2018-2-14 A Valentine's Day whale watching cruise:

The day started out with quite a shock!!!!  My daughter texted to tell me about a Florida school mass shooting!  It's shocking anywhere, but knowing the area, I was really shocked.  It's in a very prosperous and beautiful town.  A couple years ago we lived less then a mile from that school when we had an apartment near our daughter who also lived less then a mile from that school.  Such a senseless act!   First we had Ferguson riots within a couple miles of our house in St. Louis, now another place we lived has a tragedy!

We hung around the condo listening to the updates about the shooting until we left for Ma'alaea--- about 12:15 for our 1:30 cruise.  Got there plenty early.

 I was expecting a rainy day, but it was actually quite sunny and hot.  Especially while we stood around waiting to check in for our cruise.

 Since the boat was so small, boarding went quickly (maybe 40 people?).  The safety talk came first.  Then the photographer talked.   Then someone else talked, but I wasn't listening anymore. 

 It was a rough ride.  I don't get sea sick, but I've found it's a challenge keeping a DSLR dry on a whale watching cruise!  I brought a super zoom lens for whale watching, but didn't get it out again today.  Wonder if I'll use it at all this trip?!  At least I was able to reasonably crop a few photos from today's excursion.   The cruise started really disappointingly---no whales, lots of sea spray over the sides of the catamaran, and a couple short bouts of rain.

 I had just put my DSLR up to keep it dry when we came upon a mother and baby tail slapping.  Since the boat and the rain stopped, I got the camera back out.  Mother and baby put on a good tail slapping show.

while we were there a male escort appeared.

 Momma did a slap and roll once or twice, too.

 momma, again.

Here she's upside down, since the white is on the up side of her tail.

 baby with very similar markings as mother.

 front of the ship.  Note the webbed area.  Lots of water came up through there as well as over the rail.  This group of students got pretty soaked.  They were on a 4 day ocean seminar.

 I love getting different views of the windmills.

 on our way back in, we came across a whale breaching.

  By the time we got this close, it did one last breach

 big splash, then disappeared.

 so I concentrated on a different angle of the West mountains.

 and another view of the windmills from an angle we don't see from the road.

 heading back into the marina

 I had the brilliant idea that we should go to Beach Bums for an early dinner after the cruise.  After all, how crowded would it be at 4pm, even though it's Valentine's Day?  Well, when there's a wedding party that arrives right before you, it can be very crowded.  It took them about 30 minutes just to get that party of 18 seated.  Didn't look like they were too prepared for seating groups that large.  We were the next party after them.  There were plenty of tables left, they just were spending forever seating that group!
 I didn't get a drink, but got a kick out of the description of the drink right above the wines.

Once we did finally got seated, we were waited on and got our dinner very fast.  It was ribs night---full rack for something like $23.  We shared 1 meal and still had half a rack to take home.

 On the way back to Kihei, we passed the wetlands.  Didn't intentionally stop, but traffic was backed up all the way to the wetlands.  So I snapped a couple pictures of the birds as we slowly made our way past them.  The wetlands sure weren't very wet!
Did see a few Hawaiian Stilts.

 and a couple Herons

 Same guy as above, but this guy didn't have his neck extended.

 No sunset tonight, but we did get a brilliant rainbow.

 For awhile it was even a double rainbow.

After a day of being wind blown, we went to the pool for a little relaxation.  Didn't last too long in the pool.  I'm sure it was warmer then the ocean, but with the wind blowing and night approaching, the Jacuzzi seemed like a better idea.  Unfortunately they must keep it at over 105, way too hot for me. So we didn't stay there long, either.  Soon we were back in the condo.

A rather mixed day of emotions.  Sad for our Florida neighbors; at peace with our whale neighbors;  glad to have another Valentine's day with my valentine.