Truly Electric

Upcountry Jacaranda trees are in full bloom right now and the color is truly electric. If you live on Maui, treat yourself with a drive along the upper and lower Kula highways this weekend.

Happy Birthday Christine

We partied into the wee hours last night celebrating Christine's birthday.

There were even three different versions of the appropriate birthday song to accompany the candle ceremony.

Surprise Swimmer

Look, oh look, who I managed to get out into the ocean today!

More Popular

Bocce Ball (a form of lawn bowling) is becoming more popular here although, this being the U.S., it tends more toward being an extreme sport. In Europe it is usually played with finesse in small marked off areas. Here, it seems, the farther you can throw the ball, the better.

Stand Up Paddling is also gaining in popularity and SUPs often rule the waves.

Where's the Birthday Girl?

 The Maui Pink Cap Swimmers and numerous critters celebrated Christine's Birthday out in the ocean this morning.

Happy Birthday, Christine.

Click HERE for several more photos of today's adventures.

More Intimidating

Anoles (top photo) seem much more intimidating to me than Geckos (bottom photo). I guess it is due to a combination of their aggressive attitude, claws and dragon-like appearance. With Geckos all I can think of is a wise-cracking insurance spokesman.

Turtle Whisperer

 I swam with a turtle whisperer this morning and the turtles showed up in droves.

They were as bold as can be and swam right up to her.

Even the fish which were hoovering one turtle (3rd photo) were not afraid.

Tasty or Not

 This Green Anole (top photo) was keeping a close eye on me this morning. Maybe it was hungry and was wondering how I might taste?

Concerns about falling coconuts and palm fronds mean that trees have to be aggressively trimmed back at least twice each year (middle photo).

And these children had a sweet ride to the beach this morning (bottom photo).

Six Different Kinds

I count at least five different kinds of fishies in the top photo, from Needlefish at the top to Yellow Tang and 2 Parrotfish at the bottom. But I only notice Convict Tang in the lower photo.

Kimmie goes on a Power Trip

 Everything was going so well on this morning's ocean swim with the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers UNTIL mild-mannered Kimmie found a spear gun and went all Rambo on us.

It was good that she found it late in the swim or we would have been dining on Mermaid for brunch.

Click HERE for more photos from today's swim.

Pigs Beware

 I saw some mighty Angry Birds at the beach this morning.

But the small children didn't care. They loved the trio.

Clear Clear Clear

 I loved the play of sunlight over this school of Goatfish this morning.

The water was clear, clear, clear and is finally beginning to warm up just a bit.

Amazing Grace

Kahu Kimokeo Kapahulehua gave a moving blessing at a neighbor's home yesterday. Wow.

I noticed an interesting lava tube along the shore this morning, I can't wait to swim through it. Soon...

We tried out the new hammock (next time we'll shorten the ropes) and love it.

Never Ending Birthday

 How many birthday swims can one person have?

In Doug's case it seems the answer is: unlimited.

Click HERE for more photos of the continuing celebration, oh, and our Sunday swim too.

Merging and Diverging

 Many hands make light work.

Both Schefflera and Banyon tree trunks grow as an amalgamation of trunks, branches and roots - merging and diverging.

Quiet churchyard just down the street.

Happy 17th Birthday, Doug

 Doug turned 17 today (that's what the candles on the cake say, right?) so we celebrated with a wild water ocean swim (wind warnings in effect from the National Weather Service).

Fortunately everything was calm and going was smooth (as long as we stayed under the surface).

Click HERE for several more photos from today's festivities.

Feeling Sluggish

 Nudibranch is just the fancy name for a slug that lives underwater but, of course, many of them definitely deserve a special name. After all, they are anything but ordinary.

Not only was this one I saw this morning a striking shade of aqua, but it also had a hump on its back reminiscent of a snail shell. Could this be a missing link between slugs and snails?

Only Regret

Yet another spectacular Maui morning. The ocean was warm, the sun was hot and the breeze was cooling. My only regret is that I did not spend more time on the beach.

Swimmers Got to Swim

 Doug began his birthday celebration early with an excellent adventure swim this morning.

Ocean conditions were great and lots of people and critters showed up.

Click HERE for more photos from today's happenings.