wildwahinepaddler

Twelve turtles!

I got a late start today but it was a really nice day and I didn’t want to miss out.  I paddled down to the boat ramp and waited,  and waited, and finally three turtles surfaced all at once!  I was surrounded!  It was so nice down at the boat ramp and the water was so clear, I could see the turtles swimming down near the bottom.  Two more turtles surfaced and one of them was “Lizard”!  It was the only one I recognized today.  After I counted eight turtles I started to paddle back.  Just as I was coming into Kam II, I ran into a paddling friend  and three more turtles!  We chatted for a while and then paddled down farther north.  The conditions were so nice!  On the way in, another turtle popped up and that made twelve turtles in all for the day.   The wind came up somewhat when I went for my swim, but the water was so clear.  I swam down to the reef and enjoyed the fish.  I didn’t see any turtles on my swim today.  I hope tomorrow is just as nice as today!

I long to see this scene!

I borrowed this photo and I just love it!  So far I have not seen any whales in close enough to take a photo like this, but hopefully it will happen soon.  This morning started out windy…..yes windy!  I really didn’t know how it was going to go but I was greeted by a friendly turtle just as I started to paddle!  Then I ran into a paddling friend and we saw another turtle hanging by the buoy.  Two turtles and I hadn’t even left Kam I yet!  We paddled together down to the boat ramp, but just as we were passing Kam III, two turtles surfaced and I was in between them.  One of them was closer to my friend and the other one was closer to me, so we both stopped to enjoy the turtles!  Wow, four turtles and we hadn’t even arrived at the boat ramp yet!  About the time we did arrive there, the wind backed off and it got really nice.  The turtles, however, made us wait!  I was starting to wonder if they were coming at all, but then they started to surface….a lot of them!  At one point I was sitting happily in a turtle triangle and my friend yelled that I was surrounded.  Then a very friendly turtle popped up and hung around my board for a while, then it swam very slowly right by my side, so I laid back on my board and put my arm in the water.  The turtle slipped right by me, rubbing up against my arm as it passed to the back of my board!  My friend had brought a camera and she was taking photos of the turtles, and some of them were really posing!  After I had counted about eighteen turtles, we started to paddle back and the conditions were perfect.  My friend headed in while I headed out looking for whales.  The water was so calm but no whales for today.  It was one of those super nice days that makes you want to just stay out on the water!  I came in though, because I really wanted to swim.  The water is so clear right now and I wanted to hang around down at the reef.  I was just about down to the reef when I spotted a turtle swimming in my direction, so I turned around.  Soon it swam right under me and I started swimming with it!  I swam with it for a while and then it started to surface right in front of me.  I couldn’t help myself……when it got that close to me, I gave it a rub on its shell!  The turtle just floated there next to me as if it was enjoying the attention, then it floated next to me and was looking right at me.  Then I just put my arm around its shell and we swam together!  I couldn’t believe it.  After awhile, the turtle headed slowly out to sea, so I said good-bye.  I turned around to swim towards the reef and a school of six large Ulua fish swam past me!  Then they turned around and came back!  They were playing with each other and chasing each other!  Then a school of about a dozen other silver fish swam past me so I followed them.  They turned around and swam back towards me and the large Ulua fish came back too….so there I was, just hanging with a bunch of fish right out in front of the lifeguard tower!  I never made it to the reef!  There was too much happening right where I was.  It was quite a day!

my buddies!

Yesterday was windy, but today was perfect!!!  A beach friend of mine said she gave the day a “10”….and I really have to agree!  The ocean was calm, the sun was out, no wind, and the water was crystal clear!  It was one of those days you would order if you could, for every day!  The VOG was pretty much non-existent too, and you could even see the valleys on the island of Lanai.  It was a joy paddling down to the boat ramp, but there were a lot more people out paddling than yesterday, so I had company at the boat ramp.  Luckily most everyone else moved on in one direction or the other, but the turtles did make me wait for them today. Finally I spotted a turtle bobbing at the surface so I paddled over.  It looked familiar so I waited until it came right by me, and then I could see it’s tail then I knew it was Lizard!!  Lizard hung around with me for a while and then two more turtles joined us for a turtle triangle!  Then I noticed a turtle popping in and out of the water….. and it was Torpedo Head!  It came to visit me a couple of more times while I was there.  I sat between two sets of two turtles, and then the turtles started surfacing just one at a time, until I had counted ten turtles for the day!  It was so nice down at the boat ramp.  After awhile I decided to paddle back and the conditions stayed nice all the way back.  Just as I came into the Kam I area, I ran into a paddling friend and  a new paddling friend she had just met.  We chatted for a while and then I came in to take my swim.  Swimming was terrific too!  I swam down to the reef and there were lots of fish, even a baby Puffer fish and an interesting long yellow fish I had never seen before.  I  will have to look that one up!  The day stayed nice and was still perfect when I left the beach to go home.  It sure was a perfect day!

Hello there!

So I borrowed this photo from a friend.  The caption said that turtles all have different markings on their head like a finger print….I never knew that.  I usually identify some of the turtles by markings on their shell or certain behaviors, or by how long their tail is…..I never thought of the markings on their head!  Today was a beautiful day but it started out windy and bumpy out on the water.  I was surprised by a turtle on my way out that popped up right in front of me!  It stayed around for a couple of minutes and then dove down.  I paddled against the wind almost all the way down to the boat ramp.  Just as I was passing Kam III, the wind backed off some and by the time I arrived at the boat ramp, the conditions got quite nice.  I didn’t have to wait long for the turtles either.  I paddled right up into a nice turtle triangle!  Then one of the turtles disappeared and another turtle joined us, but this time the turtles made a line.  I was in the line with them!  Several people on kayaks paddled into the area, but stayed in close to shore.  I’m sure they could see all the turtles but they kept their distance which was nice.  A medium-sized turtle “cozied” up to my board, clicking it’s shell on the side of my board a few times!  It stayed there right by me so I reached over and gave it’s shell a nice rub.  It seemed to be enjoying the attention and continued to stay by me and then swam up around the nose of my board for a few minutes.  Then another turtle surfaced and it was SPOT (with the red spot markings on its shell….)!  A large turtle kept coming up and it had the longest tail…..it looked like a lizard tail!  I decided to name that turtle “Lizard.”  Lizard came up to visit me several times!  There were quite a few turtles surfacing today and the last one I saw swimming under me.  Suddenly the ocean surface began to get very kicked up so I figured that the wind was coming back in, and I started to paddle back.  It stayed windy all the way back and it didn’t back off until I went for my swim.  Two turtles surfaced on my way back in too, which brought the turtle count up to eighteen!  The water is ultra clear right now and I am loving it!  Even the fish down at the reef seem so happy that they water is clear.  By the time I came in, the wind was coming back in again too, so it was time to go home.  I wouldn’t be unhappy if it’s not windy tomorrow morning!!  Well see.

Gorgeous day!

I didn’t think it could get more perfect than yesterday……..BUT I was wrong…..today was even nicer than yesterday!  Sunny skies, calm conditions and just a hint of a breeze were the order of the day.  I paddled down to the boat ramp and as I passed Kam II, I looked up at the mountain and it was totally clear again today!  Even the island of Lanai was visible today.  Down at the boat ramp I had some competition…..three paddlers were sitting right in my favorite turtle spot.  I stayed north of them, but it looked like none of us were seeing any turtles, so they paddled away.  Of course I stuck around, even though the turtles made me wait today.  Finally six turtles surfaced, all at different times and I had them all to myself!  It wasn’t until turtle #7 and #8 popped up that I got to sit between them.  Then #8 disappeared and turtle #9 surfaced and I sat between #7 and #9.  The last turtle I saw,  swam  just beneath me and kept on going.  I guess it was just passing through!  I waited quite a while for those ten turtles and then I paddled back.  Ten turtles are still great!  Even one turtle is great!  The conditions stayed perfect so I paddled out farther to look for whales.  So far, I haven’t seen any whales in close enough so that will have to wait!  It was so nice out there today that it was difficult to make the decision to come in, but the water was so clear, I was looking forward to swimming too.  I didn’t end up seeing any turtles on my swim today but I did see a lot of fish.  It was one gorgeous December day!!

Nineteen turtles!

When I got up this morning it looked like it was already getting windy.  I could see the trees blowing outside so I took a look down to ocean with my trusty binoculars.  All I could see were white caps!  I had about decided not to paddle, when my husband came back from the beach and told me it was perfect down there.  I slapped my sunscreen on and grabbed my water and hurried down to the beach!  And it was perfect, calm conditions, clear water and some overcast skies.  It seemed like there were not too many people out paddling and I wondered if they saw the white caps too and didn’t go out.  I’m sure glad my husband kicked my butt down to the beach!  It was smooth paddling all the way down to the boat ramp and no one else was there, so I had the place to myself.  I knew those white caps were still out there, but it seemed like they weren’t moving in anytime soon.  Now…. if the turtles would just come out, I would be very happy!  And they did.  Three turtles surfaced around me and I had an instant turtle triangle!  Then one disappeared and two more turtles surfaced and I was surrounded by four turtles!  At one point, I was sitting next to a big turtle, and it dove under me.  Then I heard a “bump bump” and  my board shook.  The turtle had tried to surface under my board!!!!  Then it spooked and dove out from the side, making a big splash and dove under again.  It was so funny!  Before I knew it, I had counted fourteen turtles, and then a paddling friend paddled up from the south.  She had been down by Keawakapu Beach and told me she hadn’t seen any turtles.  We chatted for a few minutes and then two turtles surfaced to the right of us……. and then two more, one behind and one out farther out.  We were both surrounded!  That made the turtle count eighteen for the day!  My friend paddled in at Kam III and I started to paddle back.  The conditions stayed nice all the way back and the sun started to peek out from the clouds.  My swim was nice too and the water is really clear again, so I swam down to the reef.  The reef was teeming with fish and I think they were also glad the water visibility had cleared up!  I had started my swim back and was about halfway there, when a turtle appeared under me.  It was swimming south, so I turned around and swam with it back to the reef.  The turtle and I hung out at the reef for a few minutes and then it began to surface.  It was just inches from me and then it stopped right under me, so I gave it a rub on its shell.  It just floated there by me just under the surface!  I love those friendly turtles!  I hope it’s just as nice tomorrow!

Nice Sunday Sunset!

Yesterday I slept in so no paddling,  but at sunset, the ocean was calm and nice.  Well this morning when I arrived at the beach, the wind was up and the ocean was bumpy!  Totally different from last evening!  I paddled anyway, hoping that the wind might back off, but I paddled against it all the way down to the boat ramp.  Down at the boat ramp, the ocean was still bumpy and the wind was not backing off, but I managed to visit with two turtles.  After that, I was concerned about the wind, so I paddled back.  The wind was at my back going that way, but the loopy swells were coming from the north. I promised I would not bad mouth the wind because it is blowing the VOG away…… so I didn’t!  Ahemmmm……well at least all of Haleakala was clear today!  Just as I was coming into Kam I, the wind backed off and the ocean got calmer.  My swim was nice, but the visibility is still bad, so I turned around before the reef.  When the visibility is kicked up like that I spook at every little shadow when I’m swimming (especially with the recent shark attacks…)!  The day was beautiful, though, and not bad for December 10th either…..I’ll take it!!!!!

Nice!

It was a very nice day out on the water today!  There is still some VOG hanging in the air unfortunately, but it does make for some really nice sunsets.  I ran into a paddling friend just as I made my way out, so we paddled down to the boat ramp together.  There were so many people out today so it was not as quiet as yesterday, and I only had one turtle come out to visit with me!  It is so unusual to have just one turtle for the day.  My friend paddled more south and saw a couple of turtles, but they must have been hiding out today!  The conditions stayed really nice, so after a while we paddled back and continued on down past Charley Young Beach.  We encountered some strange swells down there and we could see waves breaking at Kalama Park.  I decided to paddle in and take my swim.  The visibility was better today but still not very good, so no hanging out at the reefs for me today.  The water felt so good though!  The day stayed really nice and it still was when I had to leave.  I hope it’s just as nice tomorrow too!

Here come the turtles!

It was another beautiful day on Maui today!  Calm conditions were the order of the day and no wind.  Some VOG was still hanging around but a lot of it did blow away.  Paddling down to the boat ramp was a joy and hardly anyone was out paddling.  It always makes me wonder why no one is out…..like I  missed the memo or something!  The conditions were really perfect though!  I saw the VOG hanging on the mountain and the island of Lanai was not visible either, so if the trade winds don’t come in, the VOG will most definitely get worse.  At least today was perfect!  I sat for awhile down at the boat ramp and no turtles were around.  I thought about leaving and then two turtles popped up, one on each side of me!  I told them, “it’s about time you guys!”  One of the turtles kept going under and popping its head up and then I realized that it was the turtle I affectionately call “Torpedo Head”!  It completely circled me and then dove under.  A paddling friend cruised up on us and a few more turtles surfaced.  I recognized another turtle too, it’s the one I call “Spot”!  Spot swam right next to me for a little while and then dove under.  My friend yelled that there were three turtles farther north so we paddled over.  I cruised up between them and yelled, “Am I in the turtle triangle?” and my friend yelled yes!  Then another turtle surfaced and ended up between my friend and me, instead of the other way around!  It was so glassy and nice down at the boat ramp and we had all the turtles to ourselves.  By the time I counted fifteen turtles, we decided to paddle back.  We paddled down past Kam I and hung out for awhile to chat.  It was going to be hard to make that paddle in since it was so very nice, but my friend headed to Kam II and I headed in at Kam I.  Then I heard my friend yelling that there was a manta ray out there!  I whipped my board around and headed out in the direction she was pointing and there it was!  I think there might have been two, but I only really saw one big one.  I followed it for a while and then it disappeared down below.  I headed in, happy that I got to see a manta ray today!  My swim was nice too, but the water is still not very clear so I decided not to go to the reefs today.  Suddenly, a turtle appeared under me so I turned around and swam with it!  It took me way down past Kam I……swimming just under me and then coming up in front of me, begging to be petted!  I got to pet it several times when it surfaced in front of me and then I playfully tugged on its flipper twice!  It was so funny.  It pulled away briefly, then turned sideways and looked back at me and just floated there.  It was so fun to get to play with a turtle for such a long time!  Then we hit some really kicked up water and I lost sight of it so I swam all the way back to my starting point.  What a great adventure!!!!!  I love turtle play days!