What a great morning!  I got into the ocean before 8:30 a.m. and the conditions were really nice.  There was no wind blowing, in fact, I was sweating while I paddled down to the boat ramp!  Two paddlers were just leaving the area when I arrived there.  I suddenly paddled right into a semi-circle of three turtles and I was immediately surrounded!  I paddled a bit north and was surprised by another turtle that popped up right next to my board.  This turtle was really friendly and hanging out with me.  We were having such a great time, when a boat came roaring into the boat ramp, and upset the turtle flow.  Too many private boats on the weekend can be a bother!  About the time the boat passed, a paddling friend joined me at the boat ramp.  She paddles out of Keawakapu Beach and lives near there.  Suddenly three turtles surfaced around us, really close,  and then two more joined them and then one more turtle joined the party!  We counted six altogether just sitting with us. Then I raised my hands up and said, “My ohana arrives!”  and  my  friend just laughed!  We paddled a little more south, and a small turtle popped up right next to my friend.  She decided to paddle back to Keawakapu, so I stayed to see if there were any more turtles.  Just after she paddled away, two more turtles surfaced out beyond me so I paddled to them.  Then a big turtle popped up by my right side and then dove down and swam under my board.  That was fourteen turtles in all!  I paddled out farther because the conditions were so nice and headed back.  I looked for whales all the way back, but I didn’t see any whales today.  Before heading in,  I stopped out in the “quiet zone” and sat for a few minutes to enjoy the scenery.  The conditions stayed really nice all the way through swim too.  Right after I came in, the wind started to come up, but not too bad.  It was just a really nice day for April Fools day!!!  NO, it really was!