ADVENTURES IN ECONOMY – HAWAII

Day 1, Thursday 5th November – Double Thursday

Melbourne Cup has come and gone for another year and it is now time to tote up our luggage for another adventure. Ever since I was a young boy I dreamed of surfing the big waves of Hawaii and that was reinforced by television shows such as Hawaii Five-O and Magnum P.I. Just like Tom Selleck’s shorts the big wave surfing has been consigned to the scrap heap but at least Alice and I will have the opportunity to witness the amazing landscape and just perhaps, a few big waves.

After a fine dinner on Thursday evening Jemma kindly delivered Tony, Julie, Alice and me to Brisbane International Airport. Everything went smoothly right up until the time we were scheduled to takeoff. We were sitting in our premium seats with the extra legroom when the airport was lashed by a huge electrical storm. The announcement came over the intercom that all flights were to be delayed. After one hour of sitting on the tarmac the call finally came that we would be taking off. Our flight was largely uneventful and I managed to grab about five hours of sleep which is a record for me. As we flew over Tonga our second Thursday arrived as we crossed the international date line.

Due to our delay in Brisbane we only had 1 hour and twenty minutes to make our connecting flight to the big island of Hawaii. I needed to pee so Alice waited patiently for me in the immigration line. By the time I emerged from the toilet Tony and Julie had cleared immigration but we still had twenty minutes to wait before we cleared. After picking up our luggage we had to hightail it to the domestic terminal which was located in another building. The way finding signage and lack of ground staff to direct us slowed us even further. We spotted Julie and Tony in the security line and they were able to give us directions on where to drop our luggage. In the short period that we were dropping off the bags the security closed the line and ordered us outside to join a queue which extended out onto the footpath. The security people are woeful as they only think about what is happening inside their own box. It is of no concern to them if your plane arrived late and you are going to miss your connecting flight.

Fortunately one of the staff who keeps the queue moving assisted us and pointed us to a security line that was opening up. Without her help we would have still been in the long and winding queue. My stress levels were up with all the rushing around and it was with a sigh of relief that we joined Julie and Tony at the boarding gate. I threw everything on a seat and tried to catch my breath. In a nanosecond things went from good to bad as I could not find my wallet which had all my cards and a large amount of cash in it. I started to panic and rushed back to security in case I had left it in the basket. No luck and I was really stressing out. When I returned to the others they could see that I had a shattered look on my face. I had resigned myself to the fact that I had lost it when a guy who had been sitting nearby asked if we had lost something. He then pointed to the offending black wallet that had camouflaged itself against the black cloth of the chair where I had originally dumped my bag. My stress levels dropped away instantaneously and I was so thankful for his honesty.

After touching down on what was a very brief 35 minute flight we picked up our hire car from Dollar. Even the five kilometer traffic jam that we encountered after leaving the airport could not dampen our spirits. We have booked a two bedroom flat that is attached to a house on the hillside of Kona. We are using Air BnB for the first time and can say that the room is as advertised. We have a great view from the Lanai (patio) and the sunset promises to be smashing. The only downside is that we have to walk through one of the bedrooms to access the toilet. Tony and I went for a drive to Walmart and picked up a few supplies for our evening meal. We managed to find some fruit, peanuts, chips and of course a few beers which we enjoyed on the lanai.

Friday, 6th November – Touring Around

A restful night’s sleep was had by all and after a hearty breakfast we hit the road. We did not have much of a plan but decided to head south towards the volcano. After a couple of minor detours the urge for a coffee overwhelmed us. There is no shortage of coffee here as the big island is famous for their Kona brew. We were in the Kealakekua Bay area which just happened to have a coffee plantation and a museum right on the highway. There was a great view from the back deck and it wasn’t long before we were knocking back free samples of the different brews. The girls bought a couple of postcards which helped to offset the dozen or so samples that Tony and I tried.

On the road again and we decided to turn off the highway and take a look at the Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park. There was an exorbitant entrance fee of $3 per person and $5 for the car so we parked outside and opted for a free walk down to the bay. This was a great area for snorkeling but alas we only had our bathers. Tony and I opted for a swim and enjoyed a relaxing twenty minutes in the crystal clear water. Back in the car we decided to keep heading south as there was a town shown on the map called Ocean View which we thought would be a great spot for lunch.

It did not look far on the map but it still took another hour to get there. The town was so small that before we knew it we were beyond the town limits. We had seen a sign for a Hawaiian Barbeque that promised to sate our rumbling stomachs. After executing an immaculate U turn on the highway we headed back for the promised lunch. The girls immediately vetoed lunch at this establishment as the smell of the deep fryers and the behemoth clientele indicated that our arteries would soon be clogged with saturated fats. In the end we opted for a foot long pastrami roll that we shared four ways. With our hunger under control it was good bye to Ocean View which by the way did not have an ocean view.

Heading north again we dropped in for a look at Hookena Beach Park which was about a two mile deviation. It had a camping area which was closed and a reasonable sandy beach for swimming. The one thing we have noticed is that the coastline is mostly rocky headlands dotted with a few sandy beaches. Our trip back was delayed as there appeared to be a major accident that had blocked the highway. A police officer gave us some directions to get around the blockage which involved a long detour on narrow roads. We followed the flow and were heading in the right direction until I failed to follow Julie’s advice and ended up at a bay whose name I can’t remember. At least we had a chance to stretch our legs and have a rest break.

For dinner tonight we have decided to head downtown and try out Kona’s Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. It is located right on the water but unfortunately we missed out on a waterfront table. After sharing a mixed entrée we all opted for different versions of the shrimp except for Tony who decided an American beef burger was the way to go. All this was washed down with wine, cocktails and liquid aloha courtesy of Kona Brewing. There was plenty of food but none of us could finish what we ordered. The Bubba Gump concept and theme is brilliant but just a little too much of the deep fry for my delicate taste buds. They do have T-shirts for sale and given my track record Alice thought I should purchase the “I Gotta Pee” shirt. The bill with a tip came in at $US194 which was a little more than we bargained for.

Saturday, 7th November – Zumba in Hawaii.

Alice has managed to track down a Zumba class in Kailua-Kona that kicks off at 9:30am. Whilst Julie and she are taking their exercise class Tony and I have been delegated to find an establishment that can print and scan documents. No problem for Ace Ventura and his sidekick as we found a place that met the prerequisite requirements. Tony and I retrieved Julie’s I-pad and then picked up a pair of sweaty girls from their class. They both gave it a thumbs up. By 11:30 we had completed our office duties and were ready to return the car to the airport.

After dropping the girls and the bags off at the Hawaiian airlines baggage carousel we returned the car. The shuttle bus was about to leave so we sprinted and just managed to catch it. Wouldn’t you know it, an Australian drawl said gidday and right before us were Sue and Russell our friends from Australia who will be joining us for our seven day Un-Cruise adventure. You may well ask what were we doing at an airport if we were about to embark on a cruise. The answer to that riddle was that we had to catch their shuttle bus with passengers who were just arriving. Our destination is Kawaihae Harbour which is about 30 miles north of the airport.

The Un-Cruise meet and greet was occurring at the Hapuna Beach Prince resort. After dropping off our bags we had a free run of the resort which has its own golf course and a beautiful beach right on Hapuna Bay. Unfortunately, we did not have access to our togs so we had to settle for a beer around the palm tree shrouded pool which overlooks one of the best beaches on the island. I did get some sand between the toes when I took a long walk along the beach. Around 5:00pm along with the other thirty two guests we boarded our vessel, the Safari Explorer for our week long sea odyssey. In hindsight it would have been ideal to spend about six days on the Big Island with the last two days at the aforementioned resort. Anyway after changing into some suitable attire (shorts and t-shirt) we joined the other guests for a delicious meal and a significant amount of alcohol which is included in our cruise price.

Sunday, 8th November – Pacific Manta Rays

This morning the boys are all a little seedy. I think it is a combination of last night’s beer consumption and the constant rolling of our small ship. We have anchored in Honomalino Bay just off Kailua-Kona where we will have an introductory snorkeling lesson. After collecting all of our equipment we were off in the skiff to a site that was surrounded by lava tubes and imposing basalt cliff face. Of course there was a Jack Nickalus designed golf course hugging the coast line. The snorkeling site was safe enough for everyone but on a scale of one to ten I would give it a three. It was just too deep to get a good feel for the marine life at this location.

Back on board we relaxed with lunch which was followed by an early dinner. We were anchored off shore from the Sheraton resort at Keauhou Bay for a night snorkel with giant Pacific Manta Rays. This activity is supposed to be ranked at number 3 in the top things to do before you die. Judging by the number of boats and lights in the water quite a few people were going to tick this one off their bucket list. We were all provided with wetsuits and around 6:30pm we jumped in the skiff for a short ride to where the Mantas hang out.

The setup for viewing the Mantas is quite ingenious as you are broken up into groups of six and then assigned to a paddle board. The boards have a hole in the centre which holds a powerful light that is used to attract the plankton. Once you have enough plankton the Mantas swoop in and enjoy a big Hawaiian feast. We kicked our paddle board over to an area where they had sighted a few and in no time we were witnessing these beautiful creatures gliding gracefully through the water only metres from us. Some displayed their maneuverability by executing perfect loop the loops. We spent about 45 minutes in the water and all agreed that it was an amazing experience. www.mantarayshawaii.com

Back on board we were treated to a late happy hour that extended way past my bedtime.

Monday, 9th November – Captain Cook

This morning we boarded some skiffs which are operated by Captain Zodiac for a fast trip to Kealakekua Bay for some of the islands best snorkeling. Coincidentally it just happens that this was the spot where Captain Cook was slain in 1779. It is suspected that the Hawaiians attached religious significance to the first stay of the Europeans on their islands. In Cook’s second visit, there was no question of this phenomenon. Kealakekua Bay was considered the sacred harbor of Lono, the fertility god of the Hawaiians, and at the time of Cook’s arrival the locals were engaged in a festival dedicated to Lono. Cook and his compatriots were welcomed as gods and for the next month exploited the Hawaiians’ good will. After one of the crewmen died, exposing the Europeans as mere mortals, relations became strained. On February 4, 1779, the British ships sailed from Kealakekua Bay, but rough seas damaged the foremast of the Resolution, and after only a week at sea the expedition was forced to return to Hawaii.

The Hawaiians greeted Cook and his men by hurling rocks; they then stole a small cutter vessel from the Discovery. Negotiations with King Kalaniopuu for the return of the cutter collapsed after a lesser Hawaiian chief was shot to death and a mob of Hawaiians descended on Cook’s party. The captain and his men fired on the angry Hawaiians, but they were soon overwhelmed, and only a few managed to escape to the safety of the Resolution. Captain Cook himself was killed by the mob. A few days later, the Englishmen retaliated by firing their cannons and muskets at the shore, killing some 30 Hawaiians. The Resolution and Discovery eventually returned to England.

The snorkeling here was excellent as the area is a marine park and the water visibility is a good 25 metres. There were plenty of reef fish and the hard corals were in great condition. Back on board the boys fired up the powerful twin outboards and headed over to the cliff face to show us some lava tubes and sacred Hawaiian sites. Being surrounded by water was having an impact on my rather weak bladder. I relayed my distress to the crew member who yelled out to the captain that they had a ‘code yellow’. A few minutes later I was allowed to jump over the side to relieve my stress. To my satisfaction I was joined by another passenger who seemed to be visibly relaxing.

After lunch it was time for some shore leave in downtown Kailua-Kona. We docked next door to the Sheraton Hotel which has a full sized wooden replica of an outrigger canoe. Our little Un-cruise treat was a half hour paddle in a six man fiberglass outrigger which was skippered by an enthusiastic young Hawaiian. The six of us were soon powering our way out into the harbor. We were so good that they could have used us on a trailer for Hawaii Five O or maybe not. Out in the harbor we did get up close and personal with some spinner dolphins and their young. Afterwards Alice and I trolled a few shops and sites such as Queen Hulihe’e Palace and the Moku’aikaua Church. We then caught the 4:00pm skiff back to the boat as we have booked a free 45 minute massage.

Looking good and feeling relaxed we settled in for cocktails and another sumptuous meal. The captain gave us a talk about our crossing tonight as it is expected to get a tad rough as we motor to Maui. In preparation for our assault on the channel Tony and I armed ourselves by consuming quite a few beers. We knew it was time for bed when the staff started to glad wrap the cupboards to stop them from flying open.

Tuesday, 10th November – West Maui

We knew when the ship was in the major channel as it started to heave left, right, up and down which meant sleep was nigh impossible. Alice had a nasty fall when she attempted to go to the toilet. She went flying backwards and crashed onto the floor. Her arm was severely bruised and she was lucky not to have hurt herself more. At breakfast most of the passengers looked like they had a hard night but that has not stopped us from signing up for some kayaking.

The six of us are on the second kayak trip so we have time for a swim and a paddle board off the back of the ship. I had a go at the stand up paddle board but my effort should have been called fall down boarding. No matter how hard I tried I kept falling off in spectacular fashion. In the end I gave up as I popped a rib cartilage when pulling myself onto the board. Russell fared no better than me but Sue was the queen for the day because she eventually mastered it.

Joe and Joyce who were on the first kayak trip returned on the skiff. They were soaking wet and had to be brought back as they just could not get back on board the kayak. Joe claimed they were torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. Our kayaking was less adventurous but we did manage to cover a bit of territory. Our guide Mitch did manage to show us a couple of sea turtles that were hunting over a small reef just off the shore. As we headed back to the ship and lunch I thought Sue and Russell had other activities planned. They set an outstanding pace as they powered away from the rest of us.

No need to guess what we did after lunch, yes it was another snorkel. Once again the water was crystal clear and teeming with underwater life and coral gardens. Back on board Tony has opted for an afternoon sleep and abstained from drinking alcohol. He is the only man I know who abstains from drinking when it is all inclusive. Power to his resilience!

Wednesday, 11th November – Turtles and Lahaina Town

The captain has altered our schedule for today as we need to get a plumber on board to unblock one of the toilets. This gave us the opportunity to snorkel at the old Mala Warf which was a fishing pier that was destroyed in 1992 by hurricane Iniki. The pylons of the pier and the platform lie scattered on the sea bed providing structure for the many species of fish. The pier has White Tip Reef Sharks, lots of schooling fish, Frogfish, Nudibranchs, and Turtles. Julie who is a non-swimmer and deathly afraid of sharks was certain she saw one. We were not so fortunate but we all spent a great deal of time swimming with at least ten turtles. There were even a couple of small juvenile turtles swimming near their parents. We all love a good collective noun but I cannot understand how they could come up with a “bale of turtles”. Thanks to the turtles we had an amazing snorkeling trip.

After lunch we had a chance to stretch our legs with a walk around Lahaina town. Our tour coordinator gave us a map that had a short walk which gave us a good feel for the history of the town. There was a craft market which was set up under the shade of a massive Banyan tree which nearly covered the entire block. Alice certainly enjoyed the market as it took me some time to extricate her from its spell. She did see a nice photograph and I promised to return later to consider its purchase.

We continued on our walk and saw a wedding in progress at the local Episcopal Church. Later on we learned that Sue had photo bombed the wedding and had her picture taken with the happy gay couple. Some of the other sites included the old courthouse, the old prison and churches of all denominations. There were also some old Hawaiian sites such as The Kings Taro Patch, Brick Palace (only a few left) of Kamehameha 1 and the Hauola Stone which was used by high ranking women to give birth on. It was getting a bit hot so we tucked into a local favourite to cool us down. It was a shaved ice which had ice-cream in the middle and flavoured with cordial. We did return to the market and I was impressed by the photograph that Alice had chosen. Quite a few dollars later we left the market with a photo that will hang gracefully at Currimundi.

Back on board I managed to convince Tony that he should enjoy a slight tipple at happy hour. We had a couple before enjoying a presentation by the local team leader who is responsible for freeing whales from nets and fishing lines.

Thursday, 12th November – Lanai the Pineapple Island

Early this morning our captain navigated his way to the nearby Island of Lanai. The wind was blowing at a good rate so the boarding of the skiffs was a little hairy. Only Sue, Russell and I are up for this morning’s snorkeling trip at the aptly named shark fin rock. Once again the water is crystal clear and as a result great for taking underwater pictures. Russell was trying out his camera managed to take quite a few good shots of the large school of Angel Fish and our attractive bartender, Erica.

After lunch we jumped into a couple of vans for a short drive to the small settlement town of Lanai City. At an elevation of 3000 feet the air is definitely cooler. Most of the native Hawaiians live here and there are a few craft shops as well as a small museum. We learned that by the 1870s, Walter Gibson had acquired most of the land on the island for ranching. Prior to this he had used it as a Mormon colony. In 1899, his daughter and son-in-law formed Maunalei Sugar Company, headquartered in Keomuku. The company failed in 1901. Many native Hawaiians continued to live along the less arid windward coast, supporting themselves by ranching and fishing.

In 1922, James Dole, the president of Hawaiian Pineapple Company, developed a large portion of it into the world's largest pineapple plantation.

With Hawaii Statehood in 1959, Lānaʻi became part of the County of Maui.

In 1985, Lānaʻi passed into the control of David H. Murdock, as a result of his purchase of Castle & Cooke, then owner of Dole.

In June 2012, Larry Ellison, then CEO of Oracle purchased Castle & Cooke's 98 percent share of the island. The state owns the remaining 2 percent. The sale price was not revealed, but the Maui News previously reported the asking price was between $500 million and $600 million. Ellison reportedly plans to invest as much as another $500 million to add to and improve the island's infrastructure and to create an environmentally friendly agricultural industry.

Our time here was limited as we were doing a short hike at Manele Bay where Larry Olsen has one of his Four Season Resorts. The beach here is quite beautiful and attracts day visitors from Maui who come across on the ferry. Our walk took us out to the point where we had a great view of Kaneapua Rock. There looks to be some sort of altar on top which was built ages ago. How they managed to get the rocks up there is anybody’s guess