wildwahinepaddler

Sunday was an incredibly beautiful day and the conditions were perfect! I didn’t end up going out until 10:00 a.m. but I decided to take a chance and head down to the boat ramp.  I ran into a paddling friend at Kam 2 and she went with me.  It was beautiful there! We saw two turtles and then headed back in case the wind kicked up.  Today was another story.  The sky in the south looked extremely threatening!  The ocean wasn’t calm and there was a bit of a swell.  I watched it for a while and then decided to go for it!  I decided to stay close to home in case it started to rain so I paddled north for awhile and then turned and paddled south.  The threatening skies stsrted to break up but the swells continued.  I had to watch it coming in but I timed it right.  By the time I swam….. the ocean had calmed down some.  Visibility was really good.  I hope the somewhat stormy conditions have moved on now.  I wonder what tomorrow will be like?

It  certainly was a beautiful day!  It was windy early…… But the wind backed off about 9:00 a.m.  I hurried out.  It was still a bit bumpy but it smoothed out when I got to the bost ramp.  I ran into a paddling friend and she had already seen two turtles.  I didn’t end up seeing any turtles but it was gorgeous anyway!  There were two people jamming around on jet skis so that might have had the turtles hiding.  It stayed so nice all the way through my swim too!  It has been so nice lately……

The day started out so perfect.  Ten minutes into paddling….. a north wind kicked up!  I paddled down to the boat ramp hoping the wind would back off……. But it stayed choppy.  I saw two turtles at the boat ramp but the choppy windy conditions were making me uneasy, so I headed back.  I paddled against the wind the entire way back!  I ran into a paddling friend who had gone north so the wind was giving her a ride back.  The wind just didn’t seem to be backing off today.  Just about the time I came in……the wind decided to finally back off!  My swim was perfect!   It looked like it might rain and it was raining further out.  Very strange but comfortable day….. But I have to admit I gave some thought to making some hot cocoa when I got home!

It was another beautiful day on Maui today!  Not as glassy and calm as yesterday……  But still very nice.  I headed down to the boat ramp.  When I arrived …..there were tourists out on three kayaks and a stand up board.  I wanted to stay away from them so I stopped short of where I usually sit to wait for the turtles.  Suddenly I was surrounded by three lovely turtles!   Before I could say boo…… All three kayaks were on me  basically interfering with my ability to take photos.  I told them not to dive and chase the turtles and one of them assured me no one was chasing them.  Well the really friendly turtle that was having fun bumping my board  ended up swimming away and the turtles seemed to disappear.   I paddled farther south and two more turtles surfaced!  I sat between them!  Then the kayakers  noticed the turtles and headed our way.   I headed more north to escape them.  Two more turtles popped up!   I was getting annoyed with the kayakers so I left.  It was beautiful paddling back too!  I swam north today and ran across a nice healthy male turtle and swim with him for a while.  He was trolling the bottom for food so I left him alone and swam back.  That made eight turtles for today!   I am really enjoying these nice conditions lately!

it just simply does not get any more perfect than this!  Calm glassy water…… Sunny skies…… Beautiful scenery…… AND fifteen turtles to hang out with!  I know it’s December, but it is so perfect right now!  I sat between turtles….. Behind a line of several turtles…… And surrounded by turtles!  Even Bumpy was there today being friendly as usual.  I stayed out for an hour and a half and still didn’t want to come in!  Swimming was great too, though, and the big daddy Puffer Fish was hanging out along with all the other fish today.  Oh boy…… I hope it’s this perfect tomorrow too!

Not calm as yesterday….

It was still a beautiful day but it started out windy.  I headed south hoping the wind would back off.  I ran into a paddling friend at Kam 2 and we paddled on down to the boat ramp.  It was still windy and a bit choppy but we hung around to see if the wind might back off.  We saw only one turtle and it seemed the wind was going to stick around….. So we headed back north.  Just as we entered the Kam 2 area….. My friend saw a whale breech way out!  I missed it!  Then suddenly the wind totally backed off and it got really perfect!  Now it would be hard to go in but I wanted to swim……

Beautiful!

The conditions stayed perfect for my swim and I saw a lot of  Humu Humu fish and some baby Unicorn fish!  The water is staying a comfortable 78 degrees and is so refreshing!  Maybe the wind will come in later tomorrow…..

Oh boy…… It was another perfect day today!   There was a slight wind blowing from the East but even that backed off and the ocean got so glassy!  I was thoroughly enjoying paddling down to the boat ramp but as soon as I arrived…. So did the snorkel boat.  The diesel fuel fumes from the boat were filling the air, so I paddled north.  Suddenly a small whale shot out in a quarter breech, fell to the water with a big “splat”…. and a huge splash!   That is the first one I’ve seen so far this whale season.  I hurried out to where I saw the whale but it was gone.  The day was so beautiful that I didn’t want to come in!  I didn’t have my phone today so I had no idea that I’dbeen out nearly two hours!  My swim was perfect too.  I ran across the Spotted Eagle Ray before I got to the reef ….. and it had a small fish hanging on its back apparently munching something off of it.  The Ray seemed very happy to be getting a “fish massage”!  I swam on down to the reef and  saw lots of fish including the Big Daddy Puffer fish!  It was a great day to be at the beach!