The Snerk Report
Volume 9
Mon. 2-21-00
Saturday morning, an early morning dive with the professionals. We are
planning on diving Waikiki. Dick has most graciously allowed us to use
his boat. The cast is made up of Gena, Amy, Brian, Joe, Chuck and
myself. As usual when diving with real divers, I am the only one with
recognizable gear. Rebreathers abound, Chuck and Amy are going over the
Nitrox equivalents and planning a dive plan that plans to dive. Tiny Gena
has the biggest set of doubles one could imagine. Brian is merciless and
chides her about having more gear than she can haul. (now I know why he has
so much stuff....the guy can really haul) The boat is full as we head for
the ships. Unfortunately, there is a large dive and snorkel boat already
tied up and the captain wants us to leave someone on board if we tie up
behind him. We bag the plan and dive the hole. Joey tosses the anchor.
It is slowly dragging diamond head (with the current) before anyone gets in
the water. Amy, heads in and Chuck and I follow. I can see the anchor
is about to hook on the DH cable and take my time going down. The anchor
hooks just short of the cable and we head up current towards the spot. Amy
is going to beat me there, and I envision all the white ulua she chases
away before Chuck and I get there. Chuck is new enough to diving that I
feel I can stop and point out absolutely anything and make an impression.
"Look; here is a rock" "WOW, a rock!" There is a zebra eel inside the
hole, some candy cane shrimp, helmet shells feeding on heart urchins,
cushion stars, sea cucumbers, a peacock flounder, the hairy red lobster,
and assorted eels. Even the car battery seems worth looking at, you can't
beat that sort of enthusiasm. I notice a large weke ula and a mu heading
inbound for the hole. Both of the fish are about to be cornered by
distant Joe and nearby Amy. I use the opportunity and head off to where I
know they will try and escape to. Alas, the fish seem more spooked my me, pure
gliding stealth, than by the other two obvious guys. I give up, turn back
to get Chuck. Turns out, he is right behind me about 10 feet off of the
bottom...."I get a much better view from up here" , so much for stealth. I
oosh him back down under the pretext that the current is less and we go
back to enjoying the critters. There are fish spawning right on top of the
rock and I am pointing them out to Chuck with the P.A.D.I. standard sign
for spawning. Of course, by now Joey has caught up with Amy and having
been apart for more than ten minutes, they are going through their standard
reaquaintment behaviors. Needless to say, Chuck never did see the fish.
The wonders of mother nature are everywhere. Chuck is running low on air,
and we glide back down toward the anchor line. The current has done
nothing but increase and I vaguely worry about Gena, well at least she will
have enough air to crawl along the bottom for several miles. Brian must be
with her, since I have not seem him either. I know Joe will clear the
anchor. Chuck is feeling nauseous on the line and I hope the others will
come up soon. We surface to find Gena already in the boat, she was smart
enough to recognize the problem before it happened and surfaced early. She
helps us in and the others soon join us. Joe has lost one of his lenses
from his mask... that must make reading that super duper computer console a
bit problematic. Brian seems to have had some problem that required
returning to the surface and reassembling equipment. Joe has Chuck pull
the anchor under the guise of he will feel less seasick. There are birds
diving outside as we head for home. The sun is shining brightly on another
typical Hawaiian day as we go over the dives, solve future problems and
discuss where to eat brunch.
Wed. 2-23-00
Tuesday looks windy and rough but I am scheduled to get checked out on the
"new" Mo'o iki. 5:30 makes Mac a no show, but his old buddy shows up and
we buy some gas and try to beat the sunset. The new engine has its tricks,
but once she goes, wow! We head for the pyramids. The winds are
strong so I head down with the anchor to set it. 6:15, dark and murky. The
anchor is right along one of the brick paths. This is good, I might find
it again. I head out to the pyramids, the only way to see fish is back lit
against the surface.... there are a zillion giant file fish. There is an
ewa current, so I head up current to the ships. The current and murk make
it seem like a long swim. I do not see any fish until I am right at the
ship, there are opelu kala and not much else. It is really pretty murky
and I use the ledge to find my way back toward the kagami spot, only one
big humu along the way. When I get to the concrete blocks There are opelu
kala hanging over them and I wonder how they orient when it is so hard to
see. The blocks have a lot of big parrot fish that all swim close. They
usually never come near me and I debate shooting one. No one to eat it
with, I let them be. I still have 1500 pounds, so I check the anchor (see
if I can find it), and head back to the pyramids. There still seems to be
no game, but there is more action and I settle in on the sand between the
pyramids. Palani pass by, white weke hoard around and as I squint into the
night I see a small uku and I think I see a big uku on the out side. I
call and at the same time I slide over closer to the cement log that is
next to me. Some thing to hide against, I don't take my eyes off of the
area where the fish might be. Well, the cement log takes offense at my
forwardness and swims away. It looks back to as if to say "just what sort
of cement log do you take me for?"
O.K., O.K., you know it is time to go up when;
1. you can lay along side a four foot white tip for three minutes
2. you only discover it when you try to lean against it
3. it only moves because it thinks you're snoring too loud
I head toward the anchor which takes some hunting down to find. The old
guy is on the line, he went down to the spirals and saw nothing but tiny
papio. He shot one so I could have dinner. It is the best tasting size,
dinner for one. I thank him and tell him that the only thing I saw was one
small uku. He asks about my missing computer, I tell him it broke. We
both surface at the same time, the light is nothing more than orange
streaks across the sky. Quite beautiful. I pull anchor and we head
homeward. The engine takes some fiddling to accelerate, could be the spark
advance.... Soon we are flying over the waves, the engine is definitely
faster, and you can steer it! A bat out of Hell.
Sat. 2-26-00
Friday afternoon feels like the last day of school, and I am jazzed to go
diving. Amy is a starter, and we take the Mo'o iki out to the pyramids.
The new motor is shy and stalls constantly while any other boats are
around. Sail boats racing out, canoes paddling in. We manage to make sure
that we are more cute entertainment than a traffic hazard. The boat
finally sucks in her gut and takes off. Water sprays us thoroughly as we
laugh and yelp our way to the spot. I drive around in circles and make Amy
run through a practice anchor throwing. There is no current and the
anchor is right on the ledge. We swim for the pyramids, it is murky,
nothing but looming dark shapes covered with weke and file fish. There is
a school of uku, but they never look back as they disappear in the
distance. The little white tip is still here acting like a log. We chase
him off and he circles around behind the pyramids to avoid us. Amy had not
been out to the plane, so we head that way. She squeals with excitement
when she sees it, what a cheap date. I must admit though, very
picturesque. Mempachi under both wings, weke and lemon butterflies in a
cloud above and Amy threading the needle of the fuselage, I imagine it in
full color and click the memory bank into long term storage. A little
papio dances in front of my gun, but I am in way too good a mood and
deflect it off with the end of my spear. We head back to the pyramids, I
am hoping the uku have returned. The only thing we sneak up on is the
shark, but he doesn't let us get close. I pick up some stones and call,
but nothing shows except a couple of small mu. The stones are better used
for juggling. Hopeless. We still have plenty of air, but bottom time will
be out soon, we move in to 65' and hide behind junk and watch the hordes of
opelu kala. There are so many that I am sure some uku will show up. Amy
gets down under 1000 pounds, so we wander back to the anchor. A
beautiful dive, I know Amy will just be confused by my small talk on the
line, so we spend the time letting her shoot my gun. More sounds of
delight, this will be fun; I will encourage this track. We surface in
time to watch the sun turn into a big ball. Amy pulls the anchor and we
fly toward shore, admiring the sunset. Waikiki is bathed in Halloween
orange, the buildings sparkle with diamonds as 1000 flash cameras record a
bit of paradise.
Sun 2-27-00
Message on the machine "Dive with Mike at 5..."... 4:30 now; can do. The
Mo'o has a party crew. Mr. Mac, David,Lyle, Mike and the master. The 100'
hole is the vote. The mood is jovial as we congratulate David on his new
son. I talk about my recent shark encounter, the captain says she is very
pregnant, maybe that is why she lay next to me with out bothering to move.
I toss the anchor and by the time I tie it off, only the old guy is left.
He checks the line ups, the boat is holding, and she is sitting right over
the peninsula. His plan is we dive straight down and look for fish in that
direction. The water is super clear, and there is no current. We load our
guns and cruise to the sand on the ewa side. The little hole that used to
have two eel cleaner shrimp now has a big candy cane guy. I guess I have
not been here in a while. We lay on the bottom and have a scientific
discussion about why the weird import sponge is only growing on the ewa
side of the hump. He either thinks it is because the ewa current brings
more food or he thinks they came from Japan. I remember that the sign
that I thought meant food once was supposed to mean Japanese because he was
showing me eating rice out of a bowl with chopsticks. (At the time I
thought that he was looking for an edible anchor.) This time both
scenarios make sense. We continue out to the drop off and I feel my self
getting narced. If I did not know it was 110, I would swear it was about
170-200' I am really out there. It is so calm and clear, that I can tell
the captain is thinking about sinking down to the over hang. That is about
130, not for me. I decide not to mention my mental state. I figure he
will think I am dizzy and worry about me needlessly. I wonder at the
validity of any decisions I make at this point. I spent most of the day out
in the sun, and did not drink as much as usual, that is the only think I
can think of. We both plan to return to the hole, I will go along the
ledge and he will follow later. There are very few fish, nothing to shoot.
I head up towards the hole, boy it is so clear, I can see for ever. Mac
is to my right and the master is creeping up on my left. He is in full
point and that is when I see the weke ula. Lots of small ones close and a
couple of big guys too far away. They head off toward Mac and I continue
back to the hole. David swims by, didn't he used to have at least a wet
suit vest? The rascal has a big weke ula in his bag. Lyle comes into
view, looks like he found a couple of rocks for Mike to look at.... hey
those rocks are not falling to the bottom of his bag, they are holding on.
Two slipper lobsters! Score! I have over 1500 pounds and have only been
down 15 minutes, but I think I will be head up and do a long decompression.
Mac and David wonder about it, but figure I look OK and don't ask when I
head up and join Mike. Mike also has a good size weke ula in his bag.
Pretty good for such a clear day. So this is what Mike does, I watch David
swimming below me with the weke passing by behind him. Mac is following
the opelu kala around in hopes of a papio. It is great entertainment. They
come up followed by Lyle who tells me he got some lobster, but nothing
else. The master comes up empty handed, wonders why I am on the line. So
now I can tell him. He agrees with the not enough water theory. He saw
the weke ula and nothing else. The sun is still up when we surface. The
banter on board is festive. David is the hero with the monster weke ula.
Mr. Mac shot a papio under the eyes, behind the gills, it was dead until
he grabbed it, then it tore off. Mike went chasing after the thing, by
passing a larger one and finally getting a shot. He shot it in the exact
same place, and the shaft fell right out the existing gash as the dying
fish swam away. Lyle had an exciting regulator freeze up. Both Mac and
Mike watched him debate the free ascent. On his way down it froze, but he
was near the surface and he surfaced to check it out. Seemed fine again,
so he goes down and about 60' it stops for a little bit and he waits it out
and then continues down to the bottom (and you thought I had bad judgment).
He left his buckle undone so when it did freeze on the bottom was ready
to ditch, but patience paid off, and it finally freed itself up and soon he
was on his way. Mike jokes that he thought Lyle had gotten a rebreather to
go with his stealth outfit. We scold Lyle about the dangers of 80'
ascents, Mike tells him about the "buddy" idea. Mr. Mac informs us that
he was right above Lyle waiting for him to pass by just in case. It makes
me feel good to know that these bozos do care. Mac has a camera and the
monster catch is recorded for historical reference. Lyle and Mike pull the
anchor and we slowly head home laughing, joking, showing our catch to the
passing tour boats. The guys relive their shots and I retell my
Philadelphia story, enjoying the good company and watching another glorious
sunset.
Mon. 2-28-00
Sunday morning, Joe is taking a rebreather student out and I tag along.
Joe is jealous of Amy having gone to a new spot and he votes for the plane
outside the pyramids. It is day time, we will have to tie up on the ships
and go from there. Joe and Dan are game and have foolish faith that I will
be able to take them there. We head for the spot while Dan tells Joe about
some incoming PhD candidate who is studying anaerobic systems and wants to
dive in some well/lake that goes down 600' on Molokai. (Dick, Jane, or
Brian... do you know where this is??) supposedly saltwater. Sounds like
real adventure and Joe quickly signs himself up to assist. We are soon at
the ships and we tie up behind another boat and get wet. The water is
murky and there is a slight current going towards ewa. I don't think
swimming their gear off down current is such a good idea and Joe has the
good sense to cancel the plan before I have to tell him. This is
especially good since Dan seems to be having problems with the black box of
death. They monkey around on the ship, comparing gauges while the sub
passes by. I am free to take off and I wave good bye as Joe tells me to
go shoot some fish. There are three kahala mixing in with the divers from
the other boat. The current and the kahala kept the small fish tightly
balled up. There is a big school of opelu and they hang tight as I swim
through them. Really cool, I keep looking for other game and finally see
some monster weke ula below on the 90' ledge. I try to get close but they
take off into the deep. I turn to go back to the bow of the ship, of
course the big uku is right behind me. I spend most of my dive trying to
beckon him close. The trophy remains interested, but keeps his distance
while I try all of my tricks. I chase him off in disgust and cruise around
the inside ship. There are a lot of flame wrasse along the little ledge,
I wonder how many I could catch. There are some weke ula hiding under the
stern of the inside ship. I fail to look and only see them after they feel
trapped by me and dart for freedom. A couple of big mu tempt me to chase
them down towards the pyramids. I think better of it and go back to my
original spot in case the uku misses me and is still lurking about. No
such luck. I look toward the bow of the ship and see a turtle coming down,
he is surrounded by lai that seem to be trying to nibble him to death.
The turtle tries to loose the lai by swimming right down to me. I guess it
sort of works, half of them leave due to my bubbles. It is really quite
spectacular, lai have to be the all time shiniest fish. They actually make
the turtle look as though he is wearing chain mail on top of his existing
armor. The opelu ball is now on the bottom and there are several cleaner
wrasse going through the opelu. I didn't think those guys ever needed a
bath. I leave the bottom and begin my ascent through the myriad of fish.
They provide good entertainment for decompression. Joe and Dan are on the
line, I guess Dan's box held up as he appears fine, although on open
circuit. He has picked up a juvenile jack that always hides so Dan can't
see it. I keep pointing behind him and he spins around, but the little
fish has no problem staying out of sight. Dan finally sees the fish and
gets it to hang on to his fins, now we can both watch the little guy. I
hear the engine and wonder if Joey is O.K. I surface to find him fine and
just allowing the other guys to go home. We pick up Dan and start for
home. They go over what could have gone wrong. While I think about how
many good fish I saw during broad daylight; very encouraging. Too bad I
never took a shot. The boat is soon back at Keehi, I had to go so I rinsed
my gear and headed out, the last vision I had was Dan and Joe disassembling
rebreathers and putting small parts all over the dock!
3-3-00
Lyle is a diver, and since I have not been diving at all this month. I
agree to meet him down at the Mo'o iki. The owner of the boat shows up as
well and we talk him in to joining us for a quick trip on his own boat to
the Sea Tiger. Lyle puts us right on the marks and we toss the anchor. I
am the last one in the water. There is no current and the water is full of
phytoplankton and lots of opelu feeding. I load my gun right away in case
the rainbow runners pass by. The ship is swarming with giant file fish,
but nothing of any interest to me. Knowing better than to touch the rusty
deck, I head in towards the ledge. There are no signs of uku, or any fish
at all for that matter. I switch to shell collecting and wander the bottom
in search of treasure. I do find a rare shell and stick it in my sleeve
with the other knick knacks I pick up. I get to the inside ledge and find
it at least has fish on it. There are lots of small opelu kala, lemon
butterflies, damsel fish, redtails and potters angels. I could pull a
profit here. There is nothing to eat however and I wander the bottom with
no hope of seeing anything. The water is cold and I think I will head back
and do some mid water swimming in the opelu to stay warm and wait for tuna.
I cruise along the bottom on the way back and am joined by a beautiful
sting ray. He comes right over and I improve my mimicking. He follows
along for a short while, but soon heads back toward the ledge. I have a
new act like a ray dance and I test it on the file fish... they are
unimpressed by anything I do. I move to mid water when I reach the boat.
I do two outside laps rounding up file fish and opelu kala. I still have
lots of air, but am ready for the surface. The captain is decompressing on
the line, he saw one uku, nicked it, it got away. Lyle comes up and joins
us, he only saw one small fish. For some reason, my really cool shell
falls out of my sleeve and the Captain notices and I dive down after it. I
put the shell in a more secure place under my wet suit and resume the
decompression. Well it turns out that the shell was not empty enough and
soon I have an honest to God butt pincher in my pants!! Well see if I feel
sorry and let you go now!!
We all surface and Lyle tells of shooting a small papio, missing the shot
and having one of those weird files get killed. (he calls the oceanic ones
horse head files), the big kahala come out of nowhere and gobble the fish
up before his very eyes. I guess I am the hero, as the captain covets my
kick ass bite shell. Lyle has the honors of pulling the anchor and we head
for home and talk of diving tomorrow.
3-5-00
Saturday afternoon and Dick is back in town. We meet at his boat after
five, there are four of us, Lyle, Dick, the master and myself. The winds
have died away since the breezy morning and the master is hot for Marnie's
rock. We head down there, discussing the steering problems with the boat.
We then move on to the other power cat and talk about possible repairs,
the next engines and major alterations that could occupy the better part of
the summer. (some things never change) The water looks clear and cold (too
bad Dick forgot his wetsuit), Lyle and I are charged with setting the
anchor and we hit the water with the anchor. Lyle loads his gun and is
ready to shoot. I only see one lone weke ula as we get near the bottom, so
I help Lyle move the anchor to the ledge. He sets it and I head off down
current toward the ewa corner. I see one lone weke ula off in the
distance. I turn back to see the master, actually only his bubbles and
the yellow bits of his fins as he hides along the ledge aiming at
something. I look hard at what he might see, but see nothing. There are
two distant mu, perhaps they are the prey. He gives up,turns and goes out
toward the rock. I think I will head in along the ewa ledge there is a
surge and some times I am stuck in a telephoto lens, swimming and swimming
and not getting anywhere and some times I turn into the Green Hornet,
traveling at incredible speeds, leaving a cloud of dust in my wake. There
are no game fish, except some distant mu who play cat and mouse with me for
awhile. I can hear lots of stones pounding from distant divers, it does
not sound like they are catching tons of fish. I stay where I am, playing
with the mu. I finally get them as close as I can and plan the pull pull
shoot strategy. Unfortunately, my bag hooks on the first coral head and
the fish have time to figure it out before I get there. The mu give me a
sneer before taking off. I follow along the inside ledge until I am
inside of the rock. The water is cold and I chase some naso tangs around
just to warm up. Sure glad I have my 5 mil. wetsuit on! I wander back
toward the anchor. I can see Lyle at the out side rocks. He has fish. I
can see the old guy left his bag over near the ledge, I will go see what
they are catching as I have not seen an uku yet. His bag is covered with
mean green headed morays. Two to be exact, one big and one smaller one.
They are destroying the bag, not to mention the fish that are inside. My
plan is to approach slowly, hook the barb of my spear and pull the bag away
from the eels. I have just arrived when the small eel sees trouble coming
and just charges me. Think fast; head up. Unfortunately, the barb has
already hooked the bag and drawn the attention of the big guy. He is not
leaving his great find no matter how important a person I think I might be.
The little eel heads home, but the big guy is very upset at the thought of
me stealing his find. He leaves the bag only to keep chasing me. He bites
the bag, my gun and my fins. I am still moving up and trying to loose him.
Lyle is laughing himself silly. I am chased higher and higher off of the
bottom. I am trying to keep my ascent rate as slow as possible, but
knowing that I am likely to get very little sympathy if I get bit yet
again, as well as misery of injury keeps me moving. I figure that when I
reach the surface I will drop my gun. The eel finally gives up. I am at
35' a full 40' off of the bottom. The eel did not realize where he was and
now he panics and dives to the bottom at break neck speed, (or break body
speed in this case) The eel hits the bottom but the two of them are not in
their usual holes and are still wandering about feeling cheated. The fish
in the bag consist of one big weke ula as well as a kahala. I risked my
life for a kahala? I thought it was an uku and I was planning to claim it
not unlike the eel. I return to the scene because there are about 6-8 big
weke swimming along the ledge. I can see the master returning for his bag
and he thinks the weke are his. He is approaching from the left. Lyle has
seen the weke and thinks he called them in and he is at full point
approaching from the right. I am above them both and it would be rude to
just drop in and shoot from above. They both have fish in the bag, Lyle
was laughing at me, I just saved that fool an ordeal and I have no qualms
as I charge from above and shoot. I miss. The master takes the cue and
shoots a nice size weke. He is dawdling around and drifting closer to the
ledge with his struggling fish. Unbeknownst to him, two eels move closer.
Soon the fish tears off and charges under the ledge and moves to the rock
where the eels are. That is the end of that fish. We all head up the
anchor line and watch Dick work the bottom. I scold the old guy for
leaving his fish unattended near the ledge and show him the bites. He
tells me that he shot the kahala thinking it was a papio until the moment
he fired. He goes on to say that two kagami came in and hung around while
he put the fish in the bag and reloaded. Then they were gone and he has
been looking for them ever since. Well, no wonder he left the kids, the
pied pipers had come to call. He swims around decompressing still hoping
to see them. Kagami are like that, they pass by and steal your soul with
their shimmer. We surface and wait for Dick, he is empty handed having
only seen weke ula. He also saw a big shark outside and decided NOT to
shoot the weke. We all think to ourselves "wow, that was a big shark",
Dick did not see it close enough to tell if it was a tiger or a really
big galapagos. Lyle pulls the anchor as I recount my eel adventure without
the sign language. No sympathy. However, I am forgiven for dropping in on
the hunters. We head for home on a fairly calm sea, continuing the
merciless banter of good friends as we wend our way between the tug and
barge traffic that is heading out of Honolulu harbor. Fish on board and
not a scratch on me. Contentment.
4-2-00
Friday afternoon is windy cold and rainy. The windows are whistling as I
call Dick and cancel. The rain is still coming down sideways at five
when he phones to tell me the wind is straight out of the North and Waikiki
is waterski calm. I grab my gear and meet him at the gas dock. Mr. Mac
and the Master diver soon join us as we head for the hole. Dick has just
installed his new differential GPS, with charts. We can now go diving
using IFR in even worse conditions!! It is really cool, but then again I
am color T.V. deprived and will watch just about anything. While he is
showing me all the new ultra high tech features (this consists of pushing
lots of buttons and having the screen change radically; a kid with the
remote showing all 52 channels to the mbuti pygmy who has never seen people
in a small box before) meanwhile; Abbot and Costello rig their gear in the
back of the boat.
"Whose mask is this?"
"That looks like your mask. Your back pack is too low"
"I don't care how low it is, I can't get the latch to work. Why would I
ask who owned my mask?"
"Whose knife is in my bag? Did you give me a knife? Is this my knife?"
Dick and I shake our heads, proud of ourselves that we have the open
hearts to actually take these old fools out diving.
Mac tosses the anchor and the Master and I race it to the bottom. The
opelu kala are swarming over the hole and I load my gun and let the old guy
beat me down. The anchor is just inside of the cave. I settle down while
the master is working on rearranging the chain again. I look in the cave
and see the caged carangid pacing back and forth. I remember Mike's great
dive report where it took two hands to explain his plan and he had to put
down his gun. (typical Mike; loud hand signals) I keep my story simple:
Fish there- you go that way I will go this way. The Master quickly loads
while I circle around. We enter the cave from both sides. Our guns are
pointed at eachother with a white ulua between us. The fish is doomed, it
is now a matter of who gets the trophy. I figure to lay still and let the
fish to be chased to me. The turtle next to me gets nervous and leaves.
The old bumbling fool however manages to approach the fish without scaring
it at all. His shot is dead on and the fish simply falls to the bottom
with out so much as a twitch. So much for my plan. I leave to explore
further afield. The outside ledge has weke ula, but they are hanging high
eating the abundance of plankton that has come with the north wind and cold
water. I cannot get close. An eagle ray comes along and I swim with it
hoping it will bring in kagami. We circle around once, run into the turtle
again and the eagle ray heads off to the deep. I am getting stung
constantly by all the little creatures. I don't see any fish, so I head
back to the hole and hang above it, playing with the lemon butterflies and
heniochus. I see Dick approach from below, he checks out the ulua in the
bag and sees me above him. He gives me a two handed hour glass sign
followed by parallel lines. I take the signal to mean "you look like a
mermaid swimming in a river." The river must be all these opelu kala and I
am most pleased with myself. Later (when I thanked him for the mermaid
compliment) it turns out that he looked up and was telling me it looked
like I lost weight. (I have to marvel that I have dive partners that in
passing can say things like "you look like you have lost weight" as part of
the dive and never mention it again. ) I hang about, getting colder and
more stung until I feel like enough is enough, still no sign of uku I head
up. More stings on decompression and I am happy to climb into the boat
and get back into my fuzzy warm pullover. There is a large weke ula
laying dead on the deck, Mac got it in his secret spot (just behind the
eye). Two very nice fish aboard. Dick and I swallow hard as Laurel and
Hardy take off their gear falling and blaming eachother. We are humbled.
Dick pulls anchor and we head back to the harbor using the new toy for
guidance. It even has the hard to see inner buoys marked on the chart!!
The sun is setting as Dick drops us all at the dock to rinse and put away
gear. I brag about my travels and we discuss future boat repairs and
dives. I missed a lot of birthdays while away, I hope David, Mike,
Dick, Rich and who ever else had some good diving, many happy returns!
4-8-00
One of those days, you know the kind where you work late, only get three
hours sleep and your boss comes along and asks you how you would like to
teach three sections of physics? My hair is dirty and the winds seem to
have dropped. Everything points in one direction; DIVE. Dick is easily
talked into it, and we head to Marnie's rock around sunset. I am the
first one in, the water is clear, and I can hear a distant whale. It is
April, they should be leaving soon. I load my gun in the ewa current and go
to set the anchor. Dick gets there and helps with the set. He then
looks at me and asks which way should we go? Dick wants a dive buddy? I
get to choose the direction? The water is too clear, I just as soon we
went our separate ways, current or not. I just look at him and wait for
him to make a move. He asks again, and I realize he is asking me where we
are and which way is the rock! This is akin to looking for your pencil
that is behind your ear. We are standing at Dick's favorite uku calling
spot! I point out the way to the rock with authority and know that it wont
be long before he feels pretty foolish. I head up current along the inside
of the ledge watching for fish. Kali kali give me a false uku rush and I
keep going past Marnie's rock and towards the next spearing spot. I see
several of those oceanic file fish again; what is up with those guys? Why
do I at first think I can spear them? Do they act like spearable fish or
is it just a fish that is not normal; thus spearable? Any ideas? I
continue along and see a nice big yellow spot, I almost believe it is a
kagami, because it is hanging at 40', way above me. I sneak along the
bottom, quiet as night. The fish stays in the exact same spot, slowly
undulating in the current. I do a sting ray, a lobster and a crazy person,
the fish stays in the exact same spot, unperturbed. Well, if the fish
won't come to the gun.... I swim up and expect the fish to take off, he
stays in the exact same spot, as I am about to shoot I have a glimpse of
Mike's half a rainbow runner and wonder if this fish is all together. The
shaft through him brings him to life and a mid water battle ensues. We end
up on the bottom, fish in bag, gun wrapped around me. I guess I won, but
it was close. I continue up the ledge, I see some weke ula outside and far
away. Hoards of manini are still in the exact same spot. They are still
in a spawning frenzy, they must be getting very hungry, because it has been
more than a month since I came across them the first time. It is getting
dark and half of the school has changed into their pajamas. It is odd that
a school all agrees on which direction to swim, but they do not agree on
when it is night. I never thought about it, but I would think they would
change colors all at the same time. Just past the school the friendly
little yellow spots arrive. They have grown in the last month, but it
would be greedy to take more, they are so trusting, we play together and I
hope for uku. The water is cool and swimming up current has kept it
reasonable, but waiting for uku is cold work. I am ready to head back. I
do not get much warmer as I drift down current. I pass Dick on my way to
the anchor, he has fish, but I don't see what. I leave the bottom, sailing
along, playing like a young hawk in a wind. I am brought up short by what
I think must be a whale shark, but it soon turns into a big whale. There is
nothing like really being lost in some really stupid aerodynamic thought
and suddenly seeing a 50' fish coming at you. It is a big humpback, in my
breathless awe, I am sending out the proper vibe. "You only eat plankton,
you only eat plankton" He passes by while I stay rigid and try to convince
myself of how great an experience this is. This is only my third
underwater with a whale experience so I try to appreciate the wondrous
beauty. He is beginning to fade as I get to the anchor line. I am not
really a great mid water person. The thought of Rich and Joe drifting mid
water for hours does not fill me with envy. I am as benthic as a longnose
butterfly. I am happy to get my hands on the suddenly better than nothing
anchor line. The whale now turns. Not a shark-make a big circle- turn,
but a full on dolphin-turn on a dime-turn. Wow! I didn't expect that, he
is now coming straight at me. I vigorously send out "gentle giant" vibes,
but I am thinking about a bull in a pasture. They only eat grass, who
would be afraid of a cow? (except Barbara) He passes much closer and I hide
behind the anchor line like a checkered hawk fish. No one here but us
slightly wider bubbling anchor lines. The whale passes under the boat. I
take note of size and closeness for future reference; for when this becomes
a fabulous experience. I look to see if Dick has started to come up yet,
shucks, no sign. The whale does the incredible turn again, they could
turn around in a tube! He comes back for the third pass, I hope he DOES
see the anchor line, it could be bad. I show him my gun, I wonder if
damsel fish feel like this? I vow to be nicer as I get the eye. He moves
off just after I wonder if they secretly eat a big meal before heading back
to Alaska. I inspect his tail so I will know him the next time we meet. I
make one more minute alone on the line before surfacing to the imagined
safety of the boat and the very real warmth of my fuzzy pullover. Dick
surfaces with his fish (just smaller enough to be noticeable) and he pulls
anchor as I watch the sliver of a moon make a bowl in the sky. His new
chart takes us straight home, warning us about every channel we pass.
Pretty cool toy. The best part of the dive was unloading the boat, the
divers five boats down are sitting around reliving their dive as I start
dragging gear. I hear one exclaim "Wow look at those fish!" as I casually
toss the two fish on the ground and go back for more gear. I hear the
other guy reply that "those guys go out all the time and that chick there
gets more fish than anybody!" First a whale attack, and now this. It's
the little things that make it all worthwhile.
4-21-00 (late dive reports)
For all of you faithful readers who wondered, no I have not run off, my
computer was out of commission. Thanks so much for making me feel missed.
I did manage to go diving during the last couple of weeks, here is the
brief (when has that ever been a description of my writing?) synopsis of
the last few dives:
Sunday morning, Dick, Joe, Amy and I head for fantasy reef. I bring Amy
a gun just to make my dive great. Joe now has added a camera to the things
he takes diving. We anchor at the Diamond Head edge and practice loading
guns before heading up along the ledge looking for trouble. Amy and I pose
for pictures. Two she-ra hunters of the deep, we ham it up crossing guns
like an emblem over a door. We see giant turtles, three white tips in the
shark spot, Joe is taking pictures like mad. Amy has the idea that her
shaft can go as far as she can see, and she takes shots at opelu kala, and
mu. We dally around and use up most of Amy's air on the way back. I leave
Joe and Amy after her last shot and scout out the anchor, return above
them to show them the way. Amy is on load the gun attempt number 5 when
Joe realizes the air is a problem and takes away her toy until she behaves.
I am above them when they discuss where I have gone and which way it is to
the boat. I am about to go save them when I see the 25# white ulua getting
cleaned nearby. Joe has just taken the gun away from Amy and has just
given the "no more playing with this stupid thing; time to head home for
dinner" lecture, when I see him actually see the ulua. Joe knows a good
fish when he sees it. (so do I, mind you and I have been working on it
since I saw it, but they are a lot closer.... in fact Joe is well in range)
I can actually see the magic power of the spear gun, take hold of Joe.
Now Amy is thinking "where is the boat?" and Joe is thinking "Wait till I
bring this guy home." Talk about roll change! The ulua see's Joe's
approach and takes off before either of us take a shot. Joe is debating
giving chase (you gotta love that attitude) when I come down and take the
gun away from him. "no more playing with this stupid thing; time to head
home for dinner" and we head up having had a great dive. Dick had a nice
dive, got lost also and did not see any fish to shoot, but enjoys our tales
as we each tell our vision of the same event. We head home early enough to
catch lunch at Ku'a Aina before rejoining the world.
A week of having a cold, no computer to play solitaire, and lots of school
work. By Sunday I am crazy and in desperate need of a salt water soaking.
Mr. Mac, his buddy, Dick and I take the refurbished Mo'o iki out to the
pyramids. The boat has picked up speed since the motor has been properly
mounted. We anchor and I am first one in. I check the pyramids, the ledge
inside and join the master on a trip down to the spirals. We see nothing
but a lot more of those weird file fish. There seems to be a huge algal
bloom balls of gloopy blue green algae is every where. Back at the anchor
Mac tells me he shot the head off of a parrot fish and have I seen it? I am
not sure which half I was supposed to have seen. Dick returns to the
line with a nice size papio which he cleans while we decompress, much to
the delight of the humus below. I spend my decompression cleaning out my
sinuses, blowing snot fish and watching them swim away in the current. Get
rid of this cold! I feel a lot better. We make it back without running
out of gas! Another miracle!
Mid week and everyone who said they were divers backs out. Dick saves
the day and rescues me from a day of DOE meetings, and runaway standards
based education. Lyle is guarding an expensive bimini and also turns down
the dive. We head towards ewa beach. The surf is up and I know where
half of the divers are. I expect it will be murky just because it has been
so long since we had a swell. The large Navy ship anchored by reef runway
looks like it could be Joey's boat. I have been on the tour, but I can't
seem to remember anything about the boat except how ice cream tastes when
you are on board. Dick is in a good mood and wants to go visit. The
aft deck is covered with people. I have not taken off my top and waved it
at a ship load of navy men in a long time and I refrain. Dick calls RS
52 on the radio just to see if he can ask for Joe. The ship has the good
sense to maintain radio silence and we race the sun towards the horizon.
Dick wants to dive Roger's Ahi spot (what I call shark city) but it is
close enough to May and shark season, that I am hesitant. While we are
debating and after he figures out he has passed his line ups, we settle on
Marnie's Rock. (we only settle on it because his super chart thing has
informed us that we are there) Just outside of us is a huge flock of aku
birds working hard, the flock stretches for a quarter mile. Fishing time
is coming around again, I work on a weekend fishing trip and think about
spearing tuna as I fall over the side. We anchored up at the turtle area.
The water is very clear despite the swell and I don't see any fish. I
leave and swim out to the deep ledge to see if the fish are there. It is a
waste of time and I turn and come back. There are two octopus, but small
ones and I leave them be. The manini are still there hanging out. Have
they just discovered the spot? Will they ever leave? I marvel at them.
I hear Dick's gun and go check out the nice papio he got. I don't see
any companions. I move up the ledge, pass the turtle cave pass the shark
cave and move along even further. I take a shot at a weke ula, put a nick
behind his head and he swims away with a new scar. The baby papio are
back and they have gotten small again. There must be two groups of them.
Sure as wind, the larger group show up and entwine themselves around me. I
enjoy the show, but refrain from the easy meal. The sunset gets to that
special light that makes the fish swarm. Where did they all come from. I
see a good size mu, but am surrounded by papio and never get a shot. I am
enjoying the wonder, however, the broomtailed file fish are getting to be a
pain. I don't mind the schools of them, but when fish bigger than a foot
come into view less than an elbows length away, try as I might, my heart
misses a beat. I am also tired of being tasted and having my gun tasted,
how long is this inundation going to go on? They do not take the hint and
keep at me. I move along the bottom wondering at the blue green algae that
is on everything, large loose clumps rolling around in the surf. Why don't
file fish eat it? I feel like I have just started diving in the sense
that there is too much going on for me to see. Everywhere I look is worth
looking and I know I am missing most of what is going on. I wonder why I
feel so overwhelmed then realize that it is not really very light anymore,
the water is clear, so you think you can see but it is late and you can't.
I head back to the line Dick comes up and cleans his fish, that is how
the file fish are surviving! Dick owes it to us to stop spearing fish
and feeding the guts to them! The current is slack and he is in such a
cloud of blood that he fails to see my complicated theory. We surface, he
in even better spirits. He pulls the anchor while I get my warm fuzzy
pullover on. Having a cabin on days like this sure is nice. Dick had
gone diving with Lyle and Roger a few days ago and said that Roger had
remarked on the foul weather and actually said "This boat is great, we
never would have come down here in the Witchcraft on days like this" !!!
We joke and remember commercial diving. The surf is still good as we head
in the channel, summer is coming soon.
4-21-00 (secret dive 27)
Dive is planned, no one knows when or where, as 5:30 approaches Dick says
Witchcraft at 6 and the rush is on. Brian hurries over from his side of
the island. Mike heads down to the Mo'o where he meets up with Roger. The
Trans-pac boats are all in and we admire the fast racers as we go and pick
up Mike and Roger, we are short of tanks and get to admire the boats again
as we go back to the slip. There is debate about gas, but as the hour is
getting late, we head out. First things first. The boat does seem to run
a little faster and we head out in search of the elusive 100' hole. I
practice finding it and lo and behold, it has returned. We drop anchor
a little Diamond head, but I know just where we are when I enter the water.
Roger says out side and Diamond Head is the hot spot, and I let him set up
camp while I head in to look for whale sharks. I see a group of papio up
with the opelu kala and head over to a nearby rock to see if I can call
them in. Brian is nearby, I look to see if he has fish, but his bag has
gone stealth and I can't make anything out. I hear a gun go off followed
by tank banging. I figure some one just shot that giant kahala and is
enjoying a good fight. I turn to see Roger trying to get Brian's and my
attention, he generously tells us there is uku out there, and we should go
shoot some. He has a large uku on his spear just to make his story more
credible. Brian and I go to where Roger was and look about till we get
bored, I figure one person is better than two and leave Brian and go look
else where. I head over to the diamond head heniochus spot and the
butterflies come over to greet me. They suddenly change their mind, as
does every other fish around, I look to see which diver is scaring them
only to see a shark, fortunately he is far away, and I am not phased. I
circle back toward the hole, see two larger papio high in the water
column, but I can't get close. Come across Dick and notice the fish
giving another shark warning, sure enough, the shark passes at a distance.
Dick has a papio in his bag, but tells me about all the uku that are
around. I haven't seen any, after he is gone, I finally see the school
off in the distance, the shark passes again as I try to get the uku to come
over and visit. They circle ever closer, but stay out of my range. I try
every thing, but they remain aloof. I see a distant uku do a sand roll and
I copy. Sure enough, they are suddenly interested. "Oh, we didn't know
you could roll in the sand too" They get plenty close, but I miss my shot.
Then the uku really rolled in the sand. The cheeky guy I shot at was
rolling between me and my fallen shaft! I was trying to reload quickly,
telling myself to concentrate on the task and to ignore the uku all around
me. I finish reloading and look up to find my self alone again. I can see
their distant bodies and know that I will have to start all over. It is
rather dark, and I think that I better get back to the anchor, while I can
still see it. I return to find Brian giving up also. Brian, Dick and I
are decompressing, I can see Mike checking on us from the bow, but he
doesn't jump in. I take the time to scrape paint off of my body and am
watching the little white flakes flutter down when I notice fish swimming
in front of us. Not a shark, and not opelu, something in between, maybe
barracuda, or small ono, too dark, I am probably imagining things. I
look over to see Brian and Dick discussing what it could have been. Well
I guess it was something, not just me. Mike has had enough of this waiting
to see how many uku Dr. Tribble has, and tugs on the line to get us up. The
boat has an impressive catch. Mike shot two uku, Roger shot a nice big
uku. He also shot a papio, which wrapped him in his own line and then swam
away. Mike happened across Roger completely tied up in his own gun with no
sign of any fish anywhere. Dick got a nice papio but failed to get the
uku in close. Brian saw no uku and was frustrated as Mike kept saying
"they were everywhere man, they just appear out of nothing!" I have
visions of Brian spending the next dive staring out into the depths like he
was staring at one of those Magic Eye -type paintings, waiting for that 3D
to just pop uku into his vision. The jovial mood on the way in is tempered
with the possibility that we will run out of gas, it seems we used more
than half going out. We manage to creep in with out running dry and all's
well that ends well, especially since Mike was generous enough to give me
one of his uku, thus providing me with a few excellent meals in the coming
week!
4-26-00
Just when there is no end in sight, Dick and Lyle plan a dive and invite
me along. I do the most important tasks, leave down town and realize that
I am all packed save the spear gun. I am on the way to the boat with
plenty of work I could be doing. For about ten seconds I debate scrapping
the dive. I remember Mark not having a camera once and figuring it wasn't
worth the hassle to get his gear salty. I help the others load their gear,
(scanning Lyle's van for an extra gun). They notice we are short one gun
just as we leave the slip. Many jokes at my expense....then Lyle remembers
his wetsuit is still in his van. Dick claims there is plenty of light,
so we stop and retrieve it. The vote is for Kahala. My vote for a nice
open, sandy, shell collecting area in Waikiki is vetoed. The ocean is a
little calmer and Dick and Lyle exchange trolling tales as we round
Diamond Head. We watch the birds heading home and Dick suggests trolling
for a little while since we have "plenty of light" There is no real
feeding action and we head for Joe's barge. The water is super clear and
I worry about a current as I toss the anchor. I watch Lyle as I play out
the line, it looks perfect. I jump in just as Dick begins to load his
gun in the boat and I hear him fall in behind me. I assume he is above and
behind me heading down the anchor line (dive rule #1), I point out some mu
in the sand and some weke ula up near the zees. I have such good eyes, it
will impress him. I watch the weke move off into the sand as I approach
the anchor line. I am about half way down (40') the weke move off to my
right and I follow them only to see big kahala, no ulua, no it is three BIG
kagami swimming up from 50' to check us out. I am pointing and I turn to
Dick only to find he must have headed out to the deep barge. The fish
are gorgeous. They come over and respond to my noises I stay with them as
I scan the area for Lyle. I hope he is near the anchor. The fish circle
off and stay near 60' as I reach the bottom. I am gesturing to Lyle. The
kagami are still barely visible. I keep the conversation simple. "Three
big fish, they went that way." Lyle tries, using his best uku tricks, alas
the ulua do not respond. I leave him and play in the deep sand. I find a
stained glass window and spend some time digging it up. Now what? I drag
it to the ledge and place it artfully against a concrete Z, a perfect
church for fish that are so inclined. I keep seeing weke up high and far
away. I spend time chasing fish, transporting shells and acquiring cuts
on my legs. Dick comes back from the deep barge and I tell him about
what he missed. He offers me his gun, but I decline. (I can't load it
anyway) He follows me in case more fish swim by me. My lemon butterfly
torture brings in a couple of uku. He takes a long shot and misses. I
don't want to be in his way so I leave him with the torturous uku harassing
him and I head back to the anchor. Turning over rocks, practicing juggling
and general not paying attention to the approaching mu. (how can they
tell?) I move to mid water and scan for kagami before meeting the empty
handed gang at the anchor line. Lyle's gun is seriously malfunctioning, it
seems to be missing a lot so it will dry out until it learns to behave.
We are all in good spirits just from getting wet. Lyle and Dick pull
anchor, I try to catch up on sleep as we head home in the dark.
4-30-00
The usual busy weekend, ready for a dive on Sunday. I have become so
important, that people will come and pick me up to go diving. We are to
meet at the power cat at 5:30. I hope to get there a little early knowing
there might be potential problems. But we get there too late and Mac and
Pfeffer have tool boxes scattered about and are up to their usual Tom
foolery:
"Where is the red wire?"
"I think I broke it."
"This doesn't fit, are you sure it came out of here?"
They are replacing an ignition coil, (hoping it is the right one) and I can
see the unopened instructions soaking up scum in the engine well. It is
comforting to have that feeling of tradition, knowing that there are
things in this ever changing world that you can count on. Since the tools
are out I can start on my project. I have somehow convinced the Uwatec
people to send me a brand new computer. It is on the console with a
matching pressure gauge and so I put it on the HP port noting that it seems
like the O-ring is just smashed down with no groove for it to sit in. It
just squeezes out as I tighten it. Dick recommends not making it so
tight. He has been diving a long time, he probably knows some reason why
the O-ring won't just blow out. The O-ring blows out, I manage to
scavenge another off some regulator part and notice that several regulators
have mushed out O-rings. I cinch it down and it seems to hold. I am so
happy to have a computer again. Some thing to tell me when my time is up.
The boat is put back together, we load it at the loading dock and head out
for Marnie's rock. We all agree the boat seems to be running better and we
are ready to anchor after 15 minutes of talking about engines. Dick is
happy not to be captain and jumps in with the anchor. The rest of us enter
the clear blue water after the boat has settled right over the rock. I
see nothing but an octopus that comes swimming by about two feet off of the
bottom. All his tentacles seem short and stubby. I leave him be. There is
a diamond head current. It is slight, but enough so that the fish are all
hanging on the ewa side. My giant ulua is certainly hanging out in the
ulua cave, I am feeling brave and I head over that way. There are a pair
of ephippium and a couple of sailfin tangs swimming along the ledge giving
it an exotic taste, the eel plague, however give away the true location.
I stay off of the bottom as the dusk seems to have brought them out. The
blue green algae is really taking over, it is now all over living coral
heads. In the distance I make out ulua hanging just outside the cave.
There are three silhouettes in the distance and I drop and make my approach
plan. In my concentration of the fish, (trying to make out whether they
are white ulua or kagami) is total. I fail to notice the 25-30 white ulua
that are heading straight for me. They are on me in a flash as I quickly
pick one. "don't try to pick the biggest, they are all good; just shoot".
I am fairly certain that I will get two in one shot and as I shoot at
close range, I am hoping that the second one is not a gut shot. Well, they
don't call me Miss for nothing! The shimmering horde turns back toward the
cave and makes its dash for freedom. They are incredible to watch as they
insist on heading out to sea via the skylight into the cave. In all the
fish herding I have done, I have not seen pushing and shoving like this.
Thirty fish rushing through a hole big enough for two or three. I try and
catch up, hoping that a few will stay in the cave. They fade in the
distance, not a trace of existence left. I wait for a minute then move up
the ledge to see how many of them everyone else has shot. Dick is on the
bottom in full point. I see some fair sized uku, but my heart is still
pounding for white ulua. Dick is being approached on the other side by
Mac, and I sense displeasure at my approach. The uku seem shy and I turn
back hoping for a second chance and perhaps I will find some mu at the
inside area. There is one mu and I am not quite patient enough. I go for
the Mike "pull pull shoot" method. Except the first half a pull sends
this mu out of his skin. Since when do mu react so fast? One quick move
and the nature of the ocean changes. All fish in the vicinity go into full
frenzy. Either a massive over reaction, or yet another testament of my
importance. In the old days I could have thrown a temper tantrum with nary
a notice, but now the stock has gone public, soared, and eyes are glued to
it. The slightest unexpected move unnerves all, the high rollers right
down to the little guy. I swagger back to position hoping some uku will
come see what is happening. They probably just do it for exercise. I
settle down and feel somewhat the charlatan after writing that "I could
have died no thanks to you" letter explaining how I had counted on their
reliability. I really think getting around to checking if your dive gear
works should be done before 18 minutes into the dive. The computer seems
fine and I put it back having neglected to check my air, which was what
made me think of it in the first place. (how bent can you get at Marnie's
rock anyway?) A very small nudibranch catches my eye. I have never seen
one like this before. It is no longer than the width of my pinky nail, yet
it glows in the dark so brightly it is easily seen. I wonder how to bring
it back and convince myself it is a common variety, surely already seen by
those who look. Heck, glowing is not that big a deal in the daytime. I
leave him be, thinking that non-humans have neglected to get caught up in
the silly art idea and pretty bright colors often mean stay away. He
probably has some killer concentrated toxin. It is getting dark and I
move back along to the anchor. I go the long way and come across Pfeffer,
he shot and lost some big fish and is awaiting their return. I look for
the crowd of shimmer, but it is getting dark enough that file fish look far
away. I continue back to find Mac is empty handed also. We all
decompress with no sign of Dick anywhere. He must think that the file
fish are rainbow runner! The darkness brings the other empty handed
diver back. Mac and Dick pull anchor while I get as snuggy and warm as
possible. We each tell heroic yarns on the way home. The big yellow spot
that the shaft didn't go all the way through, my 30 white ulua, the 40 uku
that circled around etc. Not a fish in the boat and long tales of the
tricks we used. "So I threw so much sand they couldn't see me..." "I took
the octopus up to 40 feet then let him go...." At least we are all
marvelous spearfishermen in our own minds! (Mac keeps quiet, says he only
saw one parrot fish before it got dark) Just to close the deal on our self
importance, we return to the dock to find a huge tail gate party going on.
They look like potential trouble, until I am recognized as that famous
diver from the T.V. show. People actually asked for my autograph and
begged to shake my hand. (O.K. they might have been a bit drunk, but it
still counts!) By the way Rich and Joey, Bruce Marnie was watching late
night T.V. in Seattle and saw you guys supposedly diving to 400', he said
it sure looked like I had taken you to the 100' hole!
We depart in good spirits, Dick puts his boat back in the water
tomorrow...any reason not to have a test run?
5-1-00
Dick is putting his boat in the water. Mike and his Pop are up for a
dive, I have tons of work, but Mike twists my arm and talks me into joining
them. He is excited about the white ulua I saw and we head for Marnie's
rock again. The old man keeps comparing boat speeds in a friendly way. "I
like trolling" "You do get the gas mileage" I divert the conversation to
electric fish as deftly as my students redirect my lectures. The rest of
the trip was devoted to biology, evolution, and pharmaceuticals. The water
is clear and I toss the anchor just in front of the rock. Mike is down
with the anchor and I head in and find the current is slight and the opelu
kala are thick out in the flats and I sink down among them. They let me
into their world as they change from light to dark in a school that goes on
forever. I see nothing in among them and I make my way to the rock. Mike,
I and the Master head over to the anchor stone as Mike had not ever seen
it. It is close enough to the ulua cave that we might all get a white
ulua. Mike and I are swimming abreast followed by the old man. I am
closest to the ledge and I see what might have been a papio shape in the
hordes of opelu kala, but concentration does not make the vision reappear
and I turn my attention back to Mike. He is inside of me and just past him
going in the other direction is a large (ten foot), pregnant hammerhead. I
point it out to him and to the guy behind us, they are much closer. Mike
is impressively relaxed and we take our cue from him and continue on. We
check out the stone, I can tell Mike is impressed as I was when I found it.
We just made his dive.
Imagine waking in Seattle and diving in Hawaii by night fall. Let
me digress and say that Mike just came back from congratulating Carl Lipo
on getting that PhD. to put by his name. Congratulations Carl, you have
worked hard counting those little pieces of pottery and it has paid off!!
Perhaps you can come diving more often instead of now being swallowed by
the network world. I am proud to say that many of the ukukillers are Drs.
and the rest of us are wanna be's. Who is next? Rich? Mike? Dave? Naomi?
John? All are actively working on it. I myself figure that I should get an
honorary one any minute! All kidding aside; WOW! Good work!
Back to the dive, no fish anywhere. The cave has one beautiful
helmet shell, no sign of my tiny nudibranch. I chase a mu and we split up
on our way back to the rock. Dick has a good size uku that he got near
the rock and Mike and I see it and have no shame hanging out for awhile.
We get the honor of seeing one of the most spectacular moments in diving.
Dick goes crazy. He dashes up off of the bottom sending his computer
beeping and begins to chase after lemon butterflies, they politely get out
of his way and he begins to go after opelu kala. He is chasing them like a
two year old chases pigeons at the zoo, with about the same effect, they
gently walk out of his way as he careens, spins, pokes, yells and carries
on. I look at Mike and give him the well known PADI signal for "da bugga
stay loco" and give him some room. I have enough air to do a quick trip
down to David's area and I zoom down the ledge. I am in the middle of
small nodule desert when I see the uku pass outside heading back towards
the rock. I call but they are not interested. I continue down and see no
fish, back to the anchor and join the others on the line. At least one uku
makes it into the boat. The sun has set as Mike does a mighty anchor pull
worthy of a strong young bull. He then tells us of his dive, he set the
anchor and chased a 4 pound kahala all over hell and gone trying to get a
shot. It finally went across the top of the rock and down underneath near
the trap. Mike comes whirling over the ledge and comes face to face with a
large 40 pound white ulua. Three wags of his powerful body puts him out
of sight as Mike wonders how many times he had already passed the sleeping
fish. I guess he will be checking the spot the way we all check the hole,
having learned the lesson. He finishes his story with a question about the
shark I saw; "was it the usual small guy?" He didn't even see it! I
should know not to take my cue from Pfeffer's!! Flash on Gerry Devlin and
I figuring "well, if Roger doesn't mind 100 sharks, then I guess he knows
something we don't" we continue to fish, surfacing to hear him rant
about how lucky we were to see so many dolphin so close! The dive stories
take us home in a good mood. There is something about getting wet that
sure beats doing school work! The surf is supposed to be coming up this
week....perhaps it is time to be a surfer...anything with salt water beats
school work!!
5-6-00
High traffic Friday, faster to walk to the Ala Wai, as evidenced by the
grandma pushing the stroller who I can see has covered four blocks in the
time it took me to cover one. Fight for parking, manage a space over on
the 600 row. Dick and Lyle both being boat owners get to use the luxury
parking permits and are at the boat. We wait for Brian, give him 15
minutes and head out. Brian is at the gas dock, waving as we pass by. He
hops aboard and begins to try and get the traffic out of his blood. The
ocean calls and we head for Kahala because it is closer than Ewa. We go to
the turtle barge (I think Dick wants all of the barges on his fancy
chart) Lyle is over with the anchor. It is lucky because the anchor lands
just off the ledge. The rest of us join him. Brian and Lyle have the
place staked out and as Dick and I drop down, we both signal that we
should head across the channel. Dick has mentioned a barge that had
lots of coral, and is upside down. I have not seen it and he is going to
take me there. We cross the sand channel, he cruises by the concrete Zees,
but I stay out on the sand watching a distant school of mu. They are far
away, and I continue. I have Dick on one side and a large Turtle on the
other, both are heading to the same barge, so I just tag along between
them. The barge looms into sight, a dark shape. It is not on the ledge
and seems very devoid of fish even though it is covered with coral and
looks like it has been there the longest. We approach on either side, I
take port (hard to figure that out when the boat is upside down) The
turtle remains on my right, I am looking for the omilu Dick talks of,
but with out a current, no fish are hiding. We part company, as I head
for the Zees over by the little barge. I see one disappearing kumu, and
some distant weke, nothing to shoot at. I wait around and debate going on
to Joe's barge, it is not the air, but the light that takes me back along
the ledge to the turtle barge. I could continue and search further, but
Brian has seen nothing. Lyle is heading up, he has a good size mu.
Dick appears empty handed, the only thing we all saw, was lots of
turtles. We surface in the twilight, admiring Lyle's catch, he is happy
as it had been so long since his last fish (six dives!). Brian pulls the
anchor, and I help with the proper training (all the line goes in the
starboard side etc). We head for home discussing fishing, diving and
lures. The hustle and bustle of closed freeway off ramps far removed from
our being. I just hope I can keep it that way until next time.
5-7-00
Sunday morning, the owner of the power cat needs specimens for school, Amy
and Dick are up for diving and I agree to go along to catch little fish.
We are heading for Ewa beach. I bring a gun for Amy and designate Dick
her buddy while the master and I attempt to catch two of every species.
We are trying for Roger's Ahi Spot (shark city) and toss the anchor in
swimming distance. Dick and Amy are in quickly and we follow along with
our nets. I am reminded why I like to fish alone after the location of the
first net set, but I am also reminded how well oiled a machine it must be
if it can run so smoothly after so many years of neglect. There is nothing
like not getting paid to take the pressure off and allow for success. We
worked along filling up the buckets. I was certain that I could have
improved half of the net sets, but was forced to refrain. The other two
come back and Amy heads up the line and Dick comes over and joins in the
nostalgia. We herd fish like professionals, to the point where we are
making supreme efforts over archetype examples from each family. We
surface calling the dive a complete success, I hook off the buckets and we
continue the fencing match we started 20 years ago. I still seem be
losing. The surface finds Amy had a great time, the fish were too small,
except the one big ulua she saw. She energetically swam after it, but it
managed to outswim her supreme effort. The master pulls up the line to
find we are one bucket shy, the clip has unclipped itself. Dick
volunteers to fetch it and does so. In the mean time, the sooty terns have
found our boat and one visitor amazes us all with the leg lift and behind
the ear scratch while hovering above our catch in hopes of a handout. We
talk again of trolling, Dick had gone out on Saturday and caught ono and
rainbow runner. As we head back toward Keehi, we move into the aku birds
working an area. The rush is to get the pole, find the lures, and drag a
line through the pile. Another boat beats us to the punch and the action
dies down. We continue homeward. The day is sunny, beautiful, we have
achieved our mission and helped education. Amy got wet, so she is happy,
Dick has too much fish to feel bad about not seeing anything, and it is
not even noon yet! We promise to get together again soon as we head our
separate ways.
5-11-00
Thursday afternoon, Dick and Lyle are divers and I join them on Dick's
boat for an evening dive. The winds and the surf are up and we decide to
stay in Waikiki. Pfeffer's have the Mo'o iki at three's, good men are
doing the right thing and taking advantage of the swell. There are three
or four piles of aku birds between the buoy and our destination. Lyle had
just given Dick a "proper" hand line, and that with the improper one he
has already let us put two lines in the water. We moseyed around always
seeming to see the most active feeding right where we weren't. I am driven
nuts and kick out the captain for some real boat driving, Lyle is also
going nuts, but too polite to tell the captain anything. Now that I am the
captain, he quickly takes over. To his credit, he manages to put the lines
right trough an active spot. (luck) The birds are squawking and diving
like mad. The fish however leave our lures alone. It has been a great
diversion. We continue towards the 100' hole. I am like a compulsive
gambler...."just one more pass", I continue to watch bird piles. Waikiki is
alive with birds, spinner dolphin, and the shore is lined with white clouds
of big surf. This is summer, why do I still have school? We hit the spot
and I think Lyle beat the anchor down. The boat hangs in the trough, the
little bubbles on the surface are racing towards Diamond Head. I am
prepared for more of a current than there actually is and I easily swim to
the bottom. Dick has dropped under the boat to the outside ledge. I can
see Lyle on the diamond head side of the hole. There is enough current
that I figure that the big white ulua must be hiding in the hole and I go
and check. I am so convinced that I sit in the entrance until my eyes are
adjusted enough to see in the darkest crevices. Nobody home. Up current
is always a good bet. I reach the ewa ledge at the same time as Dick
does. He must have gone around the inside side of the hole, as he is
inside of me and I now "own" the peninsula. I watch the opelu darting
around above me. I wonder what it looks like to see birds dive under from
the bottom of the ocean. I wait, and let the opelu move on. No sign of
tuna. I set my focus on the bottom and move out along the ledge, cutting
over to the out side as I figure Dick will want to move out deeper than I
plan to go. I see a group of nice size uku. I am exposed, but manage to
get them to come visit. I take a bad shot, extra bad because I am sure I
have an audience. I load my gun and wonder where the uku have gone before
glancing around to see if I was watched. No sign of anyone, maybe no one
saw me. I seem fairly alone and I drift down current along the ledge. I
stop before the sand really starts and call. One of the distant skinny
starving file fish is really a fat mu, but he steers clear and moves by me
out of reach. I pass the hole, Lyle is working up octopus ink in hopes of
generating excitement. He has no fish. I cross the cable and go to my
uku spot, the current is wrong, but you never know. I see no fish. The
current is picking up, and I know it can get pretty strong in this
direction. I move back to the anchor. Lyle is heading up, I still have
lots of air and the taste of uku on my mind. I ignore my beeping meter as
I play with another octopus over by the hairy red lobster rock. I am
debating taco poke. The last time I got involved with an octopus when I
was past decompression time, it was quite embarrassing. The water is cold,
the current is getting stronger.... should I go up? Well maybe that large
shark will help me make up my mind. A fat sandbar or galapagos passes by
ignoring me as it moves in toward shallow water. O.K. I will head up. I
stay up current of the anchor line and over the hole as I slowly leave the
bottom. The water is clear and I look down on the top of the hole. There
is a lobster party going on. Small slipper lobsters are out in droves. I
see one and watch the bug crawl along until my eye is distracted by another
and yet another. They look like a confused marching band, obviously
acting relative to each other, but not in a straight ant type line. I
think they are trying to spell "OUT OF SEASON HA HA" but it could be my
imagination. I really only see five, even though discovering them one at a
time makes it seem like a lot more. I slowly kick my way up to Lyle, he is
concerned about the increasing current and his quick release set of the
anchor. He wants me to hold on to the line. As long as I am upcurrent of
the line I refuse to worry and give him my best doe eyes. "huh?" There
is no sign of Dick, he must be in the boat with oodles of uku. I finish
my decompression and am the last one in the boat. There are no fish on
board. Dick shot and lost an uku, he is bummed. But he is cheered up at
the mention of my miss....seems I was watched, no wonder I missed. He
claims to be the real reason I even had a shot. Seems HE was the one
calling them to me. Now I am glad I missed. Lyle and Dick pull anchor
while I watch the clouds turn pink. Oh, was I supposed to be driving the
boat? Oops! We get the anchor up and head into the sunset. The orange
ball is setting pretty high behind the Waianae range. It sure looks like
June, Dick looks for a swell to surf the boat in the channel. The
myriads of surfers at bowls scowl at us. I am sure there is no reason to
still be in school. Imagine how the students must feel!!
5-14-00
Dick is taking some EPA VIPs out for a Sunday day dive and I get the
invitation to join them. It is windy and we are going to stay close to
home. The ships have a dive boat tied off and we head for the hole.
Dick is going to watch over Barry. Shannon dives, but hasn't been in
years and chooses to be a boat babe. I am on my own and I toss the anchor
and run back and jump over to set it. The anchor is right on the hole,
the current is slight and there is a lot of phytoplankton filling up the
ocean. My tank is ridiculously full, on board I thought it must be hot
from the sun and had cooled off the tanks to find I still had close to 3000
lbs. I might as well use up some air by going out and looking for fish off
of the ledge. There are lots of fish high over the hole feeding on the
plankton, but none that I want to shoot at. The peninsula is barren, I
see the same bat stars that were here two days ago, don't they move faster
than that? I notice several in a haphazard line out on to the sand and
realize that I mightn't be seeing the same ones. I imagine one of those
science studies where the animals have to wear little marker flags. I
wonder how Barry is doing, I am sure I am a much better tour guide than
Dick even though I don't actually have any hard evidence. There are no
fish and I still have tons of air, I drop down to the sand just because it
looked so inviting. Perfectly smooth save the writing done by busy miter
shells. They obviously believe in extra terrestrials or they wouldn't be
spelling out such large messages that no other miter shell can read. Too
bad they only know Arabic. Charlette's web gone awry. One kahala comes
in, keeps his distance and moves off. There might have been two papio with
him as well, but they are too distant to be certain, could be more kahala.
I inch my way up heading over the top of the cave, no evidence of fish.
The hole was the most interesting place, I might as well go see what is
going on. To my chagrin, Dick is picking up starfish and handing them
over to Barry as they explore the bottom. Dick has not seen anything,
and I still have lots of air, so I figure to check out the inside spot. On
the exact opposite end of my limited territory. The swim is nice and
there are a lot of little opelu kala, but nothing to spear. I return to
the hole, my beeper has told me to surface. I say goodbye to the other two
and cruise up the line. Shannon has been enjoying the sunshine and I must
admit it is nice to get warm from the blazing sun after a dive. The guys
soon come up empty handed. Dick had shot at a papio and that was the
only fish he had seen. Barry was just happy to get back in the water
after a year. Dick pulls the anchor and we blast home.
5-15-00
Monday, Nils is back! Good reason to dive, the Pfeffers, Dick, are
starters and Rob is visiting from Saipan again. He isn't a diver due to
the broken foot, but he comes along as a boat babe. There is much male
bantering as we head out the channel but all goes quiet as we wave to Lyle
taking out the big sailboat that is strewn with female Japanese exchange
students. We head for Marnie's rock, and the talk changes to science,
island geology, reef formation, hot spots and rare fish. But the
underlying question still came up. (How did Lyle get that boat? How did he
get those girls?) The ocean was a lot calmer and I tossed the anchor right
on the ledge. Mike is over the side (amid some confusion). The spare
wetsuit gets another turn as the old guy is forced to don it. Dick is
trying to hurry us all in the water and he gets me over when I ask him to
hand me my gun. I am chasing down my gun when I see the monster fish.
The ono is right above the master, interested in the divers below and not
moving. I get my gun, figure to get help from Dick and surface before I
begin my stalking. I imagine that will hurry him along as much as he
hurried me. (sweet irony) The ono slowly leaves the descending diver and
drifts back to the surface. He is too big and I know that I will loose my
gun in the game but I vow to take the shot. We cat and mouse, well I cat
and he acts like a mu, moving away without moving. I am not going to get
a shot. Dick arrives, the fish is in sight if you know where to look.
Dick heads down and I see Nils on the bottom below me. I could spend
some more time, but as Nils has not been in the water in a while I descend
to check up on him. He is stirring up sand and trying to pole spear a
parrot fish. I don't see anything but divers and I signal Nils and we head
down to David's spot. I see no fish until we get there. The uku arrive,
they pass out of range, but look like they might be back. Nils goes off to
play with the wild manini gang and I try and get one of the two weke ula
that are hanging about. A group of small yellow spots come charging over
as the uku pass outside. A bird in the hand,.... I shoot the papio and
watch the uku swarm in. Nils is ready and would have really impressed the
crown except the rubber on his three prong did not stand up to the
excitement. I bag up the fish and worry about Nils's air consumption. He
has enough to get back, but we should not hang around getting the uku to
come back. We are anchor bound. I move high off of the bottom so that
Nils can hang on to his air. I also keep my eyes glued to the surface in
case of ono. It seems like a long swim before I leave NIls to join Mike on
the line. I return to the bottom. I cruise in a big circle around the
rock and see nothing but one big kahala. The old guy manages to get a weke
ula right on the ledge. He is low on air, but he does stay to tell me how
to catch them. "Just hide under the ledge, hold your gun in sight and do a
puppet show with the flapper. Fish will come blasting over and then you
can jump up and say "A HA!" before you shoot them. I look at the ledge I
am supposed to hide under. Boy those are some big mean ass eels! The
master bids me good luck, tells me about the big shark he saw and moves
along. I stay in the waning light to keep Dick company as he has seen
the shark as well. The cold is what drives me up and I feel real good to
be getting back in the boat. Fish on the deck, the big moon rising and
letting those engines hum us home. Nils is hanging his head out like a
happy dog getting to go on a car ride. Most happy to be enjoying the
beauty of the islands once again. I get to be captain as the others relay
their dives. A perfect end to the day, all Mondays should be so sweet.
The run in the channel has us once again passing the bedecked sailboat. We
cheer Lyle on as we head home to get ready for another day. (Who is the
real master?)
5-25-00
Thursday, long day at school, have not been diving for eons, summer is
baking my classroom. Dick is planning a dive and I gladly head for the
water. The winds are back, but Mike's dive reports of uku everywhere ring
loudly enough that I am up for a trip to Kahala. Dick guarantees me that
even I could shoot something at Brock's squares and we head there. We scan
the horizon for the last signs of Bian and Nils off to do science on their
way to San Diego. Dick sugests we should have hired strippers to wave
good bye to Nils. I would have been happy for a simple wave. I toss the
anchor and run back and suit up to go set it. The anchor is right next to
the squares and there are lots of opelu kala giving the taste of fish to
the air. I await Dick as I am not sure on the anchor set. He moves it
slightly and we head off. He takes the ledge and I follow the shy opelu
kala over to the concrete Zees. Dick arrives ahead of me and shows me
how to lie low and toss sand. He signals that I should do this and then
swims by me bringing a whole bunch of uku following him. I feel like a two
year old who has two parents and an uncle showing it the way to each Easter
egg. I am almost tempted to snub my nose at the approaching fish, but they
are Easter eggs and I want them. The uku however snub their nose at me and
swing wide and go after Dick. They dance by him and I think we should
be farther apart. I watch Dick calling uku, but am distracted by the
starving file fish fighting over his bubbles above his head. Now that is
one hungry fish! I leave him to call the uku back and head past the pile of
Zees and follow concrete pilings up current until I run out of fish. I am
drifting back enjoying the current and playing in any sand holes I find. I
am back to the Zee's, surrounded by fish and I hear Dick banging on his
tank. Oh-oh, the last time I was here I saw a giant tiger shark, that was
about ten years ago, maybe it is still here and about to eat Dick. I
look around for any bubbles. No bubbles, but am distracted by all the mu
and uku that are about. I might as well spear some fish, and look for
remains of Dick later. I am torn between the uku and the mu and the
opelu kala keep swarming in and blocking my view. Uku taste better, I will
concentrate on them, then I see her. There above me, first a shawdow
taking shape, approaching cautiously, curious, calm, fearless. She is
the empress of all mu, the biggest mu I have ever seen and I am in the
perfect spot. She can't get a good view of me, I can back out behind some
concrete and she has to change directions to get a peek at me. I move
back and forth and she does likewise, coming closer each time. No sign of
wariness and she moves into range. The uku in the meantime have moved into
my sand hole and seem to be helping me guide in the quarry. They are too
close to shoot, just paling around like my best buddies. Oooo, lets see you
get this fish! I figure the mu has at least two more peek-a-boos before
she changes her mind. She is in range, but I am confident and with her
hard skull and her record size, I want a close kill shot. I duck and peek,
she is completely gone! Vanished! I see bubbles on the other side of the
pile and grumble to myself that tiger sharks just aren't what they used to
be. The uku are gone as well. File fish remain, oh the shame of it!! I
go to see why Dick isn't dead. It seems it was not the 12 bangs of a
giant tiger shark at all, but the 14 bangs of the anchor breaking loose.
He took care of it and there is no need for me to worry. (he has an uku in
his bag) Well, now my mind is at ease, I will circle around in search of
fish and try to put some distance between us since they seem to be two
person shy. I see fish in the distance, but never do they come close
again. I cruise down current see some smaller normal size mu which will
not suit. I make my way to the anchor. Dick soon joins me
decompressing, he tried to get an uku for me as well, but missed (how
thoughtful, just love being patronized, sure wish I got that mu) We
surface after the sun has dropped behind Diamondhead. Seems Dick saw and
would have gotten that mu before me, but that is when he heard the anchor
break loose. I hate to be overly competitive and picky about him taking
the edge of my giant mu story, but I let him pull anchor without offering
to help. It is like Janetta or Mike always claiming to have been up before
me in the morning, nevermind that they did not actually get out of bed or
anything. It never stops them from saying "You were up at six? I was up
at five thirty." We head back, I hate to seem overly violent and
aggressive, but I really want to get that mu. I relive the moments of
watching her peer down at me and my uku friends as we muck around and try
not to let her see what we are up to. I was so close, I wonder how many
people I could have had at the party! I want that mu! When are we going
diving again?
6-2-00
Friday drags its fat okole around. I am so ready for a dive. Dick, Lyle
and Amy are starters and I meet them at Dick's boat. The sad news is
that while we are deciding on our dive destination, we are stopped by the
helpful CG guys who inform us that the channel is closed. The luxury yacht
Nooner has been grounded since yesterday, but apparently Friday at 5:30 is
the right tide to give it one last yank with the big salvage tug.
Sailboats are milling about like uku watching one of their own thrash
against the night. We see the tug abandoning the plan and wait for the
channel to clear. There is still plenty of light and Lyle chooses Kahala
while the rest of us vacillate. The wind is kicking up lots of small
chop, but it looks fiercer than the actual size of the swell. All bark,
and little nips as we head toward the magic zees next to Brock's squares.
Dick, Roger and Lyle were here yesterday, but it was murky, there was a
strong current, and they anchored too far away. The captain is taking no
chances and we circle around trying to anchor on the opelu kala. We drop
anchor just up wind and down current. Perfect. Lyle is down with the
anchor, Amy and I head down next. The last ten feet are cold and slightly
clearer. We are both armed and I have the luxury of knowing where we
are. Amy is ready to kill and keeps pointing at things like puffers,
orange shoulders, and palani. I keep dissuading her and trying to point
out opelu kala, MK, and To'au. She looks at where I point and invariably
sees a moorish idol or lemon butterfly. We have to improve our fish ID's.
I don't see a single uku despite tales of uku bigger than big kahala. We
continue up current to Brakes squares and see not much of anything there
either. I give up on game and plan on letting Amy be my entertainment.
We drift back to the zees. We come across Dick who has a nice size mu,
he has seen no uku. Amy and I go hide behind the pile. There really is
nothing worth shooting so we wait around while Amy tries to get a palani to
behave and quit hiding under the concrete where she is worried about
shooting at it. She finally gets a long shot, her aim is perfect, the
line is too short. Loading the gun again is fun as I remember how tricky
it can be. The shaft refusing to stay where it is supposed to. Which
rubber goes where? She is surrounded by palani as she works away on it.
How do they know? She is ready for bear, but the fish are now leaving a
wide circle around us. We head back toward the anchor, it is cold, but we
still have air and bottom time. I hang my bag on the line and we take
practice shots. The bag is twice dead when we head up. Lyle passes us
with three big uku in his bag. Where did he go?? We decompress shooting
at the anchor line. I can see Dick calling below us, waiting for the
giant uku that never came by. We get in the boat to find that Lyle got his
uku from above. Hanging out in warm water and shooting the fish as they
swam beneath him. Three shots, three fish, hero of the day. Dick comes
up with two good size flopping mu in his bag. Amy carefully studies the
fish for future reference. And volunteers to pull anchor. Such
enthusiasm! I go along to show her how it is done, but I manage to make a
mess of it and the hero Lyle comes to the rescue before I get keelhauled.
We head home, recounting our dives, and get to the channel just in time for
the best seat for the fire works show. Sure is a nice place to be. Five
good fish, and only four people; Amy and I each manage to take a fish
home. I am feeling pretty happy. I need to get in as many dives as
possible before I leave town next week, too bad that work thing is always
getting in the way!
6-13-00
Almost the last day of school, certainly my last dive for a while. The
gang is going out on Dick's boat. There is Lyle, Dick, the master
and myself. I get to choose the dive site as I am going to be going
away. The ocean is a lot calmer than it has been and we head for
Kahala. Dick still wants exact marks and we spend some time driving
in circles looking for a fish in a haystack. The sun is waning as we
toss the anchor into the clear blue water. Lyle heads over on anchor
duty as the rest of us soon follow. The bottom looks like the map of
the airport. The long cement columns defining runways beneath me.
Well, Dick missed again, but he is close enough that all of us will
find the spot. I head forward in search of Lyle's secret uku area, but
only find Lyle making percussion noises to no visible fish. I leave him
and drift back down runway 27. Taxi over to 18 and move south of the
pile of Zees. There are fish. I see a lot of mu, I had thought that
since I was leaving town, I wouldn't shoot anything, but the mu are
tempting and I hide behind the pillar and lay wait. Uku come by in a
swarm. They are far away, but just knowing that they are there makes me
happy. A small papio dances into view and in front of my gun. With so
many good fish, I hold out and ignore him. I move back toward the zees
where I saw the uku heading. I run into the master, and Dick the
anchor is between them. They must have just brought the anchor to the
spot. Well that is one way to get good marks on the spot. At least we
wont have to drive in circles again after the dive! I take note to take
some mental land marks when I surface. There is still some distance
between me and the other two and the thundering uku come right down the
alley way. I have visions of the other two each getting a shot and I
don't want to be the cause of any mishaps. I turn tail and head back to
my previous hideout to await the next passing of the uku. The mu are
there again and it takes a while to pick out the one I want. I got him
close enough for the Mike "pull pull shoot" method. There is a piece of
rebar sticking out of the pillar and it catches my gun turning it 90
degrees as I charge the mu. Now mu will give you half a thought before
taking off, but in this case they are exceptionally slow. Either that
or they want to see the bugs bunny gun that points one way and shoots
another. Whatever the reason, I am left with the same results of being
closer to the mu than my gun is and trying to pull it around through the
ocean which has turned into Jell-O. The mu move away and I retreat
and await the uku. They oblige and I get a nice shot. The fish is
fighting over my head and the dangling shaft is hitting me in the head;
bonk bonk bonk as I struggle to get the fish in the bag. The uku remain
and let me reload, they must have heard my deco meter beeping. It is
shallow here, so that means I have been down pretty long. I can hear
tons of tank banging, no one but the master himself sends the 20 hits
and it is a shark, 19 for the anchor breaking loose and 21 for check out
the dolphins. I rule out those possibilities and take it as a message
that he is still on the bottom and I have no need to hurry. I leave the
uku to investigate when I here a different noise... must be Lyle's air
horn. I think to look up to see the two noisemakers decompressing above
me. They must have had fun watching me land the fish. They were trying
to tell me about the new anchor location, old news, and I wave back and
start my own ascent. They each have fish, the master has a papio and
Lyle a nice uku. There is no sign of Dick as we climb into the boat
and exchange stories. Dick surfaces, hands us an uku and gets a tank
to decompress with. We await his story, Dick running out of air?
Tsk Tsk. He caught his uku and had a mighty fight which included the uku
using the spear shaft that was through his body as a weapon to try and
spear Dick in the wind pipe. Close call, be careful when handling
armed fish. He came back to the anchor with 500 pounds, wanted to move
it so it was EXACTLY in the right place for marking the spot. While he
was fiddling around he heard a strange "bloop bloop bloop" noise like
air being let out of lift bag. He wondered about it just as his tank
went dry. 50' and he does not want to free ascent, he thinks he will
come up slowly anyway. (HUH??) Realizes that it would mean drowning and
surfaces in need of a tank. As we hear the story, Lyle quickly comes
up with the scenario that his regulator was loose and only held in place
by high air pressure in the tank. As the pressure dropped, the yoke
loosened up and let out the air. The story holds up with the presence
of a loose yoke. Just when you think you have heard and know
everything.... that was a new one for me. That with Lyle's tank with
water in it. (head down and your regulator freezes up, head up and it
fixes itself) Two new tricks to watch out for! Well, we all cheated
death once again, and each brought home nice fish. (you the reader of
course realize that the other two uku must have been slightly bigger
than mine or I surely would have mentioned it) I am writing this from
Philadelphia, far from the pacific and wistfully thinking that it might
be time to go diving back in Honolulu. Please send me any and all dive
reports. My regular address is fine as I can somehow check it from here
with the click of a button. Good diving everyone, see you in August.
