We went night diving and saw some amazing things I have never seen before: an eel eating a butterfly fish, squid just hanging out, a sponge crab. Also saw a big manta and some other more common night dive things.

I have also added some photos of whales breaching and spinner dolphins that I saw from the dive boat during the day, plus a video of trigger fish so you can hear the whale song.

Eel Eating Convict Tang

Squid

Sponge Crab

Manta

Above: Squid, white collector urchin, parrot fish, cup coral, ghost shrimp, manta ray.

Whales Breaching — from Boat During the Day

Spinner Dolphins

Trigger Fish — But Listen to the Whale Song

So much wildlife in the ocean, which you can also see from a boat or the beach. We often see whales from above water on the dive boat. It is hard to get a good video. But below are a couple.

Whales

Spinner Dolphin

We often see spinner dophins from the dive boat — as well as under water.

Baby Manta

I was kayaking in A-Bay near our house and a baby manta ray came by to check me out.

Baby Manta

Turtle

We see lots of turtles on the bach near our house. One day I saw nine warming on the beach. I like this one on the lava.

Some of the most beautiful fish we see diving in Hawaii are butterfly fish. They are colorful and very plentiful. There are so many that I sometimes forget to take pictures of them. But here are 14 different ones. Most are pretty common. Some are quite rare. I have also seen black long nose butterflies but I could not find a photo — for my next dives!

I went with Extended Horizons to dive in Maui and Lana’i. Saw my first giant moray at First Cathedral in Lana’i and more turtles than I have ever seen at Mala Pier in Maui.

Had a great day diving. Check out the frog fish courting. You rarely see them moving. Then a manta came by — twice. We found a cute reef shark as well as a juvenile rock-moving wrasse. Lots of other fish too!

Frog fish above and below. When he puts his fin around her, looks like hugging, but he’s pushing the eggs out.

Above left to right. Top row turtle, juvenile dasycllus (Hawaiian Domino Damsel), more dascyllus . Middle row: sea urchin, coral, white mouth moray. Bottom row: puffer fish, moorish idol, achilles tang.

Every dive is an adventure – an opportunity to see the creatures who become like familiar friends as you watch them eat and swim and rest. Sometimes I have fun looking closely at their eyes and decorative colors. Other times, I like to watch how their fins move or they stab at what they eat. For me, diving is also a game – can you find a new fish you have not seen before? Can you find a camouflaged one hiding in the sand or reef? Will you be looking in the right direction when a large creature – a ray or shark or even a whale – swims by? I have fun identifying new fish in the fish books or online and truly geek out over how some change from juvenile to adult.

Here are some photos and videos — though not many of actual fish. You can look at previous diving posts:

Whale and Dolphin Under Water

Turtle Playing with Leaf

Dive Photos including Night Dive

Amazing Octopus

Diving on the Big Island

Fish in Transition

Here is a dragon wrasse — a juvenile rock moving wrasse. It is about 1-2 inches long.

As an adult, it is known as a rock moving wrasse. Here is a photo. I like the distinctive markings on its face. The adult can be as big as 10 inches

Here is a video of the rock moving wrasse — makes it easy to see how it got its name.

And then every now and then, you see one in transition with some of the shape and markings of the adult and some of the juvenile.

Another type that makes a fun transition is the Yellowtail Coris wrasse. The juvenile is about about 3 or 4 inches and is orange-red with white spots outlined in black.

The adult can be10-12 inches, has a shimmering blue body and yellow tail. This is a female.

And the ones in transition have the front of the juvenile and the back of the adult.

Well Camouflaged

Lizard fish:

Leaf Scorpion

Scorpion Fish

Peacock Flounder

Frog Fish

Note that the frog fish also changes a lot. Here is a juvenile which is only an inch or two long:

Big Creatures

Shark

Manta Ray

Eagle Ray

Nudibranchs

Nudibranchs, affectionately referred to as nudis, are essentially sea slugs. Mostly only a few inches, though some can be bigger. Some like the egg nudi. Otheres are more rare.

Sea Urchins

There are lots and lots of sea urchins. I think some are really beautiful.

Coral

Obviously also a lot of coral. Some are just lovely. Here are some more unusual ones.

Upside down jelly

I was diving and watched this Turtle chasing and eating leaves. He was super cute.