Hawaiian Time

6/7-11/14
ALOHA! Well I know you feel the same as I do for Ed!  Woot, Woot!  What an incredible voyage and on top of it all - solo!!  Great accomplishment.  He is as brown as a bean and on the thin side, but otherwise no worse for wear, the salty dog that he is! 

Ok. Well I'm here now, so the blog changes back to story time...
Hilo...best described as a hot winter in Seattle.  Gosh.  Ed loves it, but I gotta tell ya...for those of you who have never been in the south in summer after a hot rain, you will not understand when I say you can cut the air with a knife.  That's here - 24/7.  I wake up sticky and go to bed sweating.  I'm going to try not to complain more than that except to say that I'd rather it just pour than be so humid, which it does right when we decide its time to row to shore! (did I say I wasn't going to complain?)  The up side is being here with Ed, the experience and the vegetation.  Its spectacular.  What a garden one could have.


We went to the farmers market and $2 seems to be the price point that the locals have decided best suits buyers and they pegged me.  5 papaya for $2, 4 med size tomatoes $2, 3 med size sweet maui onions $2 and so on...best deals on the island.  Ever tried a mountain apple?  Delish...like a very mild pear.  Everything in town looks like Hawaii 5-0 (the old.)  All the buildings -everything.  Like time stopped in the late 60s/early 70s.  And with respect to cell coverage and internet...we have nothing on Mexico.  As a matter of fact, we're all getting totally ripped off by the cell/internet companies!

6/8/14 First full day was touring the wet side of the island.  Truely amazing.  This side of the island is full of lush gulches and all are lined with falls.  Stopped and enjoyed several including 'Akaka Falls.  Picnic'd and napped ocean side at Laupahoehoe Point and memorial (an area wiped out by a tsunami years ago,) went to the end of the road at Waipi'o Valley and the longest black beach. As noted earlier the vegetation is incredible, as well as the scenery.

 6-9-14 Blah! Chores of all sorts; resupplying the boat, jugging fuel, laundry, mail. Stuff Ed hasn't done in 27 days but need tending.  Doing it in 98% - exhausting.

 
6-10-14 After all the rain and mugginess, I told Ed I need some beach time.  Coming to Hawaii and not having that just doesn't seem like Hawaii in my mind.  So off to the other side of the island we went.  Ascending Manua Loa and passing through Waimea temps were cool 70-72. On descent it warms back up quickly-but what a view.  The area of Kawaihae at Hapuna beach was our stop for the day.  The water was perfect in color (blue and turquoise) and temp.  Did a little snorkeling and saw the usual - angel, parrot, and the like, fish. A little siesta on the beach and lunch.  That's how I like my Hawaii!

6-11-14 Went to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park; Kilauea Crater from top to sea.  Wow. Words can't decribe it.  My pics probably don't capture its essence either, but I'll let you decide.  We'll have to go back because they say you can see the red glow of the lava in its crater at night. It was venting heavily while we were there and we also saw many steam vents.  The lava flows blow the mind and the diffent ones are visible by color/texture.  Where they meet the sea is pretty dramatic.  The ocean pounds in so fiercely, spray rises hundreds of feet.  Viewed many petroglyphs as well.