Seascape

If I wasn't here today, I'd be holding the hands of my grandchildren, trick-or-treating. And a tough decision it is...but I'm here. 

This is a photo of the southwest coast of Oahu, looking north from where I snorkeled this morning. You'll notice a yellow bar. There is a smokestack to the right of the bar. The power plant generates electricity for this side of the Island. As a by-product of the process of energy generation, the plant generates heat, and is cooled by the ocean. Heated water is pumped about 100 meters out to sea (yellow bar area) and the heated water draws fish -- and because it draws fish, it also draws predators. The principal predators who hunt this area are:

Spinner Dolphins!  Last year, Heather and I snorkeled with the dolphins further out to sea. However, they come in near the power plant to feed (in the hundreds) early in the morning and I'll be there tomorrow morning to flail around in the water with them while they have their breakfast.

Green Turtles are often guests at the same place since there is a lot of growth in the water due to the unusually high temperature in this area. I hoped to find some sea turtles in the area where I snorkeled today. Visibility was good, but no turtles.

I'm trying to get my salt water fix in because later in the week, they are expecting high waves from an Arctic storm that is kicking things up a thousand miles north of here. The high waves and surge kick up sand and the water won't be quite as clear.

Option 2 is to drive (instead of walk to) a more sheltered area called Shark's Cove, which is known for it's population of common reef White Tip Sharks. The White Tip Sharks are not particularly large or aggressive and the water at the cove is not all that deep. There are quite a few octopus here and the sharks eat them when they can.