After the Hurricane

My friends were finally able to see for themselves just how truly spectacular the ocean conditions have been this past week.

We saw lots of turtles, an interesting ray, and lots and lots of fishies.

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

Day Four

Still no wind, no waves and only a minimal sprinkling of rain; but some truly wonderful people.

Day Three

Today was Day 3 of being under a Hurricane Warning here on Maui, and the winds were still calm, the ocean was flat and the sun even broke out a few times.

In fact it was so nice I decided to go for a swim, and I'm glad I did. I saw lots and lots of Green Sea Turtles and other critters as well.

I can't wait for Day Four.

Only for Some

I got the following message on my phone last night, and the beach parking was indeed closed today...

...so why is it the resorts had their umbrellas and beach chairs out today? Closed to the residents, but open for the tourists. 

Hurricane a-comin'

 This morning was my final opportunity to swim with Maui's Mermaids before the arrival of Hurricane Lane.

The ocean was clear, warm and calm - absolute perfection.

Click HERE for more photos (including our buddy Ray) from today's ocean adventure.

Stone Arch Redux

I saw some more clever stone stacking this morning. Not just the usual vertical pile but a lovely arch. 

Box

 If someone yells out "BOX" during an ocean swim, that is usually a warning that one or more of the extremely dangerous Box Jellyfish have been sighted.

This morning it turned out to be a miniature ecosystem of algae, lots of mollusks, and at least four resident fish - all in a box.

Click HERE for a couple more photos from today's swim with the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers.

Different Shots

I got a couple of interesting photos on my walk along the shore this morning.

On the Move

This Flounder was constantly on the move this morning - otherwise I never would have noticed it.

It was quite unusual to see a live Helmet Shell on its side, but it was much more photogenic this way. Plus, like the Flounder, I never would have noticed it otherwise.

Sweet Generous Julie

 Our "Julie" mango tree is spilling over with ripe mangoes right now. We collected this bowlful just today.

I scooped almost three quarts of juicy fruit and used half of that for a delicious cobbler which we ate after dinner tonight. Yum.

Clearing

The ocean water is finally, finally clearing up after over a week of poor visibility. Finally!

I wasn't the only one happy about the improved conditions, Maui's Mermaids were also quite pleased.

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

In Spite

In spite of terribly poor visibility yesterday, the Maui Pink Cap swimmers ventured forth in search of clear water. And succeeded, to a limited extent. 

But it really didn't matter. We manage to have fun no matter what.

Click HERE for more photos from Sunday's ocean swim (including our newest addition).

Hazy Joy

In the aftermath of Hurricane Hector there are still some big waves rolling in and stirring up the ocean floor, so visibility wasn't too hot this morning. In fact I almost got out of the ocean, but then I was briefly visited by about eight Spinner Dolphins including a cute little baby dolphin.

Click HERE for more photos from today's brief encounter.

Off-Island Adventure

 Yesterday, a bunch of Maui's Pink Cap Swimmers headed over to the neighboring island of Lanai to celebrate Anne's birthday.

After a challenging swim around Sweetheart Rock, and out into deep water, we devoured delicious chocolate/coffee cake. And took naps. A full swimmers triathlon (swim, eat, nap) was successfully achieved!

Click HERE for lots more photos from Sunday's adventures.

Amusing People

What I found amusing on this morning's walk was watching this older woman clearly checking out the young muscle guy.

Blood in the Water

I watched as this Spotted Eagle Ray munched on a large broken piece of coral this morning. Then, suddenly, a large amount of blood began billowing into the water, and the ray swam quietly off. I guess the hunt was successful.

Nicest

I meet the nicest people out in the ocean. And that's a good thing too, because a group of dolphins swam right by us without even stopping to say, "Hi." What snobs!

Stone Arch

 The resort beaches were crowded this morning with the back-to-school countdown nearing zero.

Stone stacking is popular and, while this example did not reach the dizzying heights of many others, I was impressed by the stone arch.