On the Breakwater

On the breakwater at Queen's Surf, Waikiki, Hawaii.

Waikiki

Waikiki Beach Panorama.  After brief but heavy showers, the clouds cleared off and made way for a steamy, tropical day.  Mele Kalikimaka to one and to all!

White Mouthed Moray

White Mouthed Moray, Gymnothorax melealgris, or Puhi in Hawaiian, at Queen's Surf Beach Park on Oahu. The water was a bit cold and a little bit cloudy with particulates from the recent rains so I had to get a little closer to take pictures of the fish. The bigger morays, such as this one, have a nasty habit of lunging out of their hole if they feel threatened. Add in the waves sloshing me back and forth over his hole and it made for a little excitement. There is a little bit of a balance between getting a decent picture and staying far enough away so as to not get bitten. The closest land analogy would be that of trying to get a closeup of a snake that would periodically coil up and rattle at you.

Happy New Year

Fireworks over Waikiki. Happy New Year!!! Hope you have a good one.

Ala Wai Yact Harbor and Waikiki

Ala Wai Yact Harbor and Waikiki. Quick shot from Magic Island during a post lunch walk.

Bluespine Unicornfish, Naso unicornis

Bluespine Unicornfish or Kala (Hawaiian), Naso unicornis, Waikiki, Hawaii. These huge, gentle fish are the cows of the sea, spending their days grazing on algae that would otherwise clog the coral reef and kill delicate corals. When threatened, they extend those large, knife-like spines on their tail, warding off would be predators.

Spotted Puffer

Arothron meleagris, Spotted puffer, in about 5 feet of water off of Waikiki. Not the best angle but he promptly dove under a rock to avoid my pestering and there was too much silt in the water to use the flash (i.e. headlights in a snowstorm). Really cool fish and otherwise slow enough that you can get a close shot. This was the first time I've seen one of these in the water, so it was a small treat. They have sharp beaks that they use to crush the branching coral that they feed on. The relative scarcity of branching coral may be one of the reasons why they are fairly uncommon...

The Bird Man of Waikiki

This man holds out his hands with bread in them and the birds come...and come...and come until his arms are covered with birds!

Double Rainbow Over Waikiki

Rainy morning over Waikiki. There were big warm drops of tropical rain falling from the sky, being whipped lightly by the ocean breeze. As I wondered somewhat retrospectively if I should have covered the lens on the SLR, a glorious double rainbow shone brightly over the ocean, somehow making it all a new, exciting adventure.

What Did You Do On Christmas Eve?

School of Weke Ula (Yellowfin Goatfish), Mulloidichthys vanicolensis, off Waikiki Beach. It was a little rainy but the fish were still there. What did you do on Christmas eve?

How Do You Know When You Are TOO CLOSE to a MORAY???

Moray Eel, Waikiki, Hawaii. When a moray opens its mouth in a very personal and threatening way, like this one is, you are too close! In fact, this rather large moray promptly swam out of his hole and charged me. Moray eels tend to bite and tear, thrusting their body back and forth while their sharp teeth maintain hold. Generally, unless you're silly enough to want a picture, I recommend a wide berth.

The Angry Myna

Common Myna, Acridotheres tristis, Waikiki, Oahu. This mynah appeared wet, possibly from the recent heavy rains. Whatever the cause, he sure looked cranky!

Blow Your Trumpet

Large Trumpet fish, Aulostomus chinensis, gliding eerily over the reef hunting for prey. This Trumpet fish was around 3 ft. long. They are suction feeders kind of like a seahorse or a pipefish, creating a vacuum through the rapid opening of their mouth that will suck in unsuspecting fish or crustaceans. The long snout is likely for getting into crevices where shrimp, crabs and small fish would otherwise hide.

Threadfin Butterfly Fish

Threadfin Butterfly Fish, Waikiki, Hawaii. Beautiful little fish that live on small crustaceans and other critters. They use that little snout to get their food out of crevices in the coral. Often seen in pairs.

Coming In After a Long Day Surfing...

Coming in after a long day surfing, Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii. The sun was setting leaving long shadows on the water.

Hanging Out in Waikiki

Group of friends just hanging out on the beach in Waikiki. More shots of warm weather just in case you're stuck in the frigid temperatures we've been having this winter... As for me, vacation's over and it's back to the books! It is nice to see all my friends again. Ah, that school thing.

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Wrasse!

Christmas Wrasse, Thalassoma trilobatum, Waikiki, Hawaii. It seems even the fish are getting into the Christmas mood. Pictured here is a Christmas Wrasse, known for it's many bright colors. May you all have a wonderful Christmas and an awesome new year!

Natatorium WWI Memorial

Natatorium World War I Memorial, Waikiki, Hawaii. This is the entrace to the Natatorium, a salt water pool created along the beach by dredging out an area and building a pool wall around it. The water in the pool was salt water in free exchange with the ocean. It's been closed for years but they are finally starting to repair and restore it after some twenty years of neglect. I hope to see it open again.

The Uncommonly Delicious Kumu

The Whitesaddle Goatfish, Parupeneus porphyreus, or Kumu in Hawaiian. This one was under a coral ledge in Waikiki.

Kumu is one of the most popular and, these days, uncommon of the goatfish in Hawaii. Its soft, flaky, white meat is treasured in Hawaii and, even when I was a kid, was considered quite a catch when you could find one. You don't see many anymore, probably doomed by their own tastiness. The ancient Hawaiians offered kumu to the gods because of their red color, which was meaningful for rituals. The few I saw were hiding under coral ledges as opposed to their more free ranging goatfish cousin, the moana, which could be seen freely roaming the reef during the day.

On the Boardwalk

There is a "boardwalk" along Waikiki Beach. Along the boardwalk there is a small shelter with tables for chess and checkers. Sometimes there are people playing the ukelele. Sometimes there are people singing old songs. Sometimes there is a guy playing the violin. He was decent and had a few people listing. Mostly, I think he just enjoyed the company. Company is good. Sometimes a little company is all the doctor calls for.