpsqOCETK2Ertu6lebFGFDvbihbDPRtveN6rPPu6F-2jglQ_o5/s5568/raccoon%20butteflies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3793" data-original-width="5568" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJIf5gSy7bPfWauwBoBkurgoEm0juXeeiHlOvFh6POc0YTtAZNIsRWADQeJS-UhBzFI_F61zz4gUwzaxnJtpjRyal79qAcydQuawXq-lQH5jU7yD6gmLNfe0hxbONF148A_hzKwZpsqOCETK2Ertu6lebFGFDvbihbDPRtveN6rPPu6F-2jglQ_o5/w400-h272/raccoon%20butteflies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>On the way back to the mooring, I was scanning the rubble for Dragon Srasses, which i did find a bit later, but at that moment a Clerarfin Lizardfish zipped onto som eflat rocks right in front of me. Wow.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL109P94fmiG3TowxvypPSomz4IZy2CBzuQg4f4qcYl31a-BFB0heb6WBpxzl-gSGMftBbZdDnuHQapzZjYURfTkXOl4x4kV0ZSMqaD9BTgVn9KssaSPaUTg9rdT8gASYeCNu7vgXz9DixinL7swwE3HTRPAzkfPmkjGwvpG4HHSltcjepkRWES3nB/s4150/clearfin%20lizardfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2916" data-original-width="4150" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL109P94fmiG3TowxvypPSomz4IZy2CBzuQg4f4qcYl31a-BFB0heb6WBpxzl-gSGMftBbZdDnuHQapzZjYURfTkXOl4x4kV0ZSMqaD9BTgVn9KssaSPaUTg9rdT8gASYeCNu7vgXz9DixinL7swwE3HTRPAzkfPmkjGwvpG4HHSltcjepkRWES3nB/w400-h281/clearfin%20lizardfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>After our SI we were back in the water at another of my favorite spots where I wiffed on a Wirecoral Gobie last week. Got him today, but right below the mooring a Devil Scorpion was jumping from rock to rock. I wanted to get his colorful fins extended, but he was stubborn and didn't move for me. So here's Mr. Grumpy Scorpion. And in then ext little swale with sandy rubble I found the Dragon Wrasse I was hoping for.</p><p>Continuing through the maze of lava dikes I found another nice Raccoon Butterfly, and Milo found another nice nudi, this time a Strawberry.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28bd6fIxLG53nSASNnjl6WT7jSMkIElgLzNTR7IkT6mFktm4xIdeWh5bnoyuWR4zStkKklFBlLS4Q_bi9FcyFVY-yTBhoIPxq_v9C6m-BxaBzuU_bibc1LwIqJt77zprCHl7t-QfR9CSZuMmJuVQ3p31HPXsJIXiwxATWNLUdx768iTVTqLpOMKn5/s6880/devil%20scorpion1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6880" data-original-width="4584" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28bd6fIxLG53nSASNnjl6WT7jSMkIElgLzNTR7IkT6mFktm4xIdeWh5bnoyuWR4zStkKklFBlLS4Q_bi9FcyFVY-yTBhoIPxq_v9C6m-BxaBzuU_bibc1LwIqJt77zprCHl7t-QfR9CSZuMmJuVQ3p31HPXsJIXiwxATWNLUdx768iTVTqLpOMKn5/w266-h400/devil%20scorpion1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvTYhBnAjjYy0cuSXL4kDJqDC9HHN7Y1YkLjFEfkAIEDjlEg1yjSHx5CIFmQz9qmixw6n1rpmAWnyhq4bHqZYamvEREwQ0pr7HAhFF1aR--3qbiPSh46I7lVsT9bCEVQN4pY5yTv5K0km4O01Q30PoWSPGmiznC9ASD6_6lsdifOjwCILpPk1d6Ip/s2867/dragon%20wrasse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2057" data-original-width="2867" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvTYhBnAjjYy0cuSXL4kDJqDC9HHN7Y1YkLjFEfkAIEDjlEg1yjSHx5CIFmQz9qmixw6n1rpmAWnyhq4bHqZYamvEREwQ0pr7HAhFF1aR--3qbiPSh46I7lVsT9bCEVQN4pY5yTv5K0km4O01Q30PoWSPGmiznC9ASD6_6lsdifOjwCILpPk1d6Ip/w400-h288/dragon%20wrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhfnkmlIF6FVpsbrDS1FHYVgvWwURt9zQqTWEVwhGbRelGZrlVvfxO0Q277l8qK5Jr-5v0vMl8cCMSZbnNjzrRkdtQCKRfy_Gb7xjuOovWsXTPTuk24WtFXoWQChqAj0MUaD61UwPcm-wIFLjSncBAY3hu8mdXbIrhEVSRHhS8Uj4w1IsCOTifsMP/s4584/raccoon%20better.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3317" data-original-width="4584" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhfnkmlIF6FVpsbrDS1FHYVgvWwURt9zQqTWEVwhGbRelGZrlVvfxO0Q277l8qK5Jr-5v0vMl8cCMSZbnNjzrRkdtQCKRfy_Gb7xjuOovWsXTPTuk24WtFXoWQChqAj0MUaD61UwPcm-wIFLjSncBAY3hu8mdXbIrhEVSRHhS8Uj4w1IsCOTifsMP/w400-h290/raccoon%20better.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymtZ3_9DdG0WFKVDqGF9hmfuw_B4-QckM3MFe2A_NSOUF8sOsOcMUVRWAsh7Hg0dZkuV2O7ES-0b0sQdpZWyaqcu_L1Bm194vjcdMp0czz4dN5t1LDCeSYoOK13C_XRJjs3huO1HUahLsxGRv67tX3ongin9XryBEINYg7vi-VqpNbPSfPQ7Nv1mZ/s2532/strawberry%20nudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1903" data-original-width="2532" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymtZ3_9DdG0WFKVDqGF9hmfuw_B4-QckM3MFe2A_NSOUF8sOsOcMUVRWAsh7Hg0dZkuV2O7ES-0b0sQdpZWyaqcu_L1Bm194vjcdMp0czz4dN5t1LDCeSYoOK13C_XRJjs3huO1HUahLsxGRv67tX3ongin9XryBEINYg7vi-VqpNbPSfPQ7Nv1mZ/w400-h301/strawberry%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I run into a number of Blackside hawkfishes lately, maybe that's because they're common, but I still think they're cool, and they just sit there so you can get photos. Milo was a nudi magnet today. Here's another Gold lace that he found.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicO2JiuLjAwjEFmKM6YTbB2WmoMY01m3JR7bv4SW4M-64-MQmVuhkhxowYz9fcLJb-VeSW6JcBY6CMTBj7iZ77-yNIgO3uNSQY9G_1kXQPgOY428ppjCfNW7IL9z1cJ9QBZBdlnAnEH-D7dTwHHg91V2g3NZC1z3CjtpUu0yTop8GRu75LrLr9ExVn/s4486/blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2801" data-original-width="4486" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicO2JiuLjAwjEFmKM6YTbB2WmoMY01m3JR7bv4SW4M-64-MQmVuhkhxowYz9fcLJb-VeSW6JcBY6CMTBj7iZ77-yNIgO3uNSQY9G_1kXQPgOY428ppjCfNW7IL9z1cJ9QBZBdlnAnEH-D7dTwHHg91V2g3NZC1z3CjtpUu0yTop8GRu75LrLr9ExVn/w400-h250/blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8wdrVhb0fbQP-RhMbM-DdmH1XIL2A2hJ8f44oFnhrNgSd1goo9C8LajX-XnXg9Z5zYdCIpo0T1ltN_ySbUwWr8OYDwh62BZOvaWYBSjvZvW46Ly65eKz6O57Nd7t-nSy-z8VYMiyvhvSYCYb_BkYJlGep3JKw6llDVUWc-eW3ksDY5ZWhN3O1h8U/s2634/goldlace%20nudi%20better.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1916" data-original-width="2634" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8wdrVhb0fbQP-RhMbM-DdmH1XIL2A2hJ8f44oFnhrNgSd1goo9C8LajX-XnXg9Z5zYdCIpo0T1ltN_ySbUwWr8OYDwh62BZOvaWYBSjvZvW46Ly65eKz6O57Nd7t-nSy-z8VYMiyvhvSYCYb_BkYJlGep3JKw6llDVUWc-eW3ksDY5ZWhN3O1h8U/w400-h291/goldlace%20nudi%20better.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Of the three Dragon Wrasses I saw I only got a pic of one of them, above, but i did find a charlie foxtrot of adult Rockmovers doing their thing along with a Lei Trigger.</p><p><br /></p><p>Finally, I searched out the wirecoral where the little Wirecoral Gobie was last week. I figured he'd still be there because they usually hang out on the same wirecoral for their whole lives. Sure enough he was there and this time I got a nice pic.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQi29vJr7-6F9AzQtuB9WIbXdz1lUPFH5_m1gV6BiXevJMhjE8I6CWYF850-85lHB6rBuToj5HhposllT7AJdO1TWpXQNVNGQ5J7TrP4rLXYBCSp3mDSLyn61HK9A1C2Oecu0LgQPlsrircsGbmjpyjtMu1BJQniDElm3NJd__1JC6p5yqySQzSw0/s5559/rockmovers%20and%20lei%20trigger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3916" data-original-width="5559" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQi29vJr7-6F9AzQtuB9WIbXdz1lUPFH5_m1gV6BiXevJMhjE8I6CWYF850-85lHB6rBuToj5HhposllT7AJdO1TWpXQNVNGQ5J7TrP4rLXYBCSp3mDSLyn61HK9A1C2Oecu0LgQPlsrircsGbmjpyjtMu1BJQniDElm3NJd__1JC6p5yqySQzSw0/w400-h281/rockmovers%20and%20lei%20trigger.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSec2gEXiA5so6Abf_qQES_Iu9zpvCB1tibIclrNo2UoTEdhJMPM3wreAW5HjLjzQRVwML36TkI8c6b_e28IqIO6FrjBvMxPhRMPEkxsncCw064QDAb1FqmUdAOsuR6VuVZzUmIVn-jvmciLjeUfRn0-NaE4hD5rNbj_ls44aCdTWFWzXfN-Zkenu/s3802/wirecoral%20gobie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2835" data-original-width="3802" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSec2gEXiA5so6Abf_qQES_Iu9zpvCB1tibIclrNo2UoTEdhJMPM3wreAW5HjLjzQRVwML36TkI8c6b_e28IqIO6FrjBvMxPhRMPEkxsncCw064QDAb1FqmUdAOsuR6VuVZzUmIVn-jvmciLjeUfRn0-NaE4hD5rNbj_ls44aCdTWFWzXfN-Zkenu/w400-h299/wirecoral%20gobie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-29515357544094620172022-06-11T22:15:00.002-07:002022-06-11T22:16:51.452-07:00More octopuses and some nudis<p> Hauled aboard with Aquatic Life Divers and bonafied Diva of the Deep (tm) Tara P. for a day out on the most calm and flat ocean you could image under clear skies and bright sun.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAw7Wvf14Mj-UyDAKu9c0bg4GeljB2be5AcWRvoYItb4nA53Ql0sux0yl_1u2Uh2shekSz8tLnBYEM8zQLR6t3ffwOY2DTy7jafcvPtiLL-HkAN__M7ZtUhJziAVvSwz3tq5GT5aJcDgEUl7zZXHVujRMjJaK4KGfh612M-sMJnspzWeYiz8-X7Hby/s3707/jeffandtara.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2934" data-original-width="3707" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAw7Wvf14Mj-UyDAKu9c0bg4GeljB2be5AcWRvoYItb4nA53Ql0sux0yl_1u2Uh2shekSz8tLnBYEM8zQLR6t3ffwOY2DTy7jafcvPtiLL-HkAN__M7ZtUhJziAVvSwz3tq5GT5aJcDgEUl7zZXHVujRMjJaK4KGfh612M-sMJnspzWeYiz8-X7Hby/w400-h316/jeffandtara.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>One of the club divers, Mary, wanted an underwater pic with Tara. I had my macro lens on so shot them wide with the gopro.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZhvqX6jpYSrnlpgxrd4UGog7r2_QlArCFNkxhhtmw9lyCo-xFgYN2CssN7UyTU8Prq8K_r2SpQ1tQb9kIsdWTgF_rvudtVq60yWV9j-1X3cNHvnPxyMoNpD3Ik3T5UjGV5YltqAoAq7lLIy9KAgJLQM1OoSaw2FIG_9rAYHArRgJBEu5V-qwVxMI/s3503/mary%20and%20tara.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3503" data-original-width="2816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZhvqX6jpYSrnlpgxrd4UGog7r2_QlArCFNkxhhtmw9lyCo-xFgYN2CssN7UyTU8Prq8K_r2SpQ1tQb9kIsdWTgF_rvudtVq60yWV9j-1X3cNHvnPxyMoNpD3Ik3T5UjGV5YltqAoAq7lLIy9KAgJLQM1OoSaw2FIG_9rAYHArRgJBEu5V-qwVxMI/w321-h400/mary%20and%20tara.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><p> </p><p>So lets see...what critters were out today? Hardly ever gert a face shot of a Dragon Wrasse, but one turned right toward me, pretty big one too. Next door was another juvenile, this time a Juvenile Yellow Tail Coris. Tara found a big patch of Leather Coral, and I swam right over a small White Mouth Eel who wanted to come out and defend his territory. Further out toward the dropoff Tara found a transitioning Blackside hawkfish. That was at about 80 feet and then the octopus appeared.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ry0wvlvtNHBrMKZTUXc74ceYjMqThnmWN90fdSsVWC-P7f0BMN6D-XKxPvwhIXu5ROvNYjHhSwBKILCUYVK54TxXfb4yYM_HuhtP2g_76g1YSgcz-smNih32-swg9s7FvJAXn4TVojE1SbEfi--SbS57-rEns-gJWuc69fN6sLwAmQM70HUVA-PA/s2160/dragon%20wrasse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ry0wvlvtNHBrMKZTUXc74ceYjMqThnmWN90fdSsVWC-P7f0BMN6D-XKxPvwhIXu5ROvNYjHhSwBKILCUYVK54TxXfb4yYM_HuhtP2g_76g1YSgcz-smNih32-swg9s7FvJAXn4TVojE1SbEfi--SbS57-rEns-gJWuc69fN6sLwAmQM70HUVA-PA/w334-h400/dragon%20wrasse.jpg" width="334" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uYDU2DtuehsYw0ocuAqtE6qlz1-5Mldm8dpBuvhl8Vt9ZVr1Dks7wGafYp27-GA5VZQWBMGAttHrH9Ez_GHmj98D_33GZqFnazHDx74WaSD84Hy1qkPudkgSWrnNGlDXamSNCPTFunxoii28VkFPT89BXKxPpuN3KR3sayNHZUdsK8CCD6oZD_J8/s2220/juvie%20yellowtail%20coris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="2220" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uYDU2DtuehsYw0ocuAqtE6qlz1-5Mldm8dpBuvhl8Vt9ZVr1Dks7wGafYp27-GA5VZQWBMGAttHrH9Ez_GHmj98D_33GZqFnazHDx74WaSD84Hy1qkPudkgSWrnNGlDXamSNCPTFunxoii28VkFPT89BXKxPpuN3KR3sayNHZUdsK8CCD6oZD_J8/w400-h293/juvie%20yellowtail%20coris.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTJF5wvR-9ryiJccvIX12qBxgRiFQ-pvbWKwGhnwYBRud4EqsjhyfBAB3-pfo8mhtBNBoYQC12L95ZynV1W4CCfFR3tGbYu5kQHXyobrTNZucbEbeVID9qwUV7d7NkaqvmGqZ5Pe69ZgG3KF7RLEoX4mNJzXSdCf09Hxsmyy3gzYNoIWvrHRXi4Ra/s6880/leather%20coral.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTJF5wvR-9ryiJccvIX12qBxgRiFQ-pvbWKwGhnwYBRud4EqsjhyfBAB3-pfo8mhtBNBoYQC12L95ZynV1W4CCfFR3tGbYu5kQHXyobrTNZucbEbeVID9qwUV7d7NkaqvmGqZ5Pe69ZgG3KF7RLEoX4mNJzXSdCf09Hxsmyy3gzYNoIWvrHRXi4Ra/w400-h266/leather%20coral.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBCVK2dQmQSel5YKOvlPN-zfDsBDr6DQU7ycbCA54yQka-hw9_0sHtCiOULz30TFKAsCHelZGbc7snWex1tVmG40QtUPCgBJmbvRi1xr1BeMrVXh8Uf1CeIbC-rETr3iDEy88CTLh6PjB832c0iI82ZrTmd1_4qckWWDcjrtLgx_L86Wq-tY5tb37/s3166/white%20mouth%20eel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2217" data-original-width="3166" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBCVK2dQmQSel5YKOvlPN-zfDsBDr6DQU7ycbCA54yQka-hw9_0sHtCiOULz30TFKAsCHelZGbc7snWex1tVmG40QtUPCgBJmbvRi1xr1BeMrVXh8Uf1CeIbC-rETr3iDEy88CTLh6PjB832c0iI82ZrTmd1_4qckWWDcjrtLgx_L86Wq-tY5tb37/w400-h280/white%20mouth%20eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipGxouBIMkYfJYkqS37FwmWeLSmZ60-7-U1FvdEw2K4bFJggyj1IjU1rZA5w4ZaZ1F9bVdkLNBj9QLTJyAQj2LYR_WgUNHouaMOpKEpuaYKADFSquAzrB7RzsjPFrkH1Fd7G_Khfy7xEiC2m8oxssL4sxtnuDc_Nmbi84w12TBRabxxqi3MscnD3S/s3732/juvenile%20blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2494" data-original-width="3732" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipGxouBIMkYfJYkqS37FwmWeLSmZ60-7-U1FvdEw2K4bFJggyj1IjU1rZA5w4ZaZ1F9bVdkLNBj9QLTJyAQj2LYR_WgUNHouaMOpKEpuaYKADFSquAzrB7RzsjPFrkH1Fd7G_Khfy7xEiC2m8oxssL4sxtnuDc_Nmbi84w12TBRabxxqi3MscnD3S/w400-h268/juvenile%20blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The Day Octopus was in a hole first, but he finally got tired of all the attention and bolted to another part of the reef. We didn't follow. Near the end of the first dive we were paralleling a wall and Right in front of us a Zebra Moray was hanging out. he later shyly retreated.<br /></p><p></p><p><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmY5-qob7MnqUChmnxgrxT6Y8FuUYHFlG9pGgxUFmaMINUtNC7O9BnbOVuiwtAhc-CbdHFpwYiSy6RVZVgDE42WB8NSA-FhcGbtCFEGT7r5tZs-aynijC62iqnNx-FJ_QaKHfelXVZRXT8IaVj4WPl9K2ujDKeRBHvxoqJcpEPFDz25LyXW3ZQjTtI/s6880/octopus%20in%20a%20hole.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmY5-qob7MnqUChmnxgrxT6Y8FuUYHFlG9pGgxUFmaMINUtNC7O9BnbOVuiwtAhc-CbdHFpwYiSy6RVZVgDE42WB8NSA-FhcGbtCFEGT7r5tZs-aynijC62iqnNx-FJ_QaKHfelXVZRXT8IaVj4WPl9K2ujDKeRBHvxoqJcpEPFDz25LyXW3ZQjTtI/w400-h266/octopus%20in%20a%20hole.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXhZVWIiX-UJLpqDkOpogWwOPsVvxy5aIVmPxOaWjNs9Kmj-oKlL9qdsNR-GMXAsarktWNVQwJ7_klm14YlhlkPLovvJk099mrdYqLeGgLZcA_T9lykI0E6q_2tv9iAyaWVf16u_tFhCaDqmhF_7cndzmWCJBhorqrPduGoE9MDHJREfGYYfFj6HV/s6272/octopus%20out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4336" data-original-width="6272" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXhZVWIiX-UJLpqDkOpogWwOPsVvxy5aIVmPxOaWjNs9Kmj-oKlL9qdsNR-GMXAsarktWNVQwJ7_klm14YlhlkPLovvJk099mrdYqLeGgLZcA_T9lykI0E6q_2tv9iAyaWVf16u_tFhCaDqmhF_7cndzmWCJBhorqrPduGoE9MDHJREfGYYfFj6HV/w400-h276/octopus%20out.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi--HZ_ZDSPnW4sjB6G0CVno6ejzOa_itteekPQKAJE6VeCXS68pqHj7Q7oSTnDICBFrTUf7PWweSCPvHtY9djE3leZmL82s0deEzDjfJlryoZ1hrPC25owsA2xov0s61c1djeQpru_F-1hrMNxAHM4CNvIejSqEvY0Ms7-ZrolqxNqG5031grZDVV4/s5838/zebra%20moray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4165" data-original-width="5838" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi--HZ_ZDSPnW4sjB6G0CVno6ejzOa_itteekPQKAJE6VeCXS68pqHj7Q7oSTnDICBFrTUf7PWweSCPvHtY9djE3leZmL82s0deEzDjfJlryoZ1hrPC25owsA2xov0s61c1djeQpru_F-1hrMNxAHM4CNvIejSqEvY0Ms7-ZrolqxNqG5031grZDVV4/w400-h285/zebra%20moray.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Lots of nudis out and here was the first of the Gold Lace nudis. I turned away from the wall just in time to see a large Puffer heading straight at me. Ready for your close up? Here you go.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyg-pwrMO7bsq2xIF1jt7G-tf9k7jifij1sB0O7PD1w1ccZDfv2Fg1BekfUipY5cm73-dv1_XLzIrYoMYNvroc1Lk-X0qHpsCObetvaQ647eV9UQKPnOnQwKUqithfwcd_kUD5RtaDG_7Np-uyrJsZeQRC3jHBdVR8V5lPUFY_Kqcn-kG0QlUa2jbw/s3102/gold%20lace%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2172" data-original-width="3102" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyg-pwrMO7bsq2xIF1jt7G-tf9k7jifij1sB0O7PD1w1ccZDfv2Fg1BekfUipY5cm73-dv1_XLzIrYoMYNvroc1Lk-X0qHpsCObetvaQ647eV9UQKPnOnQwKUqithfwcd_kUD5RtaDG_7Np-uyrJsZeQRC3jHBdVR8V5lPUFY_Kqcn-kG0QlUa2jbw/w400-h280/gold%20lace%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOB-kOM_2R-nTxxHKAJilsJJRxxvuBNHo3Lj-vMww8KXU452dm0z8yta9RcZd0E8buhSznDgosoMnZbBw62iAf_rCv8pclqrvab8z4E1CaHPxOYcS8xrV0-I9zHcKxiTqwj0pTqR__MLpQT9Kdu-aYiUm7rk4yNmF1NM1aCqln-uNfG5VSfZzv6xH/s5388/puffer%20face.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3804" data-original-width="5388" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOB-kOM_2R-nTxxHKAJilsJJRxxvuBNHo3Lj-vMww8KXU452dm0z8yta9RcZd0E8buhSznDgosoMnZbBw62iAf_rCv8pclqrvab8z4E1CaHPxOYcS8xrV0-I9zHcKxiTqwj0pTqR__MLpQT9Kdu-aYiUm7rk4yNmF1NM1aCqln-uNfG5VSfZzv6xH/w400-h283/puffer%20face.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Deep in a cave I looked under a ledge and found some Big Scale Soldierfish.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4x7esWfWjdMXrI-dh_bxIZ1LVS0hx-_NfoVf9SB2VNBUqLCFxpkHfoNnDhftsoQEHBzKU8bBwpOZbRiC1OhswMc2eBC-ctXb1voKSAS9tV-Dr64S_TyGHZxM5Iysd707nZmmBtTYMa6rwFKkb6loHX4xkc4SFDL5yfgXidWMzil4wnvxXYK0JwYe/s4584/big%20scale%20soldiers1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="3696" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4x7esWfWjdMXrI-dh_bxIZ1LVS0hx-_NfoVf9SB2VNBUqLCFxpkHfoNnDhftsoQEHBzKU8bBwpOZbRiC1OhswMc2eBC-ctXb1voKSAS9tV-Dr64S_TyGHZxM5Iysd707nZmmBtTYMa6rwFKkb6loHX4xkc4SFDL5yfgXidWMzil4wnvxXYK0JwYe/w323-h400/big%20scale%20soldiers1.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7xxvX8i1pmpYN1mUo1flkSv9PbJJhSsug3uN4gxGC0YF-WfOSUgodVyAnhVnL6IPS0fE55ZakEbFGyAkfffvgLuHiE_q3zM_oUq0sp07OOudEONBTFgX7B5YVC6-_nikcocx7L5t_TEgrRsW6Xh71kZE1SQb8Z2WCvdXJj7DHg2Zin9dLZTKi79m/s6880/bigscale%20soldiers2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7xxvX8i1pmpYN1mUo1flkSv9PbJJhSsug3uN4gxGC0YF-WfOSUgodVyAnhVnL6IPS0fE55ZakEbFGyAkfffvgLuHiE_q3zM_oUq0sp07OOudEONBTFgX7B5YVC6-_nikcocx7L5t_TEgrRsW6Xh71kZE1SQb8Z2WCvdXJj7DHg2Zin9dLZTKi79m/w400-h266/bigscale%20soldiers2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>They are the tiniest little things, Bicolor Nudibranchs. Here's one that we spotted while still in the cave. Once outside I ran across a Longnose Butterfly and a male Spotted Boxfish.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfOemaOKSpEaXxphoILWDkOrokD1WOUCoKF5zRpQnAozNi2hFLUlGHRHWNp8CDHRT4QxBJT_oWJLKPMXStsV5Us_5avS_r5Qd-jQBY4pk8TRcIeO3wWUkHouqK4k9jCvrT5olr3vMJWsnNq5S-igrh50EdflwVMYY8igUWL8Rp489w9Se55_PlJ1_/s1097/bicolort%20nudi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1097" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfOemaOKSpEaXxphoILWDkOrokD1WOUCoKF5zRpQnAozNi2hFLUlGHRHWNp8CDHRT4QxBJT_oWJLKPMXStsV5Us_5avS_r5Qd-jQBY4pk8TRcIeO3wWUkHouqK4k9jCvrT5olr3vMJWsnNq5S-igrh50EdflwVMYY8igUWL8Rp489w9Se55_PlJ1_/w400-h261/bicolort%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFWKO-ESBOod-aZhJ44IIotOLmsxAMA7y2mF7CZiSsuqzjdqzOkFObRyZc5wC_E2Y1t3DFkpBAnvdiu17C-5Q-GoSlMrs-f24yeHRqvH4zmK0hAU5wICOURn13PLXw8cJsfrCA3RENlxBSgNslvyO4A5VmWI4MMt8akhW0B6Vk9JDIoNSMBmmjoVJ/s3442/longnose%20butterfly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2629" data-original-width="3442" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFWKO-ESBOod-aZhJ44IIotOLmsxAMA7y2mF7CZiSsuqzjdqzOkFObRyZc5wC_E2Y1t3DFkpBAnvdiu17C-5Q-GoSlMrs-f24yeHRqvH4zmK0hAU5wICOURn13PLXw8cJsfrCA3RENlxBSgNslvyO4A5VmWI4MMt8akhW0B6Vk9JDIoNSMBmmjoVJ/w400-h305/longnose%20butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzZXKGGET4b9YyFByqLOCbojL6bHMhwymRWUJexNMM_VHcknCW3v85SzIIdwyX7VvKA0qJVg5FYegHPoCLL1gvqZuRsOguSpegm0xAmiKFSlDM6SzqOeTPwi5KrD8E4uK7d8baG11SjimzPL5cQexusvTzmd2NqaWhgXIXgCri6LTMPLx7WoG0btu/s2801/male%20spotted%20boxfish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1811" data-original-width="2801" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzZXKGGET4b9YyFByqLOCbojL6bHMhwymRWUJexNMM_VHcknCW3v85SzIIdwyX7VvKA0qJVg5FYegHPoCLL1gvqZuRsOguSpegm0xAmiKFSlDM6SzqOeTPwi5KrD8E4uK7d8baG11SjimzPL5cQexusvTzmd2NqaWhgXIXgCri6LTMPLx7WoG0btu/w400-h259/male%20spotted%20boxfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Here's a mystery fish. There were about three or four of them flitting around really fast. I managed to capture this one even though he's a bit blurred out. At North Pine Trees the Yellowtail Corises grow big. here's the business end of one.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQy1g76VQqzYU7vWpRxrpJDTuM4_zpLMQdWgxzQK3u0AY4qQA58YX1HT8ahKTBjA03e4HgumpMZ2FTHkvt7OFY3PGBBrGTiXsHGIwqYiJc3qCaRnQZyrAWZSZ_cWkcEz3lbnrVcDP4QASyFAWMBtj3oI6Hba5mmFQYUSM4hlg9SKIqXEB2Zz46gCsf/s2313/mystery%20yellowfin%20fish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1420" data-original-width="2313" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQy1g76VQqzYU7vWpRxrpJDTuM4_zpLMQdWgxzQK3u0AY4qQA58YX1HT8ahKTBjA03e4HgumpMZ2FTHkvt7OFY3PGBBrGTiXsHGIwqYiJc3qCaRnQZyrAWZSZ_cWkcEz3lbnrVcDP4QASyFAWMBtj3oI6Hba5mmFQYUSM4hlg9SKIqXEB2Zz46gCsf/w400-h245/mystery%20yellowfin%20fish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivT9nnLAs8oQYDvAlNt_0IZ-hgxbBpp-mHH20s0B-FmVWaMyJOxMA1grME1tK_k0dJmQ91H7-1y7AhbJ8qaNRGjpIjnBXDPbA_gStjvzQyRKvFBZKb5oBAI2-UQOm-u4HyJHvBuq9akfDxKGot61IBV842YTbf0IiV2zeiZB3DB2biLQGCvexourA5/s5601/yellowtail%20coris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4100" data-original-width="5601" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivT9nnLAs8oQYDvAlNt_0IZ-hgxbBpp-mHH20s0B-FmVWaMyJOxMA1grME1tK_k0dJmQ91H7-1y7AhbJ8qaNRGjpIjnBXDPbA_gStjvzQyRKvFBZKb5oBAI2-UQOm-u4HyJHvBuq9akfDxKGot61IBV842YTbf0IiV2zeiZB3DB2biLQGCvexourA5/w400-h293/yellowtail%20coris.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>At the second site I found another Gold Lace Nudi and a Lantern Toby.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86Tef_5eCJzuyCERGsKFUHb2g4db6hSj1Bxu9zOULd8m9_DIEVW50rrgPpkDgF9B0aC-G4npRyOfm6DBQpJV_wkZDnOi7fDHbhI8D15MUC1fTR2FyBuGnN5eawpsj_h5ReZQjXqHYnpK76D7fZSrEpiTObUJeTo5ylpWO75wjoyob0CHaHBoFXFOK/s2846/gold%20lace%20nudi%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1952" data-original-width="2846" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86Tef_5eCJzuyCERGsKFUHb2g4db6hSj1Bxu9zOULd8m9_DIEVW50rrgPpkDgF9B0aC-G4npRyOfm6DBQpJV_wkZDnOi7fDHbhI8D15MUC1fTR2FyBuGnN5eawpsj_h5ReZQjXqHYnpK76D7fZSrEpiTObUJeTo5ylpWO75wjoyob0CHaHBoFXFOK/w400-h274/gold%20lace%20nudi%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3YX7VZQNmEMHrXL5O6T5HS46-D-cKD2vkv7pNfbgDP-7ZXvFHdz6neq5ESoOymZWKjL7FhCSy3Se2vG6BXPz-5IZyBKzkaEueB7x8L8KtHJJkuAYOjkwiFiASW8QU4kFBB32bhTBqk-LU4v5Foi84Y3dhMductGGuF6ulO6MBBu2VAcu-24mjj14/s3760/lantern%20toby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2630" data-original-width="3760" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3YX7VZQNmEMHrXL5O6T5HS46-D-cKD2vkv7pNfbgDP-7ZXvFHdz6neq5ESoOymZWKjL7FhCSy3Se2vG6BXPz-5IZyBKzkaEueB7x8L8KtHJJkuAYOjkwiFiASW8QU4kFBB32bhTBqk-LU4v5Foi84Y3dhMductGGuF6ulO6MBBu2VAcu-24mjj14/w400-h280/lantern%20toby.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-40129202332143893722022-05-31T19:13:00.005-07:002022-06-02T21:29:15.878-07:00Tako Tuesday<p> Big swell came up early out of the north west, and already there was a south swell running. The usual dive sites off Kona were therefore not diveable. Where to Go? We decided to go where the Octopuses are, at least where they are today. </p><p>We headed north toward the airport looking for shelter, and we found it with virtually every other dive boat in Kona either already there or arriving with us. We jumped on a mooring and geared up. What we didn't know was that we would have a very special visitor at the end of the dive. </p><p>First up across the very healthy reef Kendall found a family of Psychedelic Wrasses. I zoomed in on the male, since I haven't seen one of those in a while. Immediately I turned and Dot was shooting someting in a hole. It was a Banded Coral Shrimp. Along the way I ran into an Ornate Butterfly. These are so common that I usually pass them by, but this one wanted to give me his good side, so I obliged. Another common but hard to photograph fish is the Peacock Grouper. They flit around the reef and are common, but they are hard to shoot because they shy from the camera, or maybe it's the divers. Anyway I got this guy just as he was trying to make his getaway.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcp1ojWBVJIVMcq6pLZI39mdsJ-9yFoeCd1MpAuU2pZKNQM_ZvoNx3OsZHOaLIUDu6HWUm7XKg2jOyCQTIILfc_xurGGqzus2TK8mRcC-Xsrc4yaxyeCusVnHAQnxCGOn8Qm1Ym9ZnkG3HDjmedOjEO-nECMZBcz0lgri9Nhgk9tF0ubUe3d4f7Nr-/s2794/psychedelic%20wsrasse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1797" data-original-width="2794" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcp1ojWBVJIVMcq6pLZI39mdsJ-9yFoeCd1MpAuU2pZKNQM_ZvoNx3OsZHOaLIUDu6HWUm7XKg2jOyCQTIILfc_xurGGqzus2TK8mRcC-Xsrc4yaxyeCusVnHAQnxCGOn8Qm1Ym9ZnkG3HDjmedOjEO-nECMZBcz0lgri9Nhgk9tF0ubUe3d4f7Nr-/w400-h258/psychedelic%20wsrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfQ1mM-2FdwtlKj3UHDiJFlcdAJrepW5uMetEdcnA2o4NqW4c6E96BQivjUP_RjStzvQJTqe8L7Mu4PIH43cPXFbJHKe_IJx-kU-WUSFhvilyAAUJyQbvf9XnRsWPtjkEvm5Wea4KDb_zHVc89TwQob9MUokJSnn4YvxX5Va1HZX2Z5L6zC-4enhw/s5067/banded%20coral%20shrimp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3661" data-original-width="5067" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfQ1mM-2FdwtlKj3UHDiJFlcdAJrepW5uMetEdcnA2o4NqW4c6E96BQivjUP_RjStzvQJTqe8L7Mu4PIH43cPXFbJHKe_IJx-kU-WUSFhvilyAAUJyQbvf9XnRsWPtjkEvm5Wea4KDb_zHVc89TwQob9MUokJSnn4YvxX5Va1HZX2Z5L6zC-4enhw/w400-h289/banded%20coral%20shrimp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUpfyMdAVW7u89wcsAZj7cHT4yNUMbTgpIV2xwHWgZFrxz2-YpsR9gvcG7L_WXTd5D7GZJ_pcnoSekAqjQgn67tKkj39ai5uOd90MPIUGkpwffmy25m64lTyo4uQ_RfjrUEL_jIIB0fs0r0wMQ9UoakUGuPhkpdeEdLZcsI-xTYXSsphmAMbsXyTV/s4283/ornate%20butterfly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2982" data-original-width="4283" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUpfyMdAVW7u89wcsAZj7cHT4yNUMbTgpIV2xwHWgZFrxz2-YpsR9gvcG7L_WXTd5D7GZJ_pcnoSekAqjQgn67tKkj39ai5uOd90MPIUGkpwffmy25m64lTyo4uQ_RfjrUEL_jIIB0fs0r0wMQ9UoakUGuPhkpdeEdLZcsI-xTYXSsphmAMbsXyTV/w400-h279/ornate%20butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJ50HZoW5hL7O6w_X7KSKxBv0f2k52E9hsEQrkeG0v0HsTT0ycz2tafdlI2Jy8xMSC0QTM61MiM1RMGAw_R0TUSySTvKOFYGpBbSjdM5SNhY4yXbjGI_MFhcT72_ZICWy9xGbzXeDHAjnu2h_O1R0DMRv6bsR1LEXcE1gM0b_vHOzC0eE7hDTQpg6/s5702/peacock%20grouper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3651" data-original-width="5702" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJ50HZoW5hL7O6w_X7KSKxBv0f2k52E9hsEQrkeG0v0HsTT0ycz2tafdlI2Jy8xMSC0QTM61MiM1RMGAw_R0TUSySTvKOFYGpBbSjdM5SNhY4yXbjGI_MFhcT72_ZICWy9xGbzXeDHAjnu2h_O1R0DMRv6bsR1LEXcE1gM0b_vHOzC0eE7hDTQpg6/w400-h256/peacock%20grouper.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>As we hit greater depths everyone spread out to look for rare goodies. Laura went out on the deep sand, I stayed a bit back on the reef, and was rewarded with a wonderfully curious and gorgeous octopus. I managed by staying very still to coax him out on a rock where I was able to get multiple shots. Even though his cfolor change signalled that he wasn't fond of the flash he didn't run away until later. That part is in the video.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbMZsUCgRaQX5bd3iKUa_mRSt1rRRl7-HZGrBssrQAp8-HN4dhZSa9JynsRKSKHYZ4-MIoezYs7pIZkXfCK9CVuSxJCz60qzQ-Aq0g7UKntCpYf9WytM3szBv2-fVp1HVYrkoAhVcQEtECJIHoUBcCvcWSd1vhMO0nHIaLNy_jm9eO7sOro92dmgi/s4887/octopus%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3328" data-original-width="4887" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbMZsUCgRaQX5bd3iKUa_mRSt1rRRl7-HZGrBssrQAp8-HN4dhZSa9JynsRKSKHYZ4-MIoezYs7pIZkXfCK9CVuSxJCz60qzQ-Aq0g7UKntCpYf9WytM3szBv2-fVp1HVYrkoAhVcQEtECJIHoUBcCvcWSd1vhMO0nHIaLNy_jm9eO7sOro92dmgi/w400-h272/octopus%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjsqHdZfk1u7qT4orLxheIeP7J2TY1PADpMBoXj2nbAgL4VYK3EAIAm1mFdV0u32YuAhzkvp_9kRFJHlt9efTIXSc6DULHyt7QJ0L-QUrgcXQjzho4mZDcbo3o_l3TsEDVAKsGrHBR9_xhDHGw8EwEaEybAj6z3DazAn0fT2fSmTF4CtY_jVVqjkC/s5323/octopus%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3779" data-original-width="5323" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjsqHdZfk1u7qT4orLxheIeP7J2TY1PADpMBoXj2nbAgL4VYK3EAIAm1mFdV0u32YuAhzkvp_9kRFJHlt9efTIXSc6DULHyt7QJ0L-QUrgcXQjzho4mZDcbo3o_l3TsEDVAKsGrHBR9_xhDHGw8EwEaEybAj6z3DazAn0fT2fSmTF4CtY_jVVqjkC/w400-h284/octopus%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0t5x2hu0cHrU0IjbHX0z46nHzIOphS7iyuoqTk8rnkboxqszhxKA21II_y6SLBNOMQZCNXnZsC_S8ai-VkkQ5ziTn8BEiGYZ9mEPWIx6XvIFEu_K629bQ0a5xQNo_ywsB1pMOZOYO2x6rELP3-YJaM2P9C-1uxrvBWl64phB-8006GERwe7OR7AM4/s4584/octopus%203%20color%20change.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="4079" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0t5x2hu0cHrU0IjbHX0z46nHzIOphS7iyuoqTk8rnkboxqszhxKA21II_y6SLBNOMQZCNXnZsC_S8ai-VkkQ5ziTn8BEiGYZ9mEPWIx6XvIFEu_K629bQ0a5xQNo_ywsB1pMOZOYO2x6rELP3-YJaM2P9C-1uxrvBWl64phB-8006GERwe7OR7AM4/w356-h400/octopus%203%20color%20change.jpg" width="356" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaX8WKgXDl20wulnh16CtziOGvrhaMa52Qww-qPEMqADNLlHMqA3PRFryddOHjbQ0HPHeOhk3ChnKc78xUgxpjDJhv5kFzk2kLydnQViipsbdwcPSD3NTSL5RG5C7iwyICQoppFuDvGzR3uG2icKFpk_oYam1sHToa161--KTNztpDTqhC6U2WdZWW/s4471/octopus%204%20color%20change.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4471" data-original-width="3628" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaX8WKgXDl20wulnh16CtziOGvrhaMa52Qww-qPEMqADNLlHMqA3PRFryddOHjbQ0HPHeOhk3ChnKc78xUgxpjDJhv5kFzk2kLydnQViipsbdwcPSD3NTSL5RG5C7iwyICQoppFuDvGzR3uG2icKFpk_oYam1sHToa161--KTNztpDTqhC6U2WdZWW/w325-h400/octopus%204%20color%20change.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><br /><p>But this dive was just getting started. We headed back up the sloping reefscape toward shallower water, and were met with a nice, medium size Whitemouth Eel and huge school of yellowtail Goatfish.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVVT7FvBe_5K4INHg50-g0FDF-68fO1C-Ir3YZ98ujIoaa6cYt7exCoOLV2eP0brx6PemPv2Jxi_Iks6IAs2DS5wz9rEaV2ZttL_sUgOvdcChcCrIufHmmT6MKwMAGHL4ZVP0I_qx0DHFGDT8tSocMZDpsZlYplcwWmhHf9gFyjcZe8J1DL3kwh8B/s6209/whitemouth%20eel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4267" data-original-width="6209" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVVT7FvBe_5K4INHg50-g0FDF-68fO1C-Ir3YZ98ujIoaa6cYt7exCoOLV2eP0brx6PemPv2Jxi_Iks6IAs2DS5wz9rEaV2ZttL_sUgOvdcChcCrIufHmmT6MKwMAGHL4ZVP0I_qx0DHFGDT8tSocMZDpsZlYplcwWmhHf9gFyjcZe8J1DL3kwh8B/w400-h275/whitemouth%20eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqdkT7mKGwyXc5HUNLT_Ft1cuzgvXSP5VQ4pib1DNevnl39e3TQgw-6AfGpqn0aXlVaqJiO8IOqxu1blt3eh3-Jur5MXDlOiOWHrDWyfOKdiBD9MeQHp7DtbaYXzouLpe7CGdLUUeuBiGS75RlLfe7bWbGK6oyHnI23OJErULno3fmaHIncgemhhx/s6714/yelowfin%20goatfish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4263" data-original-width="6714" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqdkT7mKGwyXc5HUNLT_Ft1cuzgvXSP5VQ4pib1DNevnl39e3TQgw-6AfGpqn0aXlVaqJiO8IOqxu1blt3eh3-Jur5MXDlOiOWHrDWyfOKdiBD9MeQHp7DtbaYXzouLpe7CGdLUUeuBiGS75RlLfe7bWbGK6oyHnI23OJErULno3fmaHIncgemhhx/w400-h254/yelowfin%20goatfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>As the school of goatfish parted for a moment I saw Dennis pointing at somethiing, then he wrote on his slate, "Seal." Wow, I looked up toward the mooring, which we'd come back to, and there was Waimanu in all her glory resting on the mooring line. I moved in a little closer, carefully observing the proximity limits for divers approaching Monk Seals. She got tired of the mooring lines and moved in under the boat, seeming to hug the hull and look down at us.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCYUVtiv5S0IZ_GKR-d39Xjkm8jQ2tEckYqQRRf_UppShZNa8Isiowr5LpaNVD2JjH-OXULkEUAJdbSh1ysj-1TkndNV8__OAi96R3YukSS_5fUi_5X45AAkDsdGkCWh-rlhUR1c5TX3kgbykYp05Fp19VilLbneOk1vkX1Spg12zXaurR_mgo79V/s4963/waimanu%20closeup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3481" data-original-width="4963" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCYUVtiv5S0IZ_GKR-d39Xjkm8jQ2tEckYqQRRf_UppShZNa8Isiowr5LpaNVD2JjH-OXULkEUAJdbSh1ysj-1TkndNV8__OAi96R3YukSS_5fUi_5X45AAkDsdGkCWh-rlhUR1c5TX3kgbykYp05Fp19VilLbneOk1vkX1Spg12zXaurR_mgo79V/w400-h280/waimanu%20closeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCyG4HNUYCvO0NNnpP1cijsWMhRojrOafcWLAWhh3dnw1LE3oIjnOGtzc-uiRwy_nV3YxW8WtNQ6b5wYNTCf7o41DueN4ZbEtaNH1rsyWOdQCPU88PMYc_tGm6gbfycE5Gv-epRHcCrOR74shsHNXqVayspsrRTJX-oydBuDHRN_oPvg3d3QIQFPH/s5104/waimanu%20from%20below.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3459" data-original-width="5104" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCyG4HNUYCvO0NNnpP1cijsWMhRojrOafcWLAWhh3dnw1LE3oIjnOGtzc-uiRwy_nV3YxW8WtNQ6b5wYNTCf7o41DueN4ZbEtaNH1rsyWOdQCPU88PMYc_tGm6gbfycE5Gv-epRHcCrOR74shsHNXqVayspsrRTJX-oydBuDHRN_oPvg3d3QIQFPH/w400-h271/waimanu%20from%20below.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Just when I thought we'd seen all the things Kendall motioned at me to follow him back down the reef slop. There was a Clumpy Nudibranch there ona rock and moving quickly for a nudi.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjqpZDWQb0Lloq1Q2kRQrvZIo8UgqOpEsGnFnNMqAEweqVI056fvf4NJqyEtMoQgXiFQYwO5DeQ8g7uIL0wl4LtJX3-6NGIxlWZFkW4QaMsMqlQhRAza0UwcCd10Lr4__xyV9CW3E6j45Opmc3qLq8WbtpwHP09Q8sJFIGzfaWzepa_HM2xdkzSP_/s4197/clumpy%20butt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4197" data-original-width="3584" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjqpZDWQb0Lloq1Q2kRQrvZIo8UgqOpEsGnFnNMqAEweqVI056fvf4NJqyEtMoQgXiFQYwO5DeQ8g7uIL0wl4LtJX3-6NGIxlWZFkW4QaMsMqlQhRAza0UwcCd10Lr4__xyV9CW3E6j45Opmc3qLq8WbtpwHP09Q8sJFIGzfaWzepa_HM2xdkzSP_/w341-h400/clumpy%20butt.jpg" width="341" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieL7txSU3jmTRbbanTnjNSNUkBElke6RmvgcAEUP8z9JJr56NsWTCbrxm3jaszJTecxpDuqadDctwD782Y8v-BmFVtOv2MDDwpRXFqBCEF4b-ZStVfsQTRF545MfN1NFTcE5GOGGLUqLBv-G2brJ-hc7ctzCEsF1TMO9nN2pdMmwMxqFV7jkw3LAL7/s4584/clumpy%20moving.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="4070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieL7txSU3jmTRbbanTnjNSNUkBElke6RmvgcAEUP8z9JJr56NsWTCbrxm3jaszJTecxpDuqadDctwD782Y8v-BmFVtOv2MDDwpRXFqBCEF4b-ZStVfsQTRF545MfN1NFTcE5GOGGLUqLBv-G2brJ-hc7ctzCEsF1TMO9nN2pdMmwMxqFV7jkw3LAL7/w355-h400/clumpy%20moving.jpg" width="355" /></a></div><br /><p>Right next door was a Gold Lace nudi and two more octopuses! The first one was digging himself a deeper hole in the sane under a ledge, so there was some sediment in the water, but the second one was just sitting there looking out from his hole.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeX_JAkwVvHEDhHvFhFFx8LxVbfP78AELb6fD00ZHPsBDb3WbWtFZ8OMveIWv-XrEVkD3aIBhwfX8MrlbltC-l_k2aGZ22uSy3lWXUatsJQj6v4t-JhLlhponGrWsNdrD8_vigzl8xTSt2nhWoQql5h8iBrtYOZLmv5sz0S8Vq4K8KEuYwWixjx2D/s3531/gold%20lace%20nudi%20in%20a%20hole.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3531" data-original-width="2586" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeX_JAkwVvHEDhHvFhFFx8LxVbfP78AELb6fD00ZHPsBDb3WbWtFZ8OMveIWv-XrEVkD3aIBhwfX8MrlbltC-l_k2aGZ22uSy3lWXUatsJQj6v4t-JhLlhponGrWsNdrD8_vigzl8xTSt2nhWoQql5h8iBrtYOZLmv5sz0S8Vq4K8KEuYwWixjx2D/w293-h400/gold%20lace%20nudi%20in%20a%20hole.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuBo5iHzL9XH0MdSYhF1yIaLIDbW-88WK50v3bItSK8zGbbnrGmg5EgJx6rztq2yY5L6t9AMQ9-708ZRjHuGOIrZH25Zs-Da2ceH8dops1seuurJ9k4lYCI64ajuR1xd3XfIFRy3-plhrPhKOoklC1NdEzMtWAuQx8mzXBe2xSYrrrm0eVTG-tDHu/s4838/octopus%20in%20a%20hole1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3437" data-original-width="4838" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuBo5iHzL9XH0MdSYhF1yIaLIDbW-88WK50v3bItSK8zGbbnrGmg5EgJx6rztq2yY5L6t9AMQ9-708ZRjHuGOIrZH25Zs-Da2ceH8dops1seuurJ9k4lYCI64ajuR1xd3XfIFRy3-plhrPhKOoklC1NdEzMtWAuQx8mzXBe2xSYrrrm0eVTG-tDHu/w400-h284/octopus%20in%20a%20hole1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZlxZPMim9X4Zf7wt-7fMMroDLDQS2o3F6oSdBRygkQ69rle79bpNQwebdUpy68v685lL1pcia0vV35Ub84Rw_41qWerYkS0kQPSWeuKBdXjufm2S9azREWj4XjvKU9lrUBase5IE29ZsKXE_taV93H89VQEZ1eZyc6W6XZ2BNYSGTrSBfzTPiJL7/s4224/octopus%20in%20a%20hole2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3151" data-original-width="4224" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZlxZPMim9X4Zf7wt-7fMMroDLDQS2o3F6oSdBRygkQ69rle79bpNQwebdUpy68v685lL1pcia0vV35Ub84Rw_41qWerYkS0kQPSWeuKBdXjufm2S9azREWj4XjvKU9lrUBase5IE29ZsKXE_taV93H89VQEZ1eZyc6W6XZ2BNYSGTrSBfzTPiJL7/w400-h299/octopus%20in%20a%20hole2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>So about then we were well over an hour and my breathing gas was low enough that I needed to get back in the viscinity of the boat. On the way up the slope I found a Female Spotted Boxfish, not rare but still pretty, and a Flowery Flounder. The flounder took off and I chased him with my video camera whirring.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsR6aZTbkuaHFxCBuKODd7RBxUNU66FSWYF-8pjxBeXnjKuSW5BpnXk9QkV8GHarThzh7CeGoskhHntWaxzek1f3c8RWLtfib0WlVDDpynx3IXNg9cRzcjdv3qHShDstxoJ5laBGedIg0GdEGAVlaR0MyUDFwV7FebBXnRYKqkaOOZk85iWJIobXi/s2768/female%20spotted%20box%20fish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1946" data-original-width="2768" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsR6aZTbkuaHFxCBuKODd7RBxUNU66FSWYF-8pjxBeXnjKuSW5BpnXk9QkV8GHarThzh7CeGoskhHntWaxzek1f3c8RWLtfib0WlVDDpynx3IXNg9cRzcjdv3qHShDstxoJ5laBGedIg0GdEGAVlaR0MyUDFwV7FebBXnRYKqkaOOZk85iWJIobXi/w400-h281/female%20spotted%20box%20fish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGQ8Y62xHiC-bSK5GMJeV6f8CaS7sK94tj3WNc63wOCipCn6Id3VIw-SUnX-Q7bCenELmVsfZ1P0WYBNVeBiHfxOm9kRSrPcHQ3zGIBanvwVxEdEQ_xdkJD-jkUcmJilemp5Jm590HnSNV_ANB_tNn6NVR9xZj2qKs_bMZSBHDbfIzLSGWPKKS7H0/s6880/flowery%20flounder%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGQ8Y62xHiC-bSK5GMJeV6f8CaS7sK94tj3WNc63wOCipCn6Id3VIw-SUnX-Q7bCenELmVsfZ1P0WYBNVeBiHfxOm9kRSrPcHQ3zGIBanvwVxEdEQ_xdkJD-jkUcmJilemp5Jm590HnSNV_ANB_tNn6NVR9xZj2qKs_bMZSBHDbfIzLSGWPKKS7H0/w400-h266/flowery%20flounder%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6acRoxfgjXyjCWA0V9WsBGXOapNfQ7CONhF81Pu8-HNDqE5I7MocW7YNUUiBUJaqfhKZvSmOekwBHZiZs7sNQaiBDSPHyRqM87x9rK73wFP4M3w2jvetcjG3OV6nPoXgzKZdJvyE0hYL-s5U4_Rvr5M9WRJq-OTRPu3LVVL5DCS2r92uFv795inn/s6880/flowery%20flounder%20face.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6acRoxfgjXyjCWA0V9WsBGXOapNfQ7CONhF81Pu8-HNDqE5I7MocW7YNUUiBUJaqfhKZvSmOekwBHZiZs7sNQaiBDSPHyRqM87x9rK73wFP4M3w2jvetcjG3OV6nPoXgzKZdJvyE0hYL-s5U4_Rvr5M9WRJq-OTRPu3LVVL5DCS2r92uFv795inn/w400-h266/flowery%20flounder%20face.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The last and one of the coolest animals we found all day was a Locust Nudibranch. Very Very tiny, not bigger than the width of your little finger nail. I saw Laura boring in on a wall and thought, "She found something." And well she did.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTxOUgiBzkmn2r6xxkA0-xAvfSdqGLZz7BrizENpCAC2LThGmMM1uW9sD2TWzshuWugJkregG3VX2F3CCH9RR1uXDjBLNMUPXDXv7A84861KcOuQuYuNql2qoa9aTNlVFgl91ktVdO1_S88Dc8dyMp1cfhOyjeVv_lvQ0PM4uPxY0RfQlnTuvzONk/s1613/locust%20nudi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="1613" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTxOUgiBzkmn2r6xxkA0-xAvfSdqGLZz7BrizENpCAC2LThGmMM1uW9sD2TWzshuWugJkregG3VX2F3CCH9RR1uXDjBLNMUPXDXv7A84861KcOuQuYuNql2qoa9aTNlVFgl91ktVdO1_S88Dc8dyMp1cfhOyjeVv_lvQ0PM4uPxY0RfQlnTuvzONk/w400-h284/locust%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Here's the video link at YouTube. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="373" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/El-5DbZcFI8" width="477" youtube-src-id="El-5DbZcFI8"></iframe></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-70815967429694811182022-05-28T17:16:00.003-07:002022-05-28T23:53:38.621-07:00Freezeface: a story about diving and (mostly) cycling<p> On the Pine Trees stretch of the Kona coast there is a dive site called "Freezeface." It's called that because there is an inshore cave that, if you stick your head into it you get a firehose draught of icy fresh water upwelling from the accumulated rain that works its way down through the porous igneous rock of the Big Island and into the sea.</p><p>This peculiarity is a metaphorically apt description of one of the multitudes of mishaps that I ended up picking my way through today on my bike ride up the Kona coast.</p><p>Many of you who know me are aware that I attempt to be multiply-redundant in my preparation for adventures. If we're on a dive boat and you find you have a bad O-ring, I'm your guy. Similarly, my bike spares kit has every possible remedy for any mishap a couple times over. But I've never had to use virtually every backup tool and resource I've carried around in my bike for the past 45 years...until today.</p><p>One of my guidelines for diving safety is that I have a three-irregularities rule: If three things happen that are a hard break in the normal flow, even though I may have solutions for each one, all three together in kitting up for a dive means I thumb the dive. Broken mask strap? No problem, I have a spare. Dead computer battery? No problem, I have a backup computer. Leaky regulator hose connection to first stage? No problem, I have O-rings for that too. But all three together...that's a sign from the universe that I should go home and play solitare or get lost in Youtube videos aboout guys who like to make movies of themselves being stung by scorpions.</p><p>I have that same rule for cycling, but often, in fact most of the time, mishaps mostly happen to you after you're already out on the road/trail/desolate rockscape.</p><p>The first unusual deviation from normal was that my rear-facing radar refused to come online. I noticed this as I was preparing to roll out of the parking lot at the harbor where I start. OK, I thought, I rode for 50 years without radar, and am perfectly capable of just looking back to see if the road is clear. This is important when you are attempting a left turn on a busy road. Anyway, the next four unfortunate surprises happened to me while I was already out on the road.</p><p>Last week my friend Laura told me she had picked up a staple in her tire and got a flat. Bummer. Next day I picked up some radial tire wire and flatted. So we commiserated. </p><p>So when, today, I heard the little tick tick sound of something stuck in my tire, stopped and found a staple sticking out of my rear tire, I thought, "hey, a coincidence...I'll have to tell Laura the staple demons are still out making mischief."<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyG4A35WPD1aIanoLOkZQCeJwZPc6bme63QoBcS1jPNcSJwGf5O1bZniNksMPmxuHEtj16UzcMMPBNDM8idtXNfTwG28Re33VRwEcboCO21l8tJnUPH3hEv74C6WrG-nDY-021Bm2QaM0SCRVgAO5o14-SO2koxdmXdVZ6UK35tyzAKtZT_ryfHxi9/s4032/IMG_2456.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyG4A35WPD1aIanoLOkZQCeJwZPc6bme63QoBcS1jPNcSJwGf5O1bZniNksMPmxuHEtj16UzcMMPBNDM8idtXNfTwG28Re33VRwEcboCO21l8tJnUPH3hEv74C6WrG-nDY-021Bm2QaM0SCRVgAO5o14-SO2koxdmXdVZ6UK35tyzAKtZT_ryfHxi9/w300-h400/IMG_2456.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p> </p><p>This was a completely normal flat repair situation, one that I've repeated countless times. My regular riding group at one point started timing our repairs, and if it took more than 10 minutes you were fair game for ridicule. </p><p>I had a half-used CO2 cartridge alread screwed into my Lezyne cartridge thingy, and it filled up my newly installed tube almost all the way. But I felt I needed to just pump it up a bit further because right now there is a lot of nasty debris on the shoulders of Big Island roads. Unclipping the pump everything looked fine. I screwed the pump hose onto the valve core (a potential risk of unscrewing the valve core from the tube when you take the hose off), and started pumping. Oooops, the pump fell apart in my hands. Seems the connecting ring that holds the pump handle to the rest of the pump shaft had unscrewed itself and everything fell in pieces onto the asphalt at my feet. That's two things.<br /></p><p>From that point the flow chart had an added process: put the pump back together and secure it well enough to get some more air in my tire. That job done, I topped off the tire, folded up the bad tube, collected all the rubbish off the road resulting form the repair, put the wheel back on and secured my pump to the bike. Off we go, wheee!</p><p>During my repair process a couple of riders had stopped and asked if I needed help. "Nope, I'm good," and they took off. I caught up with them and we chatted a bit before I went on ahead. <br /></p><p>From that point I enjoyed five blissful, mishap-free miles until there was a steel bar that I didn't see lying across the wide shoulder of Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy just south of Kekaha Kai State Park. I rode straight across it, and my rear tire, already a bit low because it's hard to hand-pump a tire to 100 PSI, went immediately flat. It was a snake bite puncture from the tube being caught between the rim and the hazard I'd hit. </p><p>Two flats is not uncommon, but it's always a drag because you aren't out there repeatedly to bend over your bike in the hot sun taking your tire apart and doing the flat-repair drill. Fortunately, I carry two spare tubes, one in my pocket and the other in my spares kit. So I dug the extra tube out of my spares kit and put it on the wheel, put the second bad one in my pocket and got out my one remaining CO2 cartridge to inflte the tire. OOOps, upon screwing the cartridge into my Lezyne inflator thingy it exploded through a side seam spraying freezing CO2 all over my face (Freezeface) and hands. That's three things.</p><p>So, good thing I have my recently repaired hand pump (the process flow chart is getting more boxes) and I'm thinking about the movie The Martian. Just have to math your way through this, even thought there isn't a lot of math involved in fixing bike malfunctions.</p><p>This is all happening on the side of a road on which cars and trucks go by at 60 mph. A big truck has a massive bow wave, and I was getting blown into the lava rocks each time one went by. It was like being blown off underwater rock faces by heavy surge while diving, an annoying thing that had happened to me yesterday.</p><p>Where was I? Oh, unclipping my hand pump from the bike and screwing it onto the new tube valve to inflate the tire the old way. I'm down with that. I'm trying not to drip sweat on the drive train of my bike as it lay on the shoulder of the road. It takes a little while to pump up a tire with a frame pump because they have small capacity. But after a while I noticed that the tire wasn't inflating. Checked the connection and the pump; it was all good and working. Deduction: my last spare tube was defective. More boxes slotted into the flow chart, and that was four things.</p><p>When you are out of good tubes you have to repair one of the bad tubes you have. Fortunately I have a patch kit with everything I need to repair a punctured tube. I pulled out the patch kit, opened it, and picked out the tube of glue. I had a sinking feeling when I noticed how squishy it felt. Yep, glue was all dried up. I don't count that as a thing because dried up glue tubes is operator error, not random fate.</p><p>OK, but I have some handy no-glue patches! I dug them out and put everything on the side of the road to organize what I needed to do. Immediately a truck wooshed by and scattered all that stuff into the lava rocks. Ha ha.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpq85vSquP32HLMR5w32LlIBhKAAiqmHW--_J94ACZX4bXDZHmTQhYrrvFl5UFWqPQ1K14FYmuZYPuz1MkNKlsRfYEgew7fnyPm2iOjPUbTObbTQJBE0Y_tCXf079dE2CalbPWVXi4DOGURN9VFpomhMA5vUdk-xa8U-qP1NuedCWHVq8MGPRYqGe/s1076/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-28%20at%201.38.45%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="786" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpq85vSquP32HLMR5w32LlIBhKAAiqmHW--_J94ACZX4bXDZHmTQhYrrvFl5UFWqPQ1K14FYmuZYPuz1MkNKlsRfYEgew7fnyPm2iOjPUbTObbTQJBE0Y_tCXf079dE2CalbPWVXi4DOGURN9VFpomhMA5vUdk-xa8U-qP1NuedCWHVq8MGPRYqGe/w293-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-28%20at%201.38.45%20PM.png" width="293" /></a></div><br /><p>Problem with patching a tube on the road is that it's hard to find the hole. What I did was attach the pump to the tube and drape it over my head so I could maybe hear the sound of air escaping from the tube. Also, you can feel down the length of the tube to maybe feel air coming out. Both of those strategies worked and I found the hole. Now you have to not lose its location while you dig out the repair stuff. I opened up the no-glue patch bag and pulled out the abrasion tool, rubbed it on the tube over the hole and put on a patch. Next, I needed to unscrew the pump hose from the tube valve. I did that but it pulled out the valve core from the tube valve shaft. Dang. That's the valve core and tube I need to get back on the road Problem is that now the pump hose has a valve core jammed into it, making it inoperable, and my patched tube doesn't have a valve core. That's five things.<br /></p><p>Fortunately, I have a tool that will extract a valve core from the pump hose connector. So I was able to get the valve core out of the hose connector, screw the core back into the tube I'd repaired, get the tube into the tire and pump it up, ready to go. Did the no-glue patch work...seemed that it did.</p><p>Meanwhile, many riders stopped to offer help, including the two who had offered help the first time I was stopped 5 miles back. "No," I said, "I'm OK." But after a while my response morphed to, "I think I'm OK." One guy said, "I'm turning around about three miles up the road and I'll check on you on my way back." That was comforting, but I felt pretty good about my chances to get back to my car. I still had food and water, and more no-glue patches in case of more silliness.</p><p>How great it felt to be back on the bike and rolling down the road. I elected to turn around at the first easy place to do that, which was at the bottom of the hill I was on. I didn't want to tempt fate when I was down to no-glue patches.</p><p>I ended up with a decent ride, even though it took an hour and a half longer than it wouled have had I had no probems. But multiple redundancy and a fluency in flow charts enabled me success and a safe return to my car. While packing the bike into the back of my car I thought about the feeling of relief of getting back to the dive boat despite underwater mishaps or freshening current making the swim back a hard slog. It was pretty much the same feeling I had today.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-15589689635236223492022-05-27T18:39:00.004-07:002022-05-27T22:29:10.501-07:00Beating the incoming swell, but not the surge<p> Swell model showed a south swell arriving mid=day today. So lets get out there early! Which we did, and moored near the harbor so that saved us more time. Vis good at about 80 feet, and we dodged through the structure and headed for the sand flats. Someone on the boat was hoping for Rubber Duckies out on the sand flats, but it's not quite the season for them yet.</p><p>It's been z week for frogfish, and today was no different. Divers were waving at me to come over to the rock they were huddled around. I circled around and immediately saw the bright yellow spot on the rock. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGBBvWNRwlKr1TWlAsmhx8kZrbNLanlY-kPPKue1zt4V3U6DVco-5pK3433ITRqhkM7QvGSwIAxGUlmieKF_euBggG8GCiGdR58czkDQDLOdy_D6wWlDTZEU_HEBog7tUGzW1ONDhPOqqvHfGr5P7odqyR7qDVw1AQCBIUMbuMvU77VmD4bxbYmBj/s3689/baby%20frogfish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3689" data-original-width="3070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGBBvWNRwlKr1TWlAsmhx8kZrbNLanlY-kPPKue1zt4V3U6DVco-5pK3433ITRqhkM7QvGSwIAxGUlmieKF_euBggG8GCiGdR58czkDQDLOdy_D6wWlDTZEU_HEBog7tUGzW1ONDhPOqqvHfGr5P7odqyR7qDVw1AQCBIUMbuMvU77VmD4bxbYmBj/w333-h400/baby%20frogfish.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><p></p><p>Some of the usual suspects showed up: a Blackside hawkfish, an Orangeband Surgeon fish and an Ornate Wrasse.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLbvKTDuGn3703LDv6B7Q9lY8PUPoQUn83FHa_vNlLhPmNJ7mKl0vq1WsI0rFL4MHR1IIxQNUK1sWCb-ViqCnEgnuwGZp-ZwxuttEkm7PLFi5E9XrQkjifA59tc6bOmBwPGCjk1qZ5UFThAlEv-QQfyNdbIqSZYmvZ07Mwrr8gncOb1C0P-yGBBdUA/s4288/blackide%20hawkfish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2598" data-original-width="4288" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLbvKTDuGn3703LDv6B7Q9lY8PUPoQUn83FHa_vNlLhPmNJ7mKl0vq1WsI0rFL4MHR1IIxQNUK1sWCb-ViqCnEgnuwGZp-ZwxuttEkm7PLFi5E9XrQkjifA59tc6bOmBwPGCjk1qZ5UFThAlEv-QQfyNdbIqSZYmvZ07Mwrr8gncOb1C0P-yGBBdUA/w400-h243/blackide%20hawkfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9m0g8K3cIhUst6ese8mUVlBk3Bp86zGh_Dti08OgUAgd8wSUuU9tGhlpoZE3vo11NNhTkBPDjUZ2Sss4syvEFp-GdfcEce7TPSnqhCy7ImuyLE8Mo3mNbBzMo9QVfo5Oo8eh3X3f2eWX5hT7Xi-QBFBwOgelvIE5k0DXnkwYx-3ud0F2H9dix4f1M/s5490/orange%20band%20surgeon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3805" data-original-width="5490" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9m0g8K3cIhUst6ese8mUVlBk3Bp86zGh_Dti08OgUAgd8wSUuU9tGhlpoZE3vo11NNhTkBPDjUZ2Sss4syvEFp-GdfcEce7TPSnqhCy7ImuyLE8Mo3mNbBzMo9QVfo5Oo8eh3X3f2eWX5hT7Xi-QBFBwOgelvIE5k0DXnkwYx-3ud0F2H9dix4f1M/w400-h278/orange%20band%20surgeon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DDObg94KT4BKiYHVW4xgNIPxPbb6sP1RDraZJcC1OgGPIk6ZjLyF4x_kJADQN_4c8HTFq9F6B46WNXJvecU6cA7wiwClyEdKld1ojKQK2yhHSiw9v9wNy24o94BaUra7VQ6mA-zVVLyOHC32nOANw_nW_US4nmm1b5EfEgRYgf2k3XAYj0j9S99H/s3505/ornate%20wrasse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2258" data-original-width="3505" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DDObg94KT4BKiYHVW4xgNIPxPbb6sP1RDraZJcC1OgGPIk6ZjLyF4x_kJADQN_4c8HTFq9F6B46WNXJvecU6cA7wiwClyEdKld1ojKQK2yhHSiw9v9wNy24o94BaUra7VQ6mA-zVVLyOHC32nOANw_nW_US4nmm1b5EfEgRYgf2k3XAYj0j9S99H/w400-h258/ornate%20wrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Next dive site and immediately under the mooring, even as I was descending and turning on the camer I spy a nice, fat Devil Scorpion. The surge was so strong I couldn't just hover there but had to shoot as I swung by him. So I kept rocking back and forth and got a few shots off. The surge would get worse as the dive continued.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvV7YPU4jl8x4gsdHSLtEtrqAF7yWYLyA--wzL2Zs2t_GMBMwbwXR2ujv0hglovp42RQKenPA6hMr3nooLla9-GBNZ3xwiuGnhz3mQLXbX18UEalhtmn-uhP-vn_L6qWtOM_OnrMqPsINYqelMO_c_cgxSaCorwjtPKsQ_iOL6na2JUvwpoijfdKwI/s6312/devil%20scorpion1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4129" data-original-width="6312" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvV7YPU4jl8x4gsdHSLtEtrqAF7yWYLyA--wzL2Zs2t_GMBMwbwXR2ujv0hglovp42RQKenPA6hMr3nooLla9-GBNZ3xwiuGnhz3mQLXbX18UEalhtmn-uhP-vn_L6qWtOM_OnrMqPsINYqelMO_c_cgxSaCorwjtPKsQ_iOL6na2JUvwpoijfdKwI/w400-h261/devil%20scorpion1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybPlvlJnJlz2Zz4buxZA72ME8UWbQQvaRkZY3qQTHY3FDZqLRA901iathjTeCyaDe3q3kOpU3Ta0fV4PthYaLUhToDwzfpWPPmyufV-qAVvzIlKw-j4nU-X058EjO_l8rwBAOISbpg4xl3WUJMHlo2ijyUqWIyZQTgFSYvI-gEd4Yf9_hr7h8ROx3/s5540/devil%20scorpion2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3650" data-original-width="5540" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybPlvlJnJlz2Zz4buxZA72ME8UWbQQvaRkZY3qQTHY3FDZqLRA901iathjTeCyaDe3q3kOpU3Ta0fV4PthYaLUhToDwzfpWPPmyufV-qAVvzIlKw-j4nU-X058EjO_l8rwBAOISbpg4xl3WUJMHlo2ijyUqWIyZQTgFSYvI-gEd4Yf9_hr7h8ROx3/w400-h264/devil%20scorpion2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The site we were diving has a lot of nice pinnacles out toward the deep end, and we found them heavily populated with the locals. Suddenly Doug reached out into the water column. Up he came with a tiny Trembling nudi. here it is in his gloved hand.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp5RCH6zutpyhnJWo1ZaWIhYJD6aG8DLz5a0WrAUsF5BiSTRllUstZruCXBbBwepbF9Gs-2axkmqOUqOG2i1lRPvAPrfDRhulg623qWkAz8KC2YLKI0PsxSKjArOLuSkZNJxcRwuLMA6ZxX5UMSjFnY0WisYANDz6dFLf17DeR9LHdqD-LitD89Pe/s6880/doug1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp5RCH6zutpyhnJWo1ZaWIhYJD6aG8DLz5a0WrAUsF5BiSTRllUstZruCXBbBwepbF9Gs-2axkmqOUqOG2i1lRPvAPrfDRhulg623qWkAz8KC2YLKI0PsxSKjArOLuSkZNJxcRwuLMA6ZxX5UMSjFnY0WisYANDz6dFLf17DeR9LHdqD-LitD89Pe/w400-h266/doug1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzUPC0Ojd1LmbIdf9Wuv5NhyqNXThm6bd8rKDsnGUt51rMggR5Bin9NdlIS3K7OM_hokf7aZqzftL9VJAyrtqu_twR_t3Ow3aSfC-UR3DrUR-XBdm9V19oORiXEr4JcPx5JNvdP7svpxR8hROdhyTs2Umf3R96FkowWxC_C4168DbUba0MYwYJ_wS/s6880/pacific%20trumpetfish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzUPC0Ojd1LmbIdf9Wuv5NhyqNXThm6bd8rKDsnGUt51rMggR5Bin9NdlIS3K7OM_hokf7aZqzftL9VJAyrtqu_twR_t3Ow3aSfC-UR3DrUR-XBdm9V19oORiXEr4JcPx5JNvdP7svpxR8hROdhyTs2Umf3R96FkowWxC_C4168DbUba0MYwYJ_wS/s6880/pacific%20trumpetfish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRs6zyeSheKvlF52jwKos9z1E9Y3_3NOa53u4CZddvuO9qZot98NKwCxpqxR_aENCin0tBU1d7dVxp5Pgw26lETH6D02QmwCGsGJTKiJ0zm7jWWNA3Meqgm3l45a0GxSUJOMXKfLSgljOEIvcEnmv5kFGtIOznArXEhv3x7Q4CE3n9PLuGeDzaOUE/s1381/trembling%20nudi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1381" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRs6zyeSheKvlF52jwKos9z1E9Y3_3NOa53u4CZddvuO9qZot98NKwCxpqxR_aENCin0tBU1d7dVxp5Pgw26lETH6D02QmwCGsGJTKiJ0zm7jWWNA3Meqgm3l45a0GxSUJOMXKfLSgljOEIvcEnmv5kFGtIOznArXEhv3x7Q4CE3n9PLuGeDzaOUE/w400-h259/trembling%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><p>Kevin found two bicolor nudis on the top of a ledge near the mooring on the way back. I tried to steady on a rock to get a shot, but the surge ripped me off the rock and even folded up my camera strobes as I tried in vain to hold on. Later I saw Laura finding better purchase than I'd had and she probably got the shot so you know it happened.</p><p>BAck in an inshore alleyway I found a nice Pacific Trumpetfish and a Whitemouth Eel that looked like the Alien Xenomorph, except smaller and less hostile.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATCkpbumdIb76ibB-v5Hbt9cq9MwP6GRhB_jdlaYlz2m0cBYgGJS3SFcHd0if0fu_8COzY1OK08OZsHnnkhVO9kmt79pVl9ioqaUuNqhA3NOjqPoSziuUhcW_E3kIe4WZjPzXipTJXiDteuE6HmUDQG-9pCmLtU_24dRI7OMuh23QaljO4JStXpvA/s6880/pacific%20trumpetfish.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4311" data-original-width="6880" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATCkpbumdIb76ibB-v5Hbt9cq9MwP6GRhB_jdlaYlz2m0cBYgGJS3SFcHd0if0fu_8COzY1OK08OZsHnnkhVO9kmt79pVl9ioqaUuNqhA3NOjqPoSziuUhcW_E3kIe4WZjPzXipTJXiDteuE6HmUDQG-9pCmLtU_24dRI7OMuh23QaljO4JStXpvA/w400-h251/pacific%20trumpetfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZNuOsktUAxnkkAhy6HBC8oaGqj6hYNoZCuwrnqtnVmzztnu6OD9mYbcJGU1v8i6OSZElCNAJZuJH5K-Y_gJhVJS_IpzZuzq0uhaW8Aw2LZ6gQQoAgqazGIutgFMEbUfWE-w2-_0Yv-5FIFW-uWi-Xm9PW5ZoOj1_Jamtj9agqwQrZikcqOFvJwXBZ/s6880/whitemouth%20eel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZNuOsktUAxnkkAhy6HBC8oaGqj6hYNoZCuwrnqtnVmzztnu6OD9mYbcJGU1v8i6OSZElCNAJZuJH5K-Y_gJhVJS_IpzZuzq0uhaW8Aw2LZ6gQQoAgqazGIutgFMEbUfWE-w2-_0Yv-5FIFW-uWi-Xm9PW5ZoOj1_Jamtj9agqwQrZikcqOFvJwXBZ/w400-h266/whitemouth%20eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-78423416104996486932022-05-23T19:13:00.002-07:002022-05-23T21:59:56.213-07:00Back to North Pine Trees<p> Swell model looked great today; calm ocean, so a good day for diving. I arrived so early at the Harbor that the Kona Honu Staff hadn't pulled up to the gate yet, so I angled over into the gravel and waited about 5 minutes. A guy on a bike came over and unlocked the gate just in time for me, the dive staff and their truck to roll through.</p><p>Out on the ocean to the south there was a huge cloudbank with a distinctly dark appearance; it was the one I saw from my house and thought, "Just don't drift north." But at the boat slip everything was sunny, with no wind. Would have been a great day for a bike ride too, but I'd made my choice.</p><p>Rob suggested we go to Dotties. Mo chimed in that that was a good idea, and so did I. Last time at Dotties I missed my favorite Zoanthid soft corals, so this would be another chance to see them. The Big Island doesn't have a lot of soft corals, so the protopalythoa Zoanthics are a treat to see. and there's a huge wall of them at Dotties.</p><p>Splash! wow, it's still 77 degrees. Glad I am still wearing my ratty old 5 mil with a hooded vest. Rob asked, "Is that wetsuit going to hold together?" Honestly not knowing, I thought, "I hope so."</p><p>We took a bearing toward the dropoff and eventually to Preacher's Arch. On the way i found a Day Octopus scrunched down in a crevasse of rock and coral. It eyed me from a distance and as I slowly approached it seemed to settle further, though his eyes w3ere locked on me. Great creatures, Octopuses.</p><p>On a wall rob found a puka with a tiny Dwarf Moray sticking its nose out, which is about all my camera was able to capture.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfVQj_PJS1SwCRT3SAMAahTvCW4E2PmMoDIbdqL3gpwbYFkku9PnicURvcTA1PT3lZSN_2l0tQofqzy3bPYg6J4jBhiuR_yWVQ5lHh-5lcfM6QP38Pg3ZaeHwHhdLdZ4Jm7eojf_1SfEtrQnQTL4ztrjZvkvKLy04H9sBvHdfYP1818ThDd0wF-iK/s5532/day%20octopus.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3670" data-original-width="5532" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfVQj_PJS1SwCRT3SAMAahTvCW4E2PmMoDIbdqL3gpwbYFkku9PnicURvcTA1PT3lZSN_2l0tQofqzy3bPYg6J4jBhiuR_yWVQ5lHh-5lcfM6QP38Pg3ZaeHwHhdLdZ4Jm7eojf_1SfEtrQnQTL4ztrjZvkvKLy04H9sBvHdfYP1818ThDd0wF-iK/w400-h265/day%20octopus.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmpUYdJrTozX1-7kcGOsW3RFc-4btN33HtsoDcR-Q-ij7h3Z8cKHXk0Z55qDZDY8d2_eGgLMxl32G39bXDButuK0o2T6fBE1jCf0mQkx4B6evWchneqwdBwiN4SIR9GAOuqcRJ0YJL8y_YSG9Fn4D-vP6i781lDCB8KsBB6f14AHzqqtpeL_wgDj8/s3632/dwarf%20moray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2584" data-original-width="3632" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmpUYdJrTozX1-7kcGOsW3RFc-4btN33HtsoDcR-Q-ij7h3Z8cKHXk0Z55qDZDY8d2_eGgLMxl32G39bXDButuK0o2T6fBE1jCf0mQkx4B6evWchneqwdBwiN4SIR9GAOuqcRJ0YJL8y_YSG9Fn4D-vP6i781lDCB8KsBB6f14AHzqqtpeL_wgDj8/w400-h285/dwarf%20moray.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Toodling along I saw a large number of common butterfly fish. here's a not as common one, a Four Spot Butterfly.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o61aQnqHEHvW98A4NwoQF1D0DEblCuufdRpcFTVeCTbwVRGZ-8MEEz7ggGcGfzlEi_OFnRBR_qZ6vndxzEDXVp6JC15p-roMTdyBRyAz952U3kmmTxsua91b1qhy11dCcgbsxXXd8_DXAlp1lmTxKK5IwS5mAsLSZhXIqSrkrLJ4TcurKLejporX/s4583/four%20spot%20butterfly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4583" data-original-width="3536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o61aQnqHEHvW98A4NwoQF1D0DEblCuufdRpcFTVeCTbwVRGZ-8MEEz7ggGcGfzlEi_OFnRBR_qZ6vndxzEDXVp6JC15p-roMTdyBRyAz952U3kmmTxsua91b1qhy11dCcgbsxXXd8_DXAlp1lmTxKK5IwS5mAsLSZhXIqSrkrLJ4TcurKLejporX/w309-h400/four%20spot%20butterfly.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><p>Oh, forgot. Right under the mooring Rob found a very large yellow Frogfish, the first of two we'd find today. As soon as I dipped back toward the bottom a Spotted Puffer swam right at me.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQNtZ-uTP2-bX80mT0Gzkkhdn0tF-xv-SwQOFjCBIqkd1SSKcP436RrpH4jT1cE-V22cZPdhRC5tNzPOGtENGonQqzSE5qtbW3LD34Nqb8LOCnrWJp6LHdjQaOFCaldw49f58v9rKzVnsn6In14xsYMV9cbZGo8UY6T9iYabR_4sylLeL8ACvMyW5/s5974/frogfish%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4199" data-original-width="5974" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQNtZ-uTP2-bX80mT0Gzkkhdn0tF-xv-SwQOFjCBIqkd1SSKcP436RrpH4jT1cE-V22cZPdhRC5tNzPOGtENGonQqzSE5qtbW3LD34Nqb8LOCnrWJp6LHdjQaOFCaldw49f58v9rKzVnsn6In14xsYMV9cbZGo8UY6T9iYabR_4sylLeL8ACvMyW5/w400-h281/frogfish%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfG-RDHiw0Dx2tzmHxuwmu6BxSOh2R_cFdwSBFmdT4vZtcGMQkAqvuDcggdTr029rPuO2tZr8RlVdXZl0maCtlUPHMsXW1gvT8IkBT0sKkGlOQjAvzqAJwl2LCofYfIeVFhIrJSgXoad4srtuO_0jx71kvHOsJGCEv47h6FjgTrgoGxgYCHxgOCSfM/s4213/spotted%20puffer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="4213" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfG-RDHiw0Dx2tzmHxuwmu6BxSOh2R_cFdwSBFmdT4vZtcGMQkAqvuDcggdTr029rPuO2tZr8RlVdXZl0maCtlUPHMsXW1gvT8IkBT0sKkGlOQjAvzqAJwl2LCofYfIeVFhIrJSgXoad4srtuO_0jx71kvHOsJGCEv47h6FjgTrgoGxgYCHxgOCSfM/w400-h285/spotted%20puffer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Here sitting on some healthy Antler Coral is a very common ambush predator: the Arceye Hawkfish. Further on, under a ledge I found some Big Scale Soldierfish and a strand of Wire Coral. Later, at our second dive site I found the same Wire Coral Gobie I shot last time here, last week. Today's pic was not good though, so to see a nice Wirecoral Gobie go back one blog post.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAYaf2ulfvzPa5tVTI7sfgxIY1Nk9R2axJ-VgFXnpn2Bfq5kWIyglzZZb8LGhykUARHzQHEMd9o75P5dPNqPWRnCXbmCuiSpRTh2Qj0iR-ZRF8t8gjGF67U9zxhrAlNs0jnoPH0NpR-ZHXyz5drl46Xtpalxc9kU2gRY3ydp217xCPutCwhqzEVYG/s6342/arcye%20hawkfish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4189" data-original-width="6342" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAYaf2ulfvzPa5tVTI7sfgxIY1Nk9R2axJ-VgFXnpn2Bfq5kWIyglzZZb8LGhykUARHzQHEMd9o75P5dPNqPWRnCXbmCuiSpRTh2Qj0iR-ZRF8t8gjGF67U9zxhrAlNs0jnoPH0NpR-ZHXyz5drl46Xtpalxc9kU2gRY3ydp217xCPutCwhqzEVYG/w400-h264/arcye%20hawkfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrVB7ozK1zsk2TQOv3fnKyf4gNms1c-XNmZW_ADNFJVuvzxeScneIJ1zvMG_f-xDjjaXORHYEhjpcEFTGe4I6bzmkFXqHGnooWDCBnReEtG642qMlw9C9lx8OAEVHaQTbHG5zeHFtkLBnrKp0asBW9MOT4aW7Zx0JWoXJtArBOsEc3GD-P6TzS3I8/s6880/big%20scale%20soldiers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrVB7ozK1zsk2TQOv3fnKyf4gNms1c-XNmZW_ADNFJVuvzxeScneIJ1zvMG_f-xDjjaXORHYEhjpcEFTGe4I6bzmkFXqHGnooWDCBnReEtG642qMlw9C9lx8OAEVHaQTbHG5zeHFtkLBnrKp0asBW9MOT4aW7Zx0JWoXJtArBOsEc3GD-P6TzS3I8/w400-h266/big%20scale%20soldiers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Here's yellow Frogfish number two for the day. He was presenting more to the world than just his face, so you can see how they like to set their feet on the rocks for stability as they engulf their prey in a few hundred thousands of a second.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGcXxC4ZmdaXs5cPVU_g7p8GD6lNpePiFrqwoFIu6HuRpaHu57GkSJOqqgHQiDs03f-cCWIb0U7k94r6-CLAp_yf2RH2IVGmnYgdGjba6Tv0QHSZfa4iOOdBU0wATOzY-eJro4erQioKc7wmc9MZWu428f-1mi-FH-St6kNCjxcV1NPNwturV1k1e/s6880/forgfish2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGcXxC4ZmdaXs5cPVU_g7p8GD6lNpePiFrqwoFIu6HuRpaHu57GkSJOqqgHQiDs03f-cCWIb0U7k94r6-CLAp_yf2RH2IVGmnYgdGjba6Tv0QHSZfa4iOOdBU0wATOzY-eJro4erQioKc7wmc9MZWu428f-1mi-FH-St6kNCjxcV1NPNwturV1k1e/w400-h266/forgfish2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Near the end of dive number two we found a harem of Psychedelic Wrasses. I didn't see a male–drat, but the females were frolicing around in the coral, or maybe they were trying to get away from me, probably that. Anyway, I got a shot of them after chasing them across the reef for a while.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUghTZMzLeZeP5JIt2-gcn89aIR1hyUsBXYppcoWc6Nm77S_5LLdoy5VtDyrlRT5IS75RXJFZwQBkbQAElt0K79liuyMTZ4roYenF1zb5UZ2yDOQcqsr6CYWDhNw0SaCEx15J3PGlaCUkodbMWIoHx2c0wwfcrsNCLRFYw4mEXwvQ7gOL0w-Zr3oS/s5744/psychedelixc%20wrasses.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3908" data-original-width="5744" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUghTZMzLeZeP5JIt2-gcn89aIR1hyUsBXYppcoWc6Nm77S_5LLdoy5VtDyrlRT5IS75RXJFZwQBkbQAElt0K79liuyMTZ4roYenF1zb5UZ2yDOQcqsr6CYWDhNw0SaCEx15J3PGlaCUkodbMWIoHx2c0wwfcrsNCLRFYw4mEXwvQ7gOL0w-Zr3oS/w400-h272/psychedelixc%20wrasses.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Only two eels today: an Undulated that was sitting right above the spot where a Helmet snail was gorging on an urchin. The other was a small white mouth eel just watching the passing show.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nu-KdXWrLzfw1zdvsnXjgYzTiP9lXeOav1nLrS6Dl2JvDT550gFmWaxud7eoREpjf_kqeI7kmmPgPpNcHiuCBAT-137uFTdSw7pyG8yt1WLNMsFyrHaEAx39sJv3hjypNE_FNTPpsZ5amAX3iII32Mdufr0rmwauKpX79IwwXpBN-fBet5qb4PQQ/s6103/undulated%20moray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4139" data-original-width="6103" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nu-KdXWrLzfw1zdvsnXjgYzTiP9lXeOav1nLrS6Dl2JvDT550gFmWaxud7eoREpjf_kqeI7kmmPgPpNcHiuCBAT-137uFTdSw7pyG8yt1WLNMsFyrHaEAx39sJv3hjypNE_FNTPpsZ5amAX3iII32Mdufr0rmwauKpX79IwwXpBN-fBet5qb4PQQ/w400-h271/undulated%20moray.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhI4jn0GLp7PfoMeEGl35UVUhwSjLgli2Ft47dSykcby5Sm3jlzmdtgz8LLFTbfNYJ8-RwP1ilraWT1Tnd_h8K4zxoPv7R0GUQQc-KdvIL00MaMoKu8Bj0Z0rtZl0t8foke9yzetHBKRHK9LaFgLWhoiKKL-fxfdbvRTdfd1YvqHHOJ3jIMmSQh0l/s4088/white%20mouth%20eel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3076" data-original-width="4088" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhI4jn0GLp7PfoMeEGl35UVUhwSjLgli2Ft47dSykcby5Sm3jlzmdtgz8LLFTbfNYJ8-RwP1ilraWT1Tnd_h8K4zxoPv7R0GUQQc-KdvIL00MaMoKu8Bj0Z0rtZl0t8foke9yzetHBKRHK9LaFgLWhoiKKL-fxfdbvRTdfd1YvqHHOJ3jIMmSQh0l/w400-h301/white%20mouth%20eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Here's a video of me following Rob around, but he found some cool arches.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-74282280604920339642022-05-17T18:27:00.005-07:002022-05-19T00:10:02.330-07:00Chance surprise meeting with an old friend<p>Today was no-shadow day in Kona. That means that the sun, in its way across the tropic of cancer, passed directly overhead. Laura wanted to be sure to get back to the dock by 12:20pm when the event was to happen. In the water and out in the channel we found Dolphins and Sandy! She is a friend and dive guide who, while I was away on the mainland, moved to another part of the island, making seeing her and being in the water with her a much less frequent treat. However, today as our group crossed the sand flats outside the harbor, she and a group she was shore diving with appeared, and much hugging and bubble-blown greetings ensued.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEg29KoHSydwajXQwJ1obvZGA5nb5lNeThq23n81caXwyamutSrNZ0jces9hxs2h-v-w6Gh-M8CzePhxFMcfIsOU0nAENgaGc7H9szqVXFb8ISsyU_EWAQpJy7aXg7BOo-OB24TVNnr7vq-F_oIp2biEN6j2nMe_GCv4U-TWjSZPAtaGNskd7eTsOV/s6630/dolphins2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4344" data-original-width="6630" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEg29KoHSydwajXQwJ1obvZGA5nb5lNeThq23n81caXwyamutSrNZ0jces9hxs2h-v-w6Gh-M8CzePhxFMcfIsOU0nAENgaGc7H9szqVXFb8ISsyU_EWAQpJy7aXg7BOo-OB24TVNnr7vq-F_oIp2biEN6j2nMe_GCv4U-TWjSZPAtaGNskd7eTsOV/w400-h263/dolphins2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAg0LYHg4-OEBS2_SOt_hz0wwj7VrZjWibh421LgCMMj5UPoelL8JqyVlBGm_8acmEakpar9sbGskHNx5-lgyBBYaFGWBWEkZEym4wHJKO09fk0s_AHjccskLjGBAmzbW-y5XgzzqJUbXtGk6t9iPVCU7zFUf4JlwfttV-PhVePI8RAFHscHTAYbd/s1872/dolphins.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1162" data-original-width="1872" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAg0LYHg4-OEBS2_SOt_hz0wwj7VrZjWibh421LgCMMj5UPoelL8JqyVlBGm_8acmEakpar9sbGskHNx5-lgyBBYaFGWBWEkZEym4wHJKO09fk0s_AHjccskLjGBAmzbW-y5XgzzqJUbXtGk6t9iPVCU7zFUf4JlwfttV-PhVePI8RAFHscHTAYbd/w400-h249/dolphins.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8lQ9t0EemYkQpvmXNNSOtzgfnZisjHelFXOLIBqzLjloxumWC-pSRD27gfwR2lBV0SQiF8wJUjUUPJqu9LvVzXTalAj1tMdnHF9ZCk6mOfHp6xnyp1txll9Sit_EmapCA_Kneg5lvH_EkdJPwded9p52A94oOKyjjzR_a0R8Fi1i5GYPYZIQy7k8/s1588/sandy1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1588" data-original-width="1190" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8lQ9t0EemYkQpvmXNNSOtzgfnZisjHelFXOLIBqzLjloxumWC-pSRD27gfwR2lBV0SQiF8wJUjUUPJqu9LvVzXTalAj1tMdnHF9ZCk6mOfHp6xnyp1txll9Sit_EmapCA_Kneg5lvH_EkdJPwded9p52A94oOKyjjzR_a0R8Fi1i5GYPYZIQy7k8/w300-h400/sandy1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandy!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Next dive site was going to be Kaloko Ledges. I was stoked because I had thought to find a bearing from Kaloko Ledges to Kaloko Arches (Canyons) moorings, because if you are on your own, as camera people sometimes are, you can dial in 40 degrees from the outer mooring and that will get you to the inner mooring. Anyway, current came up so we ditched that site and headed back toward the harbor, stopping at Turtle Heaven where there was no current.</p><p>This is a great dive ste, with healthy reef, lots of fish and eels, and close enough tot he harbor that you often get to see big animals like Tiger Sharks, though none presented today. </p><p>What did present, however, was a wonderful cast of vertibrates and non vertibrates. </p><p>First up was a very large Hawksbill turtle, I think anyway. It swam right past me headed north. In the same area of reef I found a juvenile Yellowtail Coris passing an Ornate Wrasse going opposite directions.</p><p>At one point on the way back around our big circle route Rob and Laura found a giant Cowrie with a Fried Egg nudi in the same crack. Moments later, a Fried Egg Nudi on his or her own.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsH5tvlZlI_KitmscjT06IiFocs64ChYxaDLcNeARw8XYSe7a293e2eDU5YpJ_JQ50m9Hr_b44MpRfOtrRXB3LezZY5dclRyDL5GBwhzZAVjji4jgf6rPsRpA_8iWtGS1oYk-fjXZNNHlDbJwnlCBkI6JH4Dd65KVtYRb4kvqGvZpp_nalOC81XyB/s6880/green%20sea%20turtle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsH5tvlZlI_KitmscjT06IiFocs64ChYxaDLcNeARw8XYSe7a293e2eDU5YpJ_JQ50m9Hr_b44MpRfOtrRXB3LezZY5dclRyDL5GBwhzZAVjji4jgf6rPsRpA_8iWtGS1oYk-fjXZNNHlDbJwnlCBkI6JH4Dd65KVtYRb4kvqGvZpp_nalOC81XyB/w400-h266/green%20sea%20turtle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9IiKxAJnCs4toclHTqs-Hk9henuaSVicSVq4pdm4fWkT0KUp3aH82X-Eo7hSbRwUqPj92DG0e1mfQkzAs_2zLwTs7CLWColscHO1bAG1J-iMbs9d3Ne_s4EkXZYExo8jFxSCI4dstTdCTuhJW8uxYWu65ZK4Bnzq1bbMDWTEGTP555V9swYxsewq/s3193/juvie%20yellow%20tail%20coris%20and%20ornate%20wrasse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2266" data-original-width="3193" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9IiKxAJnCs4toclHTqs-Hk9henuaSVicSVq4pdm4fWkT0KUp3aH82X-Eo7hSbRwUqPj92DG0e1mfQkzAs_2zLwTs7CLWColscHO1bAG1J-iMbs9d3Ne_s4EkXZYExo8jFxSCI4dstTdCTuhJW8uxYWu65ZK4Bnzq1bbMDWTEGTP555V9swYxsewq/w400-h284/juvie%20yellow%20tail%20coris%20and%20ornate%20wrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUODGE9YOtY0PQ320sappV6rvPjqnsiYnA0oZh15PHYufKHO-EzyfTpUKESecVW4rTb575beBTPyF9TajPYZZRnF_lqKIudpIbh9LWQ9SV_8NfRAN7UwTKZMSST7zKx1f-msN5KPyzmyYmm8V1giiFZx9gGhTyRLuu8EbdJKuBu1LgzQ53DmuXEhwA/s6295/scrambled%20egg%20nudi%20and%20cowrie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6295" data-original-width="4282" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUODGE9YOtY0PQ320sappV6rvPjqnsiYnA0oZh15PHYufKHO-EzyfTpUKESecVW4rTb575beBTPyF9TajPYZZRnF_lqKIudpIbh9LWQ9SV_8NfRAN7UwTKZMSST7zKx1f-msN5KPyzmyYmm8V1giiFZx9gGhTyRLuu8EbdJKuBu1LgzQ53DmuXEhwA/w273-h400/scrambled%20egg%20nudi%20and%20cowrie.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv86B9wIA8Nil3vp1grY_bNlbLSKgpEw5IxypHLDyVeH7YLDaaJsa29zxEcl2Ba8l00AYrz93-sOLYIGDEvrH026sUdwcxJ0wpWgYjsxK010Hw-kXcFi1d95NF_KNx70QO_1hEzJMVjyCInl09qA04Cm5o8fjmIXCXTa4DTETDN4WwVbY5I15JYrkO/s5356/scrambled%20egg%20nudi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5356" data-original-width="3757" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv86B9wIA8Nil3vp1grY_bNlbLSKgpEw5IxypHLDyVeH7YLDaaJsa29zxEcl2Ba8l00AYrz93-sOLYIGDEvrH026sUdwcxJ0wpWgYjsxK010Hw-kXcFi1d95NF_KNx70QO_1hEzJMVjyCInl09qA04Cm5o8fjmIXCXTa4DTETDN4WwVbY5I15JYrkO/w280-h400/scrambled%20egg%20nudi.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p></p><p>These are two different White Mouth Eels, found about 50 yards apart. They might be sibllings who live just close enough to help each other with chores. Or they might just be friends with benefits.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYa8yvM0uN7Zh9VBhu8eodRmvzVIxbMrdHJ3LFx_FlRZRa_cNxddWXdEqgeTuU7H1M0bBpgMg90nN-ikvEyqCOcRdpBj4EZ8T0rsDalxiqFSphot1JowL5mLFNGrtg4p44J8_aKwlEnhD4N5I94-A5qWWmsiQtK9CxsK5T8KCkfyAAnvyQR5Dn9izo/s6880/whitemouth%20eel1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYa8yvM0uN7Zh9VBhu8eodRmvzVIxbMrdHJ3LFx_FlRZRa_cNxddWXdEqgeTuU7H1M0bBpgMg90nN-ikvEyqCOcRdpBj4EZ8T0rsDalxiqFSphot1JowL5mLFNGrtg4p44J8_aKwlEnhD4N5I94-A5qWWmsiQtK9CxsK5T8KCkfyAAnvyQR5Dn9izo/w400-h266/whitemouth%20eel1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsZpNVXQDEbYBeX-C6SSU3BkZQHTAm2AGv84Zg9Vx-X43yzAnI3LNWAMrpFVhAleZg0Ih6nA2Eb0uy1nT3Jqe7xdluJR9Hm3o7Hy9M7K6Wo1domV3NTBGp_tGq--RYKeVUBSLkLqcLYX3XdV-29IMqwxkgX_4lam-aWtA68bLRTvKsk8rk9Cefofk/s6880/whitemouth%20eel2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsZpNVXQDEbYBeX-C6SSU3BkZQHTAm2AGv84Zg9Vx-X43yzAnI3LNWAMrpFVhAleZg0Ih6nA2Eb0uy1nT3Jqe7xdluJR9Hm3o7Hy9M7K6Wo1domV3NTBGp_tGq--RYKeVUBSLkLqcLYX3XdV-29IMqwxkgX_4lam-aWtA68bLRTvKsk8rk9Cefofk/w400-h266/whitemouth%20eel2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><p>Anoth3r great find by Laura: Jewelled Anemone Crab, hiding under a deep recess off the sand flats. Had to really open up the aperture to get that one, he was so far back. AS I looked up to find my group there swam by a male RingTail Wrasse. Hip shot...I didn't even have time to look in the fviewfinder. Lucky I got anything.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3wVLU34VK0PIGSdvCvGhah6gweKMnnA8HI8AEyPhkb3g_HdbVh5zsWxme_RtE6eAHc638_9Afi19BU5IWgZEbTQeb-PmM18dSQsfmgdxDmpeROT8S0XZpQ7E25aycTl0Y1odXgnWSC5Qi-jE0JUfOnn1eRQ_ouIzwgpAO3YHONjv_gF64CP4L622/s4324/jewelled%20anemone%20crab.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2978" data-original-width="4324" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3wVLU34VK0PIGSdvCvGhah6gweKMnnA8HI8AEyPhkb3g_HdbVh5zsWxme_RtE6eAHc638_9Afi19BU5IWgZEbTQeb-PmM18dSQsfmgdxDmpeROT8S0XZpQ7E25aycTl0Y1odXgnWSC5Qi-jE0JUfOnn1eRQ_ouIzwgpAO3YHONjv_gF64CP4L622/s320/jewelled%20anemone%20crab.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxifZajt3CMu8n2EPLlwmePJ6nAKLn3CxSwjgcU4aJDXh1z99uI0dj7luM4QRZOmiW4CoUGgFUYSyzmqopcD6-r_lVIN-wtFAGNr36eZv3EHuJSD0yaXcjdHqKstkSocT9E4-es9Is1IalGePsbh7G2kVa42RALdechIbmmfGkHS6tMjc_VEIszql/s6431/male%20ringtail%20wrasse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4209" data-original-width="6431" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxifZajt3CMu8n2EPLlwmePJ6nAKLn3CxSwjgcU4aJDXh1z99uI0dj7luM4QRZOmiW4CoUGgFUYSyzmqopcD6-r_lVIN-wtFAGNr36eZv3EHuJSD0yaXcjdHqKstkSocT9E4-es9Is1IalGePsbh7G2kVa42RALdechIbmmfGkHS6tMjc_VEIszql/w400-h261/male%20ringtail%20wrasse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>BAck near the mooring there was a nice overhang with wirecoral popping out from under the ledge. Goodie! Lets look for gobies and shrimp. No gobies but Dot pointed at a section of one of the strands, and..Yay!.. A Wirecoral Shrimp! I had to wrestle with my rig to get under the ledge far enough to capture him, but managed it after a while. Later Doug said, "I saw you working your rig to get under that ledge." Understatement.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b5nPzMXYJ6sOiwD6Nn5cNQXCCbmmOLxULhyHcSSZ6HRgZX007wN0wgtSA4Z9QiXRr41ztix8xx-vZ-z_JXbPWr3Pc0K7yD7JIAn0BNReoOoznHTeeL-SSoqtseVkYHdaoBOm57tSe1i-pC0RSPf2VVbcVyzLIrn7CibFgbkEjLuHuaQa00lGdvnG/s1665/Wirecoral%20shrimp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1665" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b5nPzMXYJ6sOiwD6Nn5cNQXCCbmmOLxULhyHcSSZ6HRgZX007wN0wgtSA4Z9QiXRr41ztix8xx-vZ-z_JXbPWr3Pc0K7yD7JIAn0BNReoOoznHTeeL-SSoqtseVkYHdaoBOm57tSe1i-pC0RSPf2VVbcVyzLIrn7CibFgbkEjLuHuaQa00lGdvnG/s320/Wirecoral%20shrimp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p> </p><p>Just about on my safety stop and here's a nice, stationalry animal, out in the open (ambush predator) for me to shoot. I don't care that Blackside Hawkfish are everywhere and unremarkable finds. I just didn't want to work to get a nice photo.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jkr1Ub7C2_IwdxyanL_0SH-z4Uh3lwNotmLr1HNiXsA8yIs5ZFhRWMOsW2LYR2zvKwcgWFuhVTWoMR04xLrtY9ylKU9HWKRuiSSaV2Plv8IcONl0_VS1y91_UnRbtjggAu3g6Ar_SJ36DvPAUtYCQcZsjO-_H1y0xXdvX7OpO0yg_q72TAAN_9wt/s4502/blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3048" data-original-width="4502" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jkr1Ub7C2_IwdxyanL_0SH-z4Uh3lwNotmLr1HNiXsA8yIs5ZFhRWMOsW2LYR2zvKwcgWFuhVTWoMR04xLrtY9ylKU9HWKRuiSSaV2Plv8IcONl0_VS1y91_UnRbtjggAu3g6Ar_SJ36DvPAUtYCQcZsjO-_H1y0xXdvX7OpO0yg_q72TAAN_9wt/w400-h271/blackside%20hawkfish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Here's a video with Laura and a Horned helmet about to have lunch, plus a Square spot Goatfish also looking for lunch.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyA1Ih9kDbI6VkeT4oPEPCz8RhwJ-cGjrImkHFaatE4n1j63P51s6WleVTnamfWxYX0rVvsLulD8m0holp7BQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-53991823819089982142022-05-13T21:34:00.003-07:002022-05-13T21:34:30.233-07:00Failure to trim<p> Gorgeous Friday morning in Kona. I was happy to be headed to the harbor to get on Kona Honu Divers' _Honu One_ for a relaxing day of diving with a friend, Laura. I remember so many Fridays heading out to the green can, watching the dolphins move slowly over the channel and sometimes catch a bow wave. For years the Aggressor would always be moored at Turtle Heaven, and that's how i would know it was Friday.</p><p>Today I was futzing with my camera on the way out so didn't notice if there were dolphins. Have had good luck lately with camera and housing functioning reliably. </p><p>We turned north toward Pine Trees where there are half a dozen mooring balls at interesting sites. On tap today was a very nice, large arch where we hoped to find nudibranchs on the walls that are covered with sponges and cup coral. Super colorful.</p><p>On the north side of the arch Kevin found a very tiny Dot Dash Nudibranch. It's not even half an inch long. Little bugger was on the move and I followed him along the wall until I got a good shot of him. Next up was the Gold Lace nudibranch. He was happy to just stay in one place so I had an easier time framing up a shot of him. </p><p>The roof of the arfch is covered with sponges and cup coral. Here's a Longnose Butterfly and a Bluestrie Squirrelfish upside down looking for snacks on the roof.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5LYU8ct1gBs-2EWjT3I5OnekUVqTb2EDnU_XV55uv32N0zfpmw4TPAQ-tgcUIEQuj29hsN-ZAq-7J8bv0W3vwQAIhrqTduUM600Fnrs7i2lmQlCYVdxRgdFAb84DZwK3QGwqszMs89ezgkYND44KC82v-bgPX7d5i7oADw-9eS-JjneDXp_DecR3G/s2766/dotdash%20nudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1754" data-original-width="2766" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5LYU8ct1gBs-2EWjT3I5OnekUVqTb2EDnU_XV55uv32N0zfpmw4TPAQ-tgcUIEQuj29hsN-ZAq-7J8bv0W3vwQAIhrqTduUM600Fnrs7i2lmQlCYVdxRgdFAb84DZwK3QGwqszMs89ezgkYND44KC82v-bgPX7d5i7oADw-9eS-JjneDXp_DecR3G/w400-h254/dotdash%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhHJpFm0G8qsjEl9bhwgI2dzNLebSA0h0tJOzIKxrZskucnm-qGZwqFa_VVM2yKdQlU3uNWeR-nytp1mTD3i8l9NT_SOz3dL2r6x9NRWoIOvgE5UaGWuwVqZWPQInsAVBxEnoa9HX3dytxtEkrr4_tDuJ9ZO9EdO8TtnCTSBXN2GwJPxfQuYFtaoJ/s2987/goldlace%20nudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2052" data-original-width="2987" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhHJpFm0G8qsjEl9bhwgI2dzNLebSA0h0tJOzIKxrZskucnm-qGZwqFa_VVM2yKdQlU3uNWeR-nytp1mTD3i8l9NT_SOz3dL2r6x9NRWoIOvgE5UaGWuwVqZWPQInsAVBxEnoa9HX3dytxtEkrr4_tDuJ9ZO9EdO8TtnCTSBXN2GwJPxfQuYFtaoJ/w400-h275/goldlace%20nudi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvfZNlG-3MJogkVabnuLZK5GzBnnQ819k6zbiRcGA_NgmHrw3Mo8SsBM7DX9Z5ZV0Mx-WC9OZgckCkyZy1umMbSgUogiwakyTNYO_rvU8TQRktqQfUEOQpvIuNqDOloYhhtm1ReE46eX2-InHYedRqT04X80tf3vXuhpHJ5d96ERHvi-MWXi8FykB/s6880/longnose%20butterfly%20and%20bluestripe%20squirril%20fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvfZNlG-3MJogkVabnuLZK5GzBnnQ819k6zbiRcGA_NgmHrw3Mo8SsBM7DX9Z5ZV0Mx-WC9OZgckCkyZy1umMbSgUogiwakyTNYO_rvU8TQRktqQfUEOQpvIuNqDOloYhhtm1ReE46eX2-InHYedRqT04X80tf3vXuhpHJ5d96ERHvi-MWXi8FykB/w400-h266/longnose%20butterfly%20and%20bluestripe%20squirril%20fish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>There were lots of other fish under the arch and in the reef to the north. Just outside I found a Leaf Scorpion just lying out on top of a coral head. Usually they are deep in the antler coral and hard to shoot. This guy was right out in the sunlight. Before I left the arch I found a nice Moorish Idol and a Raccoon Butterfly cruising along the wall of the arch.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj268ma2x0MiK3Hn36loSJJ7P0w59YlARm-71IFIGP-7d0QFobz-K0mDVnLFGE-1tXSTVPKmf04E8Qxuj0eXgun4e_DrMcn6czBU-GerdFjLigvTCAUxM3u58ZQ0mVrHp3JItbsTjf-hsT5_jU6tYG_xhdrWO6-mYxh4Q60K03girra2auvq7dEfANF/s3824/leaf%20scorpion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2459" data-original-width="3824" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj268ma2x0MiK3Hn36loSJJ7P0w59YlARm-71IFIGP-7d0QFobz-K0mDVnLFGE-1tXSTVPKmf04E8Qxuj0eXgun4e_DrMcn6czBU-GerdFjLigvTCAUxM3u58ZQ0mVrHp3JItbsTjf-hsT5_jU6tYG_xhdrWO6-mYxh4Q60K03girra2auvq7dEfANF/w400-h258/leaf%20scorpion.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjnqNlwZRvpT2oLp1OL9akiP2LwoxcDm8Gw9ZYuqYYwQeQOkmBhln4q3N99ywND9JWBvsal5fhTQ4yE22lXUcD9yOuMzoPZFvXeRZb6nuaIwRuEtn5n0Pe8eXn7ug0T_b8T2OMdLDvhomIlnpePGX3YC970l8d91IuhmvKuY_E7HqC3tobCfsh7hY/s6212/moorish%20idol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4292" data-original-width="6212" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjnqNlwZRvpT2oLp1OL9akiP2LwoxcDm8Gw9ZYuqYYwQeQOkmBhln4q3N99ywND9JWBvsal5fhTQ4yE22lXUcD9yOuMzoPZFvXeRZb6nuaIwRuEtn5n0Pe8eXn7ug0T_b8T2OMdLDvhomIlnpePGX3YC970l8d91IuhmvKuY_E7HqC3tobCfsh7hY/w400-h276/moorish%20idol.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguN80ydMk81kW43AwMzQeOej0cQzTigh3SAuDSYGn3_VpXLA6L7Emz5GSl8pkYpUSat40qIKwlkkwxLNxs192pbPUgV9Ucc2Rl752Hn-LJkdPWgStC-DZ49bGD4aCCaR8mXSOH5PoyV8se3aH7kdlb9UImDUQDXOPpvz_ggujDfo13iA46ISpyetRx/s4519/raccoon%20butterfly%20and%20cup%20coral'.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4519" data-original-width="3169" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguN80ydMk81kW43AwMzQeOej0cQzTigh3SAuDSYGn3_VpXLA6L7Emz5GSl8pkYpUSat40qIKwlkkwxLNxs192pbPUgV9Ucc2Rl752Hn-LJkdPWgStC-DZ49bGD4aCCaR8mXSOH5PoyV8se3aH7kdlb9UImDUQDXOPpvz_ggujDfo13iA46ISpyetRx/w280-h400/raccoon%20butterfly%20and%20cup%20coral'.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p>I got separated from the group after spending time with the Leaf Scorpion, and as i kicked to catch up I looked under a ledge and deep within the crack was a very large Undulated Eel getting himself detailed by a cleaner. So I got further behind getting this shot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF_lLY3JOXBUoaJ9dd3qLWtHVvrovIMRivCuwCl0KYgV8RrsEb91eaDjmWxEW7vhZ6T9iMbRCSKyOC5hTLNcAumyMj_eVGgheHS1Bt71_w5NorXK_N9ft2iUybaCw_US7ft5FTorQKHryX89-4JuBsedHJKbRVURuZTqdxXnPD6U5kIttotJukxz6/s6880/undulated%20and%20cleaner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF_lLY3JOXBUoaJ9dd3qLWtHVvrovIMRivCuwCl0KYgV8RrsEb91eaDjmWxEW7vhZ6T9iMbRCSKyOC5hTLNcAumyMj_eVGgheHS1Bt71_w5NorXK_N9ft2iUybaCw_US7ft5FTorQKHryX89-4JuBsedHJKbRVURuZTqdxXnPD6U5kIttotJukxz6/w400-h266/undulated%20and%20cleaner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>AS we prepared for a secod dive my buddy Laura said her video light wasn't working, so I lent her my seconday torch so she could at least get some light on her subjects; we were going in at a spot that has lots of overhangs and pukas with cool critters. I figured I'd compensate for the loss in ballast by adding another pound to my belt...But I put it on the wrong side, so in the water I was lopsided and listing heavily to the right. Stupid. Tried to swap weights from one side of my belt to the other but couldn't manage it with the camera. Got lost again and Kevin even had to ditcfh the group and come back to get me twice. Second time I just decided to thumb the dive 20 minutes in. Better to just go up so that's what I did.</p><p>However, that wasn't before I was able to get a couple of good shots. Stout Moray and a Wirecoral Gobie. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTif2Qe8XXbqHMX5uQgGQmCU7KDoQwT1-Tt4WLwBbiHp5F_Olx3xddjj8sAaCdfcAuz8qtKeRrbiFcYFLQLtVmbfPB0kVD0xsrrJVqCwFQIwFQ-ekdop9oZjE51wbtjAf9nnfgKetSF1uwZ_NzOpbsgmUEACYWyvU29s87e7WpX90aNocXzSPatuWz/s4952/stout%20moray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3312" data-original-width="4952" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTif2Qe8XXbqHMX5uQgGQmCU7KDoQwT1-Tt4WLwBbiHp5F_Olx3xddjj8sAaCdfcAuz8qtKeRrbiFcYFLQLtVmbfPB0kVD0xsrrJVqCwFQIwFQ-ekdop9oZjE51wbtjAf9nnfgKetSF1uwZ_NzOpbsgmUEACYWyvU29s87e7WpX90aNocXzSPatuWz/w400-h268/stout%20moray.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwjT-kM6dn1nUhgWFE8epE0E2CCpDWd6SdB9b0qI6qVxYSekeTLjRWlk_eabOjadAsUySzPw26EtPmHglIAMl9Qn09cocgb38lBMsr26HgIlid-qXJ9BXQ-txrN-gbQ-MGNbtreOxo4lxHpOevY_Pmd-ECfnBmTX9z3P4JRAqzDLFruQmXCl85nO-/s3016/wirecoral%20gobie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2065" data-original-width="3016" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwjT-kM6dn1nUhgWFE8epE0E2CCpDWd6SdB9b0qI6qVxYSekeTLjRWlk_eabOjadAsUySzPw26EtPmHglIAMl9Qn09cocgb38lBMsr26HgIlid-qXJ9BXQ-txrN-gbQ-MGNbtreOxo4lxHpOevY_Pmd-ECfnBmTX9z3P4JRAqzDLFruQmXCl85nO-/w400-h274/wirecoral%20gobie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595863750689886952.post-34908913013819012182022-05-10T19:50:00.002-07:002022-05-10T20:06:45.331-07:00Flying Octopus <p> Forecast was for rain and overcast, so naturally, morning in Kona today was sunny and nice. Calm seas and diving prospects were high.</p><p>A bit of current forced us to look around for a quiet spot, which Kona Honu Divers Capt Taka found, and we were in the water. Very nice visibility, around 80-100 ft, and bright sun lit up the healthy reef colors. Octopus love was the theme today, and we also found octopus just hanging out in their pukas, while one decided to fly up the ridge were swimming through. I tried to get a shot off but he was so fast a bit of his head got cut off. In the shot directly below can you spot the Octopus checking me out with eye stuck up above a rock?<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACWIcKummOSYTQcHMZbd6LqPO5dju10QSnkDQ-hVVYjc6yxhKWQmmO_XhRneZOdZxuWL-uVL5G-bi8yJzZQNDLbulycuFpdpbTURp6MdGrEUWTjWsXwgcHWFc_qNSw9ho_tK_kOsepzPqj4U0n3j3DETZp5WlHInZrZex6rJezIsFBE8Q8o3413kP/s6880/taco%20octo%20eye.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACWIcKummOSYTQcHMZbd6LqPO5dju10QSnkDQ-hVVYjc6yxhKWQmmO_XhRneZOdZxuWL-uVL5G-bi8yJzZQNDLbulycuFpdpbTURp6MdGrEUWTjWsXwgcHWFc_qNSw9ho_tK_kOsepzPqj4U0n3j3DETZp5WlHInZrZex6rJezIsFBE8Q8o3413kP/w400-h266/taco%20octo%20eye.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYbBI0NXeE7_3TBSqSoypVQZyZjw4YUQtBe46OQQ8x5iAQlrRQm-d-uYdQJGKWTG2G4lxuQ3JELqWjxKH3LgfE7VMJrQ8-85r0Bh2wUXMduYmx_LTl4eWHwP4Cl2hz6LXrKy9fl6FpPc8HJ8eoiKNGR84Vlq21cefQL7LtrOhiBgx5N516MWhAjVa/s5557/flying%20octo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5557" data-original-width="3978" height="439" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYbBI0NXeE7_3TBSqSoypVQZyZjw4YUQtBe46OQQ8x5iAQlrRQm-d-uYdQJGKWTG2G4lxuQ3JELqWjxKH3LgfE7VMJrQ8-85r0Bh2wUXMduYmx_LTl4eWHwP4Cl2hz6LXrKy9fl6FpPc8HJ8eoiKNGR84Vlq21cefQL7LtrOhiBgx5N516MWhAjVa/w315-h439/flying%20octo.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUW3vnzKsplbzckXx5KQRQrXSCpYOFQhekhK6OQZmUz_ah15Y_xoSkQJkCxZ20tO3aRJ-Q-RE63_ME6Sr-PU1NP3Ntd9CperGUiYEkoqmmZEnccltpgaRgukKM2Y1tkn4NWakJrRi6Y5NFiLp7jvzdh06wu6INQqQ_rfUTy1SPOWZu85UhU02X-Qmc/s6880/taco%20octo2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUW3vnzKsplbzckXx5KQRQrXSCpYOFQhekhK6OQZmUz_ah15Y_xoSkQJkCxZ20tO3aRJ-Q-RE63_ME6Sr-PU1NP3Ntd9CperGUiYEkoqmmZEnccltpgaRgukKM2Y1tkn4NWakJrRi6Y5NFiLp7jvzdh06wu6INQqQ_rfUTy1SPOWZu85UhU02X-Qmc/s6880/taco%20octo2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKS0h_SXD-skf-1VuU5LgCW_EdePSgS850Ioul29aUrKHpoch4coXOMNRQCYd0vgOUswsnZKGwpVYBhOBGlIyDdhvqSNepYGDg3utVHLSdBDyfQW56jbmSIEiTwBSnatHBhOrM6F1KLTbjUOnyvdKDBGNQHTqA4bXtQlgxLyExKS6sRDSdPvGlCNGf" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4584" data-original-width="6880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKS0h_SXD-skf-1VuU5LgCW_EdePSgS850Ioul29aUrKHpoch4coXOMNRQCYd0vgOUswsnZKGwpVYBhOBGlIyDdhvqSNepYGDg3utVHLSdBDyfQW56jbmSIEiTwBSnatHBhOrM6F1KLTbjUOnyvdKDBGNQHTqA4bXtQlgxLyExKS6sRDSdPvGlCNGf=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Along the way a big Spotted Puffer turned a corner and almost ran into me, a Stout Moray, and Rob-Bob found a Reef Lizardfish.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2kA4XQGJ-IMHaocqZfgVjsJ-mqQ1T_r7LMuc2F8drfhKPT5TUH7WeCySKaTMVrI98-9VsuzMIrv-JbASeXACm0yW5Cx68Q6pLZXUi2i8AI0CaoNXDtqQPLL5vAyYJWHo5vodF2aaNUt43hKMM6s-HXFMgSwplMQ1pIzWS3Idb7tQBePsK7HH9vc6/s5474/spotted%20puffer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3479" data-original-width="5474" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2kA4XQGJ-IMHaocqZfgVjsJ-mqQ1T_r7LMuc2F8drfhKPT5TUH7WeCySKaTMVrI98-9VsuzMIrv-JbASeXACm0yW5Cx68Q6pLZXUi2i8AI0CaoNXDtqQPLL5vAyYJWHo5vodF2aaNUt43hKMM6s-HXFMgSwplMQ1pIzWS3Idb7tQBePsK7HH9vc6/w400-h254/spotted%20puffer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hc8e9FQIhVJt4sUYOiJUP_eJCetEz58fvMS7vyB-NwjuDsjCu9zSCG-_T2rSKESFeZo9cZJyUksOoKkearuKFPz9ZtQSh8JmpuUiBnUnns4wklGEF0iqHnfq4tnX547AL38LQy5RoS9K2jqPvXkh3KnKOkxDcJvQ198DFXbtk0aTCtX61W2p75gO/s4247/reef%20lizard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4247" data-original-width="3172" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hc8e9FQIhVJt4sUYOiJUP_eJCetEz58fvMS7vyB-NwjuDsjCu9zSCG-_T2rSKESFeZo9cZJyUksOoKkearuKFPz9ZtQSh8JmpuUiBnUnns4wklGEF0iqHnfq4tnX547AL38LQy5RoS9K2jqPvXkh3KnKOkxDcJvQ198DFXbtk0aTCtX61W2p75gO/w299-h400/reef%20lizard.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxmgDaNxk4XmXtYq9CJC15lMMyPatV-vqqNqZh1bu3zdd8_jt9A_fz3cfpLpCPzqAHs5urwb8lJ2czPNvzgTv41DBjgF9Nq_mliixhC3nXJ0ciFaS_wHCrgciD5KW05xMcjBLBC1NcWytr5JSWRzR3pDejPpoV9r2-IKSa6y53hCOqs6xBXa1f-Sm/s4590/stout%20moray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3240" data-original-width="4590" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxmgDaNxk4XmXtYq9CJC15lMMyPatV-vqqNqZh1bu3zdd8_jt9A_fz3cfpLpCPzqAHs5urwb8lJ2czPNvzgTv41DBjgF9Nq_mliixhC3nXJ0ciFaS_wHCrgciD5KW05xMcjBLBC1NcWytr5JSWRzR3pDejPpoV9r2-IKSa6y53hCOqs6xBXa1f-Sm/w400-h283/stout%20moray.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Laura spent some time out on the wand flats searching for Rubber Duckies, but it's not the season yet. Did find a couple of very common nudis, a Strawberry and a scrambled Egg.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNPDjFSRQB15m-vxzvVHSOdO6_TgAmsslL_VdXxA4QWmHGBb8WQCuOl4wIgu0NsAZwU0_hBgj_NLJt04oKx3fH1kAWILhuD6NDyHgrZcC-esOl3T7as1HqrtwZFozmR8TTCJIZgxQ911lcOqdrBPcUcyy_E9hZojHf6bRbXt6eoDgA9bxZN1v8lyB/s3892/scrambled%20egg2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3892" data-original-width="2810" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNPDjFSRQB15m-vxzvVHSOdO6_TgAmsslL_VdXxA4QWmHGBb8WQCuOl4wIgu0NsAZwU0_hBgj_NLJt04oKx3fH1kAWILhuD6NDyHgrZcC-esOl3T7as1HqrtwZFozmR8TTCJIZgxQ911lcOqdrBPcUcyy_E9hZojHf6bRbXt6eoDgA9bxZN1v8lyB/w289-h400/scrambled%20egg2.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMq4ALGtoLxB2cH6n8qsFLFQvUeZZhvsrCD3VFpvA3g874h5-8ZUmEki6TNcS2s4UUBKFOGY06d9-yRYH12dTBFldQXguFg5xnRcX1SvAeLpzFS98WfuuxfyiNTWOXbHGUFVntOs-SyJgiqhOU8aC10TC4u37r6deHi12cv6S55W0NzHKqCmTYLIfQ/s3139/strawberry%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2003" data-original-width="3139" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMq4ALGtoLxB2cH6n8qsFLFQvUeZZhvsrCD3VFpvA3g874h5-8ZUmEki6TNcS2s4UUBKFOGY06d9-yRYH12dTBFldQXguFg5xnRcX1SvAeLpzFS98WfuuxfyiNTWOXbHGUFVntOs-SyJgiqhOU8aC10TC4u37r6deHi12cv6S55W0NzHKqCmTYLIfQ/w400-h255/strawberry%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Jeff Dooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455889475193655266noreply@blogger.com0