Captain Andy scootin around Huahine Island

Radio Bay is the only place that transient boats can anchor in Hilo. Customs is here, as the Coast Guard, the commercial container dock and petroleum storage tanks and distribution center, which all make this a busy, unattractive industrial area. There is a small park to one side where the large outrigger canoes are stored, so we see paddlers daily taking their boats out, an amazing exercise in strength and endurance.

We are feeling rested after the long crossing. We traveled 2,300 NM in 21 days, which is good. It means we averaged 110 miles/day, this despite the slow start and the calms. Our main frustration was the stress of the squalls which rarely left us. We kept our sails triple reefed most of the time. We saw two container vessels early on, one fishing boat and one large power boat mid-way. We maintained daily contact with s/v Gypsy Blues, who was 2 days behind us and headed for Kona. We also spoke daily with friends back in the Society Islands who noted our position and progress every day. Those contacts really helped the monotony of our days at sea.

So, how does it feel to be back in the U.S.A? The English is nice. Hawaiians are friendly like all Pacific Islanders, but there is poverty and homelessness here like we did not see in French Polynesia or LaPaz. Yes, it was evident in Papeete, the largest city in the islands, but the islanders take care of each other. We did our laundry at the large coin-op facility in town yesterday, and felt sadness at the numbers of desperate, chemically impaired people on the streets.

Old town Hilo is quaint and colorful. We will be visiting the tsunami museum on the waterfront and will blog about what we learn there. Hilo has been hit by two tsunamis in recent history.

We are working on some boat projects, including hiring a diver to change our zincs and inspect our intakes. We’ve changed Monty’s lines, sewn some tearing zippers on the bimini, trouble-shooted another electrical problem with our cabin lights (Discovery’s gremlin is on the move), among others.

We plan to rent a car to see the island, including an actively erupting volcano, sleep in a real bed and eat in restaurants. WOW! Life’s little luxuries.