It looks really good and tasted pretty good, but nothing like Char Siu. Perhaps I need to go get a recipe.
9 years ago
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Char Siu Chicken
I have been experimenting while trying to figure out how to make Char Siu. I have been using chicken rather than pork. Instead of just finding a recipe, I bought some Hoisin Sauce and tried that.
It looks really good and tasted pretty good, but nothing like Char Siu. Perhaps I need to go get a recipe.
It looks really good and tasted pretty good, but nothing like Char Siu. Perhaps I need to go get a recipe.
Eruption at Koko Head
They say the secret to a great photo is being in the right place at the right time. On Wednesday morning I was!
I captured these two photos of Koko Head "erupting" with the sunrise. Though it has neen long-dormant, it would be hard to imagine a more spectacular eruption.
I captured these two photos of Koko Head "erupting" with the sunrise. Though it has neen long-dormant, it would be hard to imagine a more spectacular eruption.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Rainbows
Some trips here you see rainbows all the time, then for several trips you don't see any. I haven't seen any in a while and this one was big and bright and intense!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Garden Update
Here is another update on the garden. It has been three months since the last one. The garden has done well. Lauri has done almost all the work this year, since I have been away so much.
The peas did very well and have been gone for some time. We got lots of green beans which Lauri canned.
The peppers did extremely well this year - in the grow boxes anyway.
Those in the garden, however, were once again a different story. They did not grow well at all. We are going to have to do something different. It appears to be a fertilizer problem with both the peppers and the tomatoes.
Once again the flower garden on the side of the house did very well. The only problem was keeping the neighborhood cats from lounging in the grow boxes and smashing the plants.
The planters on the back patio also did real well. We planted a trailing Rosemary plant in each of them. We did not use the herbs as much as we should have, but they did add a lot to the planters.
The peas did very well and have been gone for some time. We got lots of green beans which Lauri canned.
The peppers did extremely well this year - in the grow boxes anyway.
Those in the garden, however, were once again a different story. They did not grow well at all. We are going to have to do something different. It appears to be a fertilizer problem with both the peppers and the tomatoes.
Once again the flower garden on the side of the house did very well. The only problem was keeping the neighborhood cats from lounging in the grow boxes and smashing the plants.
The planters on the back patio also did real well. We planted a trailing Rosemary plant in each of them. We did not use the herbs as much as we should have, but they did add a lot to the planters.
Monday, September 7, 2009
September 7, 2009 Dives - Mahi & Makaha Caverns
On Monday, September 7, 2009, I dove with Ian Hildreth and Jo (divemaster) from Ocean Concepts. We did two dives, the Mahi, a 95 foot deep dive on a ship that was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef and Makaha Caverns, a 50 foot deep dive on a shallow coral reef with lava tubes and swim-throughs.
Ian and I were in Jo's group, so we were first in the water. There were 20 divers and three "guides", so they paired up all the divers and the three guides each took a group.
Visibility was a little better than on Saturday - about 60 feet. Ian and I headed down to the wreck and then followed along behind Jo as she went on her little tour. There is a pretty good sized patch of Red Phorbas sponge on the stern of the wreck.
As we started off up the starboard side, this lone Spotted Eagle Ray cruised right past me.
At the bow, the huge Blue Dragon Nudibranch was still there.
There is a little ledge off to the port side of wreck on the bottom where this Yellowmargin Moray Eel hangs out. There are always several Whitestripe Cleaner Shrimp hanging around and today, this one was climbing up onto the eel's head as I snapped the photo.
Over on the stern of the wreck, I ran into this one as well. It was a little threatening as I got close for the photo.
As I was starting to ascend near the mast to end the dive, these three Spotted Eagle Rays floated by fairly close, so I drifted over behind them and got some good photos.
I did my safety stop under the boat and then swam up to the ladder and climbed out.
On the second dive, we made the normal tour through Makaha Caverns. It is difficult to see where the sponge ends and the crab begins, but he is under there.
This Rough-Spined Urchin had a really cool looking test, so I did this as a macro photo again, but a little differently than what I did on Saturday.
You can really see in this specimen why they call this Rice Coral.
The little Spotted Linckia was still in about the same place. Once again, I couldn't get anyone to come and see.
These two Green Sea Turtles were out in the flat eating algae. They pretty well ignored us as we swam past.
This little guy was hanging out along the wall at the edge of the reef.
This little round hole in the reef wall was filled with Iridescent Cardinalfish. I also could see the large black "thing" in the background, but could not tell what it was. When I looked at the photos closely later, I discovered it is a large mature Viper Moray Eel - the moray with the nastiest disposition!
This little juvenile Peacock Razor Wrasse was in the sand under the boat. It looked like a piece of leaf floating back and forth with the surge, but it was a little different.
Under a ledge, right under the boat, was a hole filled with all sorts of critters. These large Yellowmargin Moray Eels often hang out with Whitestripe Cleaner Shrimp, Bicolor Anthias, Red Reef Lobsters, and Iridescent Cardinalfish. The anthias are almost always found only with the Yellowmargin Morays.
As I was swimming slowly along the top of the reef looking into the heads of Cauliflower Coral, I spied this Zebra Moray Eel. I had a devil of a time getting photos. He kept poking his head out and when I would move the camera, he would disappear back under the coral. I managed to get a couple and then I prodded him a little and got him out into the open where I could get a video.
When I was down to 500 psi I slowly ascended and climbed out.
Ian and I were in Jo's group, so we were first in the water. There were 20 divers and three "guides", so they paired up all the divers and the three guides each took a group.
Visibility was a little better than on Saturday - about 60 feet. Ian and I headed down to the wreck and then followed along behind Jo as she went on her little tour. There is a pretty good sized patch of Red Phorbas sponge on the stern of the wreck.
Red Phorbas
As we started off up the starboard side, this lone Spotted Eagle Ray cruised right past me.
Spotted Eagle Ray
At the bow, the huge Blue Dragon Nudibranch was still there.
Blue Dragon Nudibranch
There is a little ledge off to the port side of wreck on the bottom where this Yellowmargin Moray Eel hangs out. There are always several Whitestripe Cleaner Shrimp hanging around and today, this one was climbing up onto the eel's head as I snapped the photo.
Yellowmargin Moray Eel and Whitestripe Cleaner Shrimp
Over on the stern of the wreck, I ran into this one as well. It was a little threatening as I got close for the photo.
Yellowmargin Moray Eel
As I was starting to ascend near the mast to end the dive, these three Spotted Eagle Rays floated by fairly close, so I drifted over behind them and got some good photos.
Spotted Eagle Ray
I did my safety stop under the boat and then swam up to the ladder and climbed out.
On the second dive, we made the normal tour through Makaha Caverns. It is difficult to see where the sponge ends and the crab begins, but he is under there.
Sleepy Sponge Crab
This Rough-Spined Urchin had a really cool looking test, so I did this as a macro photo again, but a little differently than what I did on Saturday.
Rough-Spined Urchin
You can really see in this specimen why they call this Rice Coral.
Rice Coral
The little Spotted Linckia was still in about the same place. Once again, I couldn't get anyone to come and see.
Spotted Linckia
These two Green Sea Turtles were out in the flat eating algae. They pretty well ignored us as we swam past.
Green Sea Turtles
This little guy was hanging out along the wall at the edge of the reef.
Whitemouth Moral Eel
This little round hole in the reef wall was filled with Iridescent Cardinalfish. I also could see the large black "thing" in the background, but could not tell what it was. When I looked at the photos closely later, I discovered it is a large mature Viper Moray Eel - the moray with the nastiest disposition!
Iridescent Cardinalfish
Rough-Spined Urchin
This little juvenile Peacock Razor Wrasse was in the sand under the boat. It looked like a piece of leaf floating back and forth with the surge, but it was a little different.
Peacock Razor Wrasse
Under a ledge, right under the boat, was a hole filled with all sorts of critters. These large Yellowmargin Moray Eels often hang out with Whitestripe Cleaner Shrimp, Bicolor Anthias, Red Reef Lobsters, and Iridescent Cardinalfish. The anthias are almost always found only with the Yellowmargin Morays.
Yellowmargin Moray Eel and Whitestripe Cleaner Shrimp
Red Reef Lobsters, Bicolor Anthias & Iridescent Cardinalfish
Yellowmargin Moray Eels, Whitestripe Cleaner Shrimp & Hawaiian Squirrelfish
As I was swimming slowly along the top of the reef looking into the heads of Cauliflower Coral, I spied this Zebra Moray Eel. I had a devil of a time getting photos. He kept poking his head out and when I would move the camera, he would disappear back under the coral. I managed to get a couple and then I prodded him a little and got him out into the open where I could get a video.
Zebra Moray Eel
When I was down to 500 psi I slowly ascended and climbed out.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Hawaiian BBQ Ribs
For dinner tonight I made some barbequed ribs. I used McCormick Grill Mates Pork Rub and NOH Hawaiian Bar-B-Q Sauce.
They turned out really well - better than either of the two versions we did at home last month. I really like this sauce - they were some of the best ribs I have ever had!
They turned out really well - better than either of the two versions we did at home last month. I really like this sauce - they were some of the best ribs I have ever had!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
September 5, 2009 Dives - Mahi & Makaha Caverns
On Saturday, September 5, 2009, I dove with Mike Oxley and Jo (divemaster) from Ocean Concepts. We did two dives, the Mahi, a 95 foot deep dive on a ship that was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef and Makaha Caverns, a 50 foot deep dive on a shallow coral reef with lava tubes and swim-throughs.
Mike and I were in Jo's group, so we were first in the water. There were 19 divers and three "guides", so they paired up all the divers and the three guides each took a group.
Visibility was OK - about 50 feet. Mike and I headed down to the wreck and then followed along behind Jo as she went on a little tour. Not a lot of new things to see and photograph.
At the bow, there was this huge Blue Dragon Nudibranch. It seems like I go for several dives without seeing any of these and then they are all over the place for a while.
I have taken a lot of photos over the past few months of Yellowmargin Moray Eels. They are pretty common. I knew what the name meant, but this is the first time that you can really see why they were named. That bright yellow margin on the tail really stands out.
Banded Urchins are another species that are ubiquitous. For the most part, they are pretty bland. Once in a while though, one of them stands out. Such was the case with this one.
In all the Banded Urchin photos, you cannot see the action. All those little spines are in constant motion!
Swimming through the wheelhouse, this Giant Porcupinefish was hanging out away from the other divers and out of the current.
Once again, I ended the dive as I usually do on the Mahi, by slowly ascending up the mast. The flag that is usually there was removed by Shawn today, so he could take it home. It was starting to get a little tattered. He always puts a new one on the wreck on Memorial Day in honor of his father.
I did my safety stop under the boat and then swam up to the ladder and climbed out.
On the second dive, we made the normal tour through Makaha Caverns. I took some photos of similar things, but done a little differently. This Rough-Spined Urchin had a really cool looking test, so I did this as a macro photo.
Today, there seems to be more large patches of Blue Octocoral out than normal. Usually you only see a few of the polyps open during the day, but these are all fully open. Makes for much better photos this way.
As we were headed back down a little finger valley toward the boat, I spotted something unusual off to my left along the wall of the valley. It was a tiny Spotted Linkia. It was only two or three inches across. Everyone else just swam by without noticing it.
This Titan Scorpionfish was hanging out in the open. I could have gotten a better photo if it had been a little more shaded where the flash would have worked, but. . .
Back near the boat, there was another Blue Dragon Nudibranch - kind of the bookend for these two dives.
Mike and I were in Jo's group, so we were first in the water. There were 19 divers and three "guides", so they paired up all the divers and the three guides each took a group.
Visibility was OK - about 50 feet. Mike and I headed down to the wreck and then followed along behind Jo as she went on a little tour. Not a lot of new things to see and photograph.
At the bow, there was this huge Blue Dragon Nudibranch. It seems like I go for several dives without seeing any of these and then they are all over the place for a while.
Blue Dragon Nudibranch
I have taken a lot of photos over the past few months of Yellowmargin Moray Eels. They are pretty common. I knew what the name meant, but this is the first time that you can really see why they were named. That bright yellow margin on the tail really stands out.
Yellowmargin Moray Eel
Banded Urchins are another species that are ubiquitous. For the most part, they are pretty bland. Once in a while though, one of them stands out. Such was the case with this one.
In all the Banded Urchin photos, you cannot see the action. All those little spines are in constant motion!
Banded Urchin
Swimming through the wheelhouse, this Giant Porcupinefish was hanging out away from the other divers and out of the current.
Giant Porcupinefish
Once again, I ended the dive as I usually do on the Mahi, by slowly ascending up the mast. The flag that is usually there was removed by Shawn today, so he could take it home. It was starting to get a little tattered. He always puts a new one on the wreck on Memorial Day in honor of his father.
I did my safety stop under the boat and then swam up to the ladder and climbed out.
On the second dive, we made the normal tour through Makaha Caverns. I took some photos of similar things, but done a little differently. This Rough-Spined Urchin had a really cool looking test, so I did this as a macro photo.
Rough-Spined Urchin
Today, there seems to be more large patches of Blue Octocoral out than normal. Usually you only see a few of the polyps open during the day, but these are all fully open. Makes for much better photos this way.
Blue Octocoral
As we were headed back down a little finger valley toward the boat, I spotted something unusual off to my left along the wall of the valley. It was a tiny Spotted Linkia. It was only two or three inches across. Everyone else just swam by without noticing it.
Spotted Linckia
This Titan Scorpionfish was hanging out in the open. I could have gotten a better photo if it had been a little more shaded where the flash would have worked, but. . .
Titan Scorpionfish
Back near the boat, there was another Blue Dragon Nudibranch - kind of the bookend for these two dives.
Blue Dragon Nudibranch
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