It looked like a perfect day out on the ocean, mostly sunny and no wind blowing.  I could even see the island of Lanai in the distance and the top of Haleakala was completely clear.  It was a good day to be traveling up the mountain!  I paddled down to the boat ramp and when I was just entering Kam III, I ran into a paddling friend.  She was smart and had gone out early, but she paddled down to the boat ramp with me.  When we got there, a kayak with a couple in it, was sitting right in our spot!  We stayed just north of them, until I spotted a turtle frolicking in the distance.  I paddled towards the turtle and then the kayakers saw what I was looking at and they paddled over to the turtle too.  It ended up being two turtles, but the kayak was in-between the turtles and in my way!  Finally they drifted back, and I got to claim my place in-between the turtles!  Then two more turtles surfaced and we paddled to them.  I was able to get to the turtles before the kayak, so I claimed my place in-between those two turtles too!  Then I saw something I don’t like to see….. it was a smaller turtle, probably a young one and it had a tumor on its head.  My paddling friend decided to paddle home because she saw some white caps out farther, but I stayed on and visited with three more turtles!  I had counted eight turtles in all, and then the wind whipped up in a fury from the north, complete with choppy water and white caps.  I paddled furiously to get back, paddling over wind swells and chop and it took forever!  Just about the time I crossed over into Kam I, the wind completely backed off.  I guess the wind really tricked me today!  I was exhausted carrying my board up to the shower, but I still wanted to swim.  Luckily, the wind stayed back all the while I swam too.  I saw the smallest “Humu Humu” fish I had ever seen today.  I bet it would not have measured more than three inches!  I wonder how long it takes them to grow to the size I usually see them?  I might have to look that one up.  Then I followed a pair of Moorish Idols as they pecked at the rocks and coral.  On my way back, a turtle suddenly swam past me so I turned around quickly and swam with it for a while.  That made nine turtles for today!