wildwahinepaddler

It was a beautiful day……. Windy off and on and threatening to come in strong.   It’s been so windy lately that I just didn’t trust it so I decided to swim and not paddle.  The water visibility has really improved except down at the reef.   It was still cloudy there so I turned around.  I kept hearing something about a 7 foot reef shark down there so decided not to hang around!  The water temperature is a perfect 80 degrees and so comfortable.  At least the wind is blowing from the right direction keeping the vog in check!  I might have to go paddling really early in the morning to avoid the wind….. We will see…..

Beautiful!

Of course I couldn’t get two perfect days in a row!  It was crazy windy early today…. white caps and all.  I decided to swim.  I swam in the direction the wind was blowing and it was tough swimming against the wind!  Just as I was heading into Charley Young Beach…… suddenly I wasn’t getting pushed anymore.  I came up and NO wind was blowing!  It had completely backed off.  I swam back and toyed with the thought of paddling.  Twenty minutes later the wind roared in again!   It was just a windy day….. Oh well!

What a fabulous day!  Totally not expected ……..but throughly savored from beginning to end.  The ocean was perfect and glassy and I was overwhelmed with joy!  Of course I headed straight for the boat ramp and prayed the wind would cooperate.  It was pure joy paddling today!  When I arrived at the boat ramp the snorkel bost was getting ready to leave….. Good timing.  I hoped the turtles would come up soon because I wasn’t sure how long to trust the wind.  My first turtle surfaced behind me alerting me with its exhale!  I turned around and was so happy to see it!  Then a smaller turtle surfaced in front of me.   Pretty soon three turtles popped up around me creating a turtle triangle with me in the middle!  I loved it so much.  Five lovely turtles today!  I decided not to tempt fate and headed back.  Just as I began to pass Kam 2 beach the wind stsrted to creep in.   By the time I made it back to Kam 1…. It was getting windy but not too bad….. Yet.  It was still pretty nice when I went for my swim but just as I got back, I could see white caps already pretty close in.  The ocean is a perfect 80 degrees!  Soon the wind made it all the way in and started blowing sand around.   Well it was incredibly perfect until then!  But I’ll take it…… And be grateful……

I was hoping for another paddling day today…..but the wind had other plans.  Mother Nature sure knows how to clear a beach!  Beach umbrellas were a “no go” today… But that didn’t stop a tourist from trying to put one up.  The guy ended up chasing the umbrella down the beach!  Good thing the beach was practically empty because the umbrella would have likely speared somebody.  I went for a swim despite the wind and the water was so clear!  I decided to swim north against the wind and just as I stsrted out…… I spotted a turtle swimming my way.  I stopped swimming and the turtle swam right towards me!  Then it passed by my left side so I tuned around to swim with it.  We swam south together-almost down to the reef, then the turtle headed out to sea.  I turned around and swam back against the wind again.  What a workout!    It was a beautiful day!

Finally a paddling day!  It started out a bit stormy looking…. But it shaped up to be a really nice day.  The swell has gone now and the only wild card was the wind.  I took off paddling south and got down to Kam 3 and the wind cooperated.  I didn’t fully trust it, though, and turned around and headed north.  It was great paddling down to Charley Young Beach!  I didn’t see any turtles today but I was so glad to be back out on the water.  The conditions ended up staying nice for my swim too!  The water visibility wasn’t quite as good down by the reef but I did see some fish. I hope tomorrow is a paddling day too!   I have to get my paddling in before the next south swell rolls in…..

Well …..what a show nature put on for us tonight!  The sky turned different colors by the minute….. It was quite a display.  The good news is that the swell is dropping and I might actually get a couple days of paddling in depending on the crazy wind!  Then another south swell might be moving in.  I swam today and it felt great!  Fingers crossed for tomorrow…..

Wow!!!!

This south swell just won’t stop.  Just when it looks like it might be backing down…..it pumps back up!  I just don’t mess with shore break…….. I’m not looking to get hurt.  The days are getting summertime hot and so is the sand!  I am looking forward to a decent paddling day…… One of these days.  Until then…. I’m just enjoying the beach and getting in the water.  It always feels so refreshing!