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2010 CRUISES |
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Veterans' Day Weekend Cruise |
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We had an impromptu cruise to Pokai Bay for the long Veterans’ Day weekend. Alchemy, Moonshadow and Seaquel made the best of the weekend, getting away from the hustle of town to anchor out and chill. There was pot luck, pupus and visiting in the evenings, and enjoying the water with swimming and snorkeling during the day. |
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Moonshadow and Alchemy rafting |
Alchemy; Deckhand Tom Gebhardt |
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Pot Luck Barbeque |
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The day had arrived for our scheduled October cruise. It wasn't a perfect day, but then in Hawaii our standards are high. It was more like a 'Goldilocks' sort of day...not too sunny or too cloudy, not too windy or too calm, not too wet or dry, it was just right! I guess it was a “perfect day” after all for a BBQ.
To mark the end of summer, Dave and Leslie Moore invited the Cruising and Voyaging Society - yup, all of us - to a Pot Luck BBQ at their home in Kailua. This is the third year that this gracious cruising couple has opened their home to our group. “If you can’t find a place to park… park in our yard”. So we all made a “Land Cruise”, over the Pali and into the wilds of Kailua Town for some good food, great conversation and that special feeling you get being with others who share the same passions. You know…birds of a feather flocking together or something like that. As we started our drive over the hill the rain was pouring, as it often does, and it looked like the weather was going to turn against us. But as we drove out of the tunnel on the windward side we were pleasantly surprised to see dry roads, just a little overcast and some soft breezes to keep us cool. Leslie & Dave were terrific hosts, opening their home to about 35 cruisers, if you count their Corgie, Harley (aka “Vacuum”). They provided the BBQ Grill and Baby Back Ribs, and Dave once again made his “Killer” Mai Tai’s for any who wished to imbibe. Richard Shilla contributed fresh fish, some of the 40+lb Ono he caught recently. Richard and Ed Abbot manned the grill for the hungry group, with plenty of “advice” from other BBQ specialists. The gals all sat back, watching and smiling…cooking over an open fire is a guy thing, you know. |
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It was a lovely evening with a relaxed atmosphere and
flowing conversation, a great venue to catch up with other members. Glen Pang amazed and confounded us with a
rope trick. Everyone had a good time, especially Harley, getting lots of
attention and snagging fallen treats from under the feet of the partyers. We drank a toast to the group and gossiped
about members not in attendance! So if
you missed the party that is why your ears have been burning. As the light faded we gathered our “pots”, thanked
our hosts for a lovely party, manned our cars and “motor-sailed” home, filled
with the warm glow of camaraderie that comes from spending time with our fellow
cruisers. (Or could it have been the Mai
Tai's?) | |
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Makua Valley Cruise |
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The group cruise over Labor Day to Makua Bay, on the west side of Oahu, was a fun and relaxing long weekend. Makua Valley is beautiful and the bay is a very pleasant place to anchor, with dolphins, turtles and humans all enjoying the clear blue water. With the great weather it was a perfect weekend cruise. Participants in this cruise were: Lanakila, Steve Dixon & crew, cruiser leader; Swan Song, Dave Cooper & Nancy Terrell; Tanya, Bill Taylor & Lillian Russel; Kula Kai Momi, Barbara & Howie Mednick; Ricochet, Ralph & Jackie Sprague & crew; Samantha, Bob & Connie Sheetz & crew; Salty Dog, Richard Shilla, on his first group cruise; and Mary B, Peter Knudson, also on his first Cruise. Ed Abbot started out, but mechanical problems forced him to turn back at Barbers Point. The following report comes from Barbara Mednick’s notes about events that weekend.
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Makua Beach Log, Barbara & Howie Mednick, m/v Kula Kai Momi Labor Day Weekend Group Cruise, Sept. 4 - 6, 2010
Sat – Sept 4, 2010 – Howie and I left Ala Wai Harbor on Kula Kai Momi around 10:00 am and arrived at Makua Beach approximately 2.5 hours later. Upon arrival at Makua, we found Tanya anchored, with Bill and Lillian aboard, as well as Dave and Nancy aboard Swan Song who had gone out on Thursday. Robert and Connie Sheetz and their guest DJ, on Samantha were also there. I’m not sure if they had just arrived, or if they were just moving because their anchor had come loose. The water was beautiful and crystal clear. You could see the ripples in the sandy bottom.
Howie and I found a nice spot and dropped anchor. Unfortunately, we had to do it three times. After the second attempt we thought we were set, so we got the dinghy blown up and rowed over to visit with Bill and Lillian on Tanya. We had a nice visit until it was abruptly cut short when Bill noticed that Kula Kai Momi was drifting. We hastily returned to our boat to get the anchor reset. Third time was the charm. Later three more boats arrived – Lanakila, with Steve Dixon, Lila and crew, Ricochet with Ralph & Jackie Sprague, crew Dotty Bates & Tim Morency, and Mary B, with skipper Peter Knudsen on his first cruise with our group. At 6:00 pm sharp, Dave Cooper began his taxi rounds shuttling
everyone to Steve Dixon’s boat where we had a pot luck dinner. Good food, conversation and wine were had by
all. We realized that we had not turned
on our anchor light when we left, so when it was time to leave the dinner
party, finding our boat was like looking into a black hole. Eagle-eye Dave had no problem spotting it. Howie and I tucked in early. There were a lot of people on the beach
having a really good time. They had bon
fires and music that lasted throughout the night and into the morning. |
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Sun – Sept 5, 2010 – Morning brought a few light rain showers, but all was clear by 8:30 am. Dave’s taxi service started up later taking people snorkeling. Howie and I declined the invitation to snorkel. I don’t know what Howie’s excuse was, but I don’t like to see what I’m swimming in. I would rather not know what’s down there. We got a little chummy with one of the locals who was out on the water; he invited us to their BBQ at 5:00, but we already had plans. Then he asked if we could move the boat because they wanted to set some lines for fishing. We told him that at any other time, we would probably be willing to comply. However, we had such a hard time getting the anchor set, we couldn’t do it. We told him we weren’t going anywhere until tomorrow. He was OK with that and they set out lines around us. It’s amazing how quickly the day passes when you are just relaxing and doing basically nothing. We did a little swimming around the boat, chilled out for a while, swam a little more, chilled out some more, then before we knew it, it was 5:00 PM and time for the taxi to come and take us to Dave and Nancy’s "Swan Song" for pupus. There were so many great pupus, we didn’t need dinner. |
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* Editor's note – We hear from Dave & Nancy that on Swan Song there were several lively and mostly good-natured debates going on that evening about the state of the economy, politics, etc.. In fact, they pulled on their "diplomat hats" and did some judicious re-directing when they felt things getting a little too heated. Good to know they have such cool heads!
Mon – Sept 6, 2010 – Once again, early to rise. Three boats had already left the anchorage. We noticed that the fishing lines were still out and hoped they would get them by the time we were ready to hoist the anchor. By 11:00 all lines were in, except, of course, the one that looked the closest to our anchor. Finally, I noticed them pulling that one in too, and it looked like they had hooked a big one. They were tugging and tugging and finally the line snapped. They might have hooked our anchor. As soon as they got their lines in, we pulled up anchor and headed for home. I noticed that Steve Dixon was also leaving at the same time. Tanya and Swan Song remained behind to enjoy another day or two. As we departed Makua Bay we saw many dolphins. Several seemed to be slapping their tails and/or fins – a display that we had never witnessed. Howie looked it up on the I-pod, and it stated that this slapping behavior indicates warning of impending danger, or an individual dolphin is displeased with the actions of another. Our ride home was slower than the trip out. Hoping to catch that big one on the way home,
we set out two lines for trolling. Unfortunately,
we had no luck. We arrived back to our
slip in the Ala Wai around 3:00 pm, cleaned up the boat, packed up our stuff
and headed for home.
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Around Oahu Cruise |
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The Cruising and Voyaging Society’s annual trip around Oahu was a rousing success with ten boats and crews participating in the adventure. Some boats left on Thursday and over-nighted in the Portlock anchorage; some didn’t leave until Sunday and went straight to Pokai Bay from the Ala Wai or Keehi Harbors. The departures ranged from Monday to Wednesday with all returning safely to their slips.
At the monthly meeting of the CVS held in June, cruisers shared the high and low lights of their trips. Stories of equipment failure and rough seas dominated the discussion, with the general agreement that a canal from Electric Beach to Iroquois Point would make the trip a lot more pleasant. The Millie D had a safe and fun-filled weekend, spotting sharks, dolphins, hundreds of turtles, and a tardy humpback still loitering off of Diamond Head. Bill and Barb snagged a papio coming out of Kaneohe Bay for a fresh fish dinner in Pokai Bay. Their itinerary included a night at Portlock, one night by Kualoa Ranch, a night on the Sandbar and two nights at Pokai Bay. The twenty Hammerhead sharks swimming on the Sandbar in front of the Millie D was the highlight of their year, much less this trip.
Swan Song was once again the perfect host for our traditional potluck, with twenty five cruisers wandering her decks enjoying the excellent food and company. Dave and Nancy reported this party as their favorite part of the trip and coming around Barbers Point as their least favorite part of the trip. All of their plants re-potted themselves, glassware broke in cabinets and the seas were downright uncivilized. Nancy said this was quite a change from the Caribbean Seas that were their former home. |
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Seasoned veterans Mike and Patti Salomon reported a pleasant trip aboard Seaquel. They left the Ala Wai on Friday, spent two nights on the Sandbar and two nights at Pokai Bay, before returning on Tuesday to their slip. They also enjoyed the twenty minute visit from the Hammerheads, with Mike taking the blame for their departure by reaching for his camera! On the rough passage around Barbers Point, a 12 lb. Mahi Mahi joined the crew. They decided that dragging the fish into calmer waters was the best option and were surprised that she was still alive after a mile of water boarding.
Moonshadow with Skipper Jeff and first Mate Patty Naus also made it to the Sandbar on Friday and reported seeing two humpbacks during the trip. Leslie, Dave and Joy came along as crew, enjoying a full day of relaxing and playing in Kaneohe Bay. The problems started when they went to lift the anchor on Sunday morning; a chain broke on the steering linkage. After four hours, intrepid Skipper Jeff fixed that problem and they were off. Somewhere between the Ship Channel and Haleiwa, the auto pilot went on strike, so the skipper decided to join Swan Song at rest in Makua Bay. On Monday they headed for home and unfortunately the repair on the steering linkage gave out off of Honolulu. Out came the emergency tiller and after numerous calls and negotiations the Boat US tow service delivered them to their slip. Everyone arrived safe and sound, with some new stories to share.
Skipper Ted Murphy, Kawika Warren and Tim aboard the Seamar Mhuire, reported a great trip with the exception of a few hours off of Haleiwa, just prior to rounding Kaena Point. They arrived at the Sandbar on Saturday and enjoyed the potluck and the views. On Sunday they headed out the Ship Channel and started running down wind to Kaena Point. The following seas and winds proved challenging, as each helmsman was broached and Seamar Mhuire took waves into the cockpit. Ted was knocked down and bruised his back, safety gear washed overboard and things were a little dicey. But, the fearless crew quickly reorganized and cruised into a very crowded Pokai Bay before sunset. By comparison, their trip around Barbers Point the next day, while not calm, was uneventful.
Alchemy with Skipper Leon, Tom and Rick aboard didn’t give a report, but it appears that they had a good trip around the island. The evidence to that is that they went right back to Pokai Bay the weekend of the twelfth. Leon and Tom motor sailed around Koko Head and arrived at the Sandbar on Saturday afternoon. Rick had taken the land route to Heeia Harbor where Dave C. picked him up in Swan Song’s tender and delivered him to the Millie D in time for the Hammerhead show. They left Pokai Bay on Monday after an ice run in the kayak and were reportedly enjoying libations at the slip in the Ala Wai by early afternoon. |
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Scott Gilbert was our only single hander aboard Symphoon. He arrived (with pies for the potluck) just prior to sunset on Saturday at the Sandbar. As it was high tide he was able to set his anchor and chain well up on the Sandbar, which was a bit of a problem when he wanted to leave at low tide the next morning. With visions of Hammerheads dancing in his head, Skipper Bill of the Millie D donned snorkel gear and swam the anchor out to deeper waters. It is assumed that Scott’s highlight was having his wife join him in Pokai Bay to spend her first two nights on the Symphoon. After an evening on the hook at Pokai, Scott set sail for the distant port of Ko’Olina (five miles) for the next night and returned single handed to his Keehi slip on Tuesday. Everyone hopes Lori enjoyed the trip and that she will rejoin Scott in future sea going adventures. Alan (Robbie) and Buddy on Koa Malie held down the North end of our fleet at the Sandbar on Saturday and spent Sunday at Makua Bay with Swan Song. First time out with the CVS and we hope it won’t be the last! Howie and Barbara, on a shake-down cruise on board their new power yacht Kula Kai Momi, arrived at Pokai on Sunday and enjoyed a quiet day with Mike Mathews aboard Lord Magic. Eric and Vicki Gold, with Glen Pang and Naomi Wasano as crew, arrived at Pokai Bay on Sunday evening aboard Kilo’ia from Keehi Lagoon, making the tenth boat to participate in the annual Memorial Day cruise. Over twenty assorted boats were moored or anchored at Pokai Bay, making for a lively scene, with families on the beach and all of the local swimmers and paddlers threading their way through the fleet. Another great adventure for the Cruising and Voyaging Society! |
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Bill Beadle |
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President's Day Weekend Cruise |
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Bill Beadle and Barbara Dove, owners of the Millie D, were hosts for the President’s Day weekend cruise. From the skipper’s meeting held on Wednesday promptly at 1805 it was evident that Bill had spent a lot of time organizing his thoughts on the cruise and what we might find when we arrived at the destination, Hale'o Lono Harbor, Molokai. Detailed weather forecasts, navigation charts, harbor pictures, tide/current charts and the latest swell forecast were all looked at and then crumpled and cast aside. After all, this IS the HYC Cruising and Voyaging Society, and if it’s going to happen it will be out there, not in the harbor.
The good ships Millie D and Swan Song decided to head over on Friday as their owners are either retired or playing hooky. At 0900 Friday Swan Song was passing the fuel dock with the Millie D still vying for space to top her tanks for the 35nm close reach to Haleolono Harbor. Swan Song took the high road heading up towards Koko Head before turning onto the rhumbline. The Millie D took a slightly lower course with all Bill’s fishing gear streaming astern. And a good thing too, as the Mahi were hungry - the team of Bill and Barb boated two, both ladies, one of 30 lbs and the other 7 lbs. Bill likes to troll a bit faster than Swan Song so by the time we arrived off the harbor entrance he had made up the time |
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As Swan Song was new to the harbor entrance, and there was a good size southerly swell nearly closing off the entrance at times, she waited for the veterans to lead the way in. The Millie D looked about half the height of the bigger breakers and Bill had her up at 2000 rpm surfing in. Swan Song waited until the next set had passed and also surfed in. Once inside the water was quite murky from the surge action and the Millie D was already on the hook. Another sailboat, the Maggie B, which had entered before the Millie D, was anchored near the entrance. Bill chose a spot further up and we dropped our hook just abeam of the Millie D and
dropped back. Bill got right on cleaning the mahi and before long it was sunset and the black hole of the sky just opened up. Billions and billions of stars, from horizon to horizon, certainly made us, and our planet, shrink in size and importance in the grand scheme of things. An early night was in order and tomorrow the rest of the cruisers would arrive. First in on Saturday was Alchemy, with Capt. Leon and his crew Mitch & Dottie - one tack and 5 hours. Shortly after, Seamar Mhuire with Capt. Ted Murphy and Jim Murphy (not related) arrived. Both boats decided to get as close to the evening’s potluck as possible so they rafted up to the Millie D. |
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Glen Pang, on his Ranger 26, ventured out and tested the conditions up the coast to Koko Head when his engine started to misbehave. As the waves were washing them a bit Glen decided to turn back. While heading back they came upon a disabled vessel and towed them in. I think Glen made the right call to disengage with Neptune and live to sail another day. Bill fired up the grill and food appeared from all corners of the four boats. I did notice some drinks being consumed but all in moderation of course. After gorging ourselves, with some spilling almost as much as they ate/drank, dinner was cleared and Dave took a quick trip to Swan Song’s freezer and returned with Butter Pecan Ice Cream and cookies for all. Wow, a great treat for everyone with no refusals!
Valentine’s day was spent limin’ and doing what we all like, the ladies were ferried ashore in Swan Song’s tender and spent a few hours sitting on the beach and watching the waves roll in. Leon’s green kayak, with Leon & Mitch aboard, paddled off to do some beaching to the East. I think everyone had some lunch but Nancy decided that dinner aboard Swan Song would allow her to get rid….I mean serve some more of the chicken she brought. These southern ladies always plan for a few more persons to be at the table than was expected! Anyone for the last piece? |
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A nice dinner with bits and pieces from the other boats was convened on Swan Song. The beverages flowed with the conversations. I think the major topics were religion, UFO’s/Aliens, Internet browsers and life in general. I might have missed some but you get the idea. Again more ice cream but this time 3 non- takers. Something about diets, I think. Bill & Barb bolted first, soon followed by the rest of the crowd, ferried back to their boats which were no longer rafted to the Millie D. The breaking of the raft-up is a story unto itself but is better left to verbal story telling than being in print. Another night with the stars and on to early AM departures. The Millie D was to leave at 0800 but due to the aforementioned raft breakup they had a game of "I think my anchor is over/under yours." By 0930 however all the anchors were aboard and the Millie D, Seamar Mhuire & Alchemy all left the harbor for the Ala Wai. Swan Song and its retarded, I mean retired, crew decided that we’d wait till tomorrow to return. We always like tomorrow as that is the real definition of cruising to us. “We’ll leave here tomorrow even if that turns out to be next week” We do hope we'll be back in time for the March cruise . Nancy & Dave Swan Song |
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Pokai Bay Cruise |
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The Cruising and Voyaging Society is usually pretty quiet through the Holidays, and the recent unsettled Kona weather conditions around the state, with southwest winds and choppy seas, have not always been inviting for getting out on the water. But with the New Year comes renewed interest and that resolution to get out on the water more often. And in that spirit, our first group cruise of the year was launched to Pokai Bay over the long weekend of Jan. 16th thru 18th. In spite of dire predictions of a “huge” Northwest swell, the weather forecast was for light trades and clear skies, very good for the trip along the west side of Oahu. Five boats signed on and we were happy we did.
We set off from Ala Wai in light winds and flat seas. Our fleet included Alchemy with skipper Leon and crew Rick Tudeur, Jarek, a long-time friend, and Maurice, a Canadian Leon met recently at the airport; Giant Turtle, skipper Tom Gebhardt (singlehanding); Mike and Patti Salomon on Seaquel and Glen Pang, also singlehanding Kipikai, his Ranger 26. This was Glen’s first cruise with his new boat, and his first time sailing to Pokai Bay, and his first group cruise. Way to go, Glen! Lanakila with skipper Steve Dixon and mate Lila Moore stopped at the Ko’Olina Marina and decided to stay there thru the weekend.
Pokai Bay has been a safe destination in all but strong Westerly wind and surf conditions, and did not disappoint us this time. On our arrival on Saturday Jan. 16th we tucked in behind the jetty and rafted together. As each yacht arrived they anchored fore and aft, and then pulled the boats together, without problems and with good co-operation between the boat crews. The first action after anchoring was to “fall” into the water! After a swim in the clear water (chilly but sooo refreshing!), Alchemy invited the fleet on board to share pupus and adult beverages. Around 6:30 Leon was hailed from the beach, and took Seaquel’s tender ashore to pick up a Canadian couple, new friends he also met at the airport. “Happy Hour” was followed by an impromptu Pot Luck meal in the cockpit, visiting and talking story into the night. |
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KiPiKai, Skipper Glen Pang Next day was Sunday, and Alchemy and Giant Turtle needed to get back to the real world. So, after morning coffee in Giant Turtle’s cockpit (floating Starbucks!) the crews picked up their anchors and sailed off toward Honolulu. Seaquel and KiPiKai, not needing to dash back, settled in for a day of swimming, relaxing, reading and just enjoying the action on the beach. Pokai Bay is always well used and it is entertaining to watch the variety of activities locals and visitors alike can enjoy in the protected waters behind the jetty. Monday was a great sail home (with assistance), taking us back to home port. Because Pokai Bay is a close and secure anchorage and we have all been there so many times, it is often taken for granted. It really is a fun destination, especially this time of year when the hills are green, the water is clear and the sunsets are spectacular. | |
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