Crossing the Pacific to Hawaii

Crossing the Pacific from Mexico to Hawaii was almost a joy!  Calm seas and warm weather encouraged lots of reading in the sun on the balcony. . . However, rough seas returned on day 4 of our 5 day voyage, which meant that we were 6 hrs late arriving in Honolulu.  Our Captain must have heard his passengers getting crabby, as he managed to extend our visit to Honolulu by 24 hrs but it meant that we would not be doing our planned stop to the island of Hilo.  I’m sure you’ll all be assuming (as we are) that we will no longer going through the Suez Canal and Red Sea in April  – This has become a ‘voyage of surprises’ as we await the next change to the itinerary!

Honolulu

What a pleasure it was to feel solid earth under our feet as we arrived in Honolulu.  A very modern city with lots of skyscrapers towering over beautiful white sandy beaches.  Streets are all immaculately clean, with plentiful lush greenery, and colourful shrubs. We appreciated an afternoon of walking and doing a bit of shopping. The city is a major hub for business, finance, hospitality and military defense not only for all the islands of Hawaii but for the whole of Oceania. Two thirds of the total population of the islands live in or near Honolulu – which is on the island of Oahu, meaning ‘gathering place’. 

Discovered by the Polynesians and the Portuguese, but now an American State, the country is very diverse with a huge mixture of cultures.  The locals are very friendly and welcoming.  Our evening’s entertainment in Honolulu was some local Hawaiian schoolgirls showing us the cultural dances. 

Peter enjoyed a self-guided tour of Pearl Harbour taking his time to see and do what he wished.  Meanwhile, I joined a small group of fairly fit cruisers (there are many who are NOT!) to walk the steep path and 170 steps to the top of a Le’ahi Volcanic Crater.  Known locally as the Diamond Head  (original settlers believed there were diamonds up there) – the summit (762 ft above sea level)  affords breath-taking views of the city below and the mountains behind.  The Trade Winds were blowing, but it was a pleasant 24C.  Sadly, we were not the only people up there!

We could NOT visit Honolulu without experiencing Waikiki beach – known worldwide for its turquoise waters, white sands and surfing of all kinds, it lived up to its name! 

Maui

Sadly we were unable to moor at Lahaina due to the devastating fire that obliterated the area 6 months ago.  Instead, we docked at Kahului a busy deep-draft port.  A small group of us – again, the fitter ones! – revelled in an hour’s tour of the north-west of the island of Maui.  We were delighted to see several whales in Maui Bay – they arrive here every year, all the way from Alaska, to give birth – the sheltered bay makes a good ‘nursery’.  Passing through Lahaina was a very emotional experience, as we could see the remains of the 3000 houses destroyed and noted all the toxic debris still to be cleared before rebuilding can begin.  Hurricane strength winds on the day of the fire, blew down power lines which ignited the dry undergrowth.  Thousands of people are still being housed elsewhere.  Our driver/guide was from the area; hence his re-counting of the inferno was extremely poignant. 

Having driven part way up the mountain past some very celebrious houses and the PGA Tour Plantation Golf Course (wowsers!), we enjoyed a good walk through a Rain Forest up to the Pu’u Kukui Watershed.  The name is Hawaiian for ‘Hill of Enlightenment’, a very sacred place for the locals.  Average rainfall up here is 325 inches a year, though much of this precious water never reaches the inhabited lowlands thanks to run-off and erosion.

 

Battling both high winds (those Trade Winds again) and a rocky path, we learned about the ongoing conservation project aimed at preserving the native species of Hawaii.  Again, we were blessed with a highly competent and engaging local guide, who was passionate about his environment and his country of birth. 

Hawaii is now on our list of ‘return to visit properly’ places – much more to discover and enjoy on these beautiful islands! 

We sailed from Maui at 4pm and encountered rough seas within an hour of heading south!  A force 8 gale is now blowing, a 4-metre swell is rocking us about (and has closed the gym, swimming pool and walking deck) and we’ve just been advised that there is a hurricane warning for French Polynesia where we’re headed next! 

More anon, when we’ve weathered the storm . . . . .