wildwahinepaddler

It was a beautiful day today!  Summer is definitely here and so is a summer swell.  Out past where the waves were breaking the conditions were glassy…… With glassy swells too rolling in under me.  I had to wait to get out due to the wave action but I really wanted to paddle!  I decided to head south to the boat ramp since the wind is backed off for now.  It was so hot!  We really do need the trade winds to keep things cooled off.  I got down to the end of Kam 3 and decided that the rolling swells, although admittedly fun to paddle over, were making me uncomfortable.  I paddled with a friend down past Charly Young beach and then decided to go in.   I never like the process of going in when there are waves.  It seems you are never completely sure one of them won’t toss you and your board!  It has happened to me before and although I only lost my sunglasses,  another paddler I know ended up with a bruised face and several stitches by her left eye.  Her board popped up and hit her in the face.  She was lucky it wasn’t worse!  I made it in okay and went for my swim.  It’s much easier to negotiate waves without a big paddle board to worry about!  It was still a beautiful day!

Beautiful!

Turtle buddies!

Finally a perfect morning for paddling!  Of course I headed straight to the boat ramp!  It was so perfect and glassy.  I ran into a paddling friend and we paddled together.  Down at the boat ramp there was a kayak with a couple on it.  I was having so much fun taking photos of all the turtles that the couple said I was having way too much fun!  I counted eighteen turtles for the day and they were all posers!  I got a bunch of photos!

So fun!

Hello!

i couldn’t believe how many turtles there were!  There were a couple of turtle triangles….. A line of three turtles……. Surrounded by four or five turtles at a time and I sat between turtles too!  I had been just waiting for a turtle day like this and I got it today!  Friendly turtles all around us!  After I counted eighteen turtles I decided to head back.  Perfect conditions all the way back too. It was hard to come in!  It stayed perfect for my swim too.  Just an all around nice summer day!

Finally a nice morning!!!!  Conditions were good so I hurried out by 8:15 a.m.  I paddled south in the direction of the boat ramp but when I got to Kam 3…….. I was paddling over some size able swells!  I knew no tsunami warnings had been issued with the 5.0 earthquake on Saturday evening on the Big Island…… But I started to wonder about there being some effects anyway.  I decided to turn around and I ran into a paddling friend.  We paddled north towards Cove Park and there were still some swells rolling in underneath us. We turned around again…… And a turtle popped its head up above the water!  I decided to head in for a swim.  It was still very nice when I swam and the wind really didn’t blow out all day.  What a nice Sunday!

Just beautiful!

Nice!

Another bumpy ride!

Whoa…… yesterday was SO windy!  I went out anyway and it was a total paddling day……since stopping was not an option unless you wanted to get turned around by the wind.  I stayed out an hour and didn’t dare go very far from home.  I hoped that it would back off but no luck and it was just as windy for my swim as well.  I did see a turtle out paddling…..and followed it for a bit, but the turtle was fighting the wind just like me!  I got more of a workout than I had planned yesterday.  I did get to swim with two different turtles yesterday though!

This morning looked calmer.  I had just paddled out and the wind came roaring in!  I couldn’t believe it…..another bumpy ride!  I stayed out for an hour hoping for a break in the wind, but it didn’t happen.  After I got in and prepared to go out swimming……suddenly the wind backed off and it got perfect.  At least I got in a perfect swim!  Not long after I came in and showered off, the wind started playing games again.  It came in and went out several times.  I finally decided to pack up and leave before it roared in again.  It would sure be nice if tomorrow morning was calm.  I keep hoping!

Nice conditions!

wow!  Conditions could not have been nicer!  I got out early and it was an exceptionally nice day!  I paddled directly down to the boat ramp and it was so nice there!  I saw two turtles…. But neither wanted to hang out.  I just really enjoyed being down at the boat ramp!  I paddled back in nice conditions and swam in perfect conditions.   Just an all around beautiful Maui day!  I hope tomorrow will be more of the same!

Loving it!

Windy and then nice….

Today when I arrived at the beach, it was already getting windy and the ocean was not calm.  I really wanted to go out paddling…..so I did.  The wind was already blowing from the north so I paddled north into the wind.  Twice on my way down, a big gust of wind hit me and almost knocked me off my board!  I think the wind was letting me know what it was capable of today.  Then the wind suddenly backed off and the ocean calmed down and it was even glassy for a short time.  I was so tempted to paddle down to my favorite place, the boat ramp, but I really didn’t trust the wind!

Temporarily glassy!

Well, it didn’t last.  The wind came in again!  I managed to get out and get my board secured up on my racks though.  The skies became overcast and it really looked stormy too!  I went for my swim and did see fish and the water was clearer than I anticipated……after the south swell mucked it up.  Finally the sun came out for a little while so I could dry off in it’s warmth.  I saw the white caps out farther just waiting to blow in so I left the beach.  I will be glad when the wind pattern we are in stops and the mornings are calm and nice again!  Maybe tomorrow……

Bumpy ride!

i just can’t seem to get a totally calm morning!  But it was a beautiful day so I headed out paddling on my board.  Part of the problem is the morning breeze has come from the south and the wind bumps and current are pushing from the north.  This is creating the choppy conditions lately.  I hesitated to go down to the boat ramp so my paddling friend and I paddled to the end of Kam 2 and she decided to go in.  I decided to head north and not get too far from home.  It was a very good decision!  The wind gusts got stronger and by the time I came in…. The wind was blowing beach umbrellas down!  I made it up the beach and to the shower but I was unsure about being able to get my board up onto my racks.  The wind was gusting pretty good but I managed to get a three minute break and hurried to tie up my board on top of my car.  It stayed windy through my swim too but the water visibility is good.  I enjoyed seeing so many Unicorn fish and little colorful tropical fish too.  I am thankful for the wind….. But can I please get a totally calm morning soon?  We will see…….at  least I did see one turtle today!

Turtle!

It started out windy but I really wanted to go out paddling so I did!  The wind was blowing from the south but there were substantial white caps pushing from the north…… Which created choppy choppy conditions.  I decided not to paddle down to the boat ramp because I didn’t trust those white caps!  I paddled against the wind down to Kam 2 and turned around.  Then I ran into a paddling friend so we hung out with a turtle that was lingering between Kam 1 and 2.  I was trying to stay put so I could get a photo of it but the wind kept pushing me!  Finally I got two photos….. One ended up blurry and this one (above) came out clear just as the turtle was about to dive under.  I paddled back north and ran into two more turtles right in front of Kam 1!    Even though it was windy….. It was beautiful!

Windy!

It’s Bumpy!

I really needed a day like this!  Just a little cloud cover, slight breeze from the south, and glassy conditions!  I’m so glad I got down to the boat ramp and my turtles didn’t disappoint me either.  As I paddled into the area, I spotted four turtles just out a bit!  I paddled over to them and two of them disappeared, but I paddled right up between the turtles!  I couldn’t decide which one to photograph first!  Then I realized that one of the turtles was Bumpy….. in the photo he is posing right in front of my board!  I was so happy to see him and the other seven turtles that I had the pleasure of hanging out with.  I had the place to myself, which was surprising since it is a Sunday, but I wasn’t complaining!  One of the turtles was very small, probably a juvenile and it was very inquisitive.  After counting eight turtles, I decided to head back….one very happy paddler!  The conditions stayed perfect too.  I didn’t want to come in!

Hi there!

Swimming was a joy too and the water is so clear right now!  What a nice day on Maui!