wildwahinepaddler

It started out a perfect day on Maui.  I paddled down to the boat ramp and was just visiting with my first turtle, and wham…..the wind whipped up in just a few seconds with white caps and chop!  I thought about how far down I was and how unpredictable the wind can be and thought it wise to head back.  What a workout!  I sat down on my board and just paddled slow and steady and when I hit the mid point of Kam II, the wind backed off.  There was just enough time for me to enjoy the challenge of the bumpy wind swells minus the white caps!  I made it back okay before the wind picked up again.  Yesterday I found myself feeling guilty about riding the wind in both directions, and today it was a total paddling workout!  Just goes to show that you never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at you, so you have to be ready.  Aloha!

It was great to get back into the ocean after a break for a day to spend time with my two year old Grandson!  He is so much fun and talking now.  I paddled all the way down to the boat ramp and had a wind at my back, making it easy.  I hung out down at the boat ramp, hoping the turtles would come around, but they never showed!  My paddle back was a snap since the wind shifted and it was at my back again going the other way.  I almost feel guilty that I didn’t work out as hard as on other days, but the fact is every day is different!  Some days the paddling is easier and some days it is a real workout, but one thing is constant…..it is always wonderful to be out on the ocean!

My Grandson, Kalani visiting at Tutu's!

The south swell dropped and I got to paddle this morning!  The conditions were pretty smooth with just a slight breeze and I was so glad to get back out on the water.  It is a gorgeous day on Maui too.  I saw just one turtle off of  Kam I and it was out a ways, so I paddled out to it.  It was quite friendly and it let me hang out with it for a few minutes.  The water visibility is limited due to the surge from the swell, so my swim was not as enjoyable as I am used to, but I really can’t complain.  Paddling was great!

…HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TUESDAY TO 6 PM HST WEDNESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A HIGH SURF ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TUESDAY TO 6 PM HST WEDNESDAY.

* SURF…WAVE HEIGHTS OF 5 TO 8 FEET ARE EXPECTED.

* TIMING…BEGINNING TUESDAY MORNING.

* IMPACTS…NOVICE SWIMMERS SHOULD STAY OUT OF THE WATER.
Oh no, here we go again!

Today was not windy like yesterday, but there were still rolling swells from the North that created some fun paddling conditions.  The water visibility is kicked up again and I hear there may be a south swell on it’s way.  Paddling down to the boat ramp, I noticed that the top of Haleakala was completely clear of clouds and I imagined how nice the sun rise must have been earlier up on the mountain.  At the boat ramp I saw two turtles.  One popped it’s head up, looked at me and dove down, the other one was more inquisitive.  It hung with me for about ten minutes.  The water was totally clear at the boat ramp,  just beautiful!  After the second turtle swam away, I paddled out to the quiet zone and sat for awhile.  It was so peaceful.  Before I knew it, an hour had already evaporated,  so I paddled back to Kam I.  I am so glad I got to see two turtles today!

Actually, it was my day that was saved by three turtles!  After a breezy morning created a challenge to paddle down to the boat ramp (and it took me forever!), I was greeted by three turtles that hung out with me for about 15 minutes.  The last two days I didn’t see a single sea creature, so I was ecstatic to finally get to hang out with some turtles!  I had hoped that by toughing it out to paddle against the wind down to the boat ramp, I might get to ride that same wind back.  No luck, about the time I decided to paddle back, the wind backed off!  There were some rolling swells coming through from the north, and it was fun riding those back to Kam I.  My day was made by seeing my turtle friends again!

It was a picture perfect day on Maui today.  Glassy ocean conditions with a slight breeze, just perfect for a morning of paddling.  After paddling down to the boat ramp,  I laid on my board and enjoyed looking at the coral, rocks and a few fish, hoping the turtles I spent time with yesterday would come around. Well, not today!  Not a one.  Some days I just have to be content with a great paddle (minus seeing the sea creatures I so love!)  I really can’t complain!

I got a little bit of a late start this morning and then had to wait for a parking spot.  I wanted to get out paddling as soon as possible, but sometimes the best laid plans don’t always work out!  I was in the water by 8:30 a.m. though so that wasn’t too bad.   Almost immediately I came across two turtles just outside of Kam I!  I decided to follow one of them for a while, but when it occurred to me it was taking me in circles, I took the hint and moved on.  Down by the boat ramp I ended up in turtle heaven!  I counted about 6 or 7 turtles,  all sizes.  It was so peaceful down there, I just laid on my board and watched the turtles checking me out!  I must have spent about twenty minutes doing that and I had the turtles all to myself, until two other paddles joined me.  Then a big dive boat roared out of the boat ramp, and instead of moving slowly straight out, it turned and drove fast right by me and the turtles!  I had to sit through the wake the boat created until the water calmed and that was very inconsiderate.  I imagined that the turtles dove down to escape the boat, but when the water calmed, up popped one of the smaller turtles!  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw three kayakers heading in our direction, so I bid farewell to my turtle friend and paddled back to Kam I.

We are lucky to be having perfect conditions for paddling right now, and wow, what a nice day. Today I got up earlier than usual and headed down to the beach.  I was greeted with a  different kind of creature, a family of Franklin Wrens!  Two adults and two chicks scurrying around before too many humans arrived at the beach,  they were so cute.  Since it was earlier than usual, not too many paddlers were out, so I seemed to have the place to myself and it was great!  I paddled down towards the boat ramp and marveled at the view.  On one side I had a nice view of the island of Kaho’olawe and Molokini and on the other side,  a view of the green slopes of Haleakala crowned with a mixture of white and gray puffy clouds.  It made me feel so lucky to live on Maui!  I saw my first turtle just outside of Kam III, so I paddled over to it.  It stuck around for a few minutes and then dove down and disappeared.  At the boat ramp I saw another turtle and it popped it’s head up a few times,  just floating on the surface.  When it realized how close I was to it, it also dove down and disappeared!  It was so peaceful and the water so clear, I was able to look at the fish swimming around the rocks and coral right from on top of my board!  Suddenly, a jet ski boomed out of the boat ramp and disturbed my serenity, so I waited until it was well out of the quiet zone before heading back.  I treasure the peace and tranquility my paddling experiences provide me with.  Aloha!

Another great day for paddling here on Maui.  The conditions remain perfect with a glassy ocean,  and a slight breeze,  just enough to keep things cool.  I came across my first turtle out by the Whale song buoy, just off of Charlie Young Beach.  It almost swam right into the buoy, it was so funny!  Down at the boat ramp I encountered four other turtles, one smallish one and three quite large ones.  The smaller one was quite friendly, hanging out with me for awhile.  The larger turtles were popping their heads up out of the water and looking at me, and then one by one, they dove down.  I followed one of the turtles out a ways and it didn’t seem to mind me tagging along!  Then I realized  I paddled out as far as the quite zone with the turtle, so I paddled back along that same route.  It was so quiet and peaceful out there,  just the way I like it!