Monday, January 5th Hanauma Bay Snorkeling

Hanauma Bay from the tram ride down

My time in Hawaii was almost done. It was Monday and we were scheduled to leave on Wednesday. I had always had a goal to go to Hanauma Bay to snorkel, but the one other time I tried to catch the bus to go there the bus passed us by, too full to pick anyone up and the next one was not due for an hour, so I gave up and went snorkeling at my good beach in Kapiolani park instead. I realized I needed to get an earlier start. The bus that didn't stop was the 10:30 bus. The earliest bus comes sometime after 8:00 when it starts its run.
 

Beachgoers returning up the ramp

Tram Ride down

 I got up meaning to catch that early bus, but found myself stalling and feeling nervous. That's been my pattern with snorkeling. I want to do it, I plan to do it, but I feel nervous about it and find myself dithering around creating little delays and thinking thoughts designed to create excuses not to do it. I had gotten comfortable enough with the Kuhio beach snorkeling location to not be nervous about snorkeling there, but Hanauma Bay was an unknown, so this unreasonable nervousness was surfacing again. What I had to tell myself was that:
1-It was closed the next day and we were leaving the day after that. I knew I'd be really sorry if I let nerves keep me from experiencing Hawaii's best snorkeling beach. 
2-When I'm scared to do something that lots and lots of other people do, I know my fear is unreasonable and that I need to push past the fear because it isn't a reasonable fear. Doing it anyway is the only way to overcome it.
3-I can identify reasonable fears and take steps to protect myself, as in wearing my life jacket in case I get into deeper water, and taking care to stay in the beginner snorkeling areas. 

I ended up going down to the bus stop at 9:30 instead of 8:00. The bus came within about 15 minutes and had plenty of room, plus there were a lot fewer people waiting to get on than the time before. I enjoyed the ride and seeing some new vistas and neighborhoods. The route goes around a big bay and along a cliff top with great views of the ocean, surf and surfers. 

From where the bus dropped us there was a little walk to the visitors center and the ticket booth. I passed vendors of snacks and tee shirts, and overlooks where others were snapping photos of the beach far below. 

The non-resident, non-military admission is $7.50. I looked through the gift shop and at some interpretive displays, and managed to miss my scheduled time to view the nine minute film required of all who go down to the beach. So I got into the next one and afterwards came out and got into a trolley. For $1.00 you can ride down. For $1.25 you can ride back up. For $2.00 you can ride up and down unlimited times. For me it was a no-brainer. My bruised heel bone is still tender enough that I save the pressure on the foot for any walking I can't avoid.

Expense wise, the lockers are what cost. They are behind the counter where you can rent snorkel gear so you have to get an employee to put your stuff in and out. small lockers are $8 and large ones are $10 and there is no guarantee there will be one available, so an alternate plan for valuables is important. The small lockers were gone so I had to spring for a large locker to keep my phone, money and bank card safe. One thing to remember if you go there is that you go to the return window to get access to your locker, so you don't have to wait in the purchase line which is always long and slow. 

With my valuables secured, I looked for a spot to settle. There was a section of lawn nearby that had some space and I thought it would be good to stay out of the deep sand so things would stay cleaner, so I set up there. It was right by the lifeguard station and I thought that would be more secure for my stuff that wasn't locked up, not that there was much there in danger of being stolen. I put on my water shoes and sprayed sunscreen on my arms and legs. I had sun screened my face and neck when I dressed. I went and showered at the nearby outdoor shower (it really was a great spot, near to everything) and gritted my teeth to let the cool water run all over me, not just get my hair wet, so I could get used to the water sooner. I like to get my hair wet with fresh water to get it out of the way of the mask so I don't have salt water stinging my eyes from dunking it in the ocean. The ocean is much warmer than it is at home, but it is cool enough to take a minute to get used to and causes me a gasp or two as I ease in to deeper water. However, by the time I'm past my waist, my legs are used to it, and by the time I push off and pick my feet up off the bottom and put my face mask into the water, I'm not uncomfortable at all. 

The nervousness I'd felt earlier had vanished as soon as I got off the bus and now I was just excited to get in the water. I didn't bring my Hanauma bay book, so I thought I was going in at the first entry point, but I actually missed that part entirely and went in at the second entry point.  As I waded past a little boy and his mom, they were exclaiming and pointing, and I looked down and saw fish that were at least a foot and a half long swimming around nearby. I was barely knee deep at that point, and thought, 'I need to get in this water as fast as I can!"

When I submerged my face and started floating, I was amazed at the large fish that were swimming around me. I was seeing big Ringtail Surgeon fish and black and yellow striped Sailfin Tangs. These fish are 1.5 to 2 feet long and almost as tall. I had no idea this type of fish were so large!

Ring Tail Surgeon Fish 1.5-2 feet

Sailfin Tang- 1.5-2 feet

My main thing when I snorkel is to take photos and videos. It isn't easy because I can't really see the screen, so I don't know whether the shot is framed or not. I was using my little Fuji underwater camera and had been disappointed the first time I snorkeled because I had thought I took lots of great photos, but only ended up with a few because I wasn't pressing the shutter release button hard enough. Since then I've been careful to push the shutter release really hard and have gotten good photos.  I chose not to bring the Go Pro because I hadn't tried changing the settings on it to get more close up photos and I knew I could get good shots with the Fuji. I also didn't want to carry two cameras or worry about one of them if I left it on the beach or to have to keep getting out to switch cameras. I want to be able to just get in the water and only get out when I need a rest. 

Threadfin Butterfly Fish        6-8 inches long

Orangespine Unicorn fish

Orangespine Unicorn fish tail streamers

After photographing for awhile, I moved close to a couple who were standing chest deep in the water near a large formation of fossil coral. They told me there was a big eel, so I put my face in and found a full size spotted 'White Mouth Moray' eel hanging about 5 inches out of the rock with its mouth open. I popped my head up with a gasp, and quickly tried to get a photo, but the eel retreated before I could. After that I hung in the water trying to be there to take a photo of the eel when it came out again, but it didn't. I went off for 15 or 20 minutes looking at other stuff and then came back around looking for the spot again. Meanwhile my camera had gone to sleep and turned off. So when I spotted the place and the eel was hanging out almost two feet! I fumbled with the on switch and actually turned it on then off again, and while I tried to turn it on again and was waiting for it to be ready to take a photo, the eel flowed all the way out of its spot in the coral formation and swam away, turning the corner and going out of sight in the rocks and coral. It was just like a nature show shot, and I was so glad I saw it, I just wished I'd gotten video of it!

Bluestripe Snapper 1-1.5 feet

Bird Wrasse  6-8 inches  Colors-Indigo, Teal, Green

Cauliflower Coral with surprise nearby resident-I didn't notice it when I took the photos...

 I came around a corner of rock and coral and suddenly the biggest fish yet came up right in front of me. I identified it immediately as a parrot fish because of the mouth shape. I had enough presence of mind to snap a couple of photos and then started a video, all in just a few seconds. This fish was at least five feet long, maybe more and at least 2 feet tall, maybe more.  After I started the video, trying to swim a little closer, it took off and moved so fast it was soon out of sight. There was no hope of my being able to catch up with it, so I just collected my dropped jaw off the ocean bottom and moved on. (I actually was vocalizing 'oh my...' into my tube when it appeared. 

Ember Parrot Fish, Nearby fish are 1.5 feet and 1 foot long, estimate Parrot fish is 5-7 feet long...

After spending about two hours in the water I came out, a little chilled, a little hungry and thirsty. Breathing through a tube in a salt water environment leaves me with a dry, salty mouth. When my tongue sticks against the roof of my mouth, I know it's time to get out and get a drink. For some reason snorkeling makes me really thirsty anyway. I went to my little spot and had some nuts and Clementine oranges and some water, and rested and let the sun warm me up some. 

When I'd rested for half an hour I went back into the water for another hour. 

Rock Boring Urchin

Orange Band Surgeon Fish

humuhumu-nukunuku-a-pua-a  Wedgetail Trigger Fish Hawaii state fish

Christmas Wrasse

Palenose Parrotfish

Palenose Parrotfish

Lagoon Triggerfish

It's hard to decide when to be done and go home in a setting like that. People are arriving and leaving all day long. I just finally got tired and was in an area where I wasn't seeing a lot of fish, and decided to go. It's always interesting how the shower that made me gasp and flinch feels warm and comfortable at the end of being in the water for hours. Drying off and getting dressed in the nearby bathroom/dressing room felt good. As I sat in the tram getting ready to go up, I felt so relaxed and comfortable. 

It turned out there were whales spouting and surfacing just outside the bay, so I sat and watched them while waiting. I'd had a little time at the interpretive booth and started watching them there while looking at the species photos at the booth. If I'd had my good camera with the telephoto lens, I would have tried to get some shots of that. 

The first entry point. I want to go back and explore that area

Second entry point where I started

The Beach

limbs down from Friday's windstorm

I got another fish identification book at the gift shop and went to the bus stop, where the bus showed up after 15 or 20 minutes, looked at us and never opened its doors, but just drove away. Apparently it was full. We found out from the next bus, which was going the wrong way, that he had called for another bus to come off schedule to pick up the slack. A van came, offering rides for $5 but I had a transfer slip from the ride there that covered my return, so I was willing to wait. $2.50 round trip trumps $5 one way. Sure enough, in another 10-15 minutes another bus came going back to Waikiki and I was home before 5 pm, and got there soon after Harry did, so the timing was good.

New Year's Eve in Waikiki-Shopping for swim fins

I didn't take a lot of photos or do much of anything too special on New Year's Eve day. I did a little shopping again, some more cookies from the Cookie Corner and a pineapple charm and some cookies from from the Honolulu Cookie Company.

I wandered over to the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center after trying to get the vouchers for our luau on Sunday. (Turned out they needed to be picked up on the day of). I got there just as a pair of singers and some dancers from the Polynesian Cultural Center started their morning show. I considered it a tender mercy that I was there just at that time since Harry flatly refused to use our Go Oahu cards to go to the PCC or to their Luau and dinner show. The cable guy told me they had some great new features, better food, and a new show that was excellent, 'The Breath of Hah'. I was disappointed, so it was really nice to get a little mini show. They always do a great job.

Statue at Royal Hawaiian Center honoring a queen's encouragement of education and literacy

Holiday decorations at Royal Hawaiian center

Singers perform on the stage at the Royal Hawaiian center

 I also made the rounds of several dive shops looking for some shorter fins to go snorkeling with. Another guest at our hotel had some swim fins that were short but not too wide. I did some research on the internet and got an idea of what I wanted. None of the shops had fins in my size and they were all rubber fins, so not very comfortable. My real crave is for some silicone fins I found on Amazon

Silicone fins

These fins are over $70 and that seems like too much for how often I might use them.

These fins are my second choice and more reasonable

Cressi Palau fins

These have good reviews for Snorkeling and run between $35 and $60. At $35 that seems pretty reasonable.

Reading reviews, I also learned about fin tethers used in case the fins come off in the water because they don't float and can be lost. I'm not likely to snorkel in strong surf conditions, but if I'm in deeper water and lose one, I wouldn't likely dive down for it, so tethers might be a good idea just in case. They are inexpensive.

I was able to ask questions in one shop that helped me realize that as tame as I am in my snorkeling I probably don't need fins anyway. They are good mainly for keeping safe in strong currents and can give a little advantage in not scaring away fish as much as using the hands to propel yourself does.  I decided to continue snorkeling wearing my trusty water shoes for this trip and keep the two fins on my Amazon wish list for the time being. I also got information that was helpful for keeping my mask clear. I was already using the technique she described at times, but resolved to get better with it. It involves pressing the mask against the face at the top and blowing hard with the nose to expel extra water. I'm not sure if there might be a better fitting mask for me, but I'm doing ok most of the time once I get a good initial seal. I just sometimes have a hard time getting that initial seal. I feel like the mask could fit a little better on the bottom side.

We had dinner in our little room and then went out for ice cream at Haagen Daz down the street. We returned through the shopping center inside the Hyatt Regency and around the Kings village, buying some fresh pineapple as we browsed the farmer's market set up there. The Kings Village shopping area is so fun and quaint and is on the same block as our hotel.

Since we aren't particularly part folk, we tried to find something to watch on TV and discovered there was no coverage of local fireworks, so Harry went to sleep. I was more restless and as midnight approached I went out on the balcony and saw lots of people, and families with young children hurrying to the beach. I knew there would be fireworks, but assumed they would be closer to Honolulu and not very impressive down as far as we were, so I didn't plan to go try to see them.

I could hear the countdown from a couple of directions and suddenly there was a loud roaring cheer a block away at the beach and the fireworks started with loud booms that echoed and reverberated from the surrounding buildings. After a minute or two I couldn't stand it and decided to head down and see if I could get a glimpse of them. I quickly pulled some clothes and shoes on, grabbed my hotel card and headed down to the beach as quickly as I could.

As soon as I got there I wished I'd brought my camera. The fireworks were every bit as view-able and impressive as other fireworks I've seen that are set off at home from a barge in the bay. This was also set off out in the water of they bay. The following photos are ones I got off the internet that are similar to what I saw and were taken also at Waikiki.

I loved the whole ambiance of that experience. Jubilant, rapt crowds packed the beach, the grass under the trees and the sidewalk to get a view of the show. To add to the exotic feel I was standing right beside a group from India that had instruments, drums and small cymbals, and were singing and chanting rhythmically in accompaniment to the explosions of fireworks. I've heard a lot of music coordinated to fireworks, but I liked this better, it had a feeling of reverent joy in celebrating the dawning of a new year. I so wish I had a recording of it, I loved the melodies and the accompanying instrumental and the spice and feeling it gave to the experience. They were dressed ethnically but not flamboyantly. They finished up after the fireworks and cheering for the  finale died down by chanting a Hare Krishna chorus.

I sat on a nearby bench while the crowds dispersed and just enjoyed the atmosphere. After a few minutes a couple seated on the next bench struck up a conversation. They were from far north in Alaska. We had a wonderful chat for 15 minutes or so. I basked in the multitude of cultures and ethnicities that surrounded me and the feeling of camaraderie with all of them celebrating the coming of the new year together.

This was for sure the most unique new year I ever celebrated!

12-29-14 Monday, Snorkeling at Waikiki Beach

 My plan for the day was to take the bus to Hanauma Bay to snorkel. I got ready and out to the stop by 10:30, joining a large group that got larger as I stood there. When the bus finally arrived, it drove right by us, apparently full already. Since it was an hour until the next bus, and since I knew they would stop admitting people to the beach once 3,000 people got there, and since this is a top occupancy time for tourists, I decided to scrap the Hanauma bay excursion and just walk on down the beach to my favorite snorkeling spot and enjoy the time in the water instead of trying to get to Hanauma Bay.

I was more practiced at getting into the water this time.
1. Stop at the shower and shed my cover up and put on my water shoes while my feet are dry and sand free and where I have a bench to sit on.
2. Use the shower to get my hair wet so I don't have to get salt water in my eyes to get my hair out of the way of the mask.

I had the new Go Pro camera with me as well as my Fuji underwater camera. I put a floaty wrist strap on the Go Pro and found that very convenient for taking photos. It kept the camera handy, didn't interfere too much with swimming with my hands and arms and was comfortable to hold the camera with my finger on the shutter switch.

Waves were splashing up over the sea wall

I saw plenty of fish and took lots of photos with the Go Pro. It was easy to use and pretty easy to scroll through the menus and get from video to photo, but I missed having a dedicated video button where I could start video quickly when the action popped up. With fish, you have to move fast, because they can be gone so fast.

With the Go Pro set to wide shots the photos of the fish did 't turn out too well. they are dwarfed in the scene and didn't reflect at all how close I was to them or the detail I could see with my eyes.

Eventually I went back to shore and exchanged the Go Pro for my Fuji camera. Later when I looked at the photos I had to admit I like them better. Maybe if I change the wide setting on the Go Pro I might see better results with it.

There were plenty of other snorkelers in the water and a boat paddling by

The low surf was perfect for a large class of newbie surfers to be taught the basics of surfing. 

The Fuji gets a much closer up view

Large groups of fish look as close as they were when I saw them.

Trigger fish

My most unusual sighting. A spotted trunkfush.

Milletseed Butterfly fish

Moorish Idol

Yellowfin Surgeon fish. These are really large

Hawaii state fish, the wedge trigger fish Humhumunukunukuapua'a. I love these, they are like a modern painting.

Eventually I tried again to learn how to use the fins that came with my snorkel and mask. I managed to get them on and get deeper into the water, but they were still so awkward I gave up and put them away for good. Unless I'm in deep water where I never have to stand up, I won't wear them again.

The good news is that in the two plus hours I spent in the water I got a lot more comfortable with the whole process of snorkeling. I was more comfortable in different depths, less nervous, standing up less and less, and got better at expelling water from the mask while still staying prone in the water. I'm improving on keeping my face still so I don't create leaks around the bottom of the mask too.

The bad news is that in spite of doing my best to spray enough sun screen on my back and re spraying it again while I was on the beach, I managed to get a painful burn on my back. Dang. I should have worn a shirt...