For those of you who don’t live in Hawaii, schools throughout the state hold May Day performances this time of year (preferably on May 1st, if the date works out with the school schedule).  

I just got back from my 6th annual May Day show, and like the other five years, it was filled with children dressed in aloha wear wearing leis singing Hawaiian songs;  playing various Hawaiian instruments such as the ukulele (pronounced oo-koo-lay-lay here) and the ipu (hollowed-out gourd); and of course performing the hula.

Here are the words to the traditional song sung at the end of the May Day show:

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii
Garlands of flowers everywhere
All of the colors in the rainbow
Maidens with blossoms in their hair

Flowers that mean we should be happy
Throwing aside a load of care…
Oh May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii
Lei Day, our happy day is here

If you spend any time in Waikiki, you will eventually stumble across Fort DeRussy.  Located next to the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Fort  DeRussy is an Armed Forces Recreation Area.  It was originally built in 1915 as part of the Honolulu coastal defense system.  

 Today, it is a large shaded grassy park that backs up to the beach and is used by hundreds of local residents and visitors daily for cookouts, frisbee throwing, and family gatherings.

Not too far from the park is the Army Museum.  After years of walking past the large tanks parked outside the museum, I finally ventured in.  Admission is free and donations are welcome.  They recently (just last week!) added an audio  tour option for $5.00.  Since it took me so long to finally go inside the museum, I figured I’d go all out and take the audio tour.

The museum is located inside Battery Randolph, which is a reinforced concrete emplacement built in 1911 that was part of Honolulu’s coastal defense system back then.  Today it houses exhibits depicting the military history of Hawaii, from the early Hawaiians to present time.

There are a number of interesting exhibits that range from early Hawaiian warfare to the Pearl Harbor attack to the Korean War and Vietnam.  My favorite exhibit was the one that traces General Eric Shinseki’s  impressive military career from West Point through Vietnam, Korea, and Bosnia to his appointment as Chief of Staff and now the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.  General Shinseki was born on Kauai.

There were over 40 numbered exhibits that were part of the audio tour.  By clicking on the number on the audio wand, you could choose to listen to the narrative  along with some period music and related audio clips.   The audio tour is well-done, but it would take some time to listen to each and every one.  I probably listened to about a quarter of them; the ones that were of most interest to me.  It definitely enhanced the tour.

You can find more information about the Army Museum at their official website.

Hawaii Maritime Center

The Bishop Museum announced yesterday that they are going to close the Hawaii Maritime Center on May 1st.  Ouch, that hurts.  That’s really unfortunate since the small museum was well worth a visit for anyone interested in maritime history.  It had a nice collection of exhibits and a free self-guided audio tour.

I first visited the museum in 2001 when you could still tour the 1878 fully rigged iron ship, The Falls of Clyde.   The ship fell into disrepair and remains docked next to the Maritime Center awaiting towing to a dry dock facility where it will hopefully one day be restored by the Friends of the Falls of Clyde organization. 

The Bishop Museum cites the economy (what a surprise) as the main reason for the closure.   The museum has been hit with the double whammy of state funding cuts and steep declines in investment income due to the stock market crash.   The daily attendance of 40-50 didn’t help either.   It is definitely a loss for us all.

The main site of the  Bishop Museum will also be closed on Tuesdays beginning in May.   The Hawaiian Hall renovation project has not been affected and is still scheduled to be reopened in August  (just don’t show up on a Tuesday…).

Not totally unrelated, I read a story today in the Honolulu Advertiser that says more than 130 businesses and organizations have cancelled plans so far this year for conventions/meetings in Hawaii.  It’s only April and 130 groups have cancelled their travel plans? 

The Hawaii boondoggle effect is in full-force this year with the slumping economy and consumer backlash against corporate waste.  I guess it would be hard to justify holding a convention in Hawaii in this economy.   Bad news for the Aloha state.

Hawaii Superferry

I really wanted to ride the Hawai Superferry.   Despite the fact that I have a tendency to get seasick, I was planning to ride the Hawaii Superferry some time this summer after the winter-time rough seas subsided.    I never imagined that I would have to travel to Alabama in order to do this.   Why Alabama?  This past weekend, the Hawaii Superferry left the Honolulu Harbor on its three-week journey to Alabama via the Panama Canal.  

I remember watching a TV show on the National Geographic Channel about the building of the Hawaii Superferry.  There was one line in the video that really stuck with me “If it fails, that will mean $200 million down the drain.”  Time to call the plumber.

Although I was personally excited about the  four-story catamaran-style vessel with restaurants, shops, and enough space to hold 300 cars, there were others who were less than thrilled for its arrival.   Originally scheduled to sail from Oahu to Maui and Kauai, some residents of Kauai were successful in blocking (literally) the boat from entering their harbor.  

The company that ran the Superferry failed to complete  a full Environmental Impact Statement prior to its launch.  A state law was passed that allowed the ferry to launch anyways and the Hawaii State Supreme Court recently ruled that the law  was unconstitutional, so bye bye ferry.

I guess I’ll just have to take my dramamine and watch the video instead.

Update: Just when I was feeling sorry for myself I came across poor Mauibrad who’s been blogging about the Hawaii Superferry for YEARS!!  Well, at least he’s got some more spare time now…

Halona Blowhole

Located a few miles around the bend from Hanauma Bay, the Halona Blowhole Lookout is worth a stop if you are in the area. Look for the sign on the ocean side of Kalanianaole Highway and pull into the large parking lot. Off to the right is a small beach made popular in the movie “From Here to Eternity”.  Access down to the beach is via a small steep rocky path. This beach is a favorite for the Hawaiian green sea turtle.

So, what exactly is a blowhole ? It is formed by molten lava tubes from volcanic eruptions that took places thousands of years ago. When the surf is just right, the Halona Blowhole will shoot water up to 30 feet in the air. Of course, this isn’t always occurring. Sometimes all you see is the lovely scenery and no shooting water… Regardless of whether it’s “blowing” or not, do not even consider going anywhere near the blowhole.

Every few months, a story appears in the Honolulu Advertiser about someone either being injured or killed at some Oahu tourist spot.  The Halona Blowhole made the news twice last week.  Despite the fact that there are warning signs near the blowhole,  there are some who decide to venture down for a closer look. 

Last week, a teenage boy was injured when he was swept off the ledge near the Halona Blowhole by a large wave.   Luckily, his friends tossed him a bodyboard and he was able to make his way to nearby Eternity Beach.  He was taken to the hospital and ended up being okay.  Several days later however, a man drowned in the same spot.

Tips for visitors:

* On a clear day, you can see the islands of Molokai and Lanai.

* If you come during the winter months, see if you can spot some whales.

* Even though you are planning just a quick stop, be sure to lock your car since this is known as a high-theft area.

I first started writing about the erosion problems at Kailua Beach back in November.  Today, an excellent article about the topic appeared on the front page of the Honolulu Advertiser.  Apparently, the erosion is so bad that some folks are finding coins in the sand from the 1920’s.  Lucky them.  Not so lucky us.

Chip Fletcher, a UH coastal geology professor says the annual erosion rate has been as high as eight feet per year.   Apparently, officials have taken a “wait and see” approach for the past couple of years.  I guess that approach turned out to be more like “wait and SEA!”. 

The Advertiser article cites the three main causes of beach erosion: manmade structures, waves and currents, and rising sea level.   The enormity of the problem at Kailua Beach has caught the attention of both the city and the state.   At this point, no one knows if anything can be done. Before long,  Kailua Beach Park may have to be renamed Kailua Park…

Looking toward Lanikai - taken in 2004

 

This photo looking toward Lanikai was taken in November 2008

Saturday 1/10/09:   A while back, I wrote a post about erosion at Kailua Beach.  In that post, I included a few photos of some trees with the roots partially exposed due to erosion.   When I went to the beach this morning, this is what I saw:

This is what's left of those trees with the roots exposed

Close-up of the chopped trees

Here is a photo from my other post that shows the above trees still in place:

This photo was taken in November 2008

 

Despite the obvious problem with aesthetics, it’s a good thing those trees were cut down.  One good brisk windwardy wind and it’s TIMBER!!   When enough of the trees get cut down, maybe folks will start taking this Kailua Beach erosion problem more seriously.  I don’t know if anything can be done to help save the beach, but I know that awareness precedes action and this will definitely help increase awareness of  the problem. 

1/11/09 update:  A day after I wrote this post, this story appeared on the Honolulu Star Bulletin website.  I’m glad to see the Kailua Beach erosion problem is getting some attention!

But wait, there’s more!  Check out this photo I took today also:  

Will this tree be next on the chopping block?

 

Another tree in the opposite direction had the same fate. Here is a picture of the tree with exposed roots taken in November 2008:

This photo looking toward Lanikai was taken in November 2008

 

And here is the photo I took today:

This photo taken today shows what's left of the tree

 

At least the kids are enjoying this sea of stumps!

Kids playing among the clumps of stumps

 

Let’s not forget what Kailua Beach used to look like just a few short years ago:

Looking toward Lanikai - taken in 2004

 

Looking the opposite direction in 2004 (those trees are stumps now)

Fireworks lit the skies over Kailua

Hawaii rang in the New Year last night with a flurry of fireworks exploding all over the island creating thick clouds of smoke everywhere.  If you’ve never experienced New Year’s Eve in Hawaii, then you will probably think I am exaggerating.  If you have been here for New Year’s Eve, you will think I am understating the experience.  It is like a war zone.  No kidding. 

Practically everyone on the island is outside setting off fireworks or watching their neighbors have all the fun.  You cannot drive a car down any street without having to stop and swerve around all of the people setting off fireworks right in the middle of the  street.  At midnight,  the sound is deafening, the smoke is billowing, and the excitement is high.   Illegal aerials fill the sky and the New Year is officially welcomed.

The Obamas spent the evening at their Kailua rental house celebrating the New Year with friends.  Shortly after midnight, the skies opened up and the rain poured down.  The pessimists will say this is a foreboding sign for Obama in the New Year.  The optimists will say that the rains came forth, cleared the air in preparation for a fresh start for Obama in the New Year.   I tend to be more of an optimist, at least as far as Obama goes.

He leaves today after a twelve-day vacation.  Highlights of his vacation have been his almost daily workouts at the Semper Fit gym on base, several rounds of golf, a trip to Sea Life Park, a trip to the zoo,  a North Shore visit, basketball at Punahou, dinner out, and relaxing time at home with family and friends.   Most important, of course, was  the memorial service for his grandmother.

I’ve updated my ArmchairHawaii.com website to include a page that highlights his 2008 Christmas vacation in Hawaii.  You’ll find a detailed summary of his itinerary, a google map that shows the places he visited, and lots of photos.   To see it, go to ArmchairHawaii.com and click on the “Obama Christmas Vacation in Hawaii” link in the middle of the page or click on the the “Obama in Hawaii” link on the left to see all of the Obama-related pages.

Happy New Year, or as we like to say in Hawaii:  Hau’oli makahiki hou!

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I take a walk every Sunday morning on Kailua Beach.  This morning on my walk, I noticed that the Christmas lights were still on at Obama’s house.  Here is the photo I took (a little fuzzy since I used the full zoom on my cheap camera…).  

Christmas lights were on this morning at Obama's house in Kailua

 

 Again, a beautiful sunrise on Kailua Beach.  Here’s a nice shot of the Mokulua Islands:

Sunrise near Obama's house in Kailua

Kailua

Here is a great photo of Barack and Michelle strolling hand-in-hand down Kailua Beach last night.  Too bad you can’t quite make it out since it was PITCH BLACK in Kailua!  Last night, the lights flickered around 6:30PM and then went out for good around 6:45PM. 

Within minutes, the mayor of Honolulu and the governor of Hawaii were headed for the Emergency Operations Center located in a World War I bunker  inside Diamond Head crater.  The emergency broadcasts kicked into place on good ‘ol reliable KSSK radio. They will broadcast non-stop “power outage” news for the rest of the night until power is restored. One hour into it and they are advising us that certain Foodland grocery stores are open and are walking customers individually to buy those suddenly-needed supplies. (what, you don’t have a flashlight in your house?)

Uh, it’s just a power outage.  What’s the big deal? We get a little restless here in Hawaii when the lights go out because it is then that we fully realize we are living on the tip of an extinct volcano thousands of miles from anywhere!  We are alone! There is no neighboring power grid to tap into.  That food rotting in your refrigerator? Guess what?  It’s rotting in the grocery store too! Hey Matson, can your refrigerated container ships speed up a little?

Early into our blackout, the mayor came on the radio to reassure us that Obama was OK.  He had some generators and someone reported seeing lights on at the Obama house (although an aide said the generator was not used and they spent the night like the rest of us in the dark). Around 10PM, the mayor came back on the radio to say that Obama and his family were going to bed.

The last time we had an extended power outage was the earthquake.  They think this outage was caused by lightening strikes. Hawaii produces its own electricity from generators. When a generator goes out here, they have to bring down the other ones also to avoid system-wide damage.  They tried to keep one up to “jump-start” the rest, but that eventually went down too and the rest of the island was plunged into darkness.

How would you like to be on an incoming airplane when that happens?  Not like you can just turn around.  The generators kicked in at the airport and some planes landed while others were diverted to the neighbor islands (that’s what we call every other Hawaiian island except Oahu – - sounds so friendly!). The governor came on the radio to announce the United Airlines outbound mainland flight delays. Sorry folks, you’re stuck here too!

On the radio, every now and then someone would come on and give important information in another language.  We heard it in Japanese! We heard it in Korean!  We heard it in Ilocano!

Yes, it’s a big deal here when the power goes out.  We all get a little island fever …

(Note: Power at my house in Kailua came back on shortly after 6AM this morning.  As of 7AM, power had been restored to about half the island)