wildwahinepaddler

The flood watch has been cancelled.  The ocean was glassy this morning with rolling swells which was great for paddling!  We’ve had some rain so the skies were  overcast to start with, then some sun managed to break through, and then more rain fell.  It was a little bit of everything today!  I came across a large manta ray just outside of Kam III.  It hung  out with me for a few minutes, then I watched it swim down, do a couple of graceful somersaults, and then disappear. They are beautiful creatures!  On my way back I rode the rolling swells with no wind to hamper it.  I almost felt guilty getting a free ride, but I sure enjoyed it!  Another day in paradise.

It was a really nice morning for paddling today.  A little overcast, and last night Kihei got some of the rain from the storm.  It would be great if it rained every night because the air was so fresh this morning!  It was very serene out on the ocean and I imagined it was a meditation session.  I saw only one turtle out off of Kam III and it popped it’s head up, dove down, and was gone!  Apparently it didn’t want any company today.  Back on shore, a paddling friend asked me if I was going to write on my blog today.  I told her that there wasn’t much to write about since I only saw one turtle, then I reconsidered that statement.  Looking at the scenery from out on my board was pretty special too, with various cloud formations of white and silver draping the back drop of the mountain which is strikingly green right now from all the recent rain.  Ah yes, it was definitely worth writing about!

Finally today it was decent conditions for paddling and I was so glad to be out there after a two day break.  Things started out quite mellow with no wind . Down at the boat ramp something blue swam up and then darted under my board, only to disappear into the cloudy water.  It was a manta ray swimming on it’s back!  On the way back, the conditions on the ocean got interesting.  There was a rolling swell coming from the south east, which would have  had me gliding back smoothly, but suddenly a wind started blowing from the north that created some chop wind waves!  The two conditions were butting up against each other creating some rough paddling, so today I really had to work to get back.  I never complain about getting some extra workout, though,  it’s all good!

This morning started out breezy.  A fellow paddler was coming in as I was going out, and she told me it was rough out there.  Ten minutes into my paddle, the wind backed off and it got perfect!  I was lucky.  Down by the boat ramp a turtle surfaced and I paddled over to it.  It popped it’s head up and then dove down and disappeared.  On my way back, I ran across another turtle just off of Kam III!  I hung out with it for a few minutes and then it dove down and disappeared.  It is always a great day when I encounter sea creatures!

A gorgeous Maui day and perfect conditions for paddling!  A large manta ray was hanging around  just out from the lifeguard tower so I hung with it for a few minutes.  Another paddler joined me to look at the manta ray and it dove down and was gone!  The visibility of the water is still kicked up due to the continuing swell so I wasn’t expecting to see any fish. Suddenly near the Catamaran anchored out there, I noticed a small brown fish that  was  swimming about near the surface!  I watched it flutter away and continued on.  That was an unusual thing to see.   The only other creature I saw today was an Egret, that let out a loud screech as it flew over me.  I never know when I am going to see something interesting when out paddling, but the tranquility is wonderful!

Beautiful day for paddling on Maui!  Nice smooth conditions, although the swell still has the visibility kicked up a bit.  I came across a big manta ray off of Kam II, so I hung out with it and paddled along with it for about 15 minutes.  I saw another paddler near by so I motioned for her to come out and see the manta ray, but as soon as she made it out to where I was, the Ray dove down and disappeared, ditching both of us!  So funny, I guess two’s company and three was a crowd!

Beautiful day for paddling today!  Outside of Kam II,  I encountered three manta rays.  I followed them around for about ten or fifteen minutes and then continued down to the Boat ramp.  A big turtle was floating on the surface there, and when I got closer, it popped it’s head up,  looked at me and then dove down and disappeared! On the way back I ran into a couple of paddling friends and pointed out the manta rays so they could see them too.  Every day is a new adventure out paddling!

A paddling friend told me this morning that she tells her friends to look on the live webcam of Kamaole Beach I (camera shoots from the direction of Charley Young Beach), and tells them to look for her paddling!  I take off from where you can see the Catamaran anchored off shore and head first in the direction of Charley Young Beach and then turn back and paddle past Kam III down to the Boat ramp and back…. so if you are ever tuned into the cam, look for me paddling too! (around 8a.m. – 8:30 a.m. HST)  My board is blue.

A day at the beach - Kam I