IT'S ANOTHER BLESSED DAY IN PARADISE

PRIDE OF AMERICAN INNER-ISLAND CRUISE SHIP

KONA-TRAVEL

PEPPERED MORAY EEL.

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UNDERWATER HEAVEN.

KONA-RENTALS

WHAT'Z UP OUT THERE?

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PENCIL IRCHIN.

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FILE FISH

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Its a beautiful day in paradise. The Pride Of America is in today. No dolphins......I think they are busy having babies.

Here are several recent shots.

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. A HUI HOU!

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

NEW BORN DOLPHINS THIS SEASON

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Dancing Dolphins

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Mom and last years baby.

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Frolicking is life!

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Artistic showoff.

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Eagle Ray slip sliding away.

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It's a pack (school) of dolphins!!!!

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Grace and elegance.

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Look at me mom!!!!

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The eye says it all.

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Dolphins being dolphins.

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More just being dolphins.

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Where are we going mom?

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The Hunu doing what Honus' do.

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Ya missed me didn't ya?

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Green Sea Turtle (Honu)

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Recent sunset from my house above Kailua Kona.

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Ok, I fess up, busy being busy BUT not missing the swim!

The water was HUGE for almost a month. Strange for the "summer"? Nothing much stops Linda and me from going out regardless , but when it got as big as it did, well, it was just not fun. It's been BEAUTIFUL for the past two weeks. Kilauea (Madame Pele') has been collapsing in on herself (the crater vent that started last year) and the vog for the most part has STOPPED (or what we residents consider stopped). The skies are blue again and the water is even bluer! The sea is warm and calm and the dolphins are still doing the thing they do this time of year AND having babies!

There are a few photos herein of babies.

We had several very sad tragic events since our last blog.

The local canoe clubs have their races (regattas) this time of year. They lay allot of rope and debris down on the bottom in order to make the courses for the races. They leave all this clutter there during the racing season and pick up about 75% of it at the end of the season.

A beautiful manta ray got tangled up in one of their ropes and died. I was so upset Linda and I went out the next Saturday and buried the rope under every coral head and under every rock, and cinder block laying on the bottom that I could find. If it had not been such thick rope I would have cut it out myself (I tried). This effort took about an hour and about 30 free dives. Not only was there about 100 yards of free floating rope floating anywhere from the surface to the bottom, there were a lot of other ropes hanging off that rope as well. I was so proud to have successfully buried it. We knew it would never tangle another beautiful sea creature as long as we were around! Several days later, it completely disappeared. I would guess the Department of Land and Natural Resources (the equivalent of the land police) took it completely out along with another buoy. Swimmers like the buoys out there to follow. As for this example, they just create clutter and a means for innocent beautiful sea life to get tangled up and potentially get maimed or worse die.

Linda and swam far clear of the dead mantra ray that day knowing how upset we would have been to see him hanging there. The tiger sharks also came in on him.

The DL& R came shortly thereafter and removed this innocent creature off the buoy lines.

Bummer!!

We had another sad loss of Andy Guillermo. He was a great homeless (the pier was his home) fellow who together with his best friend Brian Fujimori been volunteers at the pier for many years. They have been the watchdogs, the cleaners, the caretakers and wonderful welcoming happy faces to see everyday at the pier, always taking care of some detail . Sadly, Andy passed away suddenly one early morning from a stroke. The pier put on a beautiful memorial service for him sponsored by Destination Kona Coast, Body Glove and others. The Body Glove was generous to take his family and friends out to sea to scatter his ashes. Kudos body glove and Captain Zodiac and everyone who showed up to support Andy’s family and his dear (now lost and lonely) friend Brian.

Andres "Andy" Guillermo Jr.

Published: Thursday, July 2, 2009 9:26 AM HST

Andres "Andy" Guillermo Jr., 53, of Kailua-Kona died June 28 at Kona Community Hospital. Born in Kealakekua, he was formerly employed with Sack '- Save and Whaler's, a volunteer for Kailua Pier commercial boat operators, Kailua Village Merchant Association, Ironman Triathlon, various canoe regattas and a greeter for incoming cruise ships for Destination Kona Coast. Morning service at 8 a.m. July 11 at Lanakila Congregational Church; 12:30 p.m. memorial to follow at the Kailua Pier, under the green tent. Refreshments to follow. The Body Glove will depart Kailua Pier at 2 p.m. for scattering of ashes. Aloha or casual attire. Survived by companion, Brian Fujimori of Kailua-Kona; parents, Andres (Margarette) Guillermo Sr. of Kealakekua; sisters, Martha (Clyde) Sampaga of Hilo, Margarette (Jim Graham) Kanealii of Kailua-Kona; brothers, Tony (Lyn) Guillermo of Kealakekua, Steven (Trudy) Guillermo of Hilo, Fred (Donna) Guillermo of Kailua-Kona, Robert Guillermo of Captain Cook; paternal grandmother, Marta Guillermo of Kealakekua; numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Cremation Services of West Hawaii.

A hui hou Andy, we will miss you and we will take good care of Brian for you!

Tell everyone you know how much you appreciate them today because it may be the last time you have that privilege of doing so.

A hui hou

Make sure to check out all the photos on our newly launched site!!!!

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JUST LIKE THE OLD DAYZ

WHOHOOO! Dolphins.

The Rotterdam is in today . This ship usually brings in dolpins with it so we were optimistic despite history "repeating itself".

We swam out to the Kona Reef  looking for any revitalization of the Tiger Cowries (earlier blog, some self centered pig took all the beautiful cowries one day). Today Linda found one! We were so excited to see one back!  We made the executive decision to hide  him. Normally you never want to move them, but it's either move them to safety or let someone else come and kill them for their shell. NOT!

On the way back to the 1.2 mile buoy, we saw Captain Zodiac's boats parked out there. This meant dolphins.

Sure enough. We swam with them for almost 2 hours. They were playful, flinging out of the water and spinning (thus named spinners), talkative and funny. They were blowing big air bubbles today I have never seen that behavior. They were a riot.

Brit, one of the snorkel tour operators, had just dropped off some snorkelers nearby. He had commented on the lack of dolphins lately. He said he believed it was due to the predators in the area. "What predators?!!" (of course) we asked. Apparently the pigmy whales and the hammerheads have been in the area (breeding season) and they seem to bother the dolphins.  I seriously doubt they harm them, but they interfere with their normal patterns. Interesting, they don't bother me? 

The water is getting warmer,  probably a millimeter of a degree a week. Maybe it's the wetsuit I am now wearing? We are looking forward to  summer water.

There were so many ladies swimming this morning, you couldn't even get to the shower. You GO girls!  Only a few guys as usual. Hmmmm, come to think of it, there are a few guys who frequent the pier for no apparent reason. Do you  think there is any relationship there?

Nothing else to report or  show since the last blog, just out there swimming and trying to out swim the cold water.

Thanks for swimming along with us!

"I'll be right back"

It's been rainy and grey all week now. It's still 76-78 degrees though, so how bad can that be? No sunshine makes the water a a little dismal, albeit crystal clear.

My mom was  visiting from Hilo hoping to find some sunshine on this side of the Island. Our unusually rainy weather is typical of weather found most of the time in Hilo (the windward side of the Big Island).

I told mom I was going for a short swim and be right back. I asked her to make sure pray for dolphins and whales for me to see today. Like she has more power of prayer that I would have? Ok, I confess, Linda and I pray for things to see quite often.

As I swam out, the Body Glove drove past me about 10' feet away. I hate when they do that. I think they are making a statement because I am not right inside of the buoy lines.  What the boat captains who run boats (and do not themselves swim) do not realize is that it is much calmer a little further out. We must have the right of way. Pedestrians do? I will have to check that out with DL&R.

I noted the Body Glove had stopped ahead of me about 3/4 of a mile. There was another tour boat on the spot as well. This meant there was something notable to see.  I knew I was going to see those whales I prayed for today! I swam and swam and swam to the location. By the time I even got close, the boats had since left. Keeping in mind it is illegal to  "swim" with the whales, but if they are in the general local and swim by you, all is fair. Whales, whales, whales I kept thinking.

Dolphins. 

I saw them jumping out of the water and I could hear them, but they did not swim with me.....I guess I need to be more specific in prayer, "swim with the dolphins" means, have them swim underneath me, not in the same ocean OK! 

I also saw dolphins on the way back and could clearly hear them and see them, but again, they did not swim "underneath" me! OK, God I will be more specific in my prayers in the future! I get it!

Got back home two hours later.  Oh well, I got some great shots of this little guy. A baby Eagle Ray.

It is rainy, cold and grey today. Being that  I swam about 3 miles yesterday, no swim for today.

A hui hou and hope for sunshine next week!

SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ABOUT THE WATER

Today was like every other day. Grateful to be alive, blessed and grateful for my friends  and the ability to live here in Hawaii.

On the way to the pier this morning we encountered one of our homeless residents walking his 7 dogs. He was sitting down and complaining how  his back hurt due to the  dogs dragging him on the walk. 

We see this guy and his dogs almost everyday on the way to the pier. We always stop and play with the puppies. I quite often give him money for the dogs care and bring extra dog beds and blankets down. I bring him hot meals at times as well.

 I finished walking the dogs to the pier as he followed. He insisted on keeping  Princess, who is not only very old but very overweight, tied up to the pack while they  were all running as if in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. They were dragging Princess. I commented about this to the master. He said, well "she just needs to keep up too". She is old and overweight! How can this sweetheart possibly keep up with puppies?

When we got to the pier this guy decided he would let the dogs go run. And run they did. They were so excited to get off those 6 inch leashes and be free playing in the water. It was so special to watch.

Three of the dogs, who are related, had a bent up  wild hair and ran all over the pier. Their master went crazy screaming at them and chasing them.

After awhile Linda and I decided we had better help him catch these  three siblings,recognizing they only needed some exercise and were having a ball.

Then this guy starts screaming at all his dogs most of all Princess. Four letter words flowed. She was cowering. If we had not been there I am sure he would have hit her. He had lost control.

He kept screaming and screaming that they needed to settle down. I finally had enough and  told him that he needed to settle down. Well, that set him off. I was called every name in the book, including names you never want to hear and threatened that he was going to "mess with me now".

It was time to call the cops, but we decided just to go swim.

It was heartbreaking to see these animals abused this way. I know in his own demented way he loves them (they are all he has) but to see them just want to play and to each be stuck on literally 6 inches of rope was more than heartbreaking.

I am going to mail a copy of this to the SPCA. I would almost rather see some of these dogs put down than to have to live everyday like this.

My father killed every pet we ever had when I was growing up, so I have this "thing" to protect animals.

The swim was rather nice and clear and uneventful other than having to replace the buoy line that had detached itself and was free floating in the ocean.

Just another day in paradise.

For lack of good photos today, I have attached another of a Crown of Thorns, that got "whacked" today and some Honu photo's I had recently taken.

A Hui Hou

IT'S WHAT WE DID NOT SEE

The Pacific Ocean was it's usual amazing ocean... It shimmered like diamonds. It beckoned me.

During the weekdays, I normally swim in the morning, Sundays it's after Church. We attend a Church across the street from the  ocean, and I could not resist taking a peek of the conditions as we walked into Church. It would be one of the beautiful indescrible days, I knew it.

After Church, I saw Linda and we agreed to jump in, in about a half an hour. My husband decided to canoe along with us (outrigger canoes, which are very popular on the Islands).

I WAS a beautiful day indeed. It was like swimming in gin. Crystal clear.

We swam to our normal "Kings Buoy" and kept traveling past to our special Reef.

Kona Reef is about .9  miles from the pier and the water is only about 2 feed deep in some areas of the reef. You can hear the crackle of the reef when you begin approaching the reef. The crackle sound is all the fish and various critters enjoying their lunch and just the sound of life on the reef. It's it's own underwater city.

I wanted to show off some of the beautiful "Tiger Cowries' I normally see at this reef to my husband. I am always careful when finding them as not to disturb their resting place as I have heard they have lifetime mates, and when you move them they sometimes can  no longer find their mate. Sadly, people like to collect them because of their beauty. I have probably not seen two together for several years.

 Tiger cowries  found in Hawaii are the largest in the world. Cowries, sometimes called "porcelain shells", all have a shiny shell, since a "mantle" covering the shell protects the animal from predators. Like all cowries, tiger cowries are herbivorous, grazing on small seaweeds or algae. Tiger cowries are used as octopus lures in Hawaii and among other Pacific islands.The larger Tiger Cowries, extraordinarily beautiful, are now difficult to find. Although the pattern is simple, white with dark spots, the varying number and size of the spots can produce shells ranging from very light to almost solid black. It is said that no two are alike. The mantle is mottled dark gray with long, pointed, white-tipped papillae. This cowry is more likely to be seen by day than many others, probably because of its beauty as well as it's size. They can be as big as a softball. In Hawaii they are easily seen in shallow water, 10 feet. Easy to see by snorkelers and easier to take because of their beauty.

I saw three beautiful Tigers just Friday.

When we went back today they were all gone along with allot of the clam shells split open and robbed. Someone had been there and helped themselves to these beautiful creatures!  It's a good thing I did not witness this, or I would be in jail today.

I felt heartsick that all these Tigers were gone. I secretly hoped they had just been hiding,but feeling they had been taken by someone very self centered.

The dolphins were in the vicinity,  but we were too busy at the reef to catch them today. It was another one of those God-sent days in Hawaii.