Lahaina and a Quick Trip to Moloka'i - June 2011

Sunset over Moloka'i

Ahoy everyone! I am writing from the comfort of our very own Libertatia, living large with wi-fi internet at anchor.  We are currently anchored in the mooring field off downtown Lahaina, on the west side of Maui, enjoying relatively calm conditions. There is a bit of a swell that keeps us moving at anchor but it's minor compared with some of the places we've visited over the past few weeks. Plus, a swell in Lahaina means waves on the beach on both sides of the entrance to the harbor. The waves here, mostly small during the summer, were surfed by Hawaiian royalty. The water gets a little crowded during the day, as Lahaina is something of a local surf spot as well as be a tourist metropolis, but the early morning is manageable. The moon, now just past full, has also provided enough light for some night-time surfing. We have all the waves to ourselves and the experience is something like a dream, sliding down peeling, curling moonlit glass. Just take a moment to ask permission and give thanks to Uncle Mano (shark) before you hop in.

Downhill through the Pailolo Channel, on our way to Lahaina

Once again, our apologies go out to everyone for failing to keep everyone abreast of our current whereabouts and latest adventures. Much has come to pass and since we last wrote, so keep checking as I do some back-logging to record and share the complete story of our travels. Unfortunately, the blog program does not allow me to rearrange the order of the blogs posts so things will be a little out of order. Also, Jenine has been posting pictures on here personal blog at: http://jenineadam.blogspot.com. Check it out!

Honolua Bay

We arrived in Lahaina on the 10th of June after a great passage from the Big Island and a short stay in Honolua Bay to the north. Honolua Bay, was serene and peaceful when we arrived in the evening, just in the lee of the northernmost tip of Maui. We were surprised in the morning, when, after a much needed lengthy sleep, we awoke to see the beach covered with people and multiple large charter catamarans coming into the bay. We soon learned that the bay is a preserve of sorts and that it is one of Maui's premier snorkel destinations. The healthy reef and lack of fishing pressure really made for some cool underwater explorations: large ulua only several feet away, huge balls of aholehole, puffers, manta rays and more. Through talking to the landowners on shore, we found out that the bay (after which a hawaiian surf brand is named) is one of the world best surf breaks when it receives a big north swell in the winter. The folks on shore had a nice little garden with kahlo (taro), banana, edible hibiscus, coconut palms, manioc, and sweet potato, continuing the tradition of people living in the little valley back from the beach. Verdant and lush tucked between the dry, thorny surrounding hills, the valley had been a village site up until the valley was hit by a tsunami in the mid 1900's. The cement steps of the church are still in place under a mango tree along the path and the remnants of stone walls and terraces that formed the lo'is along the stream are still in places (lo'i is the name for a flooded garden area where Hawaiian people cultivated wetland varieties of kahlo). Seems like it would have been a nice place to live.

Unlike last time we arrived in Lahaina, when we dropped the hook to the north of town in Mala Bay, we came hot off our downwind blast from Honolua and cruised right for the main mooring field just off the downtown. We had hopes of picking up a Lahaina Yacht Club mooring, but all were taken, either by visiting cruisers or by dead, mast-less boats which have been sitting for who knows how long. We were advised by our neighbor Rick, aboard his boat "Lazy Days," that there was some decent holding right amidst the moorings so we dropped the anchor, backed down on it, and called it good. 

We quickly began to take advantage of what town has to offer: Jenine took a fresh-water shower, we bought a few vegetables, and we all got on the internet. As Jenine and Lowell will tell you, Lahaina as a town is not my favorite. The main drag is a bit like Kona on steroids: a true American consumer vacation world, but the land is great. Lowell told me that he learned the other day that it is one of, if not the, sunniest places in the Hawaiian Island (the average annual rainfall is 13"!). As an anchorage, it is exposed to the southwest but is really in the lee of the prevailing easterly trades. The strong winds blasting down through the Pailolo Channel in between Maui and Molok'a'i seem to peter out just north of town and the average day breeze from the south never gets too strong. The fact that it was home to the Hawaiian royalty, before and after being taken by Kamehameha, goes to show how nice it is. A few fishponds, more coconut trees, some lo'is full of kahlo, and you'd really have something... Just towards the south end of town there is a small park with a thatched hale (house) and something of a canoe and cultural center. It's nice to find a small oasis of culture and learning amidst the chaos and hopefully we'll come to know the folks that hang around there. They are just putting the finishing touches on a new voyaging canoe (fabricating spars, wooden hardware, steering oars, etc.) with aspirations of serious ocean travel. No bolts, all lashing. Quite phenomenal. We'll try to get some pictures to show you all.

We spent our first days in Lahaina continuing the never-ending process of cleaning and organizing the boat and getting in touch with the world. We had been brainstorming and thinking about money-making possibilities on Maui on our way here but on our third day here, Lowell unexpectedly received a reply from someone who had posted a salmon fishing job in Alaska on Craigslist. After a short discussion, a phone call, and an hour on the internet, Lowell had himself a two-month job and a plane ticket to Hawaii. What an insane and incredible world we live in! 

South coast of Moloka'i

After taking an evening to adjust to the sudden change in our collective future, we woke up in the morning and, upon discovering that the water tanks were empty, decided to sail to Moloka'i. Last time we filled up the the tanks in Kaunakai Harbor, we were delighted by the water quality and ease of tying up to the pier in the sleepy little harbor. We ended up pulling up the anchor around midday, riding the southerly breeze until it faded in the face of 20-25 knots coming down the channel. It was a delightful downwind run through the Kalohi Channel, averaging around seven knots under a reefed mizzen, stays'l, and jib (eventually reducing to only the jib). We caught an aku for dinner and before we knew it were entering the harbor and easing into the lee of the pier. Although it is always thrilling to arrive in a new place, there is something very comforting about dropping anchor in a familiar port. We filled the tanks at the pier, dropped the hook in between some cruising friends aboard their boat the S/V Sequoia and Kaunakakai's very own Stretch, aboard his 50 foot-ish Ed Monk designed schooner, Doubloon.  

Moloka'i bond

We ended up spending two nights in the harbor, did some laundry at Hawaii's most marine-accessible laundromat, cruised around the peaceful little town, and checked out the excellent library. The highlight of our short stay was, however, making the acquaintance of Iruka the morning after our arrival. I was stretching on the pier's only patch of grass, just outside the bathrooms, when Iruka asked if I was off the black boat in the harbor. From there we quickly launched deep into a somewhat frenetic conversation about the boat, largely fueled by Iruca's intractable zeal for square-rigged vessels. The talk soon jumped to the future of sailing to Iruca's birth and life at sea to the future of sailing to the youth of Moloka'i to the possibility of inter-island sail-based trade to possible rig alterations for Libertatia to surfing   and soon enough we were continuing our conversation onboard around the settee. We spent several hours talking and brainstorming and left with much to think about. Since then we've been talking up the idea of sail transport to and from Moloka'i and it seems like we are drumming up some excitement. We'll see if it can become a reality but, as I wrote in an email to the folks involved in "Sustainable Moloka'i," even a couple of exploratory trips would teach us a lot and provide an example of what sustainable inter-island transport might look like in the future. We'll keep you all posted. 

Early morning calm outside Kaunakakai

The next morning we split early, sailing off the anchor and then out of the harbor with a little auxiliary assist from one of the dinghies.  We had the engine in neutral just in case but we've been getting better and better at diesel-free maneuvering in tight spaces. We've just got to keep practicing and we'll be pretty good.

Before we knew it we were beating up the reef on the south side of Moloka'i in 25 to 30 knots with loads of spray coming over the deck. We then headed off into the channel towards the center of Lanai and we were lifted slowly and steadily until we were laying Lahaina. Nothing like the joy at being lifted through 90 degrees before you're pointed right at your destination!

The trip back to Lahaina from Kaunakakai ended up taking just over six hours while the trip there took just over five. Pretty good: the steady trades in this part of the world are quite a blessing. Just as with the strong, consistent winds in the San Francisco Bay, it's easy to see how sailboats could be used very efficiently to move cargo and travel around. What a dream!


Back in Lahaina, we continued work on the boat while Lowell got himself ready for the frozen north. As always, we have a list of projects to do, whether they are critical, are a good idea, or would just be nice to have done. Our friend Ed, who lives on his catamaran Quixotic, told us that it took him a few years to get his boat dialed in and I think it'll take that long for us too. Slow and steady....

Life and death on the beach near Paia

The night before Lowell left we had a sunset picnic near the Mala wharf to celebrate our birthdays and commemorate Lowell's departure. The next morning we took the bus to the town of Paia before dropping Lowell off at the Kahalui airport. 

Asleep in Paia

Paia was a nice town with more of our flavor than Lahaina. It still had the same built-up, commercialized feel but felt closer to the earthy, down-home Maui that must exist somewhere. We are excited to explore and meet kindred spirits further east, out towards Hana.

For now it's just Jenine and I, taking care of the boat in Lahaina and contemplating our next move: cargo runs to Molokai, landscaping in Haiku, sunday beach party at Makena beach, Hanalei bay on Kauai ... we'll see! It's all possible.