Searching for Frogfish at Makena, Maui

Saddleback Butterflyfish
Slate pencil urchin
   Diving at Makena Landing here on Maui is one of the easiest shore entries on the island. A calm, protected sandy beach lets you wade out until you are all geared up and ready to go. Usually I bypass this easy entrance for a quicker but more dangerous drop off the lava rocks but we had reports of baby frogfish on the Makena Landing side so that is where we headed. We swam by a shark and a few turtles while listening to humpback whales singing in the distance, but we were on a mission to find the elusive frogfish. With a little bit of searching and a great find from our friend Dav, we actually found two!

Both frogfish were adults, about the size of a small dinner plate. They have amazing camouflage and I am sure we swam by a few that we didn't see. I have gotten to the point where I can search for their eyes which can give away their location. Their body shape and fins are another clue. Luckily they trust their camouflage enough to just sit and pose for the camera. So I was able to snap a few pictures of this particularly cute frogfish.

Makena landing, or five graves as its locally known is a great place for nudibranchs as well. Although on this day the frogfish stole the show. I do still have the urge to go back and find those baby frogfish!

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