Happy Birthday, Shaun

 This morning we celebrated Shaun's birthday with an ocean swim through clear, lovely waters. It could have been Kevin's time in the sun too, but since he was a no-show, it was all Shaun, all the time.

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

A Day Late

The holiday craziness is upon me with too much to do. I finally got around to looking at these photos from my walk yesterday and am posting them today, a day late. In case you hadn't figured it out, almost every photograph on my blog was taken the same day that it was posted.

Gratitude

 What am I grateful for?

Well, today I was grateful that fifty-four of my very good friends decided to swim with me for an entire hour.

What a morning!

Click HERE for lots more photos from a great Thanksgiving ocean swim.

Just Another Mauiorning

Nice morning for a photo shoot at Big Beach

No Brainer

Where would I rather be right now? In the Midwest where I grew up and where it got all the way up to 25 degrees today, or here on Maui where it is now 80 degrees? Ummmm...

All the resorts keep their coconut palm trees well trimmed so that no one gets injured by falling coconuts. Until recently the trees were climbed using spikes on the shoes. Now the prestige method is spikeless trimming so that there aren't any unsightly holes in the tree trunks. It also provides a great abs workout.

Preponderance

 I continue encountering fish in great abundance on the South Maui reefs. I have been making a big deal about the preponderance of fish because I seldom see them in such large numbers. Of course, it helps knowing what to look for because they blend in with the coral amazingly well.

Utah on Maui

Our hiking group had a small turnout for a last-minute hike this morning, but sometimes smaller is better.

I thought I had known all the fun hikes on Maui, but it turns out that there is an awful lot that I don't know, including even more interesting trails.

I love exploring this island. We have so very many different landscapes and climates, including one this morning which could have been found in Utah.

They're Everywhere

 There are a lot more of these Lovebirds here in South Maui than I had previously realized. Now that I know what song (well, screech actually) to listen for, I am finding groups of them everywhere.

I really do not know what it is about these buildings on the Wailea golf course which draw my attention, but I am fascinated by their architectural design.

Oh, and the random flower is a Shell Ginger.

Fish Soup

 I swam through clouds of fish this morning.

I normally see small schools of colorful tropical fish here and there during my ocean swims, but today they numbered in the thousands. Of course, the ultra-clear water helped make them easily visible - often they blend in to the murk and are practically invisible.

Beginning and End

The beginning and end of the day from different vantage points.

Happy Birthday Josh

 We had another lovely morning swim in clear, warm ocean water accompanied by the occasional Humpback Whale song. What could be better?

Sam & Josh even came down from their mountain aerie to celebrate Josh's birthday.

Click HERE for lots more photos from today's swim.

Something's Fishy Here

Things were looking a little fishy on my ocean swim this morning...

Much Rather

 I am fascinated by the photo of the giant cockroach which I noticed during my walk this morning. Especially by how much scarier it looks underneath the wings.

But I would much rather look at the water lily flower.

Mermaids and Dolphins

 On a swim with Maui's Mermaids I got a bonus this morning - Dolphins!

Our Spinner Dolphins seem to have returned from their extended vacation and are once again making somewhat regular appearances. Hooray.

Click HERE for lots more photos from today's ocean swim.

Another One

Yet another exquisite day on Maui. 

Sunday Pink Brunch

 This morning we stumbled across an egg sac floating in the current. It must have been tasty because turtles and fish were munching away at it. We were getting little stings on our bodies while near it, so we decided to forgo the taste test.

Click HERE for lots more photos of the Pink Cap Swimmers in action today.

Little Children and Figs

Two children went crawling under my table at a restaurant during lunch today to get a closer look at this bold little gecko. I figured out why he was there when he jumped onto my big toe to lunge at a fly which had landed on it.

Wild chickens abound on Maui, but I didn't even notice this guy until he crowed as I walked under him. I jumped at the unexpected noise but he totally ignored me.

I knew that the giant spreading Banyan trees were members of the fig family, but I never realized that their tiny little pods are actually small figs. Their fruit are only an inch across but bring birds from near and far to feast upon them. I don't know why, though. I tasted this one which I found on the ground and it wasn't very good.

Moving and Bending

 I am often surprised by how flexible and mobile Starfish can be. While growing up, my only encounters with starfish were with their brittle dead skeletons so, of course, they were locked in one pose. The real live thing is always on the go, moving and bending.

Still Dry

 Maui Camera Club had an outing to the Iao Stream this morning to photograph moving water.

It was fun wading through the rushing water despite its chilliness; and somehow I actually managed to avoid falling in.