Deep Blue

This morning's photo shoot was cancelled due to cloudy skies, so I managed a deep water ocean swim instead. I love the blue, blue deep water.

Passing Song

This Humpback Whale swam by to check me out this morning, singing the whole time.

I assumed that since he was blowing bubbles, he was going to surface for a breath of fresh air. Nope. He was just seeing who the bad swimmer was. Right after passing me, he dove back down into the depths and disappeared.

Pink Caps Revisited

I enjoyed joining up with the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers again this morning. The water was clear and the mood was playful.

Unfortunately, the main group doesn't stop and play during the cold (to us) winter water so I have been swimming on my own the past few Sundays - which is what usually ends up happening even if I do show up. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the return of warm summer water so I can see my buddies again.

Click HERE for a few more photos from today's swim.

Phone Camera Fun

Just goofing around today

Charley Young

Yet another day in paradise. Thank goodness winter is almost over.

The Omen

I took the rainbow I saw this morning as a good omen and took off swimming in that direction.

BIG Mistake! I was soon surrounded by what appeared to be river rapids - a nasty swift current - and I was being swept out to sea. I panicked. And I swam. As the shore grew farther, rather than nearer, I panicked some more. But I kept on swimming, and swimming and swimming and swimming.

Somehow I broke the current's grip and approached shore little by very little. An hour later I had finally relaxed enough to take a photo of this Venus' Belt below. A bit later I pulled myself up on the beach and kissed the sand.

At least I got a good workout today.

Maui's Time

Morning is Maui's time.

After noon the clouds build in and the winds whip up, but mornings are usually spectacular. Paddling, swimming, scuba, hiking, yoga - it doesn't matter. Morning is best.

Hummer

My whole body was resonating with whale song this morning. I knew that a Humpback Whale must be close, but where was he? I kept looking to my right thinking that's where the song was coming from, but nothing. When I glanced left I almost jumped out of the water. He was swimming right along side me, humming the entire time. Then he turned left to surface and get a breath of air - and was gone.

I love that marine mammals are curious and swim by to check out the strange human swimming in deep water. It takes them a while, though. Usually only after I've been out splashing around for over an hour, today I had been out for an hour and a half before the encounter.

Two days ago a whale kept following behind me, but too far away to see under water. I kept hearing it breathe, would glance back and see its spout about fifty feet behind. But it did not have the courage to get any closer. Finally, when I turned to swim back to shore it zoomed between me and shore, and playfully splashed me with its tail before swimming away.

Above and Below

Valentines Day aftermath - the view above and below.

Snap Snap

Just a couple of quick snaps from my walk this morning.

Kill Them All

We found a fun art installation at the Hui No'eau this afternoon.

"On the Wild Side" by artist in residence, Patrick Dougherty of North Carolina, brings to life Maurice Sendak's children's book "Where the Wild Things Are."

And of course in this age of political correctness in the arts, the construction materials are all (now dead) invasive plants which are threatening the native ecosystems of Maui.

Comb Jelly

I saw lots of Comb Jellies out on my swim this morning. Their cilia reflect light of different color as they move, so it looks like there are colorful neon strips moving down their bodies. Luckily these guys don't sting, so watching them is easy and fun. Click HERE to see a short youtube video from the Vancouver Aquarium showing what I mean.

Shorebreaks

No swimming for me today, the surf was up along the south shore of Maui. A handful of guys (where were the gals?) were surfing the shorebreaks and looked like they were having a great time.

On Any Sunday

Even with the Superbowl only a couple of hours away, we still had a strong turnout for the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers weekly ocean swim. Fun, Fun, Fun.

Click HERE for a couple more photos from today's swim.

Waiting to be Used

Hop on. Go for a paddle. Wailea Beach is the place.

Warm Up

The ocean was as smooth as glass for my ocean swim this morning and I could not stop swimming. Two hours in I was cold and tired, which is when a small Humpback Whale surfaced next to me. I had heard it singing so loudly that the song caused my body to vibrate, but was still caught by surprise when it came up for air. After clicking off several shots (Click HERE for the other photos from today) I climbed into the kayak I had been dragging and am finally getting warm now several hours later.

SPF

I seldom see a child at the beach without at least a shirt and hat. At that age I didn't care how fat and ugly I was, I didn't start dressing to hide my hideousness until my teens. Kids are so precocious these days.

Bottlenose

Another first for me!

A solitary Bottlenose Dolphin came up from behind me during my deep water ocean swim this morning. If I hadn't heard it breathe as I watched that tall dorsal fin approaching, I might have freaked-out. There has been way too much talk of killer sharks recently, and even with the sound of the exhale I wasn't completely convinced that I was safe. Of course, once it was close enough to see, I was able to relax and enjoy observing it as it circled around me.

I have swum many times with Spinner Dolphins, but never before with a Bottlenose Dolphin. Hooray.