Kauai Summer
Back
home in time for the remaining Kauai summer, we celebrated with a Holoholo
snorkel boat across the channel toward Ni’ihau Island.
Niihau Island and Lehua Islet
Of
course the boat takes us along the Na Pali before heading across – we never
tire of seeing that part of Kauai that can only be seen by air or boat.
Looking north up the Na Pali
Kalalau Beach
We have kayaked this coast several times, glad to be under power today
Leaving the Na Pali behind
Actually leaving Kauai - fun to see her from a distance
Only
native Hawaiians are allowed to land on Ni’ihau so the boats tie off at Lehua,
an old cinder cone islet. Lehua geology
is pretty unique. Lehua is home to many
native seabirds and with no human habitation or streams, the water is clear.
The keyhole of Lehua
Home to countless seabirds, this is a Red Foot Booby colony
At the opposite end of Lehua, brown or black noddies in the air with
Kauai behind
There were a couple
monk seals in the water as we pulled into the cove and sure enough one was curious and
playing while we were in the water but we all kept our distance much as we would have liked to swim
closer. Lots of plankton in the warm water.
MonkSeal from the boat
Gil got this little millet seed butterfly fish. The vertical stripes are actually little black dots – thus the name.
Milletseed Butterflyfish about 4"
The coral is probably 15 feet or more down
3 Indo-Pacific Sergeant Damselfish, about 6"
The Hawaiian Sergeant doesn't have such thick stripes
Lehua’s slope continues underwater, the abruptly drops down. Plenty of fish, a little deep for my camera but so beautiful.
Looking down the wall, Lehua is a nice scuba spot
Barred Filefish, about 15"
A coral eater
Heading back, rough ride,
slammed in our seats, I had an ice bag on my foot, a very pretty pink and purple toe,
also got a massive fever blister a few days later as I could not get to my chap
stick! Small price, gotta get out there
somehow . . .
Leaving Lehua
Aloha - see you next time
Ke’e Beach and Lagoon
From
our house we can drive to the “end of the road” which is where the Na Pali
starts. The thing about going to Ke’e is to either go early in the day or late because there is so little
parking now that they are restoring the area.
Gil and I drove out, took a swim and had a picnic late one afternoon and
watched the sunset. Sadly that is
getting earlier each day.
Ke'e Beach
One of the best spots in the world
Too many clouds on the horizon for a green flash
At Ke’e the reef encloses a nice lagoon for people and fish – a respite from the outer reef and deep sea that goes all the way to Japan. I went back another
day early in the morning to snorkel.
The Na Pali from the water at Ke'e
Scrawled or Scribble File Fish - about 24"
Two Ringtail Surgeonfish above in their black phase - about 15"
A second, smaller Scribble below Ringtail on right
The Hawaii State fish - Humuhumunukunukuapua'a
Or, the Wedgetail or Reef Triggerfish, about 10"
The Humu is very common while snorkeling but quite evasive when a camera is around
Finally !
After
these guys it turned into a wrasse day. The
wrasse is characterized by a long narrow body with lots of variety and pretty
fun to watch – especially when they change so radically from youth to alpha
male.
Old Woman Wrasse (I didn't name it)
In alpha stage the tail is all black, the other name is Blacktail Wrasse
This one is about 12"
Christmas Wrasse about 12"
Full alpha Saddle Wrasse - big and bright at 10"
Smaller one down below is initial phase and about 5"
Juvenile Blackstripe Coris (wrasse)
Hawaiian Hilu (hee-loo)
I seem to be lucky to see these fish in all their phases
Alpha male is 20" and Aqua with dots like stars -
prior to switch they have white sides with B/W stripes on top
Also
took some urchin photos which I usually don’t “see” while looking for fish or
coral or whatever focus I may have on a given day.
Zebra Urchin
Pencil Urchin
Collector Urchin
These guys usually have all kinds of debris stuck to them as a camouflage device
This one is just growing seaweed - quite pretty
Limahuli Garden
One
of the best places on the island to spend time, this botanical garden is restoring the native Hawaiian ocean-to-mountain sustainable land use
system. Nearly overrun with invasive
plants, small sections are being carved out to feature endemic and/or native
plants. The entrance is near the end of
the road so it’s a natural to visit the same day as Ke’e. Continuing research for my book, I needed a
couple specific pictures but enjoyed all that Limahuli is.
Limahuli Gardens -
restoring the Hawaiian land division from
the ocean to the mountain
Not what I came to photograph, the prize of the day was this lobelia in bloom.
Lobelia Niihauensis
One of the endemic plants that evolved in concert with an
equally endemic honeycreeper bird with a curved bill
The lobelias are becoming very rare in the wild
Both called Laua'e Fern, the common (like I have
in my yard) and the endemic version called Laua'e Pe’ahi.
Common
Endemic
Other common plants, ti, or ki, and hala. Both were
brought by the original Polynesians but the hala had already made its way here
before humans.
Green Ki plant and Hala
I
also have Olena in my yard but I don’t dig up the roots when I want to cook with the turmeric root, I buy it at the Farmers Market.
Hawaiian Olena (oh-lay-na) the root is turmeric, ginger family
Turmeric root (olena)
Extremely healthy, tastes spicey, gives rich golden to orange color to foods (or fabric as dye)
Wear rubber gloves when grating !
So many plants in Hawaii are in the hibiscus family but one part of Limahuli Garden features the ornamentals we know and love.
Funny, it just occurred to me that the first exposure I had to anything Hawaiian was as a child sitting through an evening with people who had just returned to Denver with incredible slides of the flowers. It was hard to sit still that long but they were gorgeous. No blame.
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