wildwahinepaddler

Beautiful Maui Day!

After the windy conditions of the last couple of days, I was hoping for a beautiful day on Sunday, and I got it!  It was my last day to paddle and swim for a few days, since we are traveling tomorrow to San Diego for Xmas, so I really hoped for a perfect paddling day.  As you can see, I got just what I ordered!  It was so nice and calm with just a bit of a breeze blowing from the south to keep things cool.  Paddling down to the boat ramp was totally enjoyable but when I arrived there, so did the tour boat with it’s noisy snorkelers!  I paddled off away from them, but I wondered if the turtles would come.  I really wanted some turtles today!  Well, they didn’t disappoint me either.  I paddled into a semi-circle of about five turtles, so I was immediately surrounded!  Then I paddled out further and another turtle surfaced to greet me.  As I paddled out and around the tour boat, a really big turtle surfaced right next to me so close, I could have reached out and  touched it!  The wind had changed direction and was now blowing from the north, so I thanked Mother Ocean for bringing me the seven turtles and I paddled back. The conditions stayed just as nice for my swim and in addition to the usual tropical fish I see down by the rocks, an silver-blue shiny Ulua fish,  about three feet long cruised by me too!  It was just the day I ordered.  Mahalo Honu!!!!  🙂

So it was already windy from the north when I went out paddling, but I really wanted to paddle since I am traveling  on Monday!  I paddled against the wind past Cove Park and then turned south.  I was able to “ride” the wind down to the boat ramp…but since the wind was at my back, it got SO hot!  I was sweating like crazy.  When I arrived at the boat ramp, there was one other paddler in the area.  I paddled  to my spot and waited.  For a while there were no turtles around and I wondered if they sensed my lack of patience.  Usually I am so relaxed down there, but the few days prior to traveling always have me pressed for time with so much to accomplish before leaving.  Suddenly turtle #1 finally appeared, and then turtle #2!  I paddled a little more north and turtle #3 surfaced.  It was the cutest little turtle and definitely a young one!  The wind was threatening to come in so I called it a day and began paddling back.  As I passed Kam III, turtle #4 popped up to my right and seemed to want to hang out, so of course, I did!  It was just as friendly as the one I saw at the exact spot yesterday.  Could it be the same turtle?  I’ll never know.  The wind was picking up so I continued paddling.  It got quite bumpy with some weird swells coming from the north, then straight in, and then from the south, all colliding!  I was paddling over the swells in all directions.  Then suddenly the wind completely died, so I hurried back, but within minutes the whole look of the ocean changed!  It got so kicked up that I sure was glad I was almost back.  A couple of other paddlers bailed at Kam II …. having a hard time paddling against the wind, but I just kept paddling!  I still wanted to swim even though it was windy, so I swam against the wind and then rode it back.  The water is still very clear, but I hope the wind backs off the next couple of days so I can get my paddling in.  We’ll see!

Another beautiful morning on Maui, although the ocean was not as calm as yesterday.  Sunny skies prevailed and there was a north wind blowing, so I started to paddle in that direction.  No sooner did I get out to the buoy at Kam I,  a turtle popped up in front of me!  I had to hang out with it since it was so friendly.  I stopped paddling and the turtle stopped swimming.  It swam around me and under my board, popping up from time to time to check me out.  Before I knew it, we had drifted almost down to the point.  I left the turtle and paddled north again to where I started out and then made my turn south.  The ocean wasn’t glassy like yesterday due to the wind, but it was an enjoyable paddle down to the boat ramp.  When I arrived, I was the only paddler there.  Soon the turtles started coming up, two to start with on my right, and two more on my left….I was surrounded!  I paddled out a little bit further and this time four turtles surfaced and I was surrounded again!  I was thrilled to have had nine turtles for today and decided to paddle back.  Just as I was passing Kam III, one more big turtle popped up in front of me!  Of course I had to spend some time with that one too.  It was very friendly like the turtle I encountered at Kam I, so I wondered, could it be the same turtle?  I’ll never know.  By the time I paddled back, the wind backed off and I had a great swim too!  Not a bad day!

Perfect Paddling conditions!

It could not have been a more beautiful morning on Maui!  There were just a few overcast clouds and the ocean was glassy.  I paddled down to Cove Park, made my turn south and paddling effortlessly down to the boat ramp.  When I arrived there, two guy paddlers were already there in my spot (I might have to stop telling people about my spot!).  There was one turtle by them, so I paddled over further.  Then the paddlers paddled over to where I was.  I had one large turtle by me, and then six more turtles surfaced all around the three of us!  I think the guys were tourists and they were ecstatic.  I looked down and saw about four turtles just swimming underneath us!  I had brought my mask and snorkel, so I paddled over to the spot I like to snorkel.  The conditions at the boat ramp started to get a little choppy and a cloud hung over me.  Two paddling friends joined me for a few minutes.  They had paddled early down to the Grand Wailea!  When they left, I decided to go back too, but when I started to pass Kam III, a big turtle popped up in front of me!  Of course I had to hang around with it for a few minutes, and then another turtle swam by me, so I followed it all the way back to the boat ramp!  It was well after 10 a.m. by then, so I paddled back in the same great conditions, just stopping out in the quiet zone for a few minutes before paddling in.  Conditions stayed perfect for my swim too, totally glassy!  I saw a lot of fish down by the rocks and reefs.  Hey it’s December 14th….. and I am out paddling and swimming…..Life Is Good!

Pastel skies after the rain!

Well it was a wonderful afternoon of much needed rain, and the prize came at sunset!  WOW!

At least the overcast was not as dark as yesterday, but there was a breeze blowing from the north.  The conditions were much better than yesterday but not quite as choppy. I paddled north into the breeze down to Cove Park and then turned south.  It was a very enjoyable trip paddling down to the boat ramp.  It still looked pretty stormy up on the mountain, but conditions weren’t bad on the ocean.  Hardly anyone was out paddling.  I guess it was because of the unpredictable weather of the last few days.  When I arrived at the boat ramp, I was the only one there.  The sky was much darker there and it was kinda hard to see down into the water, but after a few minutes, the turtles started to appear!  I first saw two turtles and then a third and then I turned in the direction to go back.  Another turtle popped up right in front of me and then two more surfaced over to my right!  That was six turtles, and then one of the two on my right, swam underneath my board.  Then it surfaced and I had one turtle on my left and one on my right!  We just hung out there for a few minutes and then they both started to swim north, so I followed. When they both disappeared, I decided to head back.  There were some fun bumps to paddle over on the way back, and then when I got to the spot I turn in to shore, the breeze just backed off and the water got glassy!  I was paddling in when suddenly I saw a turtle right under me!  It was heading south, so I did too.  I followed it down to the point, and then let it go.  The conditions stayed glassy all the way through my swim.  I had hoped I might see that turtle, but I only saw fish.  It turned out to be a really nice day despite the “iffy” start.  I hope tomorrow is even nicer!

It was another beautiful day on Maui and the paddling conditions were perfect.  A slight breeze from the south was blowing just enough to keep the temperatures comfortable. I paddled down to the boat ramp and when I arrived I was the only one there and that’s how I like it best!  As I approached the boat ramp, I could see five or six turtles making a semi-circle and I paddled right into the middle of it and was surrounded!  After a few minutes, I paddled out a bit further and found myself in between two large turtles.  They stayed with me for quite a while and then dove down and swam around underneath my board. The water was so clear I could see them going back and forth!  They are beautiful creatures.  A few more times I was surrounded by so many turtles that I quit counting at 20!  I loved every minute!  I had brought along my mask and snorkel, so it was time to get into the water.  I don’t know how long I swam with the turtles and looked at the coral and fish. When I am out in the sea creatures world,  I lose all track of time.  Eventually I came up and crawled back onto my board.  By then, a few more paddlers had come into the area, so it was my cue to paddle back.  I felt refreshed and enriched after being in the water and when I passed Kam III, one more turtle surfaced in front of me!  We both stopped to look at each other, and then we moved on.  Does anyone think that this kind of experience is a spiritual one?  I happen to think so.  Aloha!

Perfect paddling!

No shark excitement today thankfully.  Just beautiful conditions for paddling and a mostly clear sky with comfortable temperatures.  Even the top of Haleakala was completely clear!  It was 9 a.m. again today by the time I got out on the ocean and the sea was glassy with just a few bumps to make it fun.  I paddled down to the boat ramp and by the time I got there, the pontoon tour boat was already there!  There were over a dozen people snorkeling, so chances were slim that I would get to see any turtles.  The problem is that at the tourists are excited and noisy which I think disturbs the usual serenity.  I paddled beyond the tour boat, to the other side of the boat lane and waited.  Pretty soon two turtles surfaced, one on my left and one on my right!  Then I paddled out a bit further, and I got surrounded by four more turtles.  I think I had all the turtles out with me!  I hung out with them for a few minutes and then one more turtle joined us.  I was excited the turtles came around and when I started paddling back, another turtle popped up in front of me just as I passed the tour boat!  That was eight turtles in all when I thought I wouldn’t see any…. any day I see a turtle is a good day.  The conditions stayed perfect all the way back and all through my swim.  Great day on Maui!

Yup, it happened today.  I got out about 9 a.m.  and the conditions were perfect.  I paddled down to Cove Park and made my turn south and was so enjoying the perfectly glassy water with just enough bumps to make it fun.  Then when I was passing Kam II, a jet ski with a lifeguard came zooming over to me.  He told me there was a shark sighting and everyone had to get out of the water.  He said it was an eight foot tiger shark and I kept on paddling.  He came up behind me and said, so I am telling you about this and you are choosing to paddle?  I said yes.  So he said, well then if you fall off your board, I am not going to save you, you know.  I said, okay I heard you, and went on my way. Hmmm… that was not a nice interaction to have out paddling and it was starting to ruin my day.  When I arrived at the boat ramp, there was a man on a kayak there and I asked him if he had been approached by the life guard.  He told me, no, he had not heard about the shark.  Suddenly we were surrounded by about five turtles and I told the guy, well the turtles do not seem to be concerned about it.  Just as other turtles were starting to join us, the lifeguard at Kam III started yelling on his speaker that the beaches were closed.  I decided to just paddle back to Kam I and the water was so crystal clear I could see the bottom.  All of a sudden, a tiger shark passed by me!!!!!!  It was about ten to twelve feet from my board….. but it  only looked to be about six feet to me.  It was swimming about three feet under the water, but I saw the whole thing!  Well, the lifeguard wasn’t lying about a shark anyway!  It didn’t seem aggressive or anything, it was just passing me by.  I suddenly wanted to follow it, but knowing the lifeguards were watching me, I just paddled back.  When I got in, they had put up the “beach closed” signs and the “shark sighting” sign, so I grabbed my stuff and drove down to Keawakapu beach to swim.  When I got to the beach, the lifeguards had closed that beach!  I really wanted to get wet, so I went into the water.  It was so cool and clear I didn’t want to get out, but I didn’t want to get yelled at.  I drove back to Kam I and showered off and just about the time I sat down in my beach chair, they opened the beach back up!  So I went for my usual swim, the only person out in the water!  What a day…. frustrating and exciting…. all in one day!