6-5-2014 Arrived Hilo !!!
Cleared the Hilo breakwater at about 1:00Pm local time and anchored up in Radio Bay at about 1:30pm. I had low winds during the night and in morning had about 25 miles left so motorsailed the last 25 miles.
The last few days have been very nice. Blue sky with large cumulus clouds passing by and on the horizon. A little light shower most days but not for long and with no increase in wind. The wind did get lighter and never above 15 for the last three days also.
I also caught a nice 30", 8-10lb Dorado this morning at dawn. When I hauled it in I was thinking of releasing in because I really wanted a big hamburger for dinner, but when I got it in, there was too much hook damage and it wouldn't have made it. So I steamed in the pressure cooker right away and as it turned out didn't really have time to go get dinner and man was that fish good. They're so flaky and meaty tasting......yum.
Got checked in at the Hilo harbor. Very nice people, with bus schedules and maps of the area. Cost to moor is $9.24 a day. The anchorage is small but very protected. Next to a park for any easy row in and has a nice restroom with lots of hot water!!
There's maybe 7 other boats in here. I'm anchored out with two others and then there's 5 boats with bow anchor out and stern tied to the concrete quay.
Did have one bit of frustration when anchoring today. In 5 years of being very careful I've never done this. My anchor windlass has a stainless steel rod that acts as the lever to rotate the windlass when hauling in the anchor chain and the tool to loosen the chain brake with letting the chain out. I got the anchor down and let the chain out and snubbed up and as I remove the rod from the chain break, I raised up and hit the staysail stay with my hand and knock the rod out of my hand right into the water. Couldn't believe it !! Normally I just tuck the rod under the bow sprit platform right away, but no. I watch as it disappeared to the bottom. Went right away to get a snorkle and mask. The waster only 12 ft deep here, but it's a mud bottom. Visibility 1.5 feet. i couldn't even tell what was the bottom until touching it. Spent about 20 searching..no luck. Needed to go to Customs to check in, so gave up for the moment.
Anyway long story short....Decided I probably wasn't going to find it, but had the right lenght of 7/8" stainless tubing on board for another project. With the propane torch and vice grips, I flattened about 4 inches of one end so it would fit in the windlass slot, did a little filing to smooth it out and yahoo it works fine. On this one I drilled a hole and added a leash. Now I just have to use the leash.....
Speaking of Customs.... After my snorkle, I got dryed off and every thing together for checking with customs. Rowing in, I stopped by the boat Windsome, with Jay and Irwin on board. They too had left Mexico about a week and half before me and I had been following their progress on the radio net. We had spoken a couple of times via radio. They have me scoop on the harbor and buses and said Customs was friendly and an easy process, but they work 6:00am to 2:00pm. Oops to late to get there now. As it turned out I went there today, Friday, at 10:30 but the office was closed. Went back at 11:00 closed. Called the number I could see through the door and got a voice mail, so let them know who I was and I'd try them later. Went back at 1:30 still closed, called again. At about 4:30 got a call from the Customs officer, that he would be in the office at 6:00pm if I wanted to come in. So I did and turns out, he's also in the Army reserve and was doing duty today. Very nice fellow and a pleasant check in. Gave me the scoop on a farmers market down town that has good local produce.
Long post....sorry. Couldn't get my computer downtown to an internet cafe, so still no pics' Maybe tomorrow.
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