Monkey Island (almost!)

The vog has cleared! The weather in Hawaii has been as it should be these past few weeks. I'm not sure if we are back to having the cleanest air in the world again, but we no longer have the brown skies one would expect to see in mainland city.

Derek and Nicola have come and gone. We stayed busy with going out to eat and meeting up after work. We also made it out the the sand bar for a day. After over a year of waiting, we finally made our attempt at Monkey Island in Derek's inflatable kayak. It just so happened that I was the only one that had water-capable sandals out there, so I ended up pulling the kayak towards the landmark with three lounging passengers encouraging me.

We made it to about 150m of the island, just before the start of the ocean channel. The waves were about 2-3' and the current was strong. As soon as the water was chest high, I started to have doubts about whether or not it was a good idea. An inflatable kayak does not inspire the confidence that a sailboat -with or without a mast- does.

In the end, it was Derek's call. He decided that it wasn't worth the risk of getting swept into the ocean. I called him on it. In the past, he was always the devil sitting on my shoulder, encouraging me to push the envelope just a little further. When I told him that gaining a sense of caution was a new trait in him, he told me that, "having a heart attack can change your perspective." Amazingly, neither Derek nor I were seriously injured during his entire time here. The worst thing that happened is he lost his wedding ring at the sand bar.

That was also a good day in that we met up with our old friends: Tomollie (also known separately as Tom and Hollie). They were old roommates of Juliet's and were regular attendees at the weekly TV on DVD Wednesday nights. They have been doing a lot of sailing (with no motor at all), so these past few weeks I have been meeting up with them at the sand bar. It looks like we are going to try to get TV on DVD going again next Wednesday. Battlestar Galactica. I know, it sounds nerdy, but everyone who has seen it swears by it. Plus, what better way to break in a new house.

That brings me to my last piece of news: it looks like I will be moving to Lanikai. I don't want to jinx it since I haven't signed the lease yet, but all indications are looking good. Depending on who you ask, Lanikai is the best neighborhood on Oahu. It is small, since the mountains block it in, and it has a beautiful stretch of beach looking out onto the Mokulua's ("two islands"). It's a really expensive area, but you get what you pay for. The house is just across the street from the beach and is very large and open. I am looking forward to getting away from apartment living for a while and having a garage, yard, and more space. Plus, I won't have to park a mile away if I come home after 7:00pm because all of the street parking is gone. That in itself is worth the hassle of moving.