Living the Aloha Hi

Feb. 22, 2013: "A" is for Ahihi!

I must be getting use to the time change. I actually slept in to 8 am. Ken was already up and on the computer. We have internet now! We had the option of getting it for 10 days or a whole year---nothing in between---thus the few days to McDonald's earlier.

It was another beautiful morning---lots of blue sky and white clouds and a nice breeze. In fact, it didn't seem to be as windy today as it has been---although we still have a constant breeze and lots of gusts. Anyway, we've heard that snorkeling should be done in the morning before the winds kick up, so that's what we've been doing. Today I decided we should go to Ahihi Cove to snorkel. It is south of Wailea. Didn't look like much from the road, but looks can sure be deceiving!!! It's another rocky "beach", so entrance is harder. They had Ahihi preserve workers there telling people where to get in so that the reef on the other side wouldn't get more destroyed. We still saw a few trying to enter from the wrong side. I also saw a diver having problems with his gear and totally stomping on a head of coral. I wouldn't be surprised if this cove is closed off eventually like Fishbowl! I know it's listed as a great place for beginners, but it's difficult entry and coral so close to shore makes it hard if you have problems while in the water--no where to stand and adjust equipment.

As soon as I entered the water, I was shocked by the variety and numbers of fish! I didn't know yellow tangs could get so big! In fact there were lots of very large fish. I was in snorkelers' nirvana! The Kauai lover in me is being taken over by the snorkeling lover in me! Maui is leaps ahead of Kauai for snorkeling.
First guys I saw upon sticking my face in the water. Only downside to the snorkeling was the water wasn't nearly as clear as it was at the other places we went to so far. I'm surprised photoshop cleared most of them up so well!

Whitebar surgeonfish.

Finding Nemo fish-orange spine unicornfish.

blue parrotfish. There were lots of parrotfish here.

And another yellow trumpetfish! Not quite as big as the one at Honolua, but very yellow!

A bluefin trevelly.

peacock groupers-- I've seen these guys at Lawai in kauai pretty often.

Lots and lots of yellow tangs here! They are very rare on Kauai.

Overall view of the terrain. The coral isn't nearly as large as at Honolua, but I'd say the fish were more plentiful here.

I've seen blue goatfish on Kauai before, but not this blue!

Another fish rare to Kauai--the long nosed butterflyfish, again.

I have no idea what this is! Maybe in the trevelly family??? I've been told this is a Leatherback Jack.

I saw one of these guys in Oahu my first trip to Hawaii. Finally found them again! --sailfin tang.

They deserve another picture!

A filefish? or triggerfish? barred filefish?

Love finding these guys at Lawai on Kauai. Nice to see they're here, too. Black Triggerfish.

These guys get overlooked by me so often that I decided to try and get a good picture of one---convict tang. They're often seen in schools.

This guys deserves another picture, too. He was HUGE. Red lipped Parrotfish

About 1 we decided it was time for breakfast/lunch. So we headed back to our home for now. I had my leftover kalua sandwich from Da Kitchen and Ken made himself Spam and eggs. Ken decided it was time to rest, so I took off for a walk by myself. I headed across the street to the beach and headed north this time. I was surprised to see the clouds had let up and the sun was really beating down. Would have been a great day to hang out at the beach all day. But we had planned to go to happy hour at Stella's on the Blue, so weren't going to get in the ocean again today. I did enjoy my walk, though.

Agave???

Even found a bunch of purdy flowers to pose for me.

Neat looking flower that looks like bougainvillia, but is rod-like.

LOVE all the bougainvillia! We don't have any of that in St. Louis.

An interesting vine flower.

Another beautiful delicate looking bush that I don't think we have back home.

I thought this was a really neat art piece.

Shortly after I got back, we headed off to happy hour. Unfortunately, or fortunately for many people, the Kihei friday night celebration was going on and shopping center where Stella Blue's is was closed for the festivities. Just when we thought we knew were we were going! Now we were back to, "Where do you want to go?" "I don't know, where do you want to go?" We ended up at Ocean's happy hour and had a brew, a discounted appetiser, and shared a fish and chips (seems to be a theme---obviously we don't get good fish in St. Louis!) We enjoyed our dinner there, too, and the open air dining.

Ok, a rather odd picture---a bathroom in a park, but this bathroom is very unique. The mosaic tiles are made up of mirrors and colors so it really twinkles when you go by it. I noticed it from the car.

Then we went beach where I was walking earlier in the day and waited for sunset. Here are the weird rod-like flowers in the foreground that I took a picture of earlier.