It was a gorgeous morning on Maui, with just a slight breeze and scattered clouds.  There was a mixture of wispy white and silver clouds,  and puffs of clouds adorning the top of Haleakala.  It was pretty perfect.  I paddled down to the boat ramp in ideal conditions, and when I arrived there, I was the only paddler.  As usual, I didn’t see any turtles at first, so I decided to hang around.  Then the turtle party began!  The first turtle surfaced next to me on my left, and then another one on my right.  Then a big turtle swam right at the nose of my board, popped its head up, and then dove right under me!  Before I knew it I was surrounded with three more turtles joining in.  I had the place to myself, until two other paddlers showed up.  They were visiting from Alaska and had rented SUP boards.  They seemed nice and the three of us enjoyed the turtles.  The visitors were ecstatic that the turtles were swimming right between us and so close to our boards!  We must have spent at least half an hour immersed in turtles.  I stopped counting them after I got to twenty!  They were everywhere and we were having quite a time.  The three of us decided that tomorrow we would come to this same spot and bring our snorkel gear.  I paddled back in the same ideal conditions and the wind stayed out during my swim.  As soon as I came in though, the wind was starting to show up.  By the time I left the beach, the ocean had turned into a sea of white caps.  I had the timing just right today!