Sunday evening we went up to the Punchbowl National Cemetery. It is a peaceful place to go spend a few minutes and just contemplate what so many gave so that we could all enjoy what we have today.
9 years ago
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Punchbowl
On Sunday, after Sacrament Meeting, Rebecca ran into one of her friends from home who is here in Honolulu on a mission. I had talked with him last week, so he knew she was coming.
Sunday evening we went up to the Punchbowl National Cemetery. It is a peaceful place to go spend a few minutes and just contemplate what so many gave so that we could all enjoy what we have today.
Sunday evening we went up to the Punchbowl National Cemetery. It is a peaceful place to go spend a few minutes and just contemplate what so many gave so that we could all enjoy what we have today.
Pali Lookout and Polynesian Cultural Center
On Saturday, we went to the PCC for the entire afternoon and evening show.
Along the way, we stopped at the Pali Lookout and spent a few minutes looking out over the Kāne‘ohe Bay and the ocean beyond.
Before going into the PCC, we went to the Visitor's Center and walked around a little. This photo in front of the Temple shows that it is no longer white. They have stripped all the paint off. It is a little sad to see it under construction, but that will make it even nicer when it reopens.
While we were waiting for the canoe show to begin, we stopped by the Tahitian Village and Dave did some Tahitian dancing for us.
No trip to the PCC is complete without a stop at the Samoan Village to see the show. This guy is our favorite. He also does the fire-knife dance at the evening show.
There were two Samoans climbing the palm trees today. One was obviously very experienced, and the other was just learning. He was scared to death, but made it through the demonstration.
Dave had a killer headache as the Luau started and didn't enjoy dinner. We had to go collect him from the infirmary after we finished and then went to the evening show.
It was a long, but fun day together. Really nice to have someone else in the family here to enjoy their company this weekend.
Along the way, we stopped at the Pali Lookout and spent a few minutes looking out over the Kāne‘ohe Bay and the ocean beyond.
Before going into the PCC, we went to the Visitor's Center and walked around a little. This photo in front of the Temple shows that it is no longer white. They have stripped all the paint off. It is a little sad to see it under construction, but that will make it even nicer when it reopens.
While we were waiting for the canoe show to begin, we stopped by the Tahitian Village and Dave did some Tahitian dancing for us.
No trip to the PCC is complete without a stop at the Samoan Village to see the show. This guy is our favorite. He also does the fire-knife dance at the evening show.
There were two Samoans climbing the palm trees today. One was obviously very experienced, and the other was just learning. He was scared to death, but made it through the demonstration.
Dave had a killer headache as the Luau started and didn't enjoy dinner. We had to go collect him from the infirmary after we finished and then went to the evening show.
It was a long, but fun day together. Really nice to have someone else in the family here to enjoy their company this weekend.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Family in Honolulu
After I moved apartments, Lauri came over to stay with me for a couple of weeks on April 13th. The sunrise on April 15th was gorgeous!
That afternoon, we went to the airport and picked up Rebecca, who also came over this time to play.
Rebecca and Lauri came over to my new office in Pauahi Tower and helped me move in and then had a good time for a couple of days, riding the buses and going to Chinatown.
On Friday evening, April 17th, we got KFC for dinner and took it to Magic Island and watched the fireworks over the water while we ate. Then we headed to the airport and picked up Natalie and Dave who are spending a week with us.
That afternoon, we went to the airport and picked up Rebecca, who also came over this time to play.
Rebecca and Lauri came over to my new office in Pauahi Tower and helped me move in and then had a good time for a couple of days, riding the buses and going to Chinatown.
On Friday evening, April 17th, we got KFC for dinner and took it to Magic Island and watched the fireworks over the water while we ate. Then we headed to the airport and picked up Natalie and Dave who are spending a week with us.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
New Apartment
I had high hopes for the apartment on the beach for this trip, but it turned out to be kindof a dump. So, yesterday, I moved.
This is the view of the living room as you come in the door:
This is the view out the living room window:
This is the kitchen:
The Bedroom:
The Bathroom:
Sunrise from the lanai:
More views from the lanai:
This is the view of the living room as you come in the door:
This is the view out the living room window:
This is the kitchen:
The Bedroom:
The Bathroom:
Sunrise from the lanai:
More views from the lanai:
Saturday, April 11, 2009
April 10, 2009 Night Dives - Deep LCU & Turtle Reef
On Friday, April 10, 2009, I dove with Christian Perthen and Jo (divemaster) from Ocean Concepts. We did two dives, Deep LCU, a 106 foot deep dive on a Landing Craft that was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef and Turtle Reef, a 35 foot deep dive on a shallow coral reef.
The effects of winter were a little bit obvious this evening. It was raining when we all arrived for the dives, but let up as we were being briefed at the shop. It was chilly, however. That is somewhat apparent from the way everyone is dressed in this photo of Jo giving her boat safety briefing before we left the dock.
The really cool thing about night dives is watching the sun go down as we are heading out to the first dive site or getting ready for the first dive. Even though it was heavily overcast and had been raining, we got a little break on the horizon right at the best time.
I dove with Christian. Jo was the divemaster for out group. Three of the divers had cameras. There were 7 divers and two "guides."
Christian and I were the second pair in the water. We congregated at the mooring line until all of the group was there and then descended. Christian had a very powerful dive light that was very intense white light - looked like an aircraft landing light. That made it pretty easy to keep track of him in the dark.
The wreck is also fairly small, so night dives end up being sort of a big group thing. Every time someone finds something interesting, everyone else gathers around to see.
Right after getting to the wreck, I discovered a Feather Duster Worm. It is a pretty cool looking critter.
I got a few photos of fish that turned out very well. A Moorish idol, a Blacklip Butterflyfish, and a Multiband Butterflyfish.
I came across this Yellow-Spotted Guard Crab in a Cauliflower Coral and then found Christian taking photos of a Commerson's Frogfish. I was able to get several pretty good shots of it.
I had decided to use my backup light rather than my primary light because it is smaller and easier to maneuver with the camera. At about this point, the light suddenly just dimmed down to nothing. My batteries were gone - not surprising since they have been used on lots of dives. No problem though, all I had to do was switch to the primary light - except, it didn't come on when I worked the switch!
Just a moment of apprehension facing an ascent in the dark - no problem, Christian's landing light and everyone else's lights were providing so much, there was no need. About halfway up, my primary suddenly came on! No explanation that I could figure out. I guess it figured I wasn't going to use it, so it was on strike!
Back on the boat, I couldn't find anything wrong with the primary light. It was working fine. I replaced the batteries in the backup and decided to use the primary on the second dive.
I am going to have to get a towel if I keep going on these night dives. I took my rash-guard off and put on my fleece jacket, but was still cold. the really bad part was putting the wet rash-guard back on before the second dive!
The second dive was on Turtle Reef. There were brittle stars everywhere! The were drooping out of every nook and cranny and clump of coral, but there were none actually out in the open where I could get a decent photo.
The hermit crabs, swimming crabs, sea cucumbers, and shrimp were all out in force on the reef tonight.
I caught a flash of red out of the corner of my eye as Christian and I were swimming to catch up with the rest of the group after taking a few photos. It was an enormous Spanish Dancer Nudibranch - by far the largest I have ever seen. I couldn't get anyone else's attention, so I stroked it and tried to get it to dance, but it wouldn't.
When I caught up with Christian, he was shining his torch on these two little Imperial Nudibranchs. It was so bright that my flash didn't even go off.
There were also quite a few moray eels out on the prowl tonight. I go these photos of a Yellowmargin Moray Eel with a Banded Coral Shrimp, a Yellowhead Moray Eel, and an Undulated Moray Eel that was swimming right under me.
Just as I decided I was done for the night and headed for the boat (too cold) with 1000psi of air left, I came across this Scrawled Filefish under a ledge.
The effects of winter were a little bit obvious this evening. It was raining when we all arrived for the dives, but let up as we were being briefed at the shop. It was chilly, however. That is somewhat apparent from the way everyone is dressed in this photo of Jo giving her boat safety briefing before we left the dock.
Joanna "Jo" Mikutowicz
The really cool thing about night dives is watching the sun go down as we are heading out to the first dive site or getting ready for the first dive. Even though it was heavily overcast and had been raining, we got a little break on the horizon right at the best time.
Sunset Off Wai'anae
I dove with Christian. Jo was the divemaster for out group. Three of the divers had cameras. There were 7 divers and two "guides."
Christian and I were the second pair in the water. We congregated at the mooring line until all of the group was there and then descended. Christian had a very powerful dive light that was very intense white light - looked like an aircraft landing light. That made it pretty easy to keep track of him in the dark.
The wreck is also fairly small, so night dives end up being sort of a big group thing. Every time someone finds something interesting, everyone else gathers around to see.
Right after getting to the wreck, I discovered a Feather Duster Worm. It is a pretty cool looking critter.
Feather Duster Worm
I got a few photos of fish that turned out very well. A Moorish idol, a Blacklip Butterflyfish, and a Multiband Butterflyfish.
Moorish Idol
Blacklip Butterflyfish
Multiband Butterflyfish
I came across this Yellow-Spotted Guard Crab in a Cauliflower Coral and then found Christian taking photos of a Commerson's Frogfish. I was able to get several pretty good shots of it.
Yellow-Spotted Guard Crab
Commerson's Frogfish
I had decided to use my backup light rather than my primary light because it is smaller and easier to maneuver with the camera. At about this point, the light suddenly just dimmed down to nothing. My batteries were gone - not surprising since they have been used on lots of dives. No problem though, all I had to do was switch to the primary light - except, it didn't come on when I worked the switch!
Just a moment of apprehension facing an ascent in the dark - no problem, Christian's landing light and everyone else's lights were providing so much, there was no need. About halfway up, my primary suddenly came on! No explanation that I could figure out. I guess it figured I wasn't going to use it, so it was on strike!
Back on the boat, I couldn't find anything wrong with the primary light. It was working fine. I replaced the batteries in the backup and decided to use the primary on the second dive.
I am going to have to get a towel if I keep going on these night dives. I took my rash-guard off and put on my fleece jacket, but was still cold. the really bad part was putting the wet rash-guard back on before the second dive!
The second dive was on Turtle Reef. There were brittle stars everywhere! The were drooping out of every nook and cranny and clump of coral, but there were none actually out in the open where I could get a decent photo.
Spiny Brittle Stars
The hermit crabs, swimming crabs, sea cucumbers, and shrimp were all out in force on the reef tonight.
Bloody Hermit Crab
Hawaiian Swimming Crab
Light-Spotted Sea Cucumber
Marbled Shrimp
Convex Crab
I caught a flash of red out of the corner of my eye as Christian and I were swimming to catch up with the rest of the group after taking a few photos. It was an enormous Spanish Dancer Nudibranch - by far the largest I have ever seen. I couldn't get anyone else's attention, so I stroked it and tried to get it to dance, but it wouldn't.
Spanish Dancer Nudibranch
When I caught up with Christian, he was shining his torch on these two little Imperial Nudibranchs. It was so bright that my flash didn't even go off.
Imperial Nudibranchs
There were also quite a few moray eels out on the prowl tonight. I go these photos of a Yellowmargin Moray Eel with a Banded Coral Shrimp, a Yellowhead Moray Eel, and an Undulated Moray Eel that was swimming right under me.
Yellowmargin Moray Eel & Banded Coral Shrimp
Yellowhead Moray Eel
Undulated Moray Eel
Just as I decided I was done for the night and headed for the boat (too cold) with 1000psi of air left, I came across this Scrawled Filefish under a ledge.
Scrawled Filefish
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