Why We Dive
WHALES ARRIVE EARLY THIS YEAR
by Ev Schultz
(Oct - Dec '08)
MOUSE OVER IMAGES TO ENLARGE!
Recent activities in the ocean reinforce why we dive…
every day is different!
BIG THINGS happening this Fall. Early sightings of humpback whales, lots of rays, dolphins, a big barracuda, jacks and more!
Whales seem to be more active than normal with a lot of early breaching activity. Normally they’re not as active until mid January…as they rest from their long journey from Alaska, and as mothers take time to give birth. The first whales were sighted October 7th & 8th by our crew this year, and the first baby breach was December 5th between Molokini and Red Hill (Pu`u Ola`i). The first sighting of whales underwater occurred at Molokini by Tiffany & Joe’s dive teams, on December 15th with a mama and baby stealing the show. We are blessed with about a half dozen sightings of whales underwater each year, which didn’t occur until mid January (2008) last whale season.
A FEW RARE SIGHTINGS occurred as well. Have you ever seen a frogfish in motion? Have you ever seen a frogfish (Antennariidae)? We have a plethora of sizes, shapes and colors…but don’t often see them in motion. They have a modified dorsal spine like a fishing lure to attract prey. Frogfish don’t swim in the conventional way, they "walk" on their pectoral fins or use jet propulsion by forcefully expelling water from a small opercular opening behind and below their pectoral fins.
They are mostly bottom-dwelling fish where they lie in wait for prey. They are able to change their color to match their environment, and their camouflage is further aided by warts and fibers on their skin, giving them an appearance similar to rough coral. As an ambush predator, the frogfish has the fastest movement in the animal kingdom with a bite that has been photographed at high speed to take 1/6000 of a second.
In November the crew also saw three large Threadfin Jacks at Battleship Rock; had a 30 minute encounter with a Manta and its tag along Ramora on the backwall at Molokini; whales and dolphins on surface intervals between Molokini and the shore; Tiffany’s divers were surrounded by 50+ Spinner Dolphin at the wreck and enjoyed a 15 minute encounter; and a rare Saddleback Butterflyfish showed up at Reef’s End. Even a successful underwater proposal occurred on November 29th… CONGRATULATIONS Sara & James!
Early December continued the rare sightings with a Hawaiian Stingray at the wreck and more than a dozen Jacks hunting together; a school of 500+ Sleek Unicornfish…as far as the eye could see; a big barracuda and a big jellyfish at Reef’s End; a school of Bluefin Tuna at Slides, and a rare white and gray Manta Ray. What a way to end the year! The only thing missing is YOU!
Ev Schultz is an integral part of ERDA. She has managed the booking office for over ten years and is constantly being praised by our customers for her warm and friendly manor while dealing with our diver's needs.