Not As Feared

 Despite pre-swim trepidations about high surf and bad ocean conditions, we had a great time this morning.

In fact, once we got away from shore, the water was clear and flat and glorious.

Click HERE for more photos from today's ocean swim.

Rose Petals Galore

I guess the current fad with outdoor weddings is going over the top with rose petals. And the wedding organizers are leaving the petals in place afterward for everyone else to appreciate. They are naturally biodegradable after all.

Would You Like a Turtle Wax with Your Wash?

Small fish eat algae and parasites, and turtles and bigger fish get a full makeover at cleaning stations. Everybody benefits.

Five Months

 It has been over five months since Maui's Spinner Dolphins have joined me on one of my ocean swims. Five Months! Unbelievable!

It was wonderful being surrounded by them this morning. I have missed them.

Click HERE for a few more photos from today's swim.

Lanai Birthday Adventure

 We got to celebrate Evelyn's birthday yesterday with a day full of adventures.

After an early morning ferry trip across the channel, we had fun combating big waves and white water in a swim out to Sweetheart Rock off Lanai. Then came the big lunch spread followed by gifts and ono desserts. Once back on Maui, we hit Lahaina - hard.

Click HERE for a few more photos from Sunday's celebration.

Kites and Stars

I went out to photograph the Milky Way with some people from the Maui Camera Club last night. While waiting for the sun to set, we were entertained by several Kite Surfers.

Then once the sky darkened I got very lucky and caught shooting stars on two out of the three exposures I took.

I love living on Maui.

baguette bistro

This is our newest favorite little restaurant in South Maui. Even though it is the middle of a generally unsightly light industrial district, we somehow get the feel of being in a tropical jungle each time we go there.
Plus the food is good.

The One I Have With Me

 What is the best answer to the question: What is your favorite camera?
It is: The one I have with me.

And these photographs I took while swimming in the Black Sea a few years ago prove the point.

Even though I brought a nice camera with me on that trip, my favorite photos are these which I took with a little underwater point-and-shoot.

Bit of a Thrill

 Because of an occasional big ocean surge, this morning was probably not the best time to explore the nooks and crannies along the Wailea shore, but that did not stop us. No siree.

We tried our best to avoid those big rolling waves, and mostly succeeded, as we checked out caves, tunnels and slots along the cliffs. Besides, getting tossed around was actually a bit thrilling.

Maui Nui Seabirds

I met two ladies from the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project ( http://www.mauinuiseabirds.org/ ) doing their twice-a-week survey of Kihei's Wedge-Tailed Shearwater nesting area.

They would insert this fiber optic viewing device into each of the birds' burrows and then record how many baby birds were in each underground nest. Please do not let my doctor see this contraption; I know she'll want one and I do NOT want to go in for a colonoscopy and find her holding one.

Tomorrow, they said, they will be taping gps tags onto the adult birds' backs to discover where they like to go to eat each day. Me? I am partial to Cafe O'Lei, but we will have to wait for the results to see where they like to go.

Five Rays A-Swimming

 The Maui Pink Cap Swimmers (you'll have to take my word for it, the pink doesn't show up well in b&w) were back at it again this Sunday (as they are every Sunday).

Lots of fun was had by all, including our buddies the Five Spotted Eagle Rays.

Click HERE for more photos from this morning's ocean swim.

Previously Unknown

What a great surprise to discover a Maui hike which I've never done before. I love new experiences.

Something Fishy

These little fishies were swimming back and forth in the tidal surge along the shore this morning. But it won't be for much longer because I saw the fishing boats out the past few days and they'll be harvesting all these guys for fertilizer.

Passion Fruit

Yummy, yummy Lilikoi.

Just Cause

 Up until a couple of weeks ago I would have thought this motor boat which zoomed by this morning was big. Not any more.

This dingy is less than half the size of the boat which anchored off our house two weeks ago and recently sold for around $25 million (click HERE for listing), compared to the $300 million that "A" was built for. Still, it's kind of fun seeing something bigger than a kayak in our waters.

Below is a snapshot I took from our lanai this morning of the setting moon.

Butterfly Chain Stack

 This morning's fun group was small, but greatly entertaining. We watched with smiles as the serious swimmers zoomed by us both going and coming, and were glad that we did not miss all of the interesting people and critters along the way.

In fact when we encountered a swimmer out in the ocean who had become separated from her pod, she showed us how to do a butterfly chain stack. I love learning new things.

Another Variety

I had no idea there were so many different varieties of Starfish out there. Here is yet another kind which I saw in a tide pool this morning.

AN-TI-CI-PA-TION

Two hurricanes are heading this way and all we can do is wait. 

And what a beautiful place for waiting. The sky is clear, the water is warm and calm, and a cool breeze is gently blowing. I'm sure it will all look a little different tomorrow.

No Exception

The Maui Pink Cap Swimmers are loads of fun, both above and below the waterline, and today was no exception.

Fun with Good Friends

 A couple of Spotted Eagle Rays were still hanging around for our ocean swim this morning.

In fact one of them was such a good sport that she escorted us the entire return leg of our swim. Time flies when you're having fun with good friends.