wildwahinepaddler

It rained last night and it was an overcast morning but the ocean was pretty calm so I went out paddling.  It was already nine o’clock but I decided to paddle to the boat ramp anyway.  I figured that I had at least an hour before any wind came up.  I was met by two turtles so I paddled up between them!  Then a third and fourth turtle popped up and I was surrounded!  It was pretty calm at the boat ramp and easy to spot the turtles.  By the time a friend came down I had already had eleven turtles visit me!

Hey there!

Buddy!

Four more turtles surfaced and one of them came right to my board and bumped me twice!  I was just sitting on my board and after it bumped me it swam under me!  I love talking to the turtles!  Then three turtles were all bunched together at the nose of my board.  It was quite a turtle day!  Then I stayed too long at Kam 2 chatting with a friend and got caught in some wind! I had to fight my way back to Kam 1.  What a mistake!  The sun came out finally while I swam and I swam with another turtle on my way back!  It had a beautiful healthy shell.  The turtle swam under me and then surfaced and swam right next to me!  I’m so thrilled that I got two turtle days in a row!

Mr. Friendly

What a perfect day for paddling!  The wind backed off and the whole ocean got glassy!  It was straight down to the boat ramp today and the turtles did not disappoint.  A paddling friend and I were immediately surrounded twice by several turtles and the turtles kept popping up!  There were turtle triangles and a line of turtles and I got to sit between turtles too!  A couple of turtles came so close and one bumped my board!

Hi there buddy!

There were so many turtles!  I counted eighteen turtles for today!  Then some very stormy clouds and rain over the ocean seemed to be heading north in our direction so I decided to paddle back.  It was perfect all the way back too!  My swim was just as nice too with lots of Unicorn fish and Yellow Tangs down at the reef.  It was just an overall spectacular day!  I’m hoping for more of the same tomorrow!

Hello little Honu!

It was a windy morning.  It was still beautiful!  I decided to paddle against the wind and head to the boat ramp.  It took longer than usual to get there and although I hoped for the wind to back off, it just didn’t.  I only saw two turtles today and neither of them were very friendly.  Paddling back was easier!  The wind thankfully pushed me along.  Swimming was similar…… I swam south against the wind and the wind pushed me on my way back!  I did see two Moorish Idols on the reef busily looking for food and a big Puffer fish on my way back.  I hope the wind waits to come in later tomorrow!

Nice, but windy!

It was a nice day for paddling.  The wind was backed off and although not totally calm…… It was good conditions…… but it was hot!  I would have paid someone ten bucks to bring me out a bottle of cold water!  I might have to start bringing water out with me if it stays this hot.   I ran into a paddling friend at Kam 2 so we headed to the boat ramp.  It was nice at the boat ramp but the turtles really made us wait!  Finally three surfaced and then two more…… One of the turtles was really little!

Boat ramp

We stayed down at the boat ramp for almost half an hour and no more turtles surfaced.  It was so hot paddling back!  I went for my swim and the wind still had not come in.  Hopefully tomorrow morning will be nice too…….

Buddy!

It was a beautiful morning even if the ocean wasn’t as calm as yesterday.  I could see it was raining in the distance and I wondered if it was coming my way.  I don’t like getting caught in rain squalls out on the water.  It happened to me once and the rain was pounding so hard that I could not see a thing!  I became very disoriented and didn’t know which direction I was paddling in.  I finally just started paddling and emerged from the cloud of pelting rain!  It was scary and neat all at the same time.  The cloud in the distance stayed stationary because there was hardly any wind moving this morning.  It was so hot!  I saw one of my paddling friends paddling north but I paddled south towards the boat ramp.  I really hoped the wind would not blow in crazy!  I was the only one there and not one turtle came up.  I paddled back in the same choppy conditions and continued on down to Charley Young beach.  After I came in I went for my swim.  The water was still pretty clear even after it rained yesterday afternoon.  It wasn’t a turtle day today but it was still great to be out paddling!

Bumpy!

Good morning!

Friendly!

Hi baby!

WOW!!!   It was a gorgeous morning even though rain was predicted.  The skies were mostly clear except for some patchy clouds floating by which actually made it cooler.  I was early again today!  I headed straight for the boat ramp.  When I passed Kam 2 a paddling friend joined me.  There were some rolling swells coming through but I tried to ignore them.  It was nice and glassy at the boat ramp and water was very clear.  After a short wait…… The turtles started coming up!  They were coming up in groups!  A couple of turtle triangles and we were surrounded a few times!  There was even a little baby turtle and I managed to catch a photo of it!  There were so many turtles!  They just kept coming up…. I counted about twenty turtles!  On the way back a turtle surprised me at Kam 2 so it was 21 turtles total for the day!  It was still so nice but I wanted to swim, so I came in.  My swim was great too!  The water is clear and so warm…… I want another day like this tomorrow!  A girl can hope…….

Perfect!

It has been so windy and stormy looking….. But this morning was perfect!  I didn’t even have my board on my car so I had to hustle.  I managed to get out by 8:15 a.m. and it was so nice!  I headed straight down to the boat ramp even though I didn’t 100% trust the wind.  Just as I was passing Kam 3…….a turtle swam past me going north!  Down at the boat ramp it was really nice too and one turtle came up to visit me there.  I didn’t want to stay long just in case the wind decided to blow….. So I headed back in still nice conditions.  I ran into a paddling friend as I came to Kam 1 and neither of us could believe how perfect it was.  I stayed out an hour and a half!  Next thing we knew….. The clouds moved in and the water got choppy!  It was perfect timing.  The clouds moved in and it even started to rain.  I went swimming anyway. The water visibility is improving.  The sun finally made it all the way out but some of the clouds still looked threatening , so I packed up and headed home.  I hope tomorrow morning is another nice surprise!

Beautiful!

Yesterday we flew to Oahu for my follow up with my orthopedic surgeon.  He was ecstatic with my progress and couldn’t believe how good my scar looks.  We decided to make a day of it and after my appointment, drove to the Northshore.  It rained off and on, so after lunch at the Sharks Cove Grill, we headed to one of our most favorite places…..Waimea Bay!  It was beautiful!  I couldn’t wait to get into the water, but as luck would have it, there was a small swell and some substantial shore surge (I guess we are experiencing some effects from a tropical storm moving north of the islands…).  With my hip on my mind, I decided to forgo the snorkeling equipment and just get out and back stroke.  The water felt great!  Afterwards, basking in the sun felt equally as wonderful…..  The driving was tiring but very worth the experience!