September 17th, 2001

Big Island - Day 5 - Correction - Day 4

Boat Harbor: Keauhou Bay, Keauhou, Big Island, Hawaii.

Tour Operator: Fair-Wind Cruises (http://www.fair-wind.com/fairwind.html)

DiveMaster: Mike

Boat: Fair-Wind II

Checkin 8:30 AM, Departure 9:00AM

40min Boat Ride

Dive Site: Kealakekua Bay

After our short ride out on their 60ft. catamaran, we got to this pristine secluded bay called Kealakekua Bay.  It was very pristine with calm waters.  Under the boat, you could see very clear water all the way to the bottom including some fish...  We got in the water first (the boat carried a bunch of snorkelers, there were only 4 divers including ourselves).  It was a very nice dive..

Laura after water entry heading down the drop off of coral

Neat coral formations

Crown of Thorns - Venomous Spines... OUCH!!!

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: 1. Bright orange lines run diagonally along side of body.
DESCRIPTION:  Body white with 6 orange bands, yellow head with black bars.

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Long, thin body. 1. Trumpet-like mouth.
DESCRIPTION: Adept at color change. Most common phase is brown to reddish brown; can be blue-gray, bright yellow or many shades between. Have pale lines, scattered small black spots, and a black streak on upper jaw.

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: 1. Symmetrical bullet-shaped head.
DESCRIPTION:  Terminal is variable in color, but generally blue/green with orange wash on sides.  Initial phase is dark brown with red around head, double row of white spots, large dark spot on tail.

Pufferfish or Spotted Box Fish and 

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES:  1. Bright yellow with white spine at base of tail.
DESCRIPTION:  Bright yellow surgeonfish with white caudal spine.  Has a distinctly pointed snout.

Arc-Eye Hawkfish - Tiny, skittish, little 2 inch long fish

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES:  1. U-shaped mark behind eye.
DESCRIPTION:  Two color phases, the one pictured is dark brown to red with a white stripe on second half of body.  The other is dark brown with darker brown stripes.

Hawaii's State fish - the Triggerfish.  (Also called: Humuhumunukunukuäpua`a)  

This fish is equipped with powerful jaws and sharp teeth they can often be heard crunching coral and assorted invertebrates

After the dive we had lunch and did a little snorkeling....  After that we got on the boat to go back around 12:30PM.

Had some dinner and went back to the hotel to do some swimming.