Aloha! Part 4 - Riding the Waves...and Returning to the Mainland

Mr. T in Lahaina Harbor - Day 6 - Ready to Sail!

Can it be? A whole month has passed since we boarded American flight #14 for our return trip from Maui. Unbelievable. I guess I'd better try to finish my posts about our vacation, hadn't I? [Talk about "old news"...:)]

Let's see. In the last post about Day Five, we were rippin' and flippin' on the Road to Hana and back, weren't we? [Ahem. That's from a saying about the towns connected by old Highway 51 in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, where I grew up.  "Rippin' (for Ripley, TN) and flippin' (for Flippin, TN) around the Curve (for Curve, TN), through the Gates (for Gates, TN) down the Halls (for Halls, TN), to visit the people in Dyersburg."  The things we remember...:)]

Anyway...



Honu - The Hawaiian Sea Turtle

 Our story is up to Day Six...Thursday...and it's time to recount our catamaran sailing trip from Lahaina to the island of Lana'i on the Trilogy I.  We left our hotel after morning coffee on our lanai, allowing plenty of time to drive to Lahaina, park, and board our beautiful boat (in photo with Mr. T, above/right).  The crew served us breakfast of hot cinnamon rolls (fabulous!), fresh fruits, cold juices, and coffee, as we enjoyed the wind and sun on our faces.  That sun, reflecting off the water, was exceptionally hot, and several of us joked about the SPF of our suntan lotions:  if you put another layer of SPF 50 on top of the original layer of SPF 50, do you get SPF 100?!  During the trip "out," we spotted one of the giant sea turtles (or, honu, in Hawaiian)...a first for many of us.  My photo (left) doesn't do the experience justice...but it all happened so fast!

Got all the equipment?  Check!  Let's snuba!!

After about an hour, we were mooring on Lana'i and being welcomed with shell leis (nice touch).  A short walk to Hulopoe Beach...and then Mr. T and I were receiving instructions from Trilogy crew member Denver for our next adventure:  snuba diving!

Snuba is a cross between snorkeling (where you wear a mask for viewing underwater, with a short breathing tube, which means you have to stay close to the surface to get air) and scuba diving (where you have to obtain certification to use air tanks underwater).  With snuba, you are "tethered" to a floating air tank by 20 feet of air tubing, meaning you can do shallow diving without worrying about the tank...or without going through the certification process.

Now, I always loved Sea Hunt when I was younger (much, much younger...:)...the original series starring Lloyd Bridges as diver Mike Nelson.  Always thought I'd like to scuba dive, but have never taken the time to take any classes or obtain certification.  This seemed like an easy compromise.  And, we "knew" it was meant to be since Lloyd's son Jeff was actually a fellow passenger on the Chicago to LA leg of our trip to Maui!  A sign!!

Is that Mike Nelson?



Ooh!  I see lots of fishes!!

In theory, snuba is an easy process, even for beginners, especially if you have snorkelled before (which we have) and are reasonably good/confident swimmers (which we are).  In practice...not so much.  I loved getting to see the beautiful fish and underwater reefs "up close and personal," but I really struggled with two things:  getting my mask to "hold suction" without filling with water, and wearing the weight belt, especially on the surface.  I dealt with the first thing as best I could, according to the instructions that Denver had given us; the second thing was much harder for me to deal with.  Even though I had the air line regulator firmly clamped between my teeth...and it was working just fine...I couldn't turn off my rising feeling of panic when the weight belt kept pulling me underwater...just like it was designed to do...when I was "on the surface" trying to get my fins/flippers on.  And neither Mr. T nor I liked having the snorkle tube attached to the mask...we didn't use it, didn't need it, and it just got in the way.  Still, I wouldn't give anything for the once-in-my-lifetime experience.  We had underwater cameras so we could document that we really, really did it...and there's the evidence up there in those photos!

Mr. T chills out to some tunes on Lana'i

  At the end of the 45 minutes, we were thoroughly and absolutely exhausted.  Unlike some of the other passengers who headed off to the Four Seasons for shopping or drinks, we relaxed on the beach (photo, left) until time to return to the pavilion near the dock for our BBQ chicken dinner and fixings, cooked by our captain and crew.  Delish!  

Patricia on the Trilogy I return voyage







Then, back on the Trilogy I for the sunset cruise back to Lahaina.  Even though we had little wind, the crew hoisted the beautiful spinaker for our sailing pleasure (photo, right).  And, we were thrilled to see a couple of the flying dolphins as we neared the harbor.  A lovely afternoon and evening.


Red skies on return cruise at sunset



Wheeee!  Let's do that again!





Such an exciting and exhausting day on Thursday meant we had earned a Play Day on Friday.  We spent most of the day lounging around the pool and playing in the Raging River.  Just a couple of kids are we, as you can see from our splish-splash photos!   



Mr. T makes a big splash



Body by Botero



I also enjoyed the special Art Tour of the grounds of our lovely resort, conducted by one of the Artists in Residence.  The Grand Wailea is home to the largest corporate art collection in Hawaii, featuring the works of legendary artists including Botero (photo, right), Leger, and Chihuly...whose glass sculptures we'd seen at the St. Louis Botanical Gardens a couple of years ago.

Our last sunset on Maui...taken from Humu

On our last evening, we enjoyed our final sunset in paradise from our perfectly-placed table in Humuhumunukunukuapua'a.  This restaurant, named for Hawaii's state fish, appears to be floating on a lagoon, with fantastic ocean and sunset views (see photo, left).  A perfect ending for a perfect vacation.

On Saturday, it was time to say goodbye to the Grand Wailea at noon (check out time).  Still, we had a few more hours to spend on Maui before our 9:00 p.m. flight, so we headed toward Maalaea Harbor where we enjoyed a yummy "last meal" at Buzz's Wharf (where we got some of the best Shrimp 'n Fish 'n Chips I've ever had!) before spending the afternoon at the Hawaiian Aquarium at the Maui Ocean Center.  Colorful and exotic fish (see photo, right)...without fiddling with masks, air tubes, or fins!  Woo hoo!!

I wouldn't want to meet this guy in the ocean!

Our flights home were l-o-n-g, and thankfully uneventful.  Still, neither of us could manage more than a cat-nap on any of the 3 flights (Maui to LAX to DFW to RDU).  I knitted most of the way and listened to two audio-books.  Mr. T. finished up one book he was reading and got a good start on another he'd purchased at Border's just as we were leaving Kahului for the airport.  By the time our heads touched our own pillows in our own bed in HPNC, we had been awake nearly 30 hours straight...and coherent thought was becoming a challenge for both of us.  The toughest part?  That last 90 minute drive from Raleigh to High Point!  Excruciating.

Would we do it all over again?  You betcha!  Would we do anything differently? Possibly add another day or two in order to see the North Shore (Kaanapali and Napili), which we missed.  But, we can always say we were saving something for our next trip to Maui!

Mahalo!

Pond Update

Check it out! We had a bloom on one of the water lilies this week. The photo (left) shows off the flower in all of its glory.

I've been intrigued by this bloom, to say the least. It was a "pod" for over a week, teasing us with the possibility, but giving no indication of the color (the package had said "white"...:). Then, on the first day of blooming, it began to open about 8:00 a.m. It was at full bloom by about 10:00 a.m. And, it was tightly closed again by no later than 2:00 p.m.! This process repeated for 4 days. I was glad that I got this pic on Day 3! (Online research said that day blooming water lilies would bloom for only 3 days, so we were apparently lucky.) No sign of a bloom on the other lily, but I continue to monitor it closely.

In addition to the blooming lily, we have had an explosion in the fish population! You might remember that I said we had 10 "new" fishies? Um...I mis-counted...not too hard when the objects of your census are swimming around! There were actually 12!! Plus the "original" 3 big ones, that makes 15, right? Wellllll. When feeding the flock the other day, I noticed some swishing going on at the bottom of the pond and saw a baby goldfish! And, where there is one...yep, I've seen at least 2 more "black" ones (although as they age, they seem to change from black to gold or mostly gold, with a little black and white). So, as of last count, we have some 18 fish: big ones, medium "junior" ones, and little "baby" ones. The photo (right) shows the big gold one ("Goldy Spawn") and several of the junior goldies. (Since the three remaining junior "black" ones are about the same color of the water, you wouldn't be able to see them anyway.) Stay tuned!



BTW, be sure to check out the newest album on our My Photoworks.com Share Page (link is over there <<<<---left column). I got those photos from the disposable camera we had at the Missouri Botanical Garden developed this week and most were pretty good. Well, except those two with "someone's" thumb in the viewfinder...just ignore those. Anyway, there are several of the Niki statues throughout the garden along with the remaining Chihuly (glass) sculptures that the Garden purchased after the recent exhibit (one is the chandelier in the lobby; one is a sunshine-ray over a gate...and over my head in one photo...:). Still, my favorite pic is this photo (left) of Mr. T. in the boxwood garden where the jumping fountains are at play. Tee hee.

Pets and Projects

Oh wow! After much work and more moolah, we finally got the water in the pond all cleared up, and it was truly worth the trouble and expense. I took my camera out tonight at feeding time and got this shot of Tiger (the Calico Ryukin, on the left in the photo to the left)...and one of the TEN newest members of the wet-set (on the right in the photo, with the circle for emphasis). Yep, we are the proud pet parents of 10 fish babies. We also have two other "big fish" in residence: Jaws (a large-and-in-charge red-orange Pond Comet) and Goldy Spawn (a Red Ryukin). Of the babies, it appears that we have 2 red/black mixes and (at least) 8 black ones. So, if I remember my high school biology class correctly, that means Tiger is one of the parents, right?

While I'm doing the Pet Report, I should offer an update on Ella Rae, (left) Missy M's darling dachshund-mix. She's thriving...gaining a whole pound at her Vet visit...livin' large in L'ville.


While I was there last week, I snapped this shot (right, below), during one of her naps, adding the TV remote for a point of reference for her size. She's t-i-n-y, compared to the Hounds at Home. But, my oh my, what a bundle of energy she is! I cried when I had to leave her, as I'd gotten quite attached...but I had my Basset buddies to comfort me when I landed at Lambert.

As I'd been away for a week, Mr. T and I enjoyed the day together on Saturday. We headed to the Wine Country Gardens to pick up my daylilies and have a leisurely lunch, discussing our various projects. Then, acting on a whim and an ad in a gardening circular, we checked out a garden and kitchen shop just over the MO River in Wildwood, called Wells & Co. Oh yeah. Good choice. We found "just the right" Mexican metal trellis for the new rose bed, and I brought home a super new bright yellow Kuhn-Rikon Paring Knife.

Of course, there was one teensy, little problem. The trellis is about 6 1/2 feet tall...and the trunk of Mr. T's car is neither that wide nor that long. "No worries," says he. "We'll stand it up through the sunroof." And, we did!! All the way home...20 miles of wind whistling through the tines of the sunburst on the trellis top...20 miles of bubble wrap (kindly provided to keep the metal from scratching the car) flapping in the breeze. [Here's a photo of the packing process (left).] Oh...and, I was able to get the paring knife home inside the car...no bubble wrap or special consideration needed. Tee hee.

How Does My Garden Grow, Part 1

OK, so it is only 59 degrees today. It's rained for the last 3 days...and is forecast to rain for three more (the whole weekend, mind you). No matter. Spring has arrived in MO! How can I be so sure? Well, the pollen count is over the top...and the iris are starting to bloom all over the yard. This morning, I took pictures of the early bloomers: three colors of purple, a bronzy one (you can see one of these in the background of the pic to the right), two kinds of yellows, and a soft white. The newest variety to grace us with its beauty...this fabulous deep purple one, shown in the photo to the right. As the purple iris is the state flower of Tennessee, we're naturally partial to it. [The state flower of Missouri is apparently the White Hawthorne Blossom...which grows on the Hawthorne Tree...which would mean that, technically, it really isn't a flower, is it?]


And, this afternoon, I snapped this pic (left) of our lilac bush in full bloom in the back yard. I have to say that this is the prettiest show it has ever put on! A couple of weekends ago, we re-worked the rose bed where the lilac was planted, moving most of the rose bushes that survived the harsh winter and re-routing the path through the (former) bed, leading to the bridge. Now, we can walk right next to the lilac, sniffing its wonderful fragrance without having to step off the path! My cousin gave us this beautiful Dwarf Korean Lilac three years ago when visiting from AZ, and we are most grateful every Spring!

Great news: our goldfish survived the long, hard, cold winter in the pond! All three of them. Mr. T was attempting to scoop some leaves out of the pond with the net after it thawed ...when he "caught" one of 'em on the first scoop! And, we've seen all of them in the past few days. I had read about how goldfish and Koi will slow down after the water temp drops below 50, and can survive if given a deep enough pond. So, when we dug the pond, we made sure to go below the frost line, with an additional deeper level (for the pump), to give them a place to hide below the ice layer. Apparently, it worked! "Jaws" is even bigger (and more fiesty) than he was when last seen last Fall. Both Goldy Spawn and Tiger (he's black-striped instead of solid gold) are heftier, too. These are fish that we had inside in a 25-gallon tank for 4 years...and last Fall, after re-digging and re-working the pond and adding the bridge, we decided to see if the Guys could make the transition from indoors to out. Everybody in the pond! Hooray...they have!!


Makes me even more eager to get that ^&*!% hole in the pond liner patched so we can do the other maintenance necessary to fill it to the max and make it a happy home for the Guys. We got a new 'external' filter to help keep the water in better condition, and if the weather will cooperate we'll get it installed...soon.


We also need to get this First Prize rose bush (photo, right) in the ground, in the new rose bed. Aren't the blooms gorgeous? We bought it, along with a Queen Elizabeth and a Chrysler Imperial (my "birth-year" rose), to replace the ones we lost to the Winter.


And, last but not least, the Vegetable Garden Report. Before the rains arrived, I got several tomatoes, a few peppers, and some cucumbers planted. Mr. T had double-tilled the garden soil, but it's been too wet to work much this week. I only got 4 tomatoes planted in the garden. Instead, I concentrated on the containers on the deck, paying particular attention to getting Gus' Patio Tomato planted. A tomato plant for a dog, you ask? Yup. Gus absolutely loves to pick patio (small) tomatoes off the plant and play with them! And he knows the difference between the green ones and the ripe, red ones, too! We call it his Toy Tree. Woo-hoo!