Chubs are often seen in the turbulent waters where the swell surges around rocks. This one is a brassy chub, so named for the touches of yellow around mouth, eyes, and gills. Gotta have a soft spot for anything called a chub.
In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.
In the water, it’s wise to be aware of what waves and swell are doing. Caught unawares, it’s easy to get tumbled over rock and coral. But I like to get close enough to see fish sluicing back and forth, and also to see the waves crashing around the rocks leaving little whirlpools and storms of bubbles.
This bird wrasse is another of those fish that will grow up to look completely different than it did as a youngster. The juvenile above will not only change color, but will also end up with a much longer snout, like the fish on the right, a supermale.
In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.
This whitemouth moray eel appeared to startle these fish, a lei triggerfish, yellow tang, moorish idol and whitespotted surgeonfish. However, it kept going, sliding into and out of cracks as eels do, until it settled between a couple of coral heads.
In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.
A green turtle comes up for air.
A couple of yellow tang swim around rocks as the surface water ripples overhead.
These large, wedge-shaped fish are likely not among the favorites in a fish beauty contest. They are, however, surprisingly maneuverable. They’re also somewhat shy and when they see they’ve been spotted, have a tendency to slide into holes or under ledges with the minimum of effort.
Like pufferfish, they can inflate themselves into a ball when threatened. Unlike pufferfish, they’re covered in sharp spines which stick out when inflated. They’re also poisonous so, while I enjoy seeing them, I have no intention of ever bothering one.
In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.
I posted a photo of IO5 back on April 27. Since then, I saw him in mid-May looking about the same. Then a couple of weeks ago I saw him again and in the interim he had clearly molted. The green tinge around his head and flippers was gone and instead he looked clean and tan, silvery where he’d been rolling in the water.
One thing that hadn’t changed from previous sightings was his demeanor and activity on shore. Once again he looked supremely relaxed, stretched out in a tide pool.
Many Hawaiian monk seals look pretty beaten up with scars from encounters with sharks, boats, and goodness only knows what other perils of the sea. IO5 is something of an exception in that, currently, he has barely a mark on him.
For more information about Hawaiian monk seals, go to www.pifsc.noaa.gov/hawaiian_monk_seal/ or www.marinemammalcenter.org/hawaii.
Graham's Island 