Dang Dolphins

Dang dolphins won't leave me alone. More than sixty of them swam up to greet me this morning after hanging around my back yard yesterday (I refused to come out and play yesterday so they hung out along the shore in sight of my house looking all forlorn and pathetic). Click HERE for lots and lots more photos from today's swim.

I put together a video from this morning's swim which once again features music by the wonderful Pamela Polland.
www.PamelaPolland.com

Click HERE (or Below) for today's video.

The Weekend That Was

This member of the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers had a GREAT time on Lanai for the Thanksgiving (Lynne's Birthday) weekend. Spinner Dolphins came in to swim with us twice. Fortunately they left us alone the rest of the time so that we could focus on far more adventurous swims (they really aren't very exciting creatures). Click HERE for lots and lots more photos from this weekend.

Or you could always Click HERE (or Below) for a brief video of our weekend swimming.

Day's End

Our desert island stay is nearing it's end with a final sunset. I'm
already looking forward to next Thanksgiving...

Crazy Swimmers on Lanai

The rest of the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers arrived on Lanai today and
hordes of Spinner Dolphins swam to shore to greet them. Photos will
have to wait until I get back to civilization. I was able to get this
photo though

Photo Shoot Old Style

I got to go out shooting with my old friend Carl and his old fashion
large format film camera. A whole different experience from what I'm
used to.

Happy Thanksgiving

Doug & I are camping on the beach with our best friends. Turkey dinner
with all the trimmings is being prepared now in the warm evening
breeze. Hey, our tent looks huge when photographed from the right angle.

Dolphins Abound

Another exceptional dolphin encounter today. I walked to the water planning on swimming along the cliffs with Jill and Kalin but got waylaid by at least 42 Spinner Dolphins. They would not leave us alone, so we stuck around until it was time for Kalin to catch his flight. Click HERE for lots more photos from this morning's swim.

Click HERE or below for today's video. Fun, fun, fun.

Photo of Me

I love this photo of me taken last week by my buddy, Scott. He still shoots film and used his final frame to get a shot of me. I am honored. Mahalo

Frowning

They're not bad, they're just drawn that way (or something to that effect). Bluefin Trevally look mean because their mouths turn down, but they are actually nice fish that are curious and smart. Or maybe I'm defending them because my mouth also naturally frowns and I don't want you believing that I'm not a nice person (and if you believe that . . .).

. . . and Again

Another Sunday, another fun ocean swim. Yawn.

Spinning with Dolphins

Hooray. Nineteen Spinner Dolphins joined me and my friends on our ocean swim this morning. In fact I was about finished and ready to go ashore when they came zooming up to us. Several of them were in a playful mood as you will see in today's video (Click HERE or below to watch it) and their energetic spirit gave me a second wind. Click HERE for lots more photos from our swim.

Before the Sun

I can't believe I let Janet & Patti drag me into the ocean for a swim before the sun was even up. That is hard-core. It was definitely a workout swim, the kind they do every Tuesday and Thursday, and the kind I never do. Fortunately, Patti is easily distracted by the pretty fish (see photo above), so we did get a little rest from time to time.

Strangers in the Ocean

I meet the greatest people out in the middle of the ocean. This morning was no exception. Three out of the four today were only hours away from their flights back home. It was nice meeting you all - see you next time.

Completely Surrounded

I was swarmed by gobs of Spinner Dolphins this morning during my ocean swim. I counted fifty, then another group swam up and I could no longer keep track.

I waited quietly when they approached me and when they left I started swimming again, only to be once more surrounded. I didn't get much exercise but I had a GREAT time.

Click HERE for lots more photos from this morning. I am still trying to figure out video on my new(ish) camera, but at least today's video is mercifully brief. Click HERE or below for this morning's video.

Lesbian Gecko

I found this Mourning Gecko on a palm flower sheath this afternoon. No males of this species exist anywhere in the world, only females. After two females get romantic they both lay eggs. The new geckos are clones of their respective mothers. How cool is this!

Gearing Up

The Maui Pink Cap Swimmers swam along the Pali (cliffs) this morning where we found this old Sugar Mill gear. We didn't have any success in bringing it to the surface, although Josh (while standing on it) swore that he thinks he got it to move. Click HERE for lots more photos from today's swim.

Timid to Daring

I love watching "Trash the Dress" photo shoots. There is almost always a wonderful transition from the couple being timid to a daring willingness to try anything. Plus lots of laughter and fun. Maybe it would be fun to photograph weddings after all.

Trying and Trying

Oh no, not another sunset photo!

Sunsets are a force of nature. Like a hurricane or bitter cold snap, a sunset has the ability to stop me in my tracks and take my breath away (as does my spouse, but that's another whole story). They operate on such a grand scale that it is not possible to capture their awe inspiring presence in a photograph - but that doesn't stop me from trying. And trying. And trying.

Closest Spot

Didn't this turtle get the memo? You don't have to anchor yourself with an actual anchor.

They usually like to lodge themselves under coral or rock overhangs while resting. I admit that when I get sleepy, I lie down wherever I can, so I guess they can too...

Taste of Seattle

I took my brother- and sister-in-law (visiting from Seattle) snorkeling this morning and a group of Spinner Dolphins swam by us. Yippee! How exciting for the dolphins. They made a single pass and then were gone, probably all the excitement they could handle for one day.

Friendship Knot

I loved the pattern formed by the fruit of a beach shrub, so I had to take a photo. Of course.

Lobster for Dinner

It looks like Lobster is on the menu. Oops, Christine couldn't wait. Besides, she said, there wasn't enough to go around.

The Maui Pink Cap Swimmers can have fun and entertain themselves with anything. Whether it is riding a strong rip current or scaring the bubbles out of a deep-water scuba diver (very funny, Rory), we thoroughly enjoy ourselves every Sunday morning. Click HERE for more photos from this morning's ocean swim.

Feeling Inspired

I play around with black & white from time to time, but today I didn't have to - this photo is in full living color. I guess nature likes to experiment with black & white as well.

So Beautiful

Stunning rooms and lots of amazing photographs. Wow! I had forgotten how good I am.

I spent the day updating my online portfolio for the first time in over three years. I have been hired to take thousands of photographs in that time, and I was only able to dig through a small fraction of them today. I was truly surprised at all of the beautiful images.

Click HERE to see for yourself.

In My Back Yard

I found my buddy, Mark, showing Amy and Joel, his cousins from Portland, around my back yard this morning. That's okay, I love sharing the beauty of my yard and even managed to find them their first sea turtle.

Don't Get Between Me and . . .

Thank goodness for Convict Tangs. All the other fish run away when I try to take close-up photos. But these guys and gals don't care what I do, as long as I don't get between them and their food. Um, kind of like me and Facebook.

Blog Desperation

Sorry, but I had another one of those busy office days today. In an act of photo-blog desperation, I poked my head out the front door and snapped this photo of an agave plant in the afternoon sun.