Remembering Keith: Maui 2008

Keith, morning run to the Molokini Crater, Maui.

Keith, on the left.

I think he's smiling in this one.

I had thought this pretzel-yogic move was mine, but looking more closely, that's Keith.
We were both wearing our trusty Rocket Fins, which is what threw my initial indentification.

I miss you, man.

Mala Pier, Maui: December 2008

Visibility wasn't much that day, I must admit. First, the dive company cancelled on us, and then they called back with a possible dive up in Lahaina . . . but we needed to leave immediately. Keith and I had already begun the transition from boat-dive to leisurely lunch and an afternoon shore dive of our choice.

Still, we jumped in the rental car and headed north. Glad we did. Visibility was poor, as you can see here, but we had a fine time at a new place for us. While we used our tanks, spearfishermen kept slipping down and sliding around us, haunting the ruins of the pier, hunting for dinner. It was distinct fun to watch the breath-hold diving from the bottom.

We also found at least one, perhaps two, frogfish. Now, those are cool creatures.

That's my pal Keith at the lower right.

Do you see the turtle?

Good dive; good memories.

Now, I need to go out and make more memories for the two of us.


P.S. I know that's not much of a shot, but Keith's in it, and there won't be anymore of those photos. Still, I have caught the wonderfully limited visibility. And that's something that a NorCal diver never takes for granted, though purists would probably scoff at diving in these conditions.

Friends: Maui Farewell

Here are Keith and myself in the parking lot of the main Maui Dive Shop in Kihei. We have just returned the rental gear, and we're just about to head for the airport and our separate flights home. We've had a full week diving, sightseeing, eating, drinking, and talking. From casual jokes to heated debates, if we weren't actually underwater, we were definitely talking.

We never were much for hugging each other, and you can see that in the photo. The awkwardness seems slightly sad, but mostly funny to me now. Classic guys.

December 2008.

Keith: More Maui Memories

Keith Sanders and I spent a week on Maui in December 2008, diving and talking, just as old friends are supposed to do, but often never do.

Here are a few more images from the underwater portion of the week: Mala Pier, Keith, and sea turtles. The viz was murkier than we expected, but we still enjoyed being underwater without full wetsuits.

He passed on Monday, March 7, 2011. He was only 49 years old.

Keith: Maui Memories

Maui memories from December 2008.

We met at the airport, checked out the condo we had rented, and hit the beach.

Keith exploring and Keith snoring: paradise either way.

Molokini with Keith

Splash action with a shark. See it?
A better shot of the shark.
Keith in the foreground, taking it all in, looking to take another photo, drifting along.
Myself, on the prowl?
Keith, absorbed, (above) and (below) myself, heading up for the boat.
A few images from a great diving day: December 2008.

Keith and I set out with the Maui Dive Shop team for the inside of the Molokini Crater and then somewhere closer to Maui itself, but the conditions were rather rough in the shallow waters, so we ended up doing a drift dive on the Backwall of the crater: very sweet.

Another day I'll write about that trip, the two friends meeting up in Maui for a week of talk-story, imbibing, and diving. Lots of free diving from shore (my favorite); lots of long nights telling old stories and arguing about new events and decisions in our lives.

I'll always treasure that trip.

Octopus Alert!

(You can see the octopus rising up from his hideaway, just below the fish in the photo above.)

(Here, the octopus is holding still and watching me as I approach.)

(Now he--or she--is pulling back into the safety of that hole, though watching me as I hover.)

(We watch each other, warily.)

A handful of shots from last summer on Maui.

The octopus was moving, rising up a bit from that hole, and that's the only reason I spotted it. I took these shots, free diving, and then moved away before the creature could become too perturbed by my continuing presence. Or, so I reasoned.

Attempting to be tricky, I ended up hovering at a distance, hoping the octopus would rise up again and even leave the hole, but that didn't happen despite my moving further and further away. He, or she, watched me the whole time. So, I swam away, only to return and hover again, but no luck. I eventually grew cold, even in Hawaiian waters, and headed to shore.

Bluefish

Doesn't it almost look like a painting rather than a photograph?

No photoshop here. Just a photo shot from the depths.

Postcard: Turtle Reef

Turtle Power: Grace Ascending

A question for my English 93 students this term:
What would Rell Sunn tell us about this turtle?

Dive Partners

Turtle Power: Washed and Waxed?

Turtle Power: Depth Recharging

Turtle Power: Sand Under Sea

Turtle Power: Maui Free Diving