wildwahinepaddler

Choppy!

It was a beautiful day and my husband came back from the beach saying there was no wind……and that was good news!  By the time I got down there, the wind was picking up and it was looking choppy.  I was going out paddling anyway, but I really hoped the wind would back off!  Well, it didn’t and it was choppy conditions the whole time.  I decided to paddle north into the wind for a while but the current was pushing from the north too, so it was a bumpy ride!  Luckily a turtle popped up just as I got out and I hung with it for a few minutes.  I was able to get a photo of it too!  I picked up one of these plastic holders for iPhones that is supposedly waterproof……and it worked great….but I don’t know how much I would trust it actually in the water!  It didn’t bother me too much hanging around my neck either.  I paddled down just outside of Kalama Park and it got more windy and choppy.  Pretty soon it was white caps too!  I turned around and paddled south and the wind pushed me along.  I got down to Kam II and decided to turn back and I’m glad I did because the wind got stronger and I had to really work to get back!  It stayed windy for my swim too but I did swim down to the reef and I could actually see the fish today!  There is a lot of debris from the “run-off” just sitting in clumps and I know it can still cause trouble for Kam I if it gets stirred up.  I even saw one of the Spotted Eagle Rays!  I followed it around for a few minutes and then swam back.  The day stayed windy but it sure was a beautiful one!!

Windy day!

Today ended up being a windy day and the ocean was not calm at all.  We ended up going to Keawakapu and went for a walk to Ulua Beach and back.  Then I went swimming in the bumpy water and swam south, down to a nice reef.  I saw lots of fish and the sun cooperated and stayed sunny during my swim so that visibility was excellent!  As the day went by……the dark clouds started building in the west and the West Maui Mountains were soon obscured by the clouds.  It was clearly raining like crazy in that direction!  There is a flood advisory in effect for Maui County so that tells the story.  I hope the weather passes quickly and I can get back out paddling, but I do enjoy Keawakapu Beach too!!

Perfect!

It was so perfect for paddling today!  There is VOG moving in because the trade winds aren’t blowing normal and tonight it was mixed with clouds and there was no sunset!  What a disappointment!  Earlier in the morning I paddled south and encountered my first turtle outside of Kam III, so I stopped for a minute to watch it.  Down at the boat ramp, I had the place to myself today!  I sat for a few minutes and didn’t see a single turtle, but then the turtle party started!  I sat in between them, got surrounded by them and had two very friendly turtles visit me up close and personal!  I recognized them too!  It was first “Little Torpedo Head” and then “Bumpy” hung out for a while and before it left, it dove down and swam slowly under my board!  Only one of the twelve turtles I had at the boat ramp had a big tumor on it’s neck…..I really hate seeing that.  The rest of the turtles looked really healthy!  I paddled back in perfect conditions and swam in calm water that is pretty clear again (for now…..until another little swell pops up and stirs it up again…..).  Down by the reef, the visibility was very limited but I did see some fish, but not as many as when it’s clear.  It was a really beautiful day though!!

Mr. Crab

It looked like it was getting windy yesterday morning so I decided not to go out paddling….. But my husband came back from Keawakapu and said it was nice there.  I put on my swimsuit and headed for Keawakapu!  When I got there it was just a little windy but the tide was out so I went for a walk.  It was just beautiful!  I was on my way back from my walk when I noticed this crab posing in the sand.   A tourist walked up and asked me if the crab was dead!  I told her, no….. The crab is very much alive and I nudged it with my big toe and it got defensive with its claws!  The tourist jumped back in fear!   It was so funny!  Then I headed back to my beach chair and got ready to swim.  It was just as clear as my husband said it was!  I swam down to the coral reef and watched the fish for awhile and then swam back.  It was so nice!  I love that beach but I hope to go out paddling at my beach on Friday…..

Nice paddling day!

I couldn’t make my mind up if I was going paddling, or join my husband down at Keawakapu Beach……but he urged me to go paddling and I’m so glad he did!  It was almost as nice as yesterday with the wind blowing a bit more……but I headed south.  Just as I started out paddling, a turtle popped up to greet me outside of Kam I!  I paddled against the wind and as I passed Kam III, another turtle popped up in front of me!  That was two turtles already and I hadn’t even made it down to the boat ramp yet.  It was much quieter there than yesterday and I was the only person there!  Yay Mondays!  Just as I headed into the boat ramp area, a turtle surfaced a few yards beyond me.  I paddled to it and another turtle surfaced right next to it….and when they drifted apart, I cruised up right between them!  Then I sat for a while, wondering where all the turtles were.  I was just about to leave when two more turtles surfaced and I hung out with them for a while longer!  I am always happy for any turtles….so six turtles was lovely for the day!  The wind picked up a bit, so I decided to paddle back.  On the way back, I encountered some interesting “loopy” swells pushing from the north, so I wondered about the wind out there.  I swam at our beach today again and it is still clearing up but I saw a lot of debris in clumps in different places on the ocean floor….so the bad news is that with the next swell it will most likely get stirred up again.  I don’t know how long it will take to really clear the water at our favorite beach….but at least for now, I will try to enjoy it!  Then the wind really did come in……

A dozen turtles!

It was high time I got out paddling…. So today was the day.   it could not have been more perfect either!  There was a slight breeze blowing from the south so I paddled south.  It was so nice out on the water!  I encountered my first turtle just as I passed Kam III.  The water at Kam I & II is still not very clear but Kam III looked better.  The boat ramp was very clear though and there were quite a few people there too.  I paddled more south and spotted a turtle up ahead of me, but when I got to it, there were three turtles!  Then “Bumpy” appeared and hung out by the back of my board…. That turtle is so friendly!  Even though there were a lot of people there, I still got surrounded by turtles.  Then the red pontoon snorkel boat came in and dropped off about fifteen or so snorkelers.  I figured I was far enough south but before I knew it…. The crew lady was sending them ALL over to the “lady with all the turtles”!!!  And they all swam to where I was.  I had counted about twelve turtles so I headed back.  The conditions were just as nice paddling back!   I swam at our beach today also and although the visibility still isn’t the greatest…. It is improving!   It was just a beautiful day today!