Bait under the bridge?

The other day I was out on Coconut Island with a friend (Larkin Hathaway) and we were trying to get some great pictures of Hilo Town from across the bay (Our new web site needs a great front page!), what we got instead was pictures of these cute little fish! I have no idea what they are but the local fishermen call them "bait", they were clustered under the bridge to the island in the shallower water to either end and they must have numbered in the millions! It looked & moved just like a bait ball you see in the deeper ocean but the fish were just tiny! The first shot is from looking over the bridge rail, the white is the glare of the edge of the bridge.

It was fascinating to watch this group of fish wheel & turn in concert, I could have watched them for hours and I really really wanted to get in the water, but work was calling so we had to head in. Next time I am going in board shorts and tucking my flippers in the car!

Credit for these photos goes to Larkin Hathaway!

The Old Man By the Sea...or Mongoose Highways.

These wonderfully gnarled trees grow right next to the tide pools at a park called "Coconut Island", a favorite place for all of the local kids to come and swim, jump from the old tower, fish or just hang out.
Coconut Island is located right next to Queen Liliuokalani park in Hilo, and just up the street from the awesome Isles Cafe. The reference to the mongoose is because the little guys love to run around on the nice flat and almost level branches, just like it is their personal highway.