Mozen Schafer

Friends Hawaii November 2012

It was great haveing friends come and visit us in Hawaii.

Howard, Ben, Tim, Owen, Elizabeth, Avery

Having fun with friends.

Catje, Steve, with their son Sacha

Ry, Owen, Howard, Lilly, Ezzie, Michael, Avery, Elizabeth

Building a sand castle.

Look at that sword fish. Owen and Ry

Fun in the water.

Lets go snorkeling.

I have found myself enamored with the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle. We have been able to enjoy watching them on several occasions as we ramble about the hawaiian coast line. The best turtle watching was at Kalako-Hanokahoa Historical National Historical Park, which is only a 5 minute drive from where we are staying. I have been to the park several times enjoying the coast line and wading with turtles swimming and sun bathing.We also got blessed and got to watch 2 eating veggitation off some rocks and swishing with the surf, while we were snorkling at Hapana Bay State Park.
The hawaiian green turtle is endangered and protected. You are not allowed to harassass them, get to close or touch them (we were told it is a $10,000 fine to touch one!) Hawaiians used to hunt them for food, and use the shell for tools and ornamentation. The sailors through out the Pacific hunted them to extinction or near extinction all around the Pacific.
Honu (hawaiian for green sea turtle) and the 4 other native turtles are the islands only naturally occurring reptiles. There were no land reptiles, until the modern sea faring era. The most common turtle in Hawaii. the common name, green sea turtle comes from the green fatty layer inside, not the color of its shell.,

can you see it floating in the water?

Taking a nice sun bath

Turtle in the waves

90% of the Hawaiian turtles breed and lay there eggs in the French Frigate Shoals protected area. These shoals are about 600 miles NorthWest of the Hawaiian chain. They are an atoll area with extensive reefs and very little land (67 acres), left over from a long ago volcano. It takes a turtle about 20 years to reach 200 lbs and breeding size. Then every 3 to 4 years they return to the beach they were hatched at to lay a new batch of eggs. They lay 2 to 3 clutches of about 100+ eggs. Only a small percentage surive to adulthood. They can live for 80 years and become 350 lbs!!

Tahiti!! December 4th

The plane ride on Air Tahiti Nui had all the frills, including little socks.

We were welcomed by song, and we sang a lot!!!

Maeva
Maeva Maeva et (repeat)
et tara mai te he
Tiare, Tiare Tahiti

- A song taught to us by our hostess, who had the name: " Maeva" which means "welcome" . An appropriate name- she was welcoming.

Fish! Tahiti Dec. 4-18, 2012

Frank is our host here in Moorea, which is an island 12 miles from Tahiti. I was hoping we could learn from the locals and live like the locals. Well, we got that and more.

First night after changing money and shopping and getting settled in Frank brought us a Bonita. Dark red meat. ZW ate it raw and cooked, with rice and beans. Frank found us Masa Harina, (cause corn tortillas are hard to come by). Avery jumped in and made tortillas for our fish tacos. We had truly arrived.

Owen and I went out spear fishing the next morn with Frank's son Tahiti and his friend Tua. Those guys can fish! They lay on the bottom and spear lots of fish. No SCUBA just holding breath. Owen and I tried to keep up.

They caught maybe 20 fish and an octopus. I counted 12 different species.

They gave us a bunch of fish.

That cabana behind Elizabeth is where we are staying.

We ate this blue parrot fish for lunch.

Must have corn tortillas. Yay Avery!! This is an outside kitchen that we use.

Because we only had 6 fish, (sarcasm), and two for lunch, Frank rounded up this female Dolphin Fish (Mahi) for our evening meal with his family. We had been hoping to get into some fish, but wow!!! After he filleted one side he let me do the other. The "Nani" in the background is our cabana, we are standing in the ocean!!! Unbelievable location.

Frank the master fish cutter.

First he skins it, then takes off the meat. Very conscious not to waste.

I was honored to get to fillet the other side.

Frank december 4-18 in Tahiti

How could we ask for a better host?

A sting ray getting up on Avery's back.

They really like the fish skin that Avery is holding.

Elizabeth is pretty popular too. (This is after Frank told her that these are the type of Ray that killed Steve Irwin).

Pearl Harbor Visit on Dec. 2nd by Avery

oil still leaks from the Arizona

you can see it all under water

to all those how died on the Arizona

a hug submereen

some big guns that were not big enough

Tahit! Outrigger Canoe December 8th

Tahiti Adventures- Frank's company has been taking a couple about the island, and we... the lucky Mozen Schafers get to tag along. WE have been looking at these canoes in HI and here, and really wanted to try one. and lo and behold!...