MANY FACES

Five days continuous cruising the high seas. Ever-changing landscape. No life but the beating heart of this mighty ocean. Calm and stormy faces. Welcoming and threatening. Sky and sea embrace, perfect linear union. Unreachable horizons tease us. Gentle rocking. Unsteady gait. Tomorrow the promise of Tahiti, the romantic image of a green jewel fringed by golden sands and swaying palms, of grass skirts and orchid leis. Papeete and Moorea, the twin paradise islands of French Polynesia.

At the halfway point of this voyage as we sailed beyond the Hawaiian Islands 🌺, the frenetic activity of getting up early and getting off the ship suddenly stopped. There were things to do, but that was punctuated by more eating and drinking and our bodies sent out the signals to take a break. Living in air conditioning 24 hours a day was having an impact, too. I would describe it as a form of ‘cabin fever’. We had some alcohol free days and reduced lunch time eating. I got back in the habit of some circuits around deck seven rather than have a nap. Getting off in Papeeete and Moorea over the next two days will be good therapy as well.

We have been attending some lectures every morning at 9.00am from Russell Twomey, a maritime historian based in Darwin. https://www.nauticalhistory.net/  He is very interesting speaking on topics like unsolved mysteries of the sea, historic shipwrecks, the golden age of piracy, and today he spoke on the Bounty Mutiny from the diaries of Captain William Bligh. We look forward to his remaining lectures.

And Michele has taken a class on making a lei from Orchid flowers. Very impressive!

We continue to meet the most interesting new faces at dinner each night and today we enjoyed lunch with a couple originally from Ireland but living in Melbourne for some time. My good friend Ian will be pleased to know M could not help repeating this Irish joke compliments of our great friend Charlie McAlister (who has only recently died).

A huge fire had broken out in Saudi Arabia and the Sheik sent word for the famous Red Adair to help them control the  fire. But he failed miserably. Someone suggested that perhaps Green Adair  from Ireland could help; so he was engaged with the promise of $1M reward if he could put out the fire. Green Adair and his men, equipment and green firetruck soon arrived at the top of a hill overlooking the fire. Then the truck hurtled at great speed down the hill, crashed into the burning oil well and the fire was extinguished. The Sheik was delighted. Handing over the cheque for $1M the Sheik asked Green Adair, “What are you going to do with all this money?” “Well”, said Green Adair, “The first thing I’m going to do is get those bloody brakes fixed on the truck!” 

Ah, to hear that joke in Charlie’s Irish brogue was side-splitting. His jokes live on! Our New Irish acquaintances enjoyed it too.

 

IT’S ALL THEATRE

Not all days are bright and sunny on cruise ship holidays. All indoor activities on the program today.

Last night after dinner we went to the theatre to listen to an impressionist with a great voice who not only sang some great songs in the style of the artist but threw his voice into two or three puppets without moving his lips. Brilliant stuff! Even Louis Armstrong followed Elvis.

Then he searched the audience for a ‘Grandpa’ and encouraged Peter (real name) to join him on the stage. The impressionist told Peter all he had to do was open and close his mouth in time to the gentle squeezes he made to the back of his neck. Peter complied brilliantly and ‘sang’ many songs. He even moved his body and waved his arms to demonstrate he was really singing and understood the words. Hilarious!

And then it hit me like a bolt out of the blue. The impressionist was Peter Dutton who had thrown his voice into thousands of other ‘Peters’. The ultimate craft of politicians is to have their constituent Peters mouth their words without any effort to investigate their truth (particularly if the words they sing match underlying values and confirm unexamined biases).

Latest Polls have the ‘Voice’ failing and Peter’s popularity growing for the first time since the election! The Conservatives are finding their Voice once again! 

“They’ll reclaim my back yard! They wouldn’t work in an iron lung! You are creating a special class of Aussies!  They are already in the Constitution! It’s going to cost Australians billions! They violently abuse their partners and their children! They already have a Voice through their Representatives like I have! They’ll gum up the courts for years with legal appeals. It’s ultimate racism! Just another unnecessary bureaucracy! This is dividing the country! They should be grateful for rescuing them from their savage past! Some of them are whiter than I. You haven’t given us any details of how it will work! Next there will be a Treaty and we will lose our properties! I never killed any blacks in the 19th Century! Health problems are due to their alcoholism and drug taking! They wouldn’t die in prison if they didn’t go to prison in the first place! They don’t bother to send their kids to school! We have already spent billions; now there’ll be billions more wasted! I’ve got enough problems with cost of living pressures. What about us ordinary Aussies! If you don’t know, vote no!”

All these faulty beliefs have been answered and shown either not to be true or irrelevant. But the picture above matches the mood for a positive outcome. The Voice has been silenced by lies, exaggeration and innuendo. There will be a price to pay.

Nice work, Peter - master puppeteer!

John Kudelka from the Saturday Paper says it best with the diminished figure of Peter Dutton!

 KONA

Kona, or Kailua-Kona, is a port town and the largest settlement on the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii with a population around 12,000. It is West Hawaii's centre of commerce and tourism industries. Tourist attractions include Magic Sands Beach, Mokuaikaua Church, Hulihe'e Palace, and Ahuena Heiau, a restored temple. Just to the south of Kona is Kealakekua Bay where Captain james Cook was killed in 1779. Cook and his compatriots had been welcomed as Gods and for a month exploited the Hawaiians' good will. After one of the crewmen died, exposing the Europeans as mere mortals, relations became strained. Negotiations with King Kalaniopuu collapsed after a lesser Hawaiian Chief was shot and a mob of angry Hawaiians overwhelmed the crew killing  Captain Cook. The English retaliated by firing their cannons killing some 30 Hawaiians.

Kona may be a port town but Coral Princess was much too big to dock there and anchored off shore. Passengers took the ship’s small tenders into shore  for excursions inland or just to visit the town.

There was a Walmart store but it was not hard to resist another visit there. Instead, passengers had been lamenting they had not found an ABC store in previous ports and now their wishes were fulfilled in Kona town. Now, it is not the ABC store you were thinking of, but just another tourist trap with all sorts of things to buy. M was quickly eyeing off some sarongs that she could make up and I gave in and bought a T-shirt. Big spender! The road fronting the port had been closed and temporary stalls of all kinds lined the port front as children swam along a small beachfront. A very pleasant morning.

Farewell Kona Town and the Big Island of Hawaii

 HILO, BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII

Hilo is a port town and the largest settlement on the east side of the Big Island of Hawaii with a population around 45,000. The town overlooks Hilo Bay located on two 'shield' volcanos. Although shield volcanoes are the largest on Earth, they do not form soaring mountains with conical peaks like composite volcanoes. Instead, they are broad with gentle slopes and are shaped somewhat like a warrior's shield lying flat on the Earth. They erupt basalt lava viscosity is more fluid and can flow on the surface for large distances. These volcanoes are built up by repeated eruptions over vast periods of time.

So, what a different view from our balcony (below) as we entered Kona Bay. This is not how we expect volcanoes to look like! This is the summit of Mauna Loa volcano which stands some 17,000 metres above the depressed sea floor and is over 8230 metres taller than Mt Everest. Unlike explosive continental volcanoes, the more fluid and less gaseous eruptions of Kilauea and Mauna Loa produce fiery fountains and rivers of molten lava.

Today we took a bus tour to Hawaii National Park about an hour’s drive into the Big Island of Hawaii to view Kilauea. This is just one in an Hawaiian chain the result of 70 million years of volcanism, migration and evolution as forces beneath the earth remind us this is a living, forever changing planet. We peered into the caldera of Kilauea as stream rose from its core and surrounding fissures along walking trails.

Scientists say that the Hawaiian volcanoes have been unusually quiet since the eruptions last month but not so elsewhere in the world:

Though Hawaii’s volcanoes currently aren’t erupting, other volcanoes around the world remain active. Here in the United States, Great Sitkin and Shishaldin are erupting in Alaska, generating lava flows and ash plumes in the remote Aleutian Islands. Multiple volcanoes are active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Indonesia, Japan, The Philippines, and Russia. Individual volcanoes are also active in Chile, Ethiopia, Italy, Mexico, and Papua New Guinea.

On our way back to the Coral Princess we had a brief stop at a Macadamia Nut factory where this (originally Qld) product is a leading export from the Big Island of Hawaii.

Not very good at these. But here’s a ‘selfie’ before dinner: 

Great dinner tonight once again with four different Kiwis from the previous night. I’m starting to like Kiwis! Coral Princess will now cruise to the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii to Kona for our last visit to the Hawaiian Islands. There is no port facility in Kona big enough for this ship; so tenders back and forth will be required. Since we are ‘Platinum’ passengers, we will get priority boarding apparently!

Seas are so calm there is no sensation of movement while sleeping.

KAHULUI, MAUI ISLAND

So, Coral Princess has diverted from its intended destination of Lahaina after the devastating fires and relocated to Kahului on the eastern side of Maui. My research suggests that Kahului is really a non-touristy town and a commercial hub with businesses and shops; although it has the island's airport and a good harbour for visiting cruise ships. 

Here's a little bloody history from around Kahalui harbour:

Kahului Town & Harbour

Volcanic eruptions, tidal winds and torrential rains have shaped Maui’s landscape. Sacred myth has it that the beauty of this island was created by the Polynesian demigod who pulled the Hawaiian islands from the ocean’s depths, captured the Sun and set it atop Haleakala, the island’s highest peak. Kahului was not colonised until the 19th Century when sugar plantations were established by families of missionaries. 

Just look at these mountains coming down to meet Kahului Harbour as we sailed in this morning. It is not difficult to believe they were created by the gods!

Ancient Hawaiians believed the demigod Maui stepped out of the Haleakala Crater and captured the sun forcing it to slow its journey across the sky so his people could enjoy more sunshine. More than 75% of Maui’s land area is isolated and inaccessible due to extreme terrain and rainforests.

A fifteen minute minute walk into the town of Kahului confirmed it was unused to being a tourist centre. The island’s airport is nearby and helicopters buzzed the skies with tourists or for commercial purposes. It has a sugarcane museum to mark its early history in the sugar industry.

Evening meals are mostly accessed from two large restaurants that come with the cost of the fare. Whom you join over dinner depends on the luck of the draw as settings include tables of four, six, eight and ten. We try to join smaller tables to compensate for my poor hearing but they are all manageable. Everyone has a story of course and most people share the time; but occasionally one person thinks their story of where they live, past employment, family, where the have cruised to, and so on is the most interesting and monopolises the conversation. But most are sensitive to sharing the time. Last night we had a delightful dinner with two Kiwi couples from the North Island.

Tomorrow is Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii.

 LAHAINA, MAUI ISLAND

Lahaina is a historic town located on the western coast of Maui Island in Hawaii. (red dot) It holds great significance in the history of Hawaii and has evolved from a bustling whaling port to a popular tourist destination.

Ancient Hawaiian Settlements: Before the arrival of European explorers, Lahaina was home to ancient Hawaiian settlements. The area was favored for its fertile land and access to the ocean, which provided resources for sustenance and trade.

Arrival of Europeans: In the late 18th century, European explorers, traders, and missionaries began arriving in Hawaii. The first contact between Hawaiians and Europeans in Lahaina occurred in the 1790s when ships from various countries, including Britain and the United States, began to visit the area.

Whaling Era: One of the most significant periods in Lahaina's history was the whaling era, which spanned from the early 19th century to the mid-1800s. Lahaina Harbor became a busy whaling port, attracting sailors, merchants, and other visitors from around the world. Whaling ships would stop in Lahaina to restock supplies, repair ships, and provide rest for the crews.

Missionary Influence: Christian missionaries, primarily from New England, arrived in Lahaina in the early 19th century with the intention of spreading Christianity and Western education. The missionaries established schools, introduced the written Hawaiian language, and built structures that still stand today, such as the Lahaina Jodo Mission and the Waineʻe Church.

Hawaiian Royalty and Lahaina: Lahaina served as the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom from 1820 to 1845, during the reign of King Kamehameha III. It was a center of political and economic activity during this time.

Whaling Decline and Transition: By the mid-1800s, the whaling industry began to decline due to factors like overhunting and the discovery of alternative sources of oil. Lahaina's importance as a whaling port diminished, and the town gradually shifted towards a focus on agriculture, particularly sugar cane cultivation.

Sugar Plantations and Tourism: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the sugar industry took over as the dominant economic force in Lahaina and throughout Maui. Sugar plantations brought in a diverse workforce, including immigrants from Asia and other parts of the world.

Modern Era and Tourism: In the mid-20th century, the sugar industry began to decline, and Lahaina started to shift its economic focus toward tourism. The town's historic significance, combined with its beautiful oceanfront location, attracted tourists looking for a glimpse of Hawaii's past and its natural beauty.

And then in August 2023, fires swept down upon the town with very little warning. Two pictures of Lahaina before and after the horrendous fires above. More than 100 killed and homes & livelihoods lost. Lahaina is/was a tourist town.  A similar event also occurred in 2019 and it was thought that warning systems put in place after that tragedy would ensure this loss of lives would not happen again. The 2000 passengers on Coral Princess will not be embarking here as had been planned but at Nawiliwili.

NAWILIWILI , KAUAI ISLAND

Nawiliwili is a port and area located on the island of Kauai in the state of Hawaii, United States. It has a significant history tied to the indigenous Hawaiian culture and the development of the island.

Hawaiian Settlement: Before European contact, the Hawaiian islands were inhabited by Polynesian settlers who established their communities across the islands. Kauai, where Nawiliwili is situated, was no exception. The area around Nawiliwili likely had Hawaiian settlements and agricultural activities.

Contact with Europeans: The late 18th century saw the arrival of European explorers, primarily led by British Captain James Cook. Cook's visit to the Hawaiian Islands in 1778 marked the beginning of increased contact with the outside world. Subsequent European and American visitors and traders arrived, leading to changes in Hawaiian society, culture, and economy.

Western Influence and Economy: As Western influence grew, so did the demand for Hawaiian goods such as sandalwood and sugarcane. The Nawiliwili area became significant as a trading post and a port for ships engaged in the sandalwood trade. This led to a shift in the local economy, with increased interaction between Hawaiians and foreigners.

Missionary and Missionary Influence: In the early 19th century, Christian missionaries arrived in Hawaii, aiming to spread their faith and establish schools and churches. The Nawiliwili area likely saw the influence of these missionaries in terms of cultural and religious changes.

Sugarcane Plantations: The mid-19th century marked a significant period of change in Hawaii's economy, as sugarcane cultivation and production became a major industry. Sugar plantations were established across the islands, including Kauai. While the Nawiliwili area wasn't as prominent for sugarcane as other parts of Kauai, it likely experienced some influence from this industry.

Modern Development and Tourism: In the 20th century, Hawaii's economy transitioned from agriculture to tourism. The natural beauty and tropical climate of Kauai attracted visitors from around the world. Nawiliwili, being a port, played a role in facilitating tourism by serving as a point of entry for cruise ships and visitors.

Nawiliwili Harbor: The harbour in Nawiliwili has been developed over the years to accommodate both commercial and recreational vessels. It serves as a hub for cargo shipping, cruise tourism, and other maritime activities.

Contemporary Significance: Today, Nawiliwili continues to be a gateway for tourists arriving by sea, with cruise ships often docking at the harbor. The area is also home to Lihue Airport, the main airport on Kauai, further emphasizing its role in transportation and tourism.

While Nawiliwili may not have a history as well-documented as some other places, it has undoubtedly played a part in the broader history of Kauai and Hawaii, especially in terms of its role in trade, transportation, and the changing economic landscape over the centuries.

The first thing to say about the Hawaiians on this island is that they must be great golfers. That’s the golf club at the top and the ninth green by the water’s edge and the lighthouse as we enter Nawiliwili Harbour.

It is a gorgeous morning as Coral Princess is bullied by two powerful tugs to its dock in this delightful harbour. Temperature is expected to be 27 with low humidity unlike yesterday’s uncomfortable conditions in Honolulu. Wiliwili is apparently the name for a tree or trees in general. ‘Na’ simply indicates the plural - so, Nawiliwili means many trees.

We took the trolley bus (surprisingly free, courtesy of Princess) into the small town not far from the port. M quickly found herself again in a clothing store featuring garments in Hawaiian fabrics. One of the ‘bucket list’ activities for many Aussies on this cruise has been to visit a Walmart store. These mega-stores sell everything - think giant Costco. There are many tours organised by Princess that can be undertaken to the interior of the island to include hiking to waterfalls, parks and gardens, and historical sights. Some passengers join up to hire a taxi or Uber to explore the island further. 

This one might be a little large!

Light rain with storm clouds roll across Nawiliwili as we set sail into the night and Kahului on Maui Island.

 

And tonight in the theatre the best act we have ever seen! Ever!