I’m taking a break from the moth and caterpillar paintings. Just returned from a week in Kauai, and I plan to write up a list of all the sea creatures I saw while snorkeling. Every single time I went in the water, I found new things to add to my list. John P. Hoover’s “Hawaii’s Fishes” was my main reference book to aid in identification.
We saw lots of wonderful fish, and swam with sea turtles at several beaches. Monk seals also were around, though we kept our distance from them. From the Kiloauea Lighthouse we could see several pods of Spinner Dolphins frolicking in the ocean below. We also saw Red-footed Booby, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Great Frigatebird, Laysan Albatross, both Red and White-tailed Tropicbirds, and the Hawaiian Goose.
The most amazing fish I saw was a Parrotfish that was so incredibly colorful, it hardly seemed possible. It really was every bit as vibrant as the watercolor painting I did of one several years ago. I used to think my colors were exaggerated, but the fellow I saw on this trip proved otherwise!