Back Again

 The Ladies are back from yet another round of world travels; swearing that they won't leave the island again this year (yeah, right).

We had a relaxing spa-like swim in the still-warm ocean in front of my house, and were amazed at the various bright colors of bleaching coral.

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

Ugly - but Not

 My neighbors are universal in their dislike for the new house going up down the street - but - they all love the front door.

Some people on the beach accessorize better than others.

And, finally, our Shower Trees are still going off with huge bouquets of blossoms, just like they have been all summer.

All But Three

 Clear water prevailed for yesterday's ocean swim with the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers. Despite choppy conditions and a strong current, all but three swimmers made it back.

George celebrated his extended vacation with a leap from the Jumping Off rock.

Click HERE for several more photos from Sunday's swim.

Don't Swim - Fly

 The turtles did not pose nicely like they did for me on my swim two days ago, but it was still nice getting to visit with so many of them.

Today the water was exceptionally clear - the kind of crystal clearness we only get a few days a year. On days like today I don't swim - I fly.

Nicely Energized

 Even though surf has been up the past few days, swimming conditions were good for both me and my turtle friends this morning.

My boss wasn't too thrilled that I took time away from work for a swim, but now I feel nicely energized (after a good nap, that is).

Maybe Tomorrow

Sorry, no interesting photos today, just a couple of snapshots from my morning stroll along the shore.

Studio K

Today I had the pleasure of working to capture some portion of the beauty of another Studio K Kitchen. They are always spectacular.

Final Swim of Summer

 It is hard to believe that another summer has come and gone. Fortunately, the ocean is still nice and warm, and getting in is a joy.

Despite National Weather Service warnings about high surf, conditions were perfect for a Sunday swim for the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers.

Click HERE for a few more photos from the swim.

Lots and Lots

And I thought our Papaya trees were big producers. Not even close. I count around 200 papayas on this tree just down the street from us.

Bad News - Good News

In bad news for me, but good news for surfers, big waves have begun rolling in once again down here in south Maui.

Visibility is dropping but dining opportunities for Rainbow Runners are increasing.

Pacific Ocean

 We had a purdy sunset Saturday. I'm glad I actually got out of the house away from the teevee tube to sit in the front yard and let it wash over me.

I'm really liking the little trick I stumbled across of pulling the black slider all the way across on my Koi photos.

And this morning was a "Victory at Sea" kind of day. The wind and waves subsided a bit later and the ocean is once again a Pacific ocean.

They're Back

 After weeks of being (nearly) shut out by large waves and poor visibility, the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers were back in force this morning.

Christine & Doug were sporting rather subdued pink rashguards and suits which are meant to scare away big predators - and they worked.

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

Another Dip

 Why would anybody want to live anyplace other than here on Maui?

I must admit that it did get a bit warm this afternoon, but nothing that another dip in the ocean could not remedy.

Bleaching in Progress

 I meet the nicest people while out swimming (yes, the water was finally clear enough - barely - for me to get back in).

Now in September the ocean is as warm as it gets, and this year even more than usual. While I love the current 84 degrees fahrenheit water, I can also see Coral Bleaching beginning across the reefs. See in the bottom photo how the tips of the coral heads are turning white. Fortunately, once the water cools down the coral will welcome back its algae symbiot and will return to normal.

Archival Treasures

I seem to be stuck in my office way too much recently. I did sneak a few minutes from my mean boss to work on a couple of photographs from my archives - like the one above. Sorry for the obtrusive watermark, but theft has been running rampant these days.

Step Back

I didn't quite step back in time on my walk this morning, as you can tell from the wind turbines on the far mountains, but it sure felt like it. Everywhere was quiet, gentle and calm - a perfect start to the day.

Big and Fluffy

I'm still enjoying the unusual (for Maui) fluffy clouds we've been seeing of late. Big waves are still rolling in along the south shores but surfers seem to have gotten bored with them.

Up and Over

 Big waves and murky conditions drove us to climb the cliffs to find the best swimming spot at Little Beach this morning.

Conditions were less than perfect, and getting in and out past big breaking waves was definitely a challenge - but it was fun. Those who chose not to come certainly missed out.

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

My Spazzity

I am mystified by cleverly stacked stones along the beach. I have tried to do it myself, but am stymied by my total spazziness.

The high surf continues down here along the south shores. It is carving away at the beach while surfers continue carving the waves.

Excuses and More Excuses

My excuse for not swimming this morning is that the surf is still rolling in, which makes underwater visibility less than optimal. Surfers are loving it though.

My excuse for lousy image quality in the surf photo is that this is an extreme crop from my little underwater camera, which is not meant to catch faraway surfers. I figure that a bad shot is better than no shot at all.

My excuse for the suit and tie is that it was time to renew my passport. The good news is that only the top button of my shirt was fastened and I was wearing shorts and flip flops.

Bat or Moth

 Nope. It's not some kind of digital photoshop art. It is a close-up of the wing of this giant moth which was perched on my windowsill. The wings have this kind of pixelated surface while the body is furry.

These huge moths quietly hang out on the sides of trees and houses during the day, but they're always gone when it gets dark. They are so big that when one flits by I'm never certain whether it was a moth or a bat.