We got everybody gathered and settled yesterday, and had a great meal together for “lunch,” and then we three women went off to the grocery store and spent too much on food and snacks. Ate a “snack dinner” last night and then as eyes were drooping, wrapped up and everyone went to bed in our respective condos.
Getting everyone at the airport worked out well, as David’s parents and my friend Debbie arrived within half an hour of each other. We were so bushed from the previous day’s kayaking and capsizing adventure that we’d taken it easy yesterday morning, and it took a while getting back with both rental cars.
My father-in-law Shelley has this thing where he can’t seem to pronounce local placenames here – he will always call the town we’re in “KEE-hee” (it’s KEE-hay). They came in from the Big Island, where they had been staying in “Kono.” He always makes a game effort to say some of the tongue-twister street names and common words, to loveable comic effect. I love him so much and when he tries to say these Hawaiian words and doesn’t quite get it, it makes me giggle like a little kid. I think he puts it on for my benefit, because saying “a-LOY-ha!” in greeting is a guaranteed laugh.
David and I snorkeled this morning after the sun had warmed up the water a little bit – Debbie came along and swam to get her feet wet in the Pacific while we suited up and went out in search of new fish friends. David had to go back in to get a new battery for his camera – it’s a standard Canon Powershot with a special housing a little like this one – and he checked to be sure I was okay with being out alone. Fine, fine, no worries – it was calm although not all that clear. I pooted around, avoiding the line fishermen, and spent some time schooling with bonefish and various kinds of tangs. Then a big turtle went past, headed for more space and open water, so I followed for a while to see if he’d drift to the bottom where I could watch him for a while. But he kept going, and I was getting out beyond the reef, so I turned and came back over the rocky ledges just offshore from our condo, where there was a lot of coral and fish to see.
Movement below me caught my eye, and I watched two large… peacock groupers, yeah… harass a large octopus. It saw me come over the ridge and froze, evading the groupers neatly by hiding its tentacles under a ledge and becoming one with the lumpy greenish coral next to it. It turned green and lumpy, with white spots just like the coral, except that I could see its “jets” where it was cycling water in and out, and his eyes moved to follow me. I hovered for a while marveling at his perfect camouflage and then moved on, as clearly he wasn’t going to risk exposure while I was bobbing around.
I also saw a pretty large fish that was probably a trunkfish, and a juvenile yellowtail wrasse – they’re bright orange with bright white vertical markings, and look a little like Nemo, although they’re a different species entirely.  Tons of other fish, of course, and a large number of little baby convict or yellow tangs no longer than my pinky.
David rejoined me for a while and we caught up, and then Debbie and I came out to take a break (it’s the seawater, it makes me have to… well, offload). When we came back, we were in swimsuits so we could just bob around the water for a while, and by then David’s parents had been in the water for a while, so we all bobbed and chatted and had a lovely time. Except for when we were exiting the water, and the biggest wave of the morning dumped David’s mom over and over. I tried to warn her – I guess “Leah… Leah… there’s a wave… big wave coming…. Leah… Leah, WAVE” was not articulate enough, although she laughed and got herself pulled back together.
Sometimes, it’s fun getting dumped by a wave, other times, not so fun. She had seawater in her eyes and couldn’t see to avoid the next one. Earlier, she’d been carried around like the queen of the seas in a sedan chair by her husband and sun as I sang the tune from “Pomp and Circumstance” as we bobbed around in the waves – what a comedown!
We all came up and got cleaned off, and David’s parents did their thing while we rinsed off our gear, showered, snacked, chatted, and relaxed in our condo. They’re going to something tonight and will get together with the rest of us for a late dinner, and then tomorrow they’ve got morning plans, so I think David, Debbie and I will head toward Lahaina so Debbie can meet up with her niece, who’s also vacationing on the island. We’ve got plans Monday night and have some ideas for other things to do.
We spent the rest of the day relaxing, watched the sunset, and met up with the Coconut Dog again. Watch for more pictures as we go. Dinner tonight will probably be at Roy’s Fish House in “Keehee” once we hook up again with David’s parents.