May 8, 2009 Night Dives - Shallow LCU & Turtle Reef

On Friday, May 8, 2009, I dove with Brian and Shawn (divemaster) from Ocean Concepts. We did two dives, Shallow LCU, a 90 foot deep dive on a Landing Craft that was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef and Turtle Reef, a 35 foot deep dive on a shallow coral reef.

I dove with Brian. Shawn was the divemaster for the group. Three of the divers had cameras. There were 7 divers and one "guide."

Brian and I were the second pair in the water. We congregated at the mooring line until all of the group was there and then descended. Brian tried to point out things to take photos of.

The wreck is also fairly small, so night dives end up being sort of a big group thing. Every time someone finds something interesting, everyone else gathers around to see.

There was a Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby hanging out on the back of the wreck. They sleep at night. The photo is not quite in focus

Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby

Over on the Z-blocks alongside the wreck was a Regal Slipper Lobster. I got a couple of the best photos I have gotten so far of it.

Regal Slipper Lobster

The Commerson's Frogfish that always hangs out on this wreck was there on the railing. I was able to get several pretty good shots of it.

Commerson's Frogfish

I also managed to get a good photo of a Giant Porcupinefish.

Giant Porcupinefish

Not a lot to photograph tonight. The group was pretty small and Shawn was tied up with a lady that was pretty high-maintenance so we were all on our own to find stuff.

Did my safety stop in the dark watching the phosphorescence.

I brought a towel this evening and it was much better. Putting the wet rash-guard back on before the second dive was still a challenge! I may have to invest in another one.

The second dive was on Turtle Reef. As soon as we got down (Brain and I were first), there was an Ornate Octopus out hunting. It immediately started to flee, but I got in its path and it stopped briefly so I could get a couple of photos.

Ornate Octopus

Once again there were brittle stars everywhere! The were drooping out of every nook and cranny and clump of coral, but there were none actually out in the open where I could get a decent photo.

Came across a huge Sleepy Sponge Crab out galloping across the bottom. His sponge covering was dragging along behind him.

Sleepy Sponge Crab

Shawn got tied up with the lady and couldn't lead us around the reef like normal, so we just all hung around together and stayed close to the boat until we got cold and ended the dive early. He thought I was more familiar than I was and would take everyone on a tour without him. I could have done that in the daytime, but not at night.

Caleb is 5!

My, how time flies! It really does seem like just yesterday that I was talking on the phone to Jes - me in Salem, OR and her in Las Vegas, as she kept me informed through the day about how labor was progressing!

Then flying to Vegas all the while wondering if I would be there before the birth. And then all the other things that happened over the days and weeks. . .

And in the blink of an eye, he is five! Wow!

It is harder and harder to get all the family together. We miss Cydney and Ken, but know they are where they are supposed to be and doing what they are supposed to be doing.

After dinner Caleb opened his presents at Dr. Dave's office.



Caleb and his two best buddies.

Having cake and playing with the new things.

And modeling the new train engineer's outfit!

Such a cute boy/little man.

Pi'ate Ca'tain Spencer

Unfortunately, I was in Honolulu for Spencer's actual birthday and so missed the party at Chuck-E-Cheese. I got home the morning of the friend party so we drove out to Eagle Mountain to participate in that.

Spencer was under the deck when we got there, digging for buried "loot" with his friends.


They soon got finished with that and decided it was time to go in the house and open presents and have some pirate ship cake. Jessica continues to amaze us with the cake creations. Each new one seems to outdo the last. Practice really does make perfect!


Discovery! Life's fresh perspective in the eyes of a child!



The Ca'tain counting his treasure!

And pausing for a little refreshment. . .

The dread Pi'ate Ca'tain Spencer giving the evil eye!

He wore the patch for so long that it left some pretty sore looking marks!

Oh, to be a kid and be amazed and excited by every new thing - what fun life would be! I guess it is all a matter of perspective - we can have that approach to life if we choose to. Like so much in life, it is all about our choices!

Hanauma Bay

On Thursday, I took another day off of work, rented a car, and we went to play in the water again. We have had pretty good weather, until this morning. It is gray and overcast and started drizzling as we headed out to go to Hanauma Bay. The plan was to go there, and then head over to the North Shore to Waiamea Bay to play in the sand.

We stopped at Snorkel Bob's and got some snorkel gear and then drove over to Hanauma Bay. The rain really started just as we got there. We gathered our gear and went in, watched the obligatory film about conservation and then hiked down to the bay and everyone got ready to go snorkel.

Dave and Rebecca didn't last long, but the rest of us had a good time and I even managed to get some photos of critters I have not seen before.

Saddle Wrasse, Convict Tang & Orangebar Surgeonfish

Bluestripe Snapper

Lagoon Triggerfish

This is the "true" humuhumu-nukunuku-ā-pua‘a. The Wedgetail Triggerfish is also known as humuhumu-nukunuku-ā-pua‘a, but this is the first one of these I have seen! While I was taking this photo, along came a Peppered Moray Eel and a Bluefin Trevally that were "symbiotic hunting" together. I followed along and got this video of them!

Ember Parrotfish "supermale"

Ember Parrotfish "immature male or female"

Sailfin Tang

Saddleback Butterflyfish

Barred Filefish

After we got done snorkeling (got cold) we played on the beach for a little while since the rain had stopped and then hiked back up the hill to the car and had lunch in the park.




While all the rest slept, I drove from Hanauma Bay over to the North Shore to Waiamea Bay.

We stopped in the rain and I don't think any of us were really planning on getting back in the water. The beach was nearly deserted, and after watching the swells for a little while and getting our feet wet, we got caught by a bigger one and got a little more wet. That was all it took, I could tell Natalie wanted to go in, so I took off my shirt (soaked already by rain), my glasses and watch, and dove into the next wave.

Dave and Natalie and I played for quite a while in the surf and had a blast body surfing and washing in and out with the waves. Mom even came in briefly. That was about the most fun of anything I have done. I just wish we had had a camera with us and taken some photos, but it was too rainy.
We went back to Hale‘iwa and got a shave ice at Matsumoto's - supposed to be the best on the island. Pretty good, too.

The afternoon rush hour traffic going back into Honolulu - 10 mph! No need for transit here, let's just sell more cars and buy more buses - unbelievable!

We were planning to get dinner at On Dong and have it at the apartment, but they were closed when Rebecca and I went back to get the food. That was a huge disappointment, but we had pizza instead and packed for going home tomorrow.

Even though we were in overcast, rainy weather all day, we all got fairly burned! Good thing it was the last day.

Waikiki

While I was at work on Tuesday and Wednesday, the rest of the gang did some other sightseeing and then I met them for dinner in the evenings. Of course, included in all of that were several "must-dos" on Waikiki.

International Marketplace

Tony Roma's

Dave riding his bikerack

Sunset on Waikiki after dinner at Teddy's

Lover's Stroll on the Beach at Sunset