Hoovers Tower and Kaloko Canyons 7/21/2020

This morning the ocean lay flat like a billiard table, sunny and no wind.  Perfect day for diving.  I hadn't slept well and was up early watching the sunlight spill over onto the west side of Hawai'i Island.  Gear was in the car, and I was at the new harbor gate by 7;15.  Saw Johnny C's blue t=shirt moving away from the Kona Honu slip.  He was walking in my direction.

We talked for a while--me from the car-- until Janine showed up with the truck.  Not a lot of tanks in the back because there were only 5 divers plus Janine and John on Kona Honu Divers big Newton 46 _Honu One_.  Was like a private charter.  Which instantly reminds one of the fact that a lot of travel related jobs have been lost, and the people who lost them are trying to find ways to buy groceries and pay rent.  What an upside down year.

Johnny asked where we should go and I volunteered "Hoover's Tower."  One of my favorite spots for structure, day mantas, and a dramatic drop off.  I hadn't been there since 2018.  Everyone agreed so we headed north.

No discernible current which was the last hurdle.  In we went.  The massive tower jutteed up from the bottom just north of the mooring.  We headed west toward the drop off.

Immediately there were banded coral shrimp in every hole along with a few flame backed ones.  But as the dive unfolded we realized it was Nudi Tuesday.  Lots of nudi pairs getting it on.  Below are the Strawberry nudis and the Gold lace nudis cuddling up together along with a lone Red Spot nudi..

As if not to be outdone by nudibranchs, fish were pairing up too.  Here's the female and male Spotted Boxfishs.  They had been more discreet perhaps.

 

Kaloko Canyons hs become one of my fav spots.  The collapsed lava tubes create so many little walls and crevasses for things to hide. The make navigation a bit of a challenge, but I was following Janine so didn't even look at my compass until we weree still out on the sand flats south of the structures at the hour mark.  Hmm, maybe at least figure out a heading back to the boat.

On the way through the canyons I had my eye out for the Wire Coral Gobie I'd seen last time i was here.  And ther he was, right after a visit to a Dwarf Moray who didn't try to hide.  At that point the critters just didn't stop coming out to play.  The Male Whitley's Boxfish, who ai hadn't seen for a long time was right where he should be out near the second mooring.  Laura and iI chased him for a while because he really wanted to show off his butt.  I finally snuck up on him for a side shot.

This Octopus was in his shallow hole and not moving.  maybe nesting?   But she had her eye on me.

 Here's a beautiful catch of Spanish Dancer eggs, a Sea Rose.  I didn't think to look for egg eating nudis, and there probably were some.  Below is the Wirecoral Shrimp, at least his lower left side.  he ewas under s ledge and I could only get this angle.

Janine found this little circular fritter.  Is it a baby urchin?  Janine told me after the dive but i can't remember now.  Below is a Hazlett's Hermit Crab, another of Janine's finds. You fan just see his little feet and eyes.

Manybar Goatfish and Cleaner Wrasse

 This is a apunctured Miter, I think.  He was just hanging there off a ledge.  In the sand flats I found a Razor Wrasse darting about.  On the way in I ran across a yellow Cone, but didn't mess around to see if the animal was home.