The green goes on forever, until the gently sloping reef plunges into a blue so profound I only remember the color from certain vivid dreams. I realize I don't know the names of the fish species that populate the coral reefs on the south coast of Maui. Hues of blue and orange, yellow and tan, several variants of silver and gray, flit and swarm around me. I can only go on colors right now, and later after I study books or websites on local marine life, I'll be able to name names. I do know one: the humuhumunukunukuapua'a, Hawaii's state fish. I think I saw a couple yesterday, distinctive with their brilliant coloration and vaguely piglike snouts. Nan Cabatbat, a friend of my family's and a local kupuna (teacher of Hawaiian culture) said that these fish make piggish oinking sounds that you can hear amplified underwater. But the info on this link says otherwise. *chuckle* Well, I suppose I can find out myself, in due time.

The notable thing is, I now can do this, as my new prescription swim goggles allow me to see very well underwater for the first time ever... which I tested out yesterday swimming at the reef at Kamaole Beach (click on picture). Problem is, my sea-frolicking stamina leaves a lot to be desired. Even with fins, I found myself struggling to reach the reef bottom a mere 15 feet or so down. True, the currents and incoming swells swirling around the reef's shelf (you can see the shelf clearly in the photograph) made swimming around it tricky, but still. As luck would have it, since we're moving from upcountry to nearer the ocean, I should be able to get myself in good swimming shape soon.

Like these Samoan and Tongan teenagers clearly are, who have had the same idea as me this afternoon, diving off of this rock outcropping by the fringe reef at Kamaole. There are about 20 of them, and it's like they come from the same high school or church, as they all know each other very well, joking and flirting with each other in the timeless manner of teenagers everywhere. And they swim like they had gills or something and can stay underwater for insane lengths of time. I have to go up for air three times before some of these kids even look up to see how far the surface is. Later, they all hike back to the beach along the reef spur that's above the tide, and I look to see the boys lying bellyflopped down on the sand... but in a curious way. They're arrayed in a roughly starfish shape, their heads in the center of the starfish, as if they're discussing something serious. Meanwhile, the girls shout and play in the surf, some riding on others' shoulders in the classic jousting game.

Swimming with them reminds me of those tribal Badjao youngsters who lived near the wharf in Davao, the southern Philippine city I grew up in. They would make a living diving for coins that ship passengers would fling off of the dock or off ships. They made it "entertaining," too... waiting for the coins to rapidly sink to a seemingly impossible depth before diving for them. Then emerging to air, grinning, and you'd see the glint of coins in their mouths. These kids would stay all the time in the water, or hunkered on tiny little outrigger canoes carved out of coconut trunks and smeared with tar; they were such water-dwellers that their black hair would be permanently bleached copper, and the sight of these dark, bronzed Filipino mer-children with copper hair provoked a strange thrill to me way back in the olden days of my own childhood... they were so alien, and yet hauntingly familiar. I remember dreams of being one of those Badjao kids, but can't recall whether they were good dreams, or scary ones.

10:45 p.m. Note to Cousin Pingping (and Sparky)... AIM booted me out about an hour ago, and hasn't let me back in again. Now cuz, you'll have to write that weblog on what has happened to the Badjaos yourself, so I can link to it from here. ^_^ I lost the transcript of our conversation. (And Spark, sorry about being unable to return; however, I did get your essay intact. We'll talk about it tomorrow. Now don't stay up too late! Good job on the "school" link on your weblog. :-)

{ net.casting }
^