Bishop Museum/Planetarium/Wayfinding

Planetarium

Over 30 years ago, I sat in this darkened planetarium and learned how Nainoa Thompson navigated the Hokule'a to Tahiti and back to Hawaii, using  Polynesian Wayfinding. I also learned Celestial Navigation from Loius Valier here, but yesterday Jean and I sat, again mesmerized, by the ancient ways of using all your senses to find your way.

Keeping the North Star on your stern and the Southern Cross on your bow and reversing the pattern as you return. Nainoa spent many hours, days and months in this very planetarium studying, taking notes and coming up with what what he believed his ancient ancestors knew intuitively. He learned that there are pairs of rising and setting stars which could assist you in establishing latitude. We watched as the planetarium skies revealed these pairs, along with Polaris(Hoku pa'a) and the Southern Cross. We learned their positions at Honolulu, Equator and Tahiti. Then we took a proposed trip to Tahiti and back to Hawaii  and we had to guess when we arrived at each location using these paired stars. I did well.

Will Kyselka, explored, watched and tried hard to keep up with the mind of Nainoa, but it was moving and learning at such a fantastic speed. Read Will's book, An Ocean in Mind, to discover how it all came about. Interestingly, the two shore birds mentioned in his book of great important are the Golden Pacific Plover and the Ruddy Turnstone. As ancient polynesians, in the south pacific, noted shore birds migrating from the northern waters meant land was present.

Bishop Museum

We explored the beautiful Halls of the museum and sat outside to listen about 20 locals, jam session of Hawaiian music and dance. What a wonderful day..so magical..., so beautiful..., so ancient.

More on Sand Island and Keehi Lagoon

I took a trip out to the Sand Island Coast Guard Station to get gas for the car. Gas is cheaper on the military bases. The CG Station is facing Honolulu Harbor on the ocean side. 2 Cruise ships were in the harbor to spruce things up. As I ventured back I stopped in at LMSC to check out some boats that I had seen. It was hot so I stopped in the bar and refreshed myself and waited until someone could let me in the gate.

The marina next door is just now putting in their new slips from the Tsunami. There are still many unrepaired docks in the state harbors and I see several damaged and abandoned boats along the shoreline.

A large trimaran on the shore

Take a look at the waterline

Hate to see these boats

On the way back to the beach I spotted an Albin 27 tucked back into a small storage space.

First one I have seen in Hawaii

The beach, the blue water and skies are pumping life back into my pale white body. I am happy as a clam, but red as a lobster.

Birds

I've noticed 2 new birds while I am on the beach; the Ruddy Turnstone and the Pacific Golden Plover. Both are long migrators coming to pacific islands from northern asia and alaska.

Pacific Golden Plover

Ruddy Turnstone

South American Cardinal

I forget this one

local park pigeon

Namaste Gulf 32

Jean, my twin, had a Gulf 32 shipped over to Hawaii from California back in the 80's. She lived aboard for a zillion years at the Ali Wai. After Jean sold her she lost track of her. During the tsunami, I saw Namaste on a you tube video in keehi lagoon at LMSC. She was tied to a partial finger pier. Now we can't find her again.
At our north shore birthday party a friend said she thought she was in the Ali Wai on D dock. Jean and I meandered down there but there was no Gulf 32 to be seen.
Jean and I coming up empty handed when it comes to finding our ole loves.

Namaste on her maiden voyage

Hanging Out in Hawaii

I just love this place, it is so beautiful, the weather wonderful, the people so kind and everyone is happy.

Hira in another tree

Willard

Willard

Fisher Pilothouse 25

Diamond Head Beach

A Lovely Drawing by Gloria Staakman

The Aloha Spirit Prevails.

The Night the Diamond Head Light House Went Out

Diamond Head Light House

The Diamond Head Lighthouse is the home for the 14th Coast Guard Commandant. The light is the original lens and can be seen as far away as 18nm. It is the light which keeps all the mainland ships from running onto the coral reefs of Oahu.

About 1979, I had the great fortune of actually being able to house sit for a week when the Admiral and his wife went to Washington DC. My job was to help his 2 young daughters in the evening. I got a fairly detailed orientation to the house and the lighthouse. The lighthouse had a back up generator so not to worry, he said. However, if there ever was a problem
to use the red button on the phone and all the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard would be notified. and  would all descend upon the house.

We had a wonderful dinner fixed on the BBQ and the girls went to bed early. The yard was well lite with flood lights. As I lay my head down on the pillow and began to close my eyes, I thought the lights in the yard went off. I got up and when I tried to turn on the bedroom light it was off also. I stumble through a totally dark and unfamiliar house and peered out at the light house. Oh my God, the light house is not working, the back up generator didn't come on and I can see a tug and barge approaching from Molakai. Do I dare push that red button? Well no, as the phone is dead. Nothing is working.This is the 70's so no cell phones. What could be happening? Are the Japanese getting ready to bomb Pearl Harbor again? I doubted that, but went out to the back gate and the road lights were out. Time slowly marched as I paced through the house. I didn't have a clue as to what to do, so kept checking the phone for a dial tone and about 30 minutes later, I got a signal and discovered someone had hit the transformer station and knocked out the power. So rather than turning on the panic button, I called the Admiral's Aide de Camp and apprised him of the situation. He sent people out to work on the light and generator. The Admiral called the next day to see how things were going. Boy, did I have a story to tell him. I'm certain that emergency plans were looked into. The rest of my week went well and it was a great honor to get to stay at this famous landmark.

Our Birthday Finally Comes

Birthday Girl

Jean and I have to get up early and hale on down to Waikiki to meet a friend for breakfast at the Hau Tree Lanai Restaurant in the New Otami Hotel. It is pouring rain up here in the valley where we are staying, but the rain stops when we get to Waikiki.
We have a wonderful breakfast and then take a drive up Diamond head to Kahala to look at all the fancy houses on the beach. Then spend time on the beach all day and have dinner with friends in the evening.
Home at 9pm, sleep at 10pm. I'm getting too old for this schedule.

Birthday Card from Jean

Birthday Breakfast
Hau Tree Lanai

22 April on the north shore for a party at friend's house

Lots of Fun in the Sun

My days are full and I am happy to be in Hawaii. Here are some things we have been doing, from marina hopping to Waikiki Hawaiian Shows to Doris Duke's Estate- Shangra'la

I can always find a nice tree to hug

Banyan tree

I found Sarah- Joyce's Cape Dory 27 It is for sale and survived the tsunami

I was looking for Jean's Namaste a Gulf 32 at LMSC but found this one instead-for sale

Friday night races in the AlaWai to Honolulu Harbor Buoy and back.

Doris Duke at age 12, became the richest person in the USA when her father died. At 22 she was visiting Hawaii and fell in love with it. On the back slopes of Diamond Head, she built her home in the 30's and named it Shangra'la. She has the largest collection of Islamic art in the world, so Jean and I took a wonderful tour of the estate thru the Honolulu Academy of Art. While we were only allowed to take photos on the outside, you can go to google images to see what an invisionary she was. The house is beyond anything imaginable. It is staggering to see what she created.

Home Page - Doris Dukes Shangri La

www.shangrilahawaii.org

Entry Pools

The side yard

Jean on lanai from the dining room.

What a view

Twins with Cyril Pahinui at Outrigger Hotel

My Old Stomping Grounds

I went to La Mariana Sailing Club the other day. This is where I lived on Sabra. The docks were completely destroyed from the Japanese Tsunami and now have been rebuilt. The old clubhouse which is now a famous restaurant was not destroyed.

Annette Nahinu built the place literally from scratch. She found a little piece of land fill near Sand Island in Keehi Lagoon, then had to convince the State that they owned it, and then created a 50 year lease. She had previously started a small marina nearby but had to relocate. So after obtaining the new land, she moved her docks, house, and she dug up every plant and palm tree and moved the whole mess to the new place. When the tsunami struck in 1960, she moved all the docks out and anchored them in the middle of the lagoon, went upstairs to her apartment and watched the waters recede out of the lagoon and re fill. After the waters settled down she moved the docks back in. She lived there until she died in 2008 at 90+ years. My twin, Jean became her yacht broker and had an office there. Her trust continues to manage the marina and restaurant.

It was after I left on Sabra that Annette converted the clubhouse to a restaurant which has become the hotspot to dine and listen to many fine Hawaiian musicians. Ron Miyashiro and his large group of friends play on Thursday nights.For years they played at the Tahitian Lanai and the Pagota Hotel and have recently returned to La Mariana.  It is the place to be for certain. If you are ever in Honolulu you must come for lunch or dinner. You won't ever forget it. It is like time traveling back to a small hangout in Honolulu in the 1920-30's.The place is literally on a tiny sliver of land right on the lagoon, the kitchen is maybe a 2 butt kitchen and how they serve all the meals they do, is a miracle.

Jean and I celebrate our 69th Birthday with friends

Lots of old Hawaiian decorations

Sunset Keehi Lagoon

Make sure you make reservations  for dinner 808-848-2800.
50 Sand Island Rd and check out the website. There is a nice bio of Annette Nahinu.

www.lamarianasailingclub.com/

Hokule'a

 The famous Polynesian canoe, Hokule'a, was blessed by the Dali Lama the other day.

photo google images

 She is preparing for her Circumnavigation of the world beginning in March 2013. I found her tied to the quay just off Sand Island in Keehi Lagoon, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Her escort vessel is Kama Hele

I was in Hawaii when the Hokule'a returned from her maiden pacific voyage in the 1970's. Since then she has cruised many pacific miles to Palmyra, Japan, Micronesia, mainland and all of the Hawaiian Islands.They use ancient Polynesian navigation tools reading the winds, currents and the celestial bodies.

See their website: http://www.hokuleawwv.org/

Another New Blog

My boating buddy on the Columbia River, Captain Dan of Whiskyjack has started his blog. Yeh, I am so excited as Dan has a wealth of knowledge in many subjects, has lived his entire life on the River and is so helpful and willing to share.

I met him after spotting his beautiful pilothouse sloop in a local marina. Immediately he began encouraging me to use the free Sea Clear Program and free NOAA charts to create my free chart plotter on my netbook. It took me a while to get it all pulled together, and afterwards I was really pleased to have its capabilities. Now, I don't know what I would do without it.

Check it out, I know you will love it.
http://whiskyjack-dan.blogspot.com/

Winter Rains Continue

Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii
Google Images

What a long winter this has been. All this reminiscing about Sabra and being in Hawaii makes me homesick for the place. So, I will be taking a breather from the cold winds and rainy weather and next week I'm taking a jet plane to Honolulu. See you on the beach.
Aloha