We did an early-morning beach cleanup a few weeks ago in Waikiki. At one point, I saw something glistening in the sand, and thinking that I might have found one of Dennis Rodman’s earrings, I bent down to pick it up. Instead of bling, I found this little fellow, a 3-inch squid that was so life-like, it must have died just minutes before I found it.
I have no idea why it died. Some people will say that it must have taken the Covid booster. I won’t argue with them. I have better things to do, and if I want to enjoy a fantasy, it certainly won’t involve a Covid booster. Anyway, we knew it would not want to end up in the city dump, so we took it back down to the water, returned it gently to the sea, and told it, “Here’s looking at you, squid.”
The cleanup was sponsored by our favorite Waikiki restaurant, Duke’s, and everyone who worked for 90 minutes was welcomed into the restaurant for a free meal. Eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs, pancakes, fruit . . . the works! We made some wonderful new friends, too. Thank you, Duke’s! A great memory, and a great way to start the day. We’ll be back for the next one.
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A New Squid on the Block
We were snorkeling at Magic Island a few years ago when we were surprised to find this squid patrolling the rock wall that borders the island. Despite murky water, we were able to make out the shimmering iridescence that decorates its body.
Hawai'i's squid are usually referred to as oval squid or bigfin squid or, if you are in the restaurant trade, calamari. They live for only 10-11 months and rarely exceed a foot in length. A big one will be three pounds. They mainly eat crustaceans and small fish, and, in turn, they are preyed upon by, well, everything - sharks, dolphins, monk seals, tuna, marlin, swordfish . . . and mankind. Due to their rapid growth rate (the fastest of all large marine invertebrates) and their tolerance for captivity, they are regarded as an excellent choice for marine farming.
As the oceans warm, bigfin squid lay more eggs. Some areas of the world have seen such a dramatic increase in their numbers that an Australian scientist has dubbed them the "weeds of the sea."
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