Big Drop

It doesn't take much to entertain the Maui Pink Cap Swimmers.

Such as walking a tight-rope with a 30 foot drop below.

Click HERE for lots more photos of this morning's adventures.

Dressed for Winter

 This morning was the annual Great Whale Count where volunteers count how many Humpback Whales are in local waters. The way most people were dressed you might think it was winter in Maine rather than 72 degrees on Maui. But for us 72 degrees is frigid.

Someone has been stacking stones along the seashore.

Patti Survived

A few of us gathered to swim in front of my house this morning.

Conditions were great, whales were incredibly vocal, and Patti survived.

Another Another

Another day, another beach. Maui no ka oi

Lobsters and Cameras

 We saw three lobsters, lots of fish, and quite a few people with cameras on this morning's ocean swim.

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

Crazy Wild Water

 The Maui Pink Cap Swimmers had crazy, wild water conditions for their ocean swim on Sunday.

Underneath the surface, however, all was calm and nice.

Click HERE for more photos from yesterday's ocean swim.

I Choose Both

It is the middle of February so the choice is either a pleasant day at the beach or a whale watching cruise. I choose both.

Dancing with a Manta Ray

 I love it when a wild sea creature chooses to interact with me. Mammals are the most likely to show an interest in me, but sometimes Rays do as well.

This morning two Manta Rays swam by underneath me before one of them swam up toward me. It showed its underside and swam around me three times, close enough to touch. Yes, I was nervous, but also thrilled.

It didn't seem to mind me swimming along with it for the next half hour and even came back up for another dance.

Waves and Castle

Some fun waves were rolling in along Maui's south shore this morning. They certainly did not stop people from going out into the ocean.

This was the most elaborate sand castle I have ever seen on Maui.

Mermaids and Surprise Visit

 I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again, and again), while I love swimming with dolphins, I love swimming with Maui's mermaids even more.

And today I got to swim with both!

While I expected to see the mermaids, the dolphins were a complete surprise when they swam up to meet us.

Click HERE for several more photos from this morning's ocean swim.

Happy Birthday, Rich

 The only one missing on Rich's birthday swim this morning was . . . Rich. We all missed you, Rich. Happy Birthday.

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

Mahalo to Catherine and Natalia

 A big Thank You to Natalia and Catherine for dragging me out into the ocean for a swim this morning. I am really glad I went.

We swam out to the farthest point on the Wall that I have ever visited, which made me nervous. But conditions could not have been better.

Big Log

It looks like Dale Zarella is gearing up to create another stunning wood sculpture. I look forward to watching the transformation of another big log.

The Coast Guard were doing exercises off Keawakapu beach this morning.

Steve's Swim

 I got to swim with former Mauian, Steve, who's visiting for a couple of weeks.

We saw lots of fish, a few sea turtles and even a brief glimpse of dolphins.

Click HERE for more photos from this morning's ocean swim.

Kona Winds

Winds are blowing Kona today, which means that instead of the usual Trade Wind direction (coming from the northeast) they are blowing out of the southwest.

Big 10,000 foot high mount Haleakala is to my immediate northeast, so it normally blocks the weather brought in by the trade winds. Usually it is sunny, dry and warm here. But today, showers have been continuously passing through, and rain has been alternating constantly with sunshine. How strange for us. One minute it is pouring rain and the next it is sunny. But at least we have been getting lots and lots of rainbows.

Wild Cliffs Indoctrination

 The Maui Pink Cap Swimmers inducted a few of our crowd into the wild cliffs experience this morning. I was surprised at how willingly they allowed themselves to be led into some crazy areas. It took me years to work up that kind of courage.

Click HERE for lots more photos from today's ocean adventure and Coach Dave's Birthday swim.

Definitely Not Dead

 What a difference a day makes. I went from whale skeletons on yesterday's swim, to rambunctious live Humpbacks on today's whale watch cruise.

Again, I am amazed at how good some photos came out by simply sticking my camera over the side of the boat and blindly firing away.

Whale Graveyard

 It was spooky this morning swimming through a debris field of whale bones which stretched a quarter of a mile underwater.

The reason I felt unsettled was that only a few weeks ago this was a whole humpback whale, and lots of large Tiger Sharks left nothing but clean bones scattered about. Where were all the big sharks now?

Whale Watching

Any spot along the shore offers great potential for whale watching, now, during the height of the season.