Hawaiian Turkey!

[VBlueV]

finally the wind calmed down just a bit and the sun was shining bright on sunday!
first dive..
cruised out to the Ewa Pinnacles..

hiding under a big green Antler Coral Head..
this beautiful Hawaiian Turkeyfish..

and atop the Pinnacles..
found this juvi Titan Scorpionfish.. no bigger than a computer mouse..

second dive..
ventured to a shallow wall just off the runway..
we call it "the kitchen sink".. because everything is there.. and.. you know.

right off the bat.. found this cool 5 foot White-Tip..
(saw a bigger one at Pinnacles the first dive)..

and at the end of the dive..
a ferrocious gnarly Viper Moray deep in a puka..
(thanks for not biting my camera =)

here's a link to the rest of the dive shots..
09-08-23 pinnacles-kitchensink pictures by VBlueV - Photobucket

after the dives.. we cruised over to the Ski Club to get re-hydrated
here's Tracy and Leah doing some tandem wake-boarding..

 

[DiveWestOahu]

great photos,,, and thanks for not calling the first on a hawaiian lion fish like so many do,,, pinnacles is a great divesite (no garden eel photos?)

 

[VBlueV]

yeah.. the garden eels always duck down when i approach near enough for a close-up.
(the far-shots just look like white squiggly lines above the sand)

'don't have the patience.. nor bottom-time to hang out at 85fsw..
hoping they rise back out for a cameo =/

 

[rgbmatt]

and atop the Pinnacles..
found this juvi Titan Scorpionfish.. no bigger than a computer mouse..

This one is really a (normal sized) Decoy Scorpionfish, Iracundus signifer. So named because the yellow patch on the dorsal fin looks like a small fish, they're quite common in areas with a lot of rubble.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

great photos,,, and thanks for not calling the first on a hawaiian lion fish like so many do,,, pinnacles is a great divesite (no garden eel photos?)

According to the photo's on Keoki's Scorpionfish page that is a Hawaiian Lionfish. Same page also backs up the Decoy Scorpionfish ID.

 

[VBlueV]

yeah.. looking at Keoki's site..
i see the differences now..
but wow.. the Hawaiian Turkeyfish looks more similar to a full-sized (Indo-Pacific) Lionfish..
(which i've played with with my flippers at Diego Garcia..
that is.. before i knew their barbs could kill me)

and.. who's to say.. that a Decoy Scorpionfish, with the same beard.. doesn't grow up to be a Titan

 

[DiveWestOahu]

look at 10 different book and get 10 different names,,, hoover finally figured it out in his latest book

 

[deeper thoughts]

Thnx for the pix

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

look at 10 different book and get 10 different names,,, hoover finally figured it out in his latest book

Well I just yahoo'd Hawaiian turkeyfish and the first 30 hits all follow Keoki's ID.

In truth if you look at 10 different books there could only be 2 different names.

 

[DiveWestOahu]

did ya look?