wildwahinepaddler

We finally made it to Akumal today!  It was so beautiful.  I got right in the water and immediately spotted a large stingray.  I kept swimming in the ridiculously warm water ( if I had to guess….. I’d say it was 83 degrees!).  Farther down I spotted a turtle busily munching on the abundant sea grass.  I was so happy to see some sea life!  No paddling yet…….

Beautiful sunset skies in Cancun!

It was a beautiful morning……. But the water was not calm.  I decided after yesterday’s events that I would play it safe today.  There was a south wind blowing but the forecast called for north west wind…. So once again it was a question of when the winds would shift.  I paddled down to the end of Kam 2 and turned around!  Then I paddled down to Charley Young Beach and back.  No turtles today but I’m glad I got out anyway…..maybe tomorrow will be a turtle day.  My swim was pretty nice too….

What a stormy looking morning!  It was gray and pouring rain out on the ocean!  The water wasn’t calm but it wasn’t really windy either so I headed out.  It was strangely beautiful but the water looked dark.  There was a breeze blowing Kona so I figured I had at least an hour before the wind changed direction.   Then the water got glassy about the time I got down to Kam 3!  It was so nice!   I took a chance and continued on to the boat ramp.  The snorkel boat had just left……… Perfect timing!  Three turtles arranged in a triangle greeted me.  I had the place to myself!  Then four more turtles joined us and I was surrounded by turtles!  Suddenly Bumpy appeared right next to my board and bumped me twice.  I swear that turtle is going to climb on my board one day!  Then another turtle surfaced and that made nine turtles for the day.  I sensed there were more turtles around but suddenly the surface of the water changed……. It seemed my luck had run out and the wind changed to north and roared in!  I paddled hard and barely made it past Kam 3!   The white caps were fierce as I headed into Kam2 and I begged the wind to back off…….  But my pleading fell on deaf ears.  After getting doused three times with breaking wind waves…….  I admitted defeat and bailed out at Kam 2!  I was so tired but then had to lug my board on foot back to Kam 1.  It was a long walk back!  This was only the second time in several years that I had to bail out.  The wind was relentless but I did get my swim in.   Of course it was wild so I swam north into the wind until I couldn’t swim anymore!  I turned around and surrendered to the wind.  The chop and wind waves tossed me around all the way back!  I’m not going to lie…. I was happy for the ride back!   The sun just wasn’t going to come out and after some sprinkles of rain…… I packed up and left.  I will not be anxious to repeat that bail out any time soon…… I hope the wind cooperates better tomorrow!

It was a beautiful but windy day!  The wind was blowing vigorously from the south and the ocean was choppy.  There were even white caps but I went out anyway!   I paddled against the wind down to Kam 3 and it took me forever to get that far!  Then I turned to paddle north and just as I passed Kam 2…. The wind backed off.  It was pretty perfect momentarily but that didn’t last!  It was a great workout though!   I decided to swim north just in case the wind changed direction.   Half way through my swim the wind kicked up in a frenzy!  I let the water toss me around on the way back.  This time the wind didn’t budge!  When the sand starts blowing I go home….. And that’s what I did!  I hope the wind is more cooperative tomorrow!

The sun is setting behind Lanai…..

This was as close to turtles as I got last Sunday!  We took the grand children to the Maui Ocean Center to run around.  I really like that place!  Week days are quieter there than the weekends I find…but we usually go on Sunday’s.  It was May Day too and there was some Hawaiian entertainment there.  We even saw some Seahorses!  I didn’t know they had them.  Seahorses are pretty amazing…… The male carries the eggs in his brood pouch and give birth!  The female only deposits the eggs and the male does the rest!   Interesting!

What great paddling conditions!  It was actually a bit windy earlier but it backed off nicely just in time for me to get in an hour paddling session.  It could not have been nicer out on the water!  I paddled south towards the boat ramp and decided to go all the way down.  The snorkel boat was just leaving too….. Great timing!  I wasn’t sure how long I could hang out since it had been windy once already.  Finally a turtle surfaced and I paddled over to it.  It dove down just under me and kept teasing me acting like it was going to surface, but then didn’t!  I finally gave up on the turtle and paddled back.  It was still so perfect!  I hated to come in but I wanted to swim.  A few minutes into my swim…… Just south of the lifeguard tower…. I spotted a turtle.  When it got closer my heart sank.   The turtles front right flipper was tangled in red fishing line or net and the turtle couldn’t swim with that flipper!  The poor turtle was working over time swimming with just the left one.   It really upset me!  Without the use of both front flippers…… The turtle is really vulnerable to predators.  When I came in from swimming…. I reported the turtle in distress to the lifeguard.  He said he would call NOAA to make an official report.  I hope someone helps the turtle get free!