Delays, delays

I apologize for the lack of post but the last two days were pretty exciting. Well yesterday more then the last. My minimal yard work consisted of mowing the 2 acres, taking down 7 trees and dragging them over the cliff and doing some hedge clipping all around the resort walkways. Refilling the washed out gravel and collecting palm fronds from all over and bringing them to the farthest side of the grounds. 

But it was all worth the work out. I was able to leave to spend the night down in Kihei since Susan was able to line me up with a free tour of Molokini and whats known as Turtle Town. So down off Makena Bay they picked us up in an awesome 61' Sail boat and in a matter of 15 min.  had arrived to the Molokini Crater! Jumped off the boat from the diving ledge and right as the bubbles cleared away all I could see was a school of very curious black triggerfish. Below you could see the coral shelf rising all the way to the sides of the crater wall. Closer inspection showed even more!

Rainbow, and striped parrot fish, 3 different types of box fish, a peacock and spotted groupers (baby sized so about as big as my forearm) butterfly and angel fish! An ungodly amount of tang fish. More I didn't recognize. I was worried they were going to force us to use snorkel gear and flotations. But instead I was free to choose, so of course I kept my goggles and flippers which were far better then what they offered. I was able to free dive around in the deeper parts and one of the tour guides showed me under the shelf about 30 or so ft. There was a hiding place where schools of squirrel fish hide. So we get down there and from above its like that illusion in labyrinth when sara is trying to get past the entry way and the worm tells her to walk forward. It looks like the coral just reached to the sand. Till you look at a horizontal view and there is a cave! Filled with wide eyed striped fish! It was so cool!

For about an hour we were out there and then we started to head back to Makena Bay, which not a 1/2 out from shore is "Turtle Town". We parked in about 30 ft or so of water and swam out afew yards and there was a lane made naturally of coral and it was a cleaning station for turtles and other large sea creatures. They swim through and cleaning shrimp and fish jump on and clean the shells while they chill. Got an entire camera's worth of pictures of these two 400 something pound Pacific Green Sea Turtles hovering about the coral. 

The rest of the journey was spent on the boat after this. Getting food and drink complimentary and enjoying the views on and off the boat. We also were lucky enough to have some bottlenose dolphins ride along side the boat. I got some film of them. Mind the swarm of kids that were infront of me. I was filming without seeing through the viewfinder. >.>

Overall and awesome trip, but the real treat was after. Right off shore when we were getting off, there were two more sea turtles not 15 ft away from the beach. Eating the algae and whatever off the rocks. So after the tour I jumped right back in and for an hour or so got to swim maybe a little to close to these awesome gentle creatures! That is what this trip was all about, and since all beaches on this island are public I'm heading back there 2 or more times if I can to see them again!