wildwahinepaddler

Muy Bonita!

It was another perfectly calm bay this morning! The water was so glassy that the tour boats reflection was clear on the waters surface.  The only sounds were seagulls squawking as the sun came over the hill and the tour boat waiting for passengers to arrive.  I was the only one waiting to get a stand up board.  I headed out through a sprinkling of yellow butterflies and a jumping fish!  It was so peaceful out there!  I’m really enjoying seeing all these mountains, hills and islands!  Over by the big flag rock there were lots of yellow and black striped fish looking for something to eat.  They were surfacing all around me and some kayakers!  On my way in…. I spotted a school of stingrays….. twelve or thirteen of them!  I followed them around for a while and then paddled in to shore.  I swam with my mask and snorkel back out to the spot with all the fish.  There were so many fish!  As I started to swim around a rock…… I spotted two big sea bass about the size of small dolphins! They startled me at first since I’d not seen anything that big out here.  It’s a bit of a swim to get out to this spot…… but well worth it!  I hope I can paddle tomorrow again…..

What a beautiful morning on the bay!  It was like glass ….. perfectly calm.  I took a board out paddling and saw lots of butterflies.  This place is shallow for a ways out…… so until you get out by the point (and the red flag…)…..this is where the water gets deeper.  I spotted a gray fish swimming hurriedly by and then saw some yellow and black striped fish.  It was so peaceful out there!  It was just me and the mountains and the sea.  I spotted something traveling in two’s…… making bubbles on the surface …. but when so paddled closer they disappeared. This happened three times.  It was good to get out on a board!  Later I went snorkeling and swam out to the point where the water got deeper and cooler.  It was more interesting out there with more fish to see…. even some little purple fish.  I hope I can paddle tomorrow!

AMAZING place!  Tomorrow I will be paddling now that so know where to get a stand up board……

AMAZING!!!

It was a surprise how nice this day turned out.  It was windy and choppy initially so  I waited to see what the wind had planned.  Thirty minutes later…. the wind backed off so I grabbed my board and paddled out!  It was surprising how nice the conditions got.  I paddled south….. and even though it was later  I kept on paddling.  Soon I was at the boat ramp all by myself!  I tried not to think about the wind….. Would it roar in?  Would I be struggling to paddle back?  Did I feel up to doing that?  So many questions cluttering my mind!  Well the turtles started to surface and I forgot about the wind.  I was surrounded by turtles and got so many photos!  I love sitting among the Honu!  The day turned just beautiful and even Bumpy came to hang with me!  I swear that turtle loves me!  Is that even possible?  The turtles communicate with me when I’m paddling and when they swim with me.  Just looking into their eyes tells you what you need to know!  I fully expect that one day….. Bumpy will climb onto my board …. It’s just a matter of time…… Turtle time….

Orange to pink and purple…… Wow!

Oh yes….. Nice sunrise as usual…. and a beautiful day!  It was so calm …. Until I got out on my board.  The wind kicked up pretty strong from the south…… definitely not the trade winds!  I figured that I was out so make the best of it.  But the wind was really pushing!  It took me nearly forty minutes just to get from Kam 1 to the end of Kam 2!  It did!  Then the wind started to back off!  I looked longingly down to the boat ramp where undoubtedly my turtles awaited me….. But I was so tired from paddling against the wind that far.  I reluctantly turned around and paddled north.  I really didn’t trust the wind today!  The wind continued to play games throughout the morning but my swim was delightful.  Every day can’t be a turtle day I guess…… Oh well…. It was still a beautiful day!

It was a beautiful sunrise and a beautiful day!  The ocean was not as calm as yesterday but I wasn’t complaining.  I headed to my “happy place” … the boat ramp.  The turtles made me wait which made me a bit nervous…. Not knowing when the wind might kick up.  But they finally started to surface!  Seven turtles all together!  There was probably more too, but I didn’t trust the wind.  I paddled back in nice conditions and then while passing Kam 2….. the ocean totally calmed down!  It got so nice!  Swimming was nice too and I got to swim with a turtle!  We swam together south and then she dove down to the bottom and stuck her head under a reef!  Then four snorkelers came swimming by and they didn’t even notice the turtle!  I guess her plan worked!  Then after they passed… She popped her head out and swam up by me.  Then another turtle swam up.  The poor thing had three tumors!  One on each front flipper and one by her neck.  I really hate to see that.  The water visibility is very good right now and I saw lots of fish.  By noon… The wind still had not come in.  What a beautiful day!