Mermaids and Dolphins

Maui's Mermaids were greeted by a large pod of Spinner Dolphins this morning. The dolphins repeatedly swam up to our group, then swam away, only to return time after time. What an amazing experience.

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

Love to Laugh

Yes, we are a playful bunch who are easily entertained. I love how much the Maui Pink Cap swimmers laugh every single week, and yesterday was no exception.

Click HERE for a few more photos from yesterday morning's ocean swim.

Bold Lobster

 This morning, Maui's Mermaids traveled into deep water which was much calmer than I expected.

On the way we visited with a bold Lobster and checked out the deteriorating remains of a baby Whale.

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

Moonrise

The moon always looks so much larger as it approaches the horizon, and last night was no exception as we watched it rise.

Earlier in the week the beach was covered with hundreds of Portuguese Man-Of-War.

Yes, the cord which attaches a board to your ankle is called a "leash", but this woman took it quite literally this morning.

Turtle and Fishie Friends

 The recent spate of south swells have abated and I once again felt comfortable getting out into the ocean for a morning swim today.

This is where I belong, among my turtle and fishie friends.

Purdy

 Offering a couple more recent purdy sunsets. No two are quite the same.

Exact Opposite

Underwater visibility couldn't have been any more different this Sunday from how it was last week. Last Sunday the water was so clear that I felt like I was flying though the air, not swimming through water. This week we could barely see each other and the only critter we saw was a single Green Sea Turtle.

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

Find the Flounder

I occasionally find a Flounder on the sandy ocean floor in ten or more feet of water, but this morning I almost stepped on this one along the rocky shore in only two inches of water. Can you see it?

Sea Breeze

Just a quiet morning in South Maui with a nice cooling sea breeze. Perfection.

Well Turned Out Urchin

 Maui's Mermaids found crystal clear water for their ocean swim this morning.

We also found lots of friendly turtles and an especially well turned-out collector urchin.

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

Clear and Perfect

The Maui Pink Cap swimmers had extraordinarily clear water for our ocean swim this morning, plus we got to share our adventures with two newcomers.

Click HERE for more photos from today's fun.

Perseverance

I get home, I look at thumbnails of the photos I've taken during my walk, and I say, "This junk? What was I thinking when I took these photos?"

But I persevere, process the photos, and once again see what I saw when I took them.

Friday the 13th

The only thing scary about today was how ridiculously many Green Sea Turtles we encountered. We truly lost count.

Not only were the turtles not afraid of us, they seemed to be totally oblivious to our presence. We had to keep moving out of their way to avoid being run over.

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

Hidden Ribs

Except for subtle differences, most of the homes in South Maui are cut from the same pattern. But every now and then one manages to surprise me. This one (top photo) began as a lovely change from the normal - until they divided it into two levels and hid most of the "ribs." Oh well, it still remains a bit out of the norm.

Safely Into Shore

Swimming with Maui's Mermaids is always a treat, and today was no exception. Conditions got crazy on the way back, but we all made it safely into shore. Kenny was a HERO.

Attractive Shade

People were finding the shade to be very attractive this morning.

Oh, and the water too.

Unharmed

Fear of possible Box Jellyfish kept most of the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers out of the ocean this morning, but several of us persevered and had a spectacular swim. And without even the tiniest sting between us.

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

Happy Waterfalls

It makes me happy having so many waterfalls in my neighborhood. Lucky me.

Common Behavior

Yet another thing I have in common with sea turtles (and dolphins and whales) is that we begin breathing out before breaking the surface.

Freak Thunderstorm

I have noticed an increase in women carrying umbrellas while walking on the beach and this one, while stylish, did not seem to perform any real function. But I guess you never know when a freak thunderstorm might pop up...

He Has A Point

I don't fully get it, but Doug has always loved the sight of Pu'u Ola'i, the hill just a short walk south of our house.

Yes, the cliffs are dramatic and subtly colorful, and it's kind of interesting the way it stands alone above the surrounding sea and shore. I do enjoy hiking around the hill's base as well as along the loop trail connecting the three summits. The woodland on the east side always offers a cool respite from the tropical sun, and the various caves are pretty neat. 

Okay, maybe he has a point.