Honolulu - First Week

Our last night at sea was relatively benign.  The winds were constant between 10 and 15 knots and the seas remained relatively calm.  The only straw in the ointment was a counter current which ranged from .5 to 2 knots against us and added several hours to our final day.  By the time we reached the Kaiwi Channel we had to turn on the engine or we would not have arrived in Honolulu in daylight.  (I later learned that Kaiwi means "slowness" in Hawaiin - which has nothing to do with calmness - as this channel has the reputation of being quite rough - no wonder if the current is this strong against the prevailing trade winds.  Now I know why we saw such gigantic, close together waves when we crossed from Molokai 7 years ago).  As our last day at sea dawned, we could see the outline of Maui and Molokai behind us, and the great slab of Oahu ahead of us.  It is a wild and dramatic landscape with steep sided, green covered hills and extinct volcanic cones.  A subdivision spread out along the lip of a cone at Koko Head seemed nonsensical. 

In the Kaiwi Channel approaching Oahu

You can just see the white houses of the subdivision on the right of the Koko Head volcano ridge

As we rounded Koko Head, Diamond Head came into view and very soon after the skyrises of Waikiki and Honolulu.

Doug raises the "Q" (quarentine) flag as we glide past Waikiki

We arrived at the Aloha dock at the Hawaii Yacht Club in the Ala Wai just after 12:30 local time.  (We later realized we had our time mixed up as we had not known Hawaii does not follow daylight savings time).  Robbie Buck, the Port Captain, greeted us and once we were secure on the dock, Doug called US customs and immigration.  Within half an hour, Mr. Shoda was aboard checking our passports and boat documentation.  He found everything in order and we were free to go ashore, however we had to report to his office the next day to finalize the paperwork and renew our US cruising permit. 

On the Aloha dock at the Hawaii Yacht Club in the Ala Wai

 We also needed to be inspected by the Agricultural branch, however, the agent was not available until 8am the next morning.  We were required to keep our garbage aboard until she could inspect it.  And, inspect it she did, then we bagged it and she took it away to be incinerated.  While onboard, she checked through all my stores.  I had thrown all the remaining produce overboard the night before so I knew I would pass that test.  However, she confiscated the remaining eggs and two small steaks I had in the freezer.  She inspected all my opened dry goods, such as flour and rice, then went through the fridge.  I was required to wash down all my countertops with bleach while she supervised.  It was the most thorough check we had ever undergone, but I had no problem with it at all.

We did not fall over when we stepped on land.  In fact, on the first day it all felt completely normal to walk around and be in a big urban centre with all the associated sights and sounds.  It was almost as if the last three weeks hadn't even happened!  It wasn't until the following day that I felt discombobulated.  Our first night we wandered over to a nearby pub for draft beer and pizza and were in our bunks early. 

Next day, after the agricultural inspection,  we sorted out the rest of our US clearances and found ourselves at the Hawaii Brewery for lunch.  Doug was in heaven and with so many IPA choices he had to settle for a flight.

IPA heaven

On the way back to the boat we scoped out bicycle shops, grocery stores and laundry mat to be visited the next day.  I found the walking difficult after so many days just keeping my balance, and realized that I would need my bicycle if I was ever going to get around easily in this city.  Doug had them set up and ready to go the next morning.

Overlooking the beach at Honolulu - Diamond Head in the distance

 We have spent the last couple of days figuring out the bicycle routes, shopping for the boat and for us, doing laundry, cleaning, etc.  We are looking forward to slowing down a bit so we can enjoy a vacation in this dynamic place before we continue north again.

Happy to have my wheels again!