Episode # 818
October 5, 2024
Memory is brief. It compiles events into concepts which are remembered in a moment. Paula’s and my trip to Hawai’i was such a moment. One that lasted 20 days.
O’AHU
Dear friends drove us to San Diego for a five hour flight to Honolulu, O’ahu.
After renting a car we had a delicious Thai meal, for which strangers secretly paid, lokomaikaʻi.
Our friends, Tom and Heidi, opened there house to us in Wahiawa, also lokomaikaʻi.
Paula and I are up jumpers (at altitude, ready to jump, experienced, not students). For years, up jumpers have not been welcome in Hawai’i. We arrived at GoJump Skydiving on Dillingham Field.
The manager of the drop zone signed us off to jump.
An ex Golden Knight named Arvel took pictures in freefall.
The airplane flew out to sea, exiting us at 14,000 feet outside the surf line.
Paula and I posed in midair making a five and a zero with our hands, for 50 states.
Flying back to the landing area was one of the most beautiful parachute flights I have ever made. The north shore of O’ahu spread out below us. Paula and I have now made a skydive in all fifty states of the Union. Check that item off our bucket list.
After the skydive we put on our tourist hats and went to the Old Sugar Mill Coffee and Chocolate factory where I bought a $10 Hawaiian shirt in the parking lot farmer’s market. From there we saw turtles swimming in the surf of nearby Mokule’ia Beach and chatted with a shark swim tour operator and her fearless snorkeling 7 year old. Wading into the surf I noticed that it is stronger and the sand finer in Hawai’i than it is in California.
Our drive up the north shore showed us a few surfers, but no giant waves. The surf was not up.
Unfortunately we hardly ever saw Tom and Heidi. They get up at 3am to run their powered hang glider tour business and consequently were asleep when we returned for the evening. Tom is also a famous skydiving photographer and has always thrown himself into his work. He is known world wide for it.
O’ahu’s interior valley is bordered by 4,000 foot Ka’ala and 3,000 foot Konahuanui. We were nestled by these two ancient volcanos on our way to Pearl Harbor.
At once historical and deeply emotional, Pearl Harbor left a lasting impression.
Seeking Kalauao Falls we hiked up the ‘Aiea Loop Trail for 2 hours, then turned back to our car. We came up short of the falls, but the scent of eucalyptus from an old growth forest enveloped us.
The day was complete with another delicious Thai meal in Honolulu.
On our travels we love to visit Botanic gardens so we set out for the Lyon Arboretum. The arboretum was closed so we hiked the tropical jungle Manoa Falls Trail, a three mile round trip. It was a rocky and slippery trail which awarded us with a 150 foot waterfall.
In an extreme change of pace we hiked the Makapu’u Point Lighthouse trail. Just past the Kokonani crater at the southeastern tip of O’ahu is a 2 mile round trip paved walkway that rises 500 feet. One and an half hours in the pounding bright sun awarded us with a cool, breezy view of the lighthouse and the east and south shores of the island.
Another hour back down the trail left us exhausted with sore feet, welcoming the return to our bed at Tom’s house.
The next morning we visited Tom’s hanger at Paradise Air Hawai’i on Dillingham field. He was very busy with client’s, but took time to show us the aircraft and lobby. Pictures of Tom flying his hang glider and various skydiving photos adorn the walls.
We bid Tom and Heidi farewell and drove back to the turtle beach for a swim. Still hoping to see some big surf we headed toward the Pipeline near Waimea bay. The surf was still down so we hiked up Waimea Canyon to the waterfall where the TV series “Lost” was filmed. The hike is an easy walk through a botanic garden.
The next day we flew to the Big Island where we continued our adventure.
Next week’s bLog will be a moment on Hawai’i, the Big Island.
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What gorgeous pics and the completion of a very ambitious quest to skydive in all 50 states. Congratulations!
With the winds and the various obstacles, it was the culmination of a lot of effort to do the final dive, I’m sure. But the results were certainly worth it.
Linda and I were able to tour some botanical gardens when we took a cruise to the islands, and we were awestruck by the colorful intensity and variety of the flowers and plant life. Lasting memories!