paddling!!!

After two days out of the water,  I was ready for a day of paddling!  I got out by 8:30 a.m., but a north wind was already blowing.  I headed straight for the boat ramp, not knowing what the wind was going to do.  Halfway to the boat ramp….the wind backed off….and it got really nice and glassy!  I was happy about that, and even happier when I arrived there and no one else was there.  I immediately spotted my first turtle directly in front of me!  It didn’t stay very long, but I had already spotted two more turtles out farther south.  I paddled right in between them!  One of them disappeared, but the other one was very friendly.  Then there was a lull…..and suddenly a big turtle surfaced behind me!  Then another lull!  I started to wonder if that was it for the day, until I spotted two more turtles farther north.  By the time I paddled to them, a third turtle surfaced and I was in the turtle triangle….then a fourth turtle surfaced and I was surrounded!!!  Then one of the really small turtles popped up and had to check me out.  I try not to move in quick movements when they surface since they are easily spooked.  Then a big turtle surfaced and I was sad to see it had tumors on it.  Luckily the tumors were not on its head or by it’s mouth….but it had quite a few on its neck and right flipper.  Thankfully all of the rest of the turtles looked very healthy.  By the end of my day at the boat ramp, I had counted thirteen turtles and I didn’t have to share them with anyone!  The conditions were still ideal, so I headed back.  The day was so nice, so I paddled down to Cove Park and hung out there for a while just enjoying the scene.  It’s hard to come in when it is so perfect!!!  The conditions stayed nice all the way through my swim too and the reef was clear so I saw lots of tropical fish darting around!  When my swim was over, it was really hard to come in.  The water is especially warm right now and I heard that a whale had been spotted by the Big Island already.  Soon it will be whale season again!  I sure hope I get to paddle with whales again this year……last year was great!