We started the day early removing leftover Christmas lights and decor from the previous night's sailboat light parade in Waikiki. Then we headed out. It was a beautiful cruise out to Diamond Head. The waves became more choppy and confused. We had plenty of wind for a good sail with a reef in the main to keep our power in a safe range. We bounced along the beautiful south shores of the island, past Haunama Bay, Halona Blowhole and Makapu'u Lighthouse. Soon we were rounding to the windward side. The waves were bigger. Matt estimated 4-6 feet. At this point my brain decided it was done with the ride and I fell asleep.
I woke from my nap to Mike yelling about a whale and steering way off to a side. I jumped up and looked over the side in time to see the white side of a humpback whale slide under the boat. Apparently it surfaced right ahead of us and he almost hit it. That would have been a tragic and early end to our trip. I wasn't really feeling a swim. I know, pampered little princess right here.
Finally we were in the calm waters of Kaneohe Bay. A super battered reef keeps the waves out to sea. We anchored in front of Secret Beach. This is owned by Kualoa Ranch. So all day long tourists are shuttled in and out. It's a beautiful semi-private beach. It was lovely to have the place all to ourselves once the tours ended.
The second day was all for exploring the beautiful cove and enjoying the sunshine and water. We each took a spin on a standup paddleboard. It was super windy when I went and I had to come back on my knees. Mike took Schooner, the resident weenie dog, out for a ride. We all climbed into the dinghy and explored Chinaman's Hat. A lot of people swim or kayak to get there from the public beach. Andrea and I did a little snorkeling while Mike practiced his bushman skills on the island. We went back to the boat for lunch and naps afterward.
The sunrises were fabulous both days. I woke early and had the first sunrise all to myself. It was peaceful and wonderful. On Day 3, everyone was up for sunrise, though I still had the early dawn colors alone. It was gorgeous!
Oh, also important (my level of important, not like cancer important), some rain rolled in during breakfast and the rainbow was out of this world. It was a full arc. Pictures or it didn't happen, you say? Bam!
Our sail back was anything but relaxing. The earlier rough, confused seas were now larger. I steered the boat out the channel and through the "washing machine" past Kaneohe Marine Corps Base. Look Here's a picture of me driving. Annoyingly, the seas look flat in every picture. You'll just have to take my word for it.
Anyway, back to the tale. Suddenly, we caught a mahi. We reeled it in, filled its gills with cheap vodka (apparently that's a thing!?!??), and stuck it in the freezer to die slowly, because we're monsters like that. We continued our tack along the coast, flying along with 25 knot winds as we rolled all over the 8 foot seas. Waves crashed over the bow and we even took one over the stern. Unsurprisingly, we were the only boat on the water. Something minor about a small craft warning...
Soon we were nearing Makapu'u where we would hit a hopefully calmer swell. And, suddenly, we had another mahi! Two on the same trip just using hand lines and lures! I guess it pays to be the only boat. Once again, we doused him in vodka, but this one was not going down without a fight. He ultimately lost, but he definitely tried. He was delicious, btw.
As we finally rounded Diamondhead, the water calmed significantly. Once in Waikiki, it was calm and wonderful. There were boats everywhere. It was an adventure, and one I'm glad that I did (and survived).
