I was able to identify the fish I saw during my last snorkel in Kahalu'u by looking up "weird fish Hawaii" on the internet.  Is it a brave new world or what?

Here's a link to the photo I found.  It's a "flying gunard."  The one I saw was looking a little the worse for wear and didn't appear to have the demonic red eyes of the one in this photo...but it was definitely the same fish. 

It had not been a particularly fun snorkel.  There was a tropical storm off the southern edge of the Big Island and the tide was higher than I've seen it in the bay.  Wavelets were breaking over the barrier reef and, althought the turtles seemed to be enjoying access to rocks they rarely get to feed from, the rest of the fish seemed stressed and anxious.

I felt much the same way.  I love to snorkel and have good confidence in my ability to stay afloat for hours on end.  But in rough waters, I start to worry about currents...especially when I'm not with a snorkel partner and there's no one home to worry if I don't come back in an hour. 

So I swam out and back a couple of times.  There were Yellow Tang, lots of Green Turtles, HumuHumu (looking very aggressive, Lynne) and the usual assortment of wrasse.  By the third time I was heading close to the shore, there were about 20 people out snorkeling.  I decided to go out one last time and see if, by going slowly, I could find something unusual.

I was rewarded with the Gunard.

Sometimes, pushing the envelope a little bit is rewarded.  Especially if it's a small envelope.

Sometimes, pushing the envelope a little bit is costly.  It was certainly costly yesterday for the fine folks in the Mojave who were testing a new engine on SpaceShip Two.  Three people died and three were injured in an accident from causes currently unkown.

I so admire the scientists who are committed to getting us off this watery rock and into space.  When I say "us," I mean US...not just the astronauts but the individual.  There's a quiet little revolution going on in space travel as entrepreneurs seek to fund space travel as a destination. 

The folks who work in this field may be considered "odd fish" by many.  We've got large concerns here on earth.  Space travel is the stuff of dreams and fiction.  Why devote one's life and work to such an "out there" pursuit?

Some may say that it's frivolous to spend countless dollars and now, precious lives, in pursuit of economic windfalls generated by space travel.  But I am reminded of what prompted ocean voyagers to "new lands" or, better yet, "undiscovered countries."  It was business that got us out across the globe.  I believe it will be business, rather than government, that finally propels us into space.

So this is my own little nod to the strangers who invested their lives yesterday, unwittingly but perhaps not unwillingly, into our futures.

Thank you.

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