We saw a yellow-billed cardinal this morning. He doesn't look much like the northern cardinal, but boy is he smart. This South American native was first noticed here in 1973, and while he is common on the west side of The Big Island, he is found nowhere else in Hawai'i. He is styling in his tuxedo, white collar, black bib and brilliant red head sans crest.
Today we went to Bruce's Ho's Photography shop. Bruce and Sally Ho have been good friends of Lee and Tracy since Tracy was in kindergarten and the Ho's son became Tracy's best friend. Bruce has been working on his photography full time for eight years. I bought a cool photograph for Desert's Edge.
Tracy, Steve and I then went to Honaunau Bay to snorkel. It's called Two Step because the safest way to get into the ocean is on two natural lava benches where you can gear up and then drop into the ocean. It was the best snorkeling I have ever experienced. The water was clear and still, the green coral was alive, and the number and variety of the exotic fish was astounding. I have always said that no one could make up a fish that's weirder than the ones that already exist in the sea.
I like Dave Barry's thoughts on the matter: "When you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean -- it's like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent."
The water was pretty cold, and I was shivering, but I couldn't drag myself back to shore. I kept taking "just one more look" for about two hours.
Then we walked around the Pu'uhonua O Honaunau, which is right next door to the snorkeling area. Better known as the Place of Refuge, this enchanting place was built in the sixteenth century. Citizens were subjected to endless rules and taboos. It was against the law for members of the lower classes to look at or walk on the same trails with members of the upper classes. No one was allowed to get close to the chief or even to allow his shadow to fall on him. Violations of the rules was believed to anger the gods, who would send lava flows, earthquakes, tidal waves or droughts to even the score. This was serious business, so only one punishment was suitable for law breakers: death.
If a criminal could reach his area's place of refuge, and he performed the rituals prescribed by the priest, he could be released after a few days imprisonment, and his debt to society as well as to the gods would be forgiven.
We got within five feet of a green sea turtle, about three feet long, which was resting in the cove at Place of Refuge. We learned after leaving that we can enter the water from Place of Refuge along the channel the turtles take to get to their resting place, which would have increased our chances of swimming with them. Next time.
