Ten Ways to Help Save the Ocean

Redbarred Hawkfish

This Redbarred Hawkfish was spotted at Ke'e Beach yesterday. Redbarred Hawkfish are common on the North Shore of Kauai, but I rarely see them on the South Shore. The nice thing about Hawkfish is that they will pose for you. They use their pectoral fins to "perch" themselves on rocks where they wait for their prey. They tend to stay pretty still, which means, I could get a nice photo.

This was only one of a few fish however, that were spotted at Ke'e at all. The sheer number of people visiting this beach has taken an extreme toll on the environment. Notice the amount of algae growing on the reef in this picture. There is an obvious nutrient problem here, uncertain of its source, but something is going on for sure here. I would recommend steering clear of Ke'e to give it a break. Choose to go to Tunnels down the road a bit (though Tunnels is seeing quite an impact too) but the area is a little larger. Hawkfish are extremely common at Tunnels, so you will be sure to see one of these guys perched on the reef posing for a picture.

Whale Shark spotted on Kauai Snorkeling Trip

Photo: Christian Steen, CC-BY

A Whale Shark was spotted on one of the Na Pali snorkel tours on Kauai just a couple weeks ago. This is not very common, but for those who saw it, an unforgettable experience. If you are looking to see a whale shark on Kauai, you will have to get into deeper water and snorkel or dive often, even then, you may not be lucky enough to encounter one of these gentle giants...Luckily there is plenty of other fascinating undersea wildlife to see if you snorkel on Kauai like: Pacific Green Sea Turtles, Moray Eels, Parrotfish, Wrasses, Surgeonfish, Butterflyfish and even Manta Rays.

Did you know that the Whale Shark is considered to be the biggest fish in the sea? That's right! A Whale Shark is about as big as a bus! Don't worry though, Whale Sharks are graceful filter feeders, so it unlikely that one would gobble you up. Want to learn more fun fish facts, you can purchase FUN FISH FACTS for KIDS from the Amazon Kindle Store.

Disclaimer: (No, this photo was not taken on Kauai, but I needed one for the blog post)

Snorkeling update for Kauai's South Shore

Normally the summers on Kauai’s South Shore are too rough for good snorkeling. This had to be the mildest summer in history. The surfers were grumbling, but divers and snorkelers were taking advantage of all the flat summer days in beautiful South Shore locations like Poipu Beach and Lawai Beach.

Did you know that some of the best snorkeling on Kauai can be done from shore? That’s right, there is no need to get on a boat here, just get your gear and head out from shore. Sure, summer’s almost over, but the fall and winter months are the best months for snorkeling at South Shore beaches anyways. In fact the abundance and diversity of fish found especially at Lawai Beach is better than any other location on the island.

Large schools of Raccoon Butterflyfish and Orangeband Surgeon fish are common here as are wrasses of all colors, shapes, and sizes. Here you can watch the Rockmover Wrasse picking up and moving rocks by spitting them out. It’s a sight to see if you have never seen it before. Territorial Damselefish will chase other brightly colored reef fish from their algae patches and wrasses will fight over food. If you are lucky (or early) you may get treated to seeing a Pacific Green Sea Turtle. These graceful giants of the sea tend to frequent the area in search of their favorite food.

It’s a whole other world below the surface. It is also a whole new world in the ocean for visitors that have never snorkeled before. Here are some tips to help you have an enjoyable and safe experience: Always remember to take some time to see where the best place to enter the water is (clue: look for sand, avoid the rocks). Make sure your gear fits. Put your fins on in the water. Always swim with a partner. Snorkel at lifeguarded beaches until you are comfortable. Ask the locals questions.

If you are going to snorkel at this wonderful location it is important to know that there is a strong current that runs east to west. The safest way to avoid this current, is to look at the resort across the street and make note of the “Lawai Beach Resort” sign. Do not allow yourself to drift west beyond this sign, because this is where the current becomes extremely strong and dangerous. If you can stay on the eastern side of this landmark it can help keep you out of trouble.

The most important thing is to enjoy yourself. If you or your kids want to learn more about Hawaii’s marine life, you can pick up one of the many books on the subject like, The Complete Hawaiian Reef Fish Coloring Book, Hawaii’s Green Sea Turtles or Fun Fish Facts for Kids.

Where are our Priorities?

Clownfish in Hawaii?

Photo: Julie Bedford, NOAA

Did you know that there are no Clownfish in Hawaiian waters? Clownfish can be only be found in the western IndoPacific. This is because Clownfish are linked to certain species of large anemones, which are not found in Hawaiian waters. However, many people confuse the juvenile Yellowtail Coris for a Clownfish when diving in Hawaii because of its coloration. Juvenile Yellowtail Coris are common to see in the summer time.

Photo: John Coney UHH MOP, Juvenile Yellowtail Coris

Free Reef Fish Coloring Sheets

Want to get your budding marine biologists interested in marine life and conservation this summer. You can start with these FREE reef fish coloring sheets. Each sheet has important tips on the back for Reef Etiquette or other Tips for Protecting Coral Reefs. And they include nearly all the fish you will see when snorkeling on Kauai.

Where can you get these coloring sheets? Visit Lucid Publishing's website and leave our email address behind and they will send you a link to the free download. It's that simple! Don't forget to check out their award winning title, The Complete Hawaiian Reef Fish Coloring Book, a must have for summer vacation. You can't imagine all the color combinations that your kids will come up with!