Hawaiian Interlude

HAWAIIAN INTERLUDE

After  staying with Don and Kathy Thayer in Carson City Nevada, which is reported in the previous post, I continued my journey to Hawaii to meet Kosta and the rest of the crew of Nitidus. There was a period when we got to know one-another and prepared the boat for the voyage. This post records that period.

29 November2011 Kona, Big Island,Hawaii
                                                                        The morning after Genady and I arrived in Kona we packed to go again as the flat that Kosta and Julia had used up until then was going to be too small when Sergiy arrived later that morning. Genady and I were dropped at a beach to have time to get to know each other whilst Julia and Kosta went to the airport to collect Sergiy. Kosta and Genady have known one another since they were both students at Kiev university, and Sergiy is Kosta's usual sailing partner in the home waters of Vancouver, and both were strangers to me, so it was important that we got to know each other.

  The beach was fine and Genady and I got on quite well and found that we were both ex-tankers though obviously from opposite sides of the Iron Curtain!
 I was surprised to find myself swimming with a turtle. It was quite tame and seemed to be looking for company.  I found out later that they are very common and everyone was quite blase about them but at the time it was an interesting experience.
 Julia, Kosta and Sergiy arrived from the airport so we shopped for food and changed to the new accommodation which is in a beautiful holiday complex. We then planned the following day. Kosta just wanted Segiy to help him put the boat in the water. so Genady and I were released to go sightseeing.

Our 5* accommodation

We decided to go to look at Volcanoes National Park, found a brilliant $20 a day deal on a car and looked forward to the next day.

30 November 2011 Kona
                                         The $20 deal somehow got to $70 in double quick time when insurance and taxes and.......were added! However it was a very nice car.
 We drove around the island, the road was fringed with lush vegetation, Hibiscus, Daturas, Flame Trees, Poinsettias and lots more even though it was the dry season. The larva flows we crossed were frequent, impressive and depressing in form and colour. A chaotic jumble of black/brown boulders and cinders; but flanked by untouched lush green.

A typical lava flow

 At Volcanoes National Park we browsed the visitors centre and walked the Sulphur Banks Trail which ended on the edge of the main caldera. The eruptions in the main crater were impressive even from the 1-2 miles distance that we were required to view them from.

Genady at the Sulphur Banks

The eruption in the main caldera

The Crater Rim Trail was closed so we returned to the visitors centre through tropical forests and steam vents, both of which were interesting and made for a good walk.

We then moved the car to the head of the small crater and the lava tube. This was a tunnel about 250 m long,but it was lit and paved and full of people so the effect was a bit disappointing. The 'small' crater was enormous, black, and impressive; with steam and gas vents and plant life struggling to take hold. The 'small' crater trail was over 4 miles long and by the end we had had enough of dark desolation.
   We decided to return to Kona via Hilo and the Saddle Road. Hilo was just lovely, a beautiful seafront with wide lawns and Acacia trees, and pleasant well maintained buildings. We stayed for tea and coffee. The drive up to the saddle was interesting in spite of the mist and close to sunset we came out above the cloud at the saddle. Here we decided to attend the impromptu telescope display at the car park of the visitors centre half way up Mauno Lea.

Sunset above the clouds from Mauno Lea

To fill in the time until it was dark I watched a film about the conflict of interests between astronomers and native Hawaiians for the summit of Mauno Lea. It looks like the dispute will run and run in spite of the best efforts on both sides. We then viewed the Moon, Jupiter and a variety of indistinct and unidentified stars/planets/galaxies. Nice to have done it, no need to go again. then it was home for supper. Kosta and Sergiy reported that the launching and engine checks had gone well.

1 December 20011 Kona

     We all went to the boat after breakfast and started a general empty out and clean up. I got the fore peak and found a small but significant leak from one of the transducers. it was one of the oldest so the silicone/epoxy was probably tired and couldn't cope with the flexing of the hull during the lift. Kosta and Sergiy immediately assumed responsibility for curing it so Genady and I continued the cleanup and checking the new dinghy and out board. The dinghy was fine but the out board came with a broken gear change lever. The leak was eventually cured and Sergiy says he can make a new change lever so it was a day of mixed results. At the end of the day we all went for a swim at a beach near the marina and there were turtles everywhere!

Nitidus's cockpit looking aft from the companionway

Looking forward

 This is the first time I have seen Nitidus and she is very, very different to Spirit of |May. No doubt I will get used to the open cockpit and lack of shelter and there does not seem to be anything which is a 'show-stopper', but things are not where I would expect them and I hope that Kosta will take Genady and I through  'the ropes' before we set out.
  Below decks she is also quite strange with a very steep companionway and a large open area with a galley in one corner. She has 2 quarterberths, a forepeak berth, and 2 setteeeand bunk berths on either side of the living area. she has 3 small hatches along either side of the coachroof and a forehatch but no dorades. Whatever she is like to sail comfort is not going to be a feature of this trip.

2 December2011 Kona

                                     We all went for a swim to Coconut Beachand stopped for a side excursion to a lava tube right beside the road. The tube was less intact but more impressive than the sanitised version we saw at Volcanoes. It was about 20ft in diameter and stygian black!

 Coconut Beach was approached over a lava flow about 1mile in length so was not a track for those looking for a smooth ride. The beach itself was beautiful, white coral sand and black rocks fringed with shade giving trees and a rumbustious blue and white ocean.

I tried snorkelling but the swell picked up too much sand and reduced visibility to the extent that it was difficult to maintain orientation so I came out over some rocks and was nibbled by a shoal of fish. It was a lovely morning.

  The afternoon was spent doing a mega($1000) non-perishable shop at Cost Co, a cash and carry US style, and then stowing it on the boat.
 There was considerable relief all round that the leak seems to have been cured.

3 December 2011 Kona
                                      I woke to a developing head cold so decided not to swim and certainly not to snorkel. We all went off to the bay where Capt James Cook was killed. It was a long walk down to the shore, about 1500ft. The path drops through great stands of Elephant Grass and Acacia trees, the inevitable lava flow and finally a small forest by the shoreline. Everyone else went snorkelling as there is no sand and the visibility is excellent. Even from the shore lots of corals and multi coloured fish were visible. There were 2 memorials to Capt Cook, who was born in Whitby not far from where I grew up. He was probably the greatest navigator that Britain has ever produced but both of the memorials record his 'discovery' of the islands! It is easy to see why the Polynesians and Hawaiians get a bit pissed off. I enjoyed the walk back up the hill but was pleased to get back to the house for a shower and lunch.

Nitidus's crew at Captain Cook's Memorial

In the afternoon we had a trip to Walmart for personal purchases. Because of the cold I was glad of the easy day but feel we should all have a bit more time together on the boat.


4 December 2011 Kona
                                       Easy start and moved all gear not likely to be used during the voyage on to the boat and stowed it away. We refolded sails, filled with water and diesel,shopped for perishables and Kosta checked the mast. Kosta is asking to clear out after1200hrs tomorrow so lets hope we get a favourable wind! Genady and Julia went swimming from a beach on the other side of the marina. I still have a cold so just walked around and looked at the boats. There was lovely 36ft Taiwan takeaway for sale which gave me a distinct itch in the wallet, and it would be very suitable for the voyage ahead, but Nitidus will just have to do!.