Maui Snorkeling Trips

Photo Courtesy K. Velasquez

It’s that time of year here in Hawaii and those wonderful males are at it again.  They fight.  Competitions are fierce in the breeding grounds around the world, sometimes the groupings numbering in the 10s, 20s or more for each lovely female.  Researchers tell us that the males outnumber the females in the breeding grounds, but we do not know exactly why that is.  In the North Pacific stock, about 60 percent travel to Hawaii, 30 percent to Baja, California, and the remaining 10 percent to the islands south of Japan.  Researchers also tell us this stock of animals is doing well, growing about 7 percent each year.  Hawaii is the only state in the union that boasts breeding grounds for the acrobatic humpback whale.

These animals put new meaning to the words “throwing your weight around”.  Weighing in at a hefty one ton per foot means some big boys can weigh more than 40 tons!  Females are larger than the males.  The biggest female we have seen off the deck of our boat was 50 feet long.  Every breath she took echoed around us; a sound I will never forget.  Just to think it all started here in Hawaii.  This is their birthplace.  We’ll talk more about babies in a future posting.

We can only imagine what it would be like to travel 7000 miles or more annually; one direction to mate and the other direction to head back to the kitchen.  According to researchers, the breeding grounds are mostly a desert zone.  Humpbacks love herring, but they also eat sand lance, sardines, capelin, anchovies, small salmon, and krill, which is a euphausiid shrimp that blooms by the tons in the cold waters of the northern and southern hemispheres.  Although Hawaiian waters have some of the fish they love, feeding is seldom seen here, but it has been witnessed.  One boat captain saw several large animals burst through the surface in front of Molokini, their mouths wide open.  Fishermen off the north side of Moloka’i also witnessed two large humpbacks feeding after a large storm.

The aggressive head lunges, breaches, tail slaps, peduncle throws and many other types of behaviors observed during competitions will be engraved in your memories for a lifetime.  Weather permitting, we go every day.  As we go deeper into the season, more and more animals are seen.  Every day there are new arrivals and little ones are being born, many of which will be future contenders when they reach sexual maturity (after 5 years of age).  Come out and watch these amazing males vie for the lovely females.  How wonderful to be in Hawaii.  How fortunate to be here when whales arrive!  Let’s go share memories!

Photo Courtesy fishbase.org

This deep-water species was chosen for its unusual name, Thorny Tinselfish.  They live in very deep water 400 - 1026 meters (1312 - 3366 feet) in waters off Spain to Durban, South Africa, Japan and Hawaii.  They are of no interest to the fisheries industry, probably because they are so very deep down and also there isn’t much to them.  They grow to a mere 25 inches!

These animals are predators and are found in deep mid water and near the bottom.  They are silvery with irregular black blotches on their bodies.  A very unusual animal, to be sure.

Snorkeling in Hawaii we would not be able to find these animals, but their body shape reminds me of a reef animal called mamo, or sergeant major.  The waters are cooling down a little bit here in the sub-tropics, but the temperature is still in the mid 70s making it quite comfortable.  I’m ready when you are!

Photo Courtesy Wikipedia.com

Isn’t this critter cute?  There are many Hawaiian names for star, but to the best of our knowledge this one was researched and we found Hoku Kai to be the most accurate.  The above picture of a cute brittle star was taken off the Kona coast.  The other picture is of a fossil, which researchers determined to be from the time when dinosaurs roamed the earth.  Earliest fossils date this species back about 500 million years when they first appeared.  A brittle star’s skeleton is made up of embedded ossicles. 

Probably of little or no food value could be the main reason that not much information can be found as far as Hawaiiana is concerned.

These animals are in the echinoderm family, which makes them related to sea urchins.  Their legs are flexible and they can reach a diameter of up to 2 feet!  In some parts of the world they are known as serpent stars.  Most people still call this group starfish, but marine biologists know they are not a fish, so the correct term is sea star.

Brittle stars, like others, are voracious feeders.  Some prey, like copepods or mollusks (snails) can be eaten whole.  Others will find themselves being devoured by a everted stomach and digested outside the sea star’s body.  According to research they have two stomachs.  Some stars will find unsuspecting sleeping fish and take them out.  Brittle stars do not have an anus.  Instead, they get rid of their waste through the mouth.  WOW!  At the end of each leg there is a microscopic eye, which allows the sea star to determine light from dark.  Their terminal tube feet, according to researchers, are especially sensitive to odors. or chemicals, emitted by other animals helping the sea star find their meals, but/ they can also detect random movement and shadows.  Depending on the species, some stars have many legs and the tube feet may, or may not, have suction.  Another species we will discuss in a future posting has a pentagram shape.  The rough top surface of a star is called a aboral, or dorsal surface.  If you look closely you may notice a small white spot, almost keyhole shaped on some.  This is called a madreporite, which acts like a water filter system supplying the star with the water necessary for movement.

These animals are generally mature after one year and can then reproduce.  They normally continue to grow for up to four years and with most species there are distinct sexes, with a few exceptions of hermaphrodites and sex changes with age.  Regeneration of lost legs is commonly known with these animals, although how long the regrow process takes could not be found.  If a large enough section of the central animal is intact with a lost leg, a whole new brittle star will regrow.

I recall a story many years ago of oyster farmers who notice a sea star invasion in their ponds.  Panicked, they collected all they could find, chopped them up, and returned them back to the water.  In a few weeks time they had nothing in their growing farms but sea stars, having to collect all the stars again and take them out to deep water for disposal before starting all over!  

There are about 1500 species of brittle stars known, and all of them are predators.  Many of them are found as deep as 1600 feet, but in Hawaii there are several types seen in just inches of water when small and moving down to deeper water as they mature.  The beginner snorkeler can easily spot these beautiful and amazing creatures of the Pacific.  If you are coming to Hawaii, please put snorkeling on the top of your list.  You will have many wonderful memories of your water adventure.  

Photo Courtesy hawaiifishes.com/Dr. J. Randall

Joining in the holiday spirit we’ve chosen this beautiful Christmas wrasse.  This wrasse was known as `âwela in Hawaiian and was most likely an important food source.  As you can see from the above photos, there is a very distinct coloration difference between the female (top) and the male (bottom).  The term ‘initial phase’ is used for the females and the term ‘terminal phase’ is for the males.

This specie of fish live in many tropical and sub tropical waters.  The Indo-Pacific, East Africa to the Pitcairn, Ryuku Islands (Japan), Tonga and Rapa all have this fish.  They live in shallows and will also hang out in heavy algae areas.  It is interesting they will also venture into deeper waters of 10 meters (32.8 feet).  Their favorite meals consist of quite a variety.  They love crabs and other crustaceans, mollusks, and brittle stars.  

These beautifully colored fish are vulnerable to aquarium trade.  There is just not enough movement to ban this type of collecting, and there should be.  Many fish are in danger of disappearing.  The animals and plants of the ocean are like a tall Jenga tower.  Make the wrong move by taking out an incorrect piece and the whole thing collapses.

If you were to come to Hawaii and snorkel, would you see this lovely fish?  I certainly hope so and they are very plentiful, so far.  Come visit us soon.  The weather is beautiful with no dramatic changes in sight!

Photo Courtesy K. Velasquez

With whale season now upon us we will be addressing the many questions we get in regards to these beautiful and amazing animals.  One of the most common questions is “why are they called humpback?”.  The answer can be found in whaling records.  One of our favorite books to reference is called  Whales, by E.J. Slijper.  The original was in Dutch and was translated for U.S. printing in 1962.  The original publishing was in 1958.  This book is really wonderful!  It is full of amazing facts on the circulatory system, nervous system, eyesight and much more, all studied by some of the best biologists of that time.  On many whaling vessels biologists did travel with them because they realized the amazing opportunity to study these mammals of the deep.  Precise measurements and weights were taken, when allowable, and body parts studied.

So, why the hump?  As you can see in the above photo, there is a very pronounced area of blubber just before the dorsal fin.  A ‘hump’, the whalers called it.  Other whale species do not have this so the hump became part of the name for the 6th largest whale on the planet.  We still hear many people say the name is because they ’round out’, or arch their backs before they dive, but so do many other types of marine mammals, including dolphins and seals, so this reasoning is incorrect.  Although whaling records are hard to come by, the ones we were able to get our hands on all said the same thing.  This type of whale has a dorsal ‘hump’.

The humpback is famous for many behaviors, all of which we will try to cover in future postings, with the help of local researchers and scientists.  Please return to read and learn more.  As for me, I will be out on the water tomorrow in my never ending quest to watch, study, learn, love, and photograph all I can.  Join me!  When in Hawaii, there’s no place like on, or in, the water to observe wildlife!!

Photos Courtesy Dr. J. Randall

This being December we are going to present animals with themed names and the starry moray is perfect!  This eel has yellow inside the mouth with finely serrate larger teeth.  Definitely this predator would be one to not try to befriend.  The mucus of this animal, according to Dr. Randall, is toxic.  They seem to favor inner and outer reef slopes.  They get their name from the yellow-brown numerous spots that are about the size of the fish’s pupil that are small and numerous anteriorly but then posteriorly become larger and widely spaced giving this animal a star-filled skin decoration.  As with others in this species, the Hawaiian name would be puhi.  A specific name could not be found.

As a diver/snorkeler, I have yet to see this animal, but would certainly love to.  They are beautiful, aren’t they?  They are seen in waters 2 to 271 meters deep (6.5 - 889 feet).  Another fun fact is these animals are native known from Johnston Atoll and the Big Island out to Salmon Bank.  Let’s get out there!  The fun is waiting.

Photo Courtesy marinebio.org

They come in many colors such as orange, yellow, blue, and white and although they are very small (3.8 centimeters average), they are breathtaking beautiful.  The Christmas tree worm is a Christmas tree shaped tube dwelling worm who use their colorful tentacles (plumes) for feeding on plankton and food particles.  Their magnificent plumes are also used for respiration.  Most of the worm is in its burrow, which has been bored deep into the calcareous coral.  These creatures are very sensitive to light and any change will find the worm retracting with lightening speed only to emerge minutes later with extreme caution.

The Christmas tree worm is a polychaete ciliary feeder.  They use their radioles (the hair-like beautiful appendages that spiral out from their spine) to gather phytoplankton from the water column.  Food particles are sorted and larger ones discarded.  Sand grains, which are stored later for tube building, are directed to storage sacs.

There are both male and female worms who broadcast their eggs and sperm into the water.  The eggs are fertilized and develop into larvae, eventually settling down on the coral heads and burrow down to begin their lives.

The average snorkeler and diver in Hawaii can see these beautiful creatures anywhere around the islands.  As always, we remember to look and never touch, take lots of pictures and leave behind only bubbles! 

Map Courtesy Fishbase.org/Photo Courtesy Diver.net

In ancient Hawaii, these fish were called ono, not to be confused with the word ‘ono, a word meaning delicious, tasty, savory, to relish or crave, etc.  These words are NOT the same, but are used so in Hawaii.  Just another confusion, which is understandable knowing all the many cultures that now make up the Hawaiian Islands population.  These fish were very important as a food source and were eaten raw, salted and dried, cooked over an open fire, or wrapped in leaves and steamed.  The above map shows their global territory.

Known as a hard fighting gamefish, they became named ‘wahoo’ in Mexico waters because they were considered to be the most fun to bring in.  They grow to an amazing 250 cm (8.2 feet) and can weigh up to 83 kilograms (183 pounds) - published weight, although I have talked with local fishermen who swear to larger and heavier fish.  This fish of the mackerel/tuna/bonito family has an iridescent bluish-green back and silvery sides with 24 to 30 dark blue vertical bars.  The flesh of this fish is of very good quality ~ or used to be.  Sadly, there have been reports of ciguatera poisoning, which now makes this fish dangerous to consume.

Ono are swift predators who prefer to live solitary or in small schools and are known to be oceanodromous.  Their prey of choice are other fish and squid.  We are all aware of how speedy and maneuverable squid are, placing the speedy ono on the ‘wow’ list.

Snorkeling and diving in Hawaiian waters is always a fabulous choice for residents or visitors alike.  Make sure to put marine life discovery trips on your list of plans!

Photo Courtesy Dr. Jack Randall

The bluestripe herring is an introduced fish, although this author could not find the time line as to when, but apparently this was an accident.  This herring is seen in many areas; (widespread) Indo-West Pacific, Madagascar, Mauritius east to Japan, eastern Australia and Samoa.  No word for herring in the Hawaiian language could be found, but since this fish was not here in those times that is understandable.

According to researchers the herring is very plentiful in Hawaii, which brings a very interesting thought.  For many years humpback whale researchers insist that these whales are not eating when here.  In the North Pacific herring is one of their favorite foods.  Certainly if they came across a large school of these fish, wouldn’t they snack?  You will not ever read in this blog site that humpbacks NEVER eat while in Hawaii.  We understand with wild animals you never say never!

Looking at the above photo and seeing how beautiful and silvery these fish are helps us to understand how their highly reflective bodies can attract the eyes of larger predators like sharks and barracuda.  The herring form schools in mangroves, lagoons, and shallow bays during the day, according to researchers, and at night venture out to deeper pelagic waters where, as a juvenile, they dine on zooplankton and copepods, and adults prefer larger prey like small fish and shrimp.  They grow to 25 centimeters (9.8 inches).

These fish have minor commercial use, except for bait, and are usually seen dried, smoked, or marketed fresh or fresh frozen.  Unfortunately for this species they are very slow to recover from heavy fishing.

Will you see bluestripe herring while snorkeling in Hawaii?  It is possible as they rest in shallows during the daytime.  What an exciting photo opportunity!  Let’s go!

Photo Courtesy Advocacy.britannica.com

A new report just out on tuna states that all populations worldwide are in great danger of extinction.  A new effort to slow down the fishing of this great fish in the Atlantic has just been blocked.  Quite simply put, these fish are worth more on the plate than they are in the oceans with laws to protect them for future generations.  In Japan a bluefin tuna, which can grow to a whopping 14 feet and 1800 pounds can command up to $60,000 each!

Another sad fact is that tuna now is full of mercury making it unsafe to have in large quantities or with any frequency.  Pregnant women are strongly advised to stay away from this fish.  It is also well known that the methods of catching tuna are also diminishing the populations of other sea wildlife such as dolphins and sea birds.  As critically endangered fish, we will probably see their extinction in our lifetime.

The best way to fight this downward spiral is to boycott tuna altogether.  Stop buying canned, fresh, or frozen tuna - all types.  According to the list bluefin, albacore, skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye are all in danger.  I believe that about covers all we eat in this family.  Please do your homework.  Read:  http://www.advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/wp-content/uploads/bluefin-tuna-mam

Also, please read: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthcomment/charlesclover/3531575/Bluefin-tuna—magnificent-fish-too-valuable-to-save.html

Tuna are predators that eat small schooling fish, crabs, and squid.  Snorkeling in Hawaii is something that can become very addicting, but also very educational.  You may see small tuna in the reefs doing a fair share of people watching.  I’m ready when you are!