Hawaii
Our Pacific Crown Jewels

Hawaii conjures up images of surfers, crystal clear Pacific water, Hula Girls, volcanos, waterfalls, rainbows, great diving , and great fun. It delivers all of these and more.

White men have not always fared well in Hawaii. Captain Cook was killed there and taken apart piece by piece by the natives. Each village wanted a piece. I've had much more luck. I have been fortunate to go to Hawaii a number of times and took the whole family there for a two week vacation in June of 1986. I plan to return "on business" in the next six months. While the tide has come in and out many times since then, with some changes, here are a few images and observations that should be valid.

Some people do not realize that Hawaii is in the US. A number of years ago during the Carter administration, a judge in Washington DC found out that he was about to be indicted for his misdeeds on the bench. He took flight, going to Hawaii. He was arrested when he landed by the FBI. He wanted asylum and was sure that Hawaii did not have an extradition treaty with the US. He had looked up all the countries with agreements with the US and did not find Hawaii in the list so he felt safe. Boy was he disappointed. If you are not fleeing from the law, I doubt Hawaii will be a disappointment to you.

One of the most popular freediving and snorkeling spots is Hanauma Bay. It is good as advertised. If you want to enjoy it however, get there in the morning when it opens. By mid day it is a madhouse.
In Late January and early February, the whales are birthing in Maui. Baby mammals stay close to their moms. We were there in June and missed that action. That is what I am going back for. Our little mammal kept close to his mom too.
It wasn't long before momma tired and the little one started chasing colorful fish. He swore he saw a small shark. I didn't see it, but you know that two people diving together often do not describe the same dive. This place is a real ball.
Diving of course is not limited to Hanauma Bay. There are numerous dive operations all over the islands. The place is loaded with lots of brightly colored fish. I found the coral to be less exciting than many of my other dive locations. On one trip I was alone and I was stuck with a rank beginner. The dive was on what I would describe as bare rocks. Other dives have been delightful.
Pacific fish are more colorful that the Atlantic and Gulf fish. You can dive yourself to exhaustion during a trip to this Paradise. The neat thing is that Honolulu is a big city with all the goods and services of a big city. If you are a diver traveling with your spouse or family, there is lots of things for them to do while you dive. Just bring a credit card with a high limit.
On my first trip, all I did was dive. On later trips, I took in more of the magnificent scenery. There are beautiful waterfalls and lots of rainbows. One of the neatest things is the Flea Market on Sunday at the stadium. I wish I had brought my camera. The native ladies bring shirts by the dozens and sell directly. The colors are fantastic. Don't miss it.
When we were last there Madam Pele was kicking up a storm. When we arrived, lava was flying 1500 feet in the air. I t was also flowing down to the sea through lava tubes to the sea. It was spectacular. Here is an old tube in the park that was open for our inspection..

I've really enjoyed my trips to Hawaii as has the family. Young Patrick summed up his feelings saying, "It's better to be a bag person in Hawaii than a normal person on the mainland."

Diving is not as convenient as many dedicated resorts, but you certainly can get in some spectacular diving. What else can you ask for? I am sure that if I connected with some of the local divers, I would have found even better sites. Hotels and housing certainly can be better than many more remote locations. It is nice to hear English as the primary language and not to fear drinking the water or eating the food. During our last trip I had a lot of interaction with a number of the native Hawaiians. They are great folks when you treat them as you would expect to be treated. We became fast friends.. Our trip would have been far less pleasant or fun if we hadn't met those guys.

The best endorsement was that none of us wanted to come home, and everyone wants to go back. I'm looking forward to the whales and another try at surfing the big ones.

Kaawabunga, Surfs Up, I'm Toast.