Capturing the Moment

   One of the most popular boat dives along Oahu's south shore is the shipwreck of the Sea Tiger. Sitting upright on the sand at 127', the wreck of the Sea Tiger makes for a challenging, but still recreational deep dive. It was purposefully sunk just outside of Kewalo Harbor to become an artificial wreck. The wreck itself is 165' long and about 40' wide. You can penetrate into the wreck thru some open refrigeration hatches on the deck.   Heidi and I were playing tourist today as we headed out on the boat, listening to the safety briefing. Last time we did a boat dive here in Oahu the boat was filled with Japanese tourists. We were shocked this time when it turned out to be just four of us divers on board. The conditions were great, no wind or waves, although the water looked more inky blue than light aquamarine in the early light of day. The light got better as the dive progressed but at first glance from the surface we couldn't see the wreck.   I was the ...

        The blog has been quiet this last week because I have been out at sea sailing around the islands of Oahu, Moloka'i, Lana'i, Koho'olawe, and Maui aboard the tallship Makani Olu. The Makani Olu (Gracious Wind) is owned and operated by Marimed Foundation , a non-profit organization involved with sail training since 1988. The 96-foot, three-masted staysail schooner, retrofitted for sail training in Hawaiian waters, is the central component of a model experiential education and treatment program for at-risk adolescents built around ocean voyaging.        The Makani Olu is a 96', three masted schooner. Different groups ranging from elder hostel to private parties can set sail aboard the Makani Olu. This trip was a bit different. Marimed runs a house for troubled boys and occasionally brings them out aboard the Makani Olu as a character and team building endeavor. These boys, 14 through 17, face difficult emotional and educational c...

Ruins of Kamehameha III's Summer Palace Lea soaking up nature   There is so much to see here on the island of Oahu and I wanted to pack as much in as I could while my sister Lea was visiting. We explored the island north, south, east, and west. On this adventure day we explored some of Oahu's natural gems as well as some historical ones.    The ruins of Kamehameha III's summer palace are located down an unsigned trail through a bamboo forest up in Nuuanu Valley. Unless someone told you how to get there you would probably never stumble upon it. There is a sign next to the doorway telling a brief history of the ruins, but that is it. There is no active preservation going on, although the fact that the location is hidden may be protection enough. I imagine one day this will be a tourist destination with lines and entry fees, but for now it is our own hidden jewel. Windy Pali Lookout Heidi, Me, Lea, and Ryan at Manoa Waterfall    We continued up...

Hanging on in the current   Built in the 1940's, the YO-257 saw action in several different war campaigns across the Pacific. After surviving WWII, Vietnam, and Korea, it was lent to the Coast Guard as a transport ship. The YO came to its final resting place 100ft down off the shore of Waikiki in 1989 after being intentionally sunk to create an artificial reef by the Atlantis submarine company.   Heidi and I headed out early morning on the Kilikina dive boat with Hawaiian Diving Adventures to explore the YO wreck ourselves. It is a pretty deep dive bottoming out around 100ft so we would only have 20minutes or so. We were greeted with beautiful ocean conditions with clear water and no wind with beautiful sunshine above.    Looking down into the water one other thing was clear, there was a current, and strong one at that. Divemaster Erica and orange cup corals   The boat was equipped for the current with lines running down the side to hole onto. I...

Wall of MIA soldiers from the Vietnam War Just around the corner from my house stands a volcanic crater known as Punchbowl Crater. Created by a rejuvenation eruption series 100,000 years or so, Punchbowl is now a National Memorial Cemetery with the remains of over 53,000 veterans from WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. WWII Battles Diamond Head Crater   It is a surreal experience coming from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu and dropping into the serene crater of Punchbowl. The first thing you see as you enter the gates is a long drive heading way up to a huge white memorial. An information booth is set off just to your right as you enter in case you want to find anyone in particular who may be buried here. Then you pass rows upon rows of graves on the way to the memorial. My first time here I sat in front of the tile artwork learning a ton about the different wars. Each major battle, offensive, defensive, and front lines are shown on the tile maps. I wanted to ...