Category Archives: In The Water

Four on the fourth

Eagle rays swim in the waters off Hawaii

I was swimming on the morning of July 4th when I saw these four Eagle Rays ahead. The three closer ones were clearly younger pups and had a good deal of curiosity about the big, clumsy creatures they’d encountered.

They were quick to show how good they were at swimming, curving around in graceful arcs, diving and soaring effortlessly.

Back and forth they went, swimming quite close at times. In the meantime, the fourth ray, which I think was probably the mother, hung around at a discreet distance, monitoring the situation. I imagined her thinking, ‘We’re never going to get anywhere if those three don’t get a move on.’

Blobs

Water drops on a view of a rainbow from the water in Hawaii.

When I’m in the water and taking photos of things out of the water, I’m never sure whether there’s water on the camera housing. In this case, these three drops appeared in the photo, but I kind of like it!

Sailfin Tang

A Sailfin Tang showing why they have that name.

This way and that

A'ama Crabs and Helmet Urchins on the coast in Hawaii

A couple of A’ama Crabs, the one much bigger than the other, skitter past each other in the wave-washed shallows. Meanwhile, the Helmet Urchins were going nowhere.

The Numbers Game #129

Rain sheets down in front of a Panax hedge.

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 746. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Where chocolate ripple ice cream comes from!

A gold dust day gecko rests on a deep pink heliconia flower. — A Gold Dust Day Gecko on a Pink Heliconia.

A chained salp floating in the waters off the Big Island, Hawaii — A Gold Dust Day Gecko on a Pink Heliconia.

Hawksbill Turtle

I’ve seen this little turtle a couple of times recently and realized it wasn’t one of the usual Hawaiian Green Turtles seen around here. The pointed bill is clear from above, and the edge of the shell is jagged, not curvy. These are both clear indicators that this is a Hawksbill Turtle. I think I’ve only seen one in this area before, but perhaps this one will stick around.

The Numbers Game #128

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 745. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

A baby goat and a myna bird in Hawaii — Baby goat and Myna Bird.

A Devil Scorpionfish in the waters off Hawaii — Baby goat and Myna Bird.

A Spinner dolphin leaps from the waters off Hawaii — A Spinner Dolphin leaping from the water.

A diver down flag in the waters off Hawaii — A Spinner Dolphin leaping from the water.

What’s going on down there?

Turbulence in the waters off Hawaii — Got to be careful in the surge zone. Don’t want to get raked over those rocks.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Water.’ See more responses here. Let’s see what’s happening below the surface. Here are some photos from my swim yesterday. Captions are on the photos.

Yellowfin Goatfishes in the waters off Hawaii — Yellowfin Goatfishes are active at night and spend the day drifting in groups like this.

An Arc-eye Hawkfish juvenile in a head of coral in the waters off Hawaii — Yellowfin Goatfishes are active at night and spend the day drifting in groups like this.

A Yellowhead Moray Eel in the waters off Hawaii — Yellowhead Moray Eels are active at night so I rarely see them.

A Wedgetail Triggerfish in the waters off Hawaii — Yellowhead Moray Eels are active at night so I rarely see them.

Graham's Island

Life on the Big Island of Hawaii