wildwahinepaddler

Nice Maui Morning!

This morning was as nice as yesterday, with just about the same wind pattern.  It wasn’t glassy and smooth, but still a nice day for paddling!  No sooner had I gotten out on my board and started to paddle, a big turtle popped up and surprised me.  Another paddler was going out too, so we both stopped to enjoy the turtle which hung around for quite a while.  I paddled against the wind, down to Cove Park, and then made my turn south.  Paddling with the wind is much easier!  I knew it was already windy, but I took a chance and paddled all the way down to the boat ramp.  When I got there I was the only paddler there and I saw no turtles at all.  It was such  a nice day though, so I just sat on my board for a while.  Suddenly one big turtle surfaced and then it was gone.  I sat there for a while longer, and spotted a turtle out further.  I paddled out to it, and when I got there, it was two turtles, instead of one!  I was sitting right between them.  Then I saw another turtle to my far right, so I paddled over to it.  This one was very curious and stayed with me for a few minutes.  Suddenly another turtle surfaced and I thought it was going to be a turtle day like yesterday!  I counted six turtles so far, but before I knew it, a few more paddlers showed up, along with a one man canoe, and two kayakers!  It was too crowded for me, so I started to paddle back.  When I passed Kam III, I came across another turtle, but it was in a hurry in the opposite direction, and I knew the wind was getting stronger, so I continued on.  It was fun paddling back over the choppy bumps, but I knew any minute the wind could get crazy on me.  Luckily I made it back though.  By the time I went for my swim, it became a bit of a rough water swim, but the ocean is clear and warm right now so I just didn’t care!  I love Fall on Maui and eight turtles ain’t bad either!

It was a beautiful morning, but the wind was already blowing from the north/west.  I decided to paddle anyway.  I headed into the wind and when I made my turn south, I was surprised by a large turtle!  I stopped paddling and sat down on my board and the turtle hung around, popping its head up a couple of times and diving under my board.  This went on for quite awhile and then it dove down and disappeared.  I headed towards the boat ramp, but I was wondering about the wind.  I decided to go for it and paddled all the way there.  When I arrived, I was the only paddler out there and I didn’t see a single turtle.  I just sat on my board enjoying the sights, until suddenly two large turtles surfaced!  Then three more surfaced and then four more surfaced.  Before I knew it, I had counted 19 turtles there and I quit counting!  I was surrounded and loving it, until two other paddlers saw all the turtles and quickly paddled over.  The guy said, “Hey you have a good spot!”…. and then one by one, the turtles disappeared.  I was so bummed!  I paddled away from the other two paddlers and figured that my turtle day was over, but suddenly up popped three turtles; one in front, one on my right and the other one on my left!  I was thrilled to be surrounded again.  I decided I should start paddling back, but before I knew it, four more turtles had surfaced around me!  I was so excited I forgot about the wind.  Then out from Kam III, one more large turtle surfaced right in front of me!  It was headed in the opposite direction, so I paddled on.  Finally the wind had picked up and it was a choppy trip paddling back, but it was so worth it!  I had counted over 20 turtles!  Then, during my swim, a big turtle swam past me and a good-sized Ulua swam around by me for ten minutes.  It ended up being quite a day!

Beautiful Sunset Sky!

Sharing a photo of the sky just after sunset….. right from our driveway!  Enjoy!

Well I got out late this morning.  It was 9:15 a.m. before I got down to the beach and it was already windy.  I decided to go out anyway, but the conditions were on the choppy side and the skies got intermittently overcast.  I paddled down as far as Kam III, and then turned around since I was unsure of the wind conditions.  On my way back I encountered a turtle just outside of Kam II!  It popped up a couple of times in the chop and then disappeared.  The wind stayed about the same intensity as when I first went out, and paddling back took some effort, but I enjoyed the change of pace.  I went for my swim and the wind backed off a bit.  I saw a few fish down by the rocks and reef and also a small black eel squiggling around some rocks trying to hide itself!  By the time I got back, the wind had really backed off and some paddlers were just going out.  They got lucky, the conditions were better later, than earlier today!  Some days are just like that….

Beautiful Maui Morning!

It was just this perfect this morning, except the wind was trying to come up.  I decided not to bring my mask and snorkel today because I wasn’t sure about the wind situation.  The wind remained light to non-existent at times, so paddling conditions were pretty perfect!  I paddled north but there had been some cane burning, so I was starting to cough.  I made my turn to paddle south and the air got clearer thank goodness.  It was a great paddle down to the boat ramp and when I got there, I was the only paddler around.  I didn’t see any turtles at first, so I sat down on my board to see what might happen.  I was just starting to think that maybe it wasn’t going to be a turtle day, when a very friendly turtle popped up next to me!  I enjoyed watching it circle me and then dive under my board.  Then a couple more turtles surfaced and when I paddled out further, another one popped up!  It was only four turtles today, but getting to see any turtle is always such a treat.  The wind remained light and I paddled back in very nice conditions too.  As I was coming in, it seemed like the wind was really going to come up, so I hurried to get my swim in.  Sure enough, shortly after I came in from swimming, the wind had arrived!  Some days are like that!

It was in just that order today.  What a beautiful, calm day with just a breeze blowing from the north.  The sky was mostly blue with fluffy white and silver clouds adorning the top of Haleakala and the West Maui mountains. I paddled down to the boat ramp on a mostly glassy ocean, with the breeze at my back.  When I arrived there, I was the only paddler around.  I didn’t see any turtles at first, so I sat on my board to wait.  All of a sudden three turtles surfaced all at once…. one turtle to my left, one to my right, and one right in front of me!  I thought it might be one of those wild turtle days until a guy on a small motor boat came blazing out of the boat ramp, showing off for his passenger.  He continued to fly back and forth not far from where I was sitting…. where are the authorities when you need them?  I wanted to get into the water, but not while he was driving crazy!  Finally he went in so I could go snorkeling.  The water wasn’t quite as clear as yesterday, but I found a good spot that was full of coral and clear.  I saw a pair of Hawaiian Damsel fish and decided to follow them.  There were also lots of other tropical fish swimming around chasing each other….. but the Damselfish seemed to stay near me.  So I followed them, and then they seemed to follow me!  I was enjoying all the coral when a large turtle came cruising by.  It looked at me and then swam on.  I was sad because the turtle had several tumors on it, but at least the tumors were small.  I snorkeled for quite a while and didn’t want to leave the captivating undersea world, but it was time to paddle back.  When I was passing Kam III,  I was surprised by another large turtle, so I hung around with it for a few minutes until it dove down and disappeared.  The wind remained just a breeze which made paddling back very enjoyable.  I decided to go for another swim and the conditions were perfect.  Except for the annoying motor boat, it was another great day out on the water!

Wow, today was just as nice as yesterday and the paddling conditions were perfect.  I strapped my mask and snorkel onto my thigh and was off!  The sky was intermittently overcast with fluffy clouds and by the time I arrived at the boat ramp, it wasn’t sunny.  I didn’t see any turtles either when I got there.  I waited around for the sun to come out because I don’t like to go snorkeling unless the sun is out because I like to have a good visual  when I am under the water.  Pretty soon the clouds passed and I could get into the water.  The water was crystal clear and the coral was  amazing!  There were so many fish and also a passing turtle.  I love the Hawaiian Damsel fish and  I got to see them today!  I don’t know how long I snorkeled, but it was so great getting to swim in the undersea world.   I paddled back in perfect conditions and when I was coming in I saw a Ray swimming under the water and it swam right under me!  I tried to follow it,  but it was too fast.  Since the day stayed so calm, I decided to go for another swim.  It sure was a  nice day!

Nice Maui sunset

A beautiful sky tonight at sunset!  Enjoy!

Gorgeous Sunday morning!

Actually, it was more than twenty turtles because when I got to 20,  I lost track!  After the windy conditions of the last couple of days,  today’s perfect conditions were much appreciated.  The water has cleared up and the ocean was glassy,  just the way we like it!  I paddled my usual route, north,  and when I turned south,  I had my first turtle encounter right out from Kam I.  A big turtle surfaced and swam around me and then it dove down under me!  It came up a few times to look at me and then it disappeared.  I paddled on down to the boat ramp and came across my next turtle there.  It was also a big turtle and friendly too!  I thought that might be it for the day, but suddenly the turtle show began.  I found myself surrounded a few times and I tried hard to keep count.  When I got to ten, I figured that might be it, but once again, up the turtles popped!  I counted 10 more….. and then I quit counting!  A few other paddlers made their way over to where I was because they saw all the turtles,  but it seemed that the turtles mostly disappeared.  The other paddlers moved on and I stayed in my spot.  To my surprise, the turtles started to surface again and I just don’t know how many there were in all!  The conditions stayed perfect all the way back and my swim was just as nice.  What a day!

Yup, it was windy already by the time I got to the beach today, but I went out anyway.  I paddled against the wind all the way down to the boat ramp and it was quite the workout. I hoped the wind wouldn’t change direction on my way back.  When I got to the boat ramp, I ran into a couple of other paddling friends who had paddled against the wind all the way too.  They didn’t stay, but even though it was choppy, I decided to hang around for a little while.  I didn’t hold out much hope for seeing turtles since it was so choppy, but all of a sudden 3 turtles surfaced!  Then 3 more surfaced.  I felt lucky to have had 6 turtles around me, but I decided to start my trek back since the wind was not backing off.  I was able to ride the wind back, thankfully,  and got back quicker than I expected.  The water visibility is clearing up, but the wind made it a bumpy swim!  Hopefully tomorrow will be less windy.  You never know!