Category Archives: In The Water

The Numbers Game #116

Telescopes seen from the trail to Mauna Kea summit in Hawaii
Telescopes on Mauna Kea seen from the trail to the summit.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 238. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Maui Pau rider decorations
A rider in the Kamehameha Day parade at Kapaau.
People descend to the green sand beach near South Point in Hawaii
People descending to the green sand beach near South Point.
A chub cleans itself against a rock
Chubs cleaning themselves by rubbing against a rock.
A Konane game board at Lapakahi, Hawaii
A Kōnane game board at Lapakahi.
Morning dew on grass in Hawaii
Morning dew.
The Kalahikiola Congregational Church in Kapaau, Hawaii
Kalāhikiola Congregational Church near Kapaau.

Greenery

Coral at Two Step, Hawaii
Tropical foliage in Hawaii

This week’s Sunday Stills color challenge, guest hosted by Susanne at Cats and Trails and Garden Tales, is ‘Jade Green.’ See more responses here. Just the two this week, in part because of inclement weather and power outages.

Top is an underwater view at Two Step, a popular snorkeling spot in South Kona. Second is some dappled light in the greenery at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden.

Hawaiian seascapes

An early morning swimmer at Hapuna Beach, Hawaii
A calm sea invites swimmers at Hapuna Beach…

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme, guest hosted by Cathy at Between the Lines, is ‘Seascapes.’ See more responses here. Captions on the photos.

Paddlers heading out from Kawaihae, Hawaii
…and paddlers up the coast at Kawaihae…
Surf rolls ashore at North Kohala, Hawaii
…but watch out if the surf builds…
Surf rolls in at Kawaihae, Hawaii
…sometimes scarily high…
A surfer rides a wave in North Kohala, Hawaii
…though for some, that’s good news.
Swirls on the waters off Hawaii
In the water, the surface has some cool looks…
A Rainbow on the water in Hawaii
…and the view is just as good looking above…
A rock in the waters off Hawaii
…or below!

Opihi picker

An Opihi picker on the coast of Hawaii
An Opihi picker on the coast of Hawaii

I saw this man, down on the rocks below Upolu Airport, collecting Opihi. Opihi is the Hawaiian word for limpets, and they are a prized food for the locals. Gathering them though is not an easy task. For one thing, it takes place at the water line. Opihi pickers are guaranteed to get wet and have to take great care not to get washed out to sea. One or two seem to disappear every year.

The Opihi also have to be taken while they are feeding and relaxed. Otherwise they will be so firmly adhered to the rocks that no amount of prying will loosen them.