Kona and Snorkeling 2-19-13

Today was a really great day!  We started out running a few shopping errands around town, where I got pictures of both the saffron finch and the yellow billed cardinal.

Then we went out to the old airport, which has been turned into a beautiful beach park and gardens.  There was a skate park here and it was clean and beautiful... something here for everyone.
Dave and I wandered down the beach and went tidepooling.  We saw some lovely cowries... my first live ones... I've only seen the shells before.  There was also a weird spiky shelled mollusk.

 

On our way back along the beach to the car we got to see a humpback whale surfacing, and Dave got this picture of it!

Back at the condo, we took some pictures by this humungous hibiscus flower.

Then we went out along the sea wall to see if there was a place we could get into the water to snorkel.  It would have been ok in the morning, with gentle waves, but the surf had picked up a bit and we didn't want to get whacked into the rocks.  We were rewarded for our efforts though in two ways.  The first was an amazing show the wild spinner dolphins put on for us, and the second was that we talked to a local who told us where to go for some great snorkeling, and he sure was right!  I was delirious with joy for hours...
This one is a Moorish Idol:

Here is a Orangespot Unicornfish:

This one is the Picasso Triggerfish, in Hawai'ian it is known as the humuhumunukunukuapua'a:

The busy shy little Hawai'ian Pufferfish:

And so many many more beautiful fish:

Rockmover Wrasse

Orange Band Surgeonfish with Convict Tangs

Black Durgeon Triggerfish

Dragon Wrasse

Ornate Wrasse

Threadfin Butterfly Fish

Threadfin Butterfly Fish with Yellow Tang



Cornet Fish

Lined Butterfly Fish

I have video of almost all these fish, and of the dolphins also, but internet here leaves a lot to be desired.  I tried for hours both last night and this morning, and only managed to upload this video.

 

We are supposed to do some more snorkeling today in a place that it is likely dolphins will swim with us, so I'm hoping they do!  Aloha!