Stiff and bruised, Janine, Alicia, and I rose early Saturday morning and drove over to base for a yoga class, thinking that a little stretching and meditated breathing would go a long way toward reversing the damage done on the water the day before. Excepting some general groaning and bruise comparison, we emerged refreshed and (more) limber by the end of the class. Our many rumbling stomachs reminded us of our brunch reservation at Aulani Resort, where Derrick, Janine, and I had gone for dinner a few nights before his deployment.
This particular Aulani brunch was a Character Brunch, meaning that our meal was supplemented by the company of such fine characters as Minnie, Goofy, and the great mouse himself. Much like dinner, the brunch buffet offered a fine selection of both traditional and Hawaiian fare including my first helping of loco moco, a dish that I equate to to the Rochester garbage plate - hamburger patties, rice, and a fried egg topped off with gravy. Given my dietary restrictions, I had expected the majority of the breakfast selections to be closed to me, but upon hearing of my body's unfortunate hatred of gluten, the chef himself came out to talk me through the menu, even offering to make special GF portions of my favorite dishes (love this place)!
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| Janine, Mickey, Me, and Alicia at Aulani Character Breakfast |
As we stuffed ourselves full of mouse-shaped Belgian waffles and papaya, characters bopped around our table with a trail of youngsters in tow. I felt a little bit like a child myself, flashing back to the first time my mom and dad took my little sister and I to Disney in FL. We had both had autograph books and had been eager to collect the signatures of the costumed Disney Characters in the park. Full of fine food and childhood memories, we drifted down to the resort's seaside lagoon to lounge and find some space to breathe.
Earlier that day my mom had been admitted to the hospital back in Buffalo to begin the process of her planned stem cell transplant. As happy as I was to be in such a beautiful place with two of my best friends, I found that my heart and head tended to drift across the ocean to where I knew my mom was lying in a hospital bed receiving chemo in preparation for the transplant. I thank the family and friends who have been there for my mother the past few months and am especially grateful for my understanding friends in HI and at home, who have helped to ease my mind and reach out a helping hand. I will work hard to divide my remaining time between the people that I love, despite the many miles that separate us.
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| View of the power plant next to Electric Beach |
A little after lunchtime we packed up our things and headed up the coast a few miles to Kahe Point Beach Park, nicknamed Electric Beach for the electric plant that is situated nearby. The waters around the beach are known for their clear blue open water, high fish population, and variety of marine life inhabitants. I had seen the beach for the first time from our helicopter tour, where I'd learned that the electric plant provides an outflow of clean warm water through two giant offshore cooling pipes which causes the water in these areas to be several degrees warmer than the surrounding ocean, thus attracting an abundance of marine life. Unlike Hanauma Bay, where I'd gone snorkeling closer to the beginning of my trip, the coral in this area was healthy, colorful, and alive! I saw dozens of species of fish, including the Hawaiian state fish Humuhumunukunukuapuaa (no typo, I promise), sea anemone, sea urchins, and even an eel! The water was much deeper than at Hanauma Bay and the visibility better. We also had plenty of room to ourselves and were hardly never in danger of scraping our body parts on the reef.
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| Janine & Alicia post-snorkeling |
The twins and I drifted along in a line around the bay, making underwater exclamations when we saw something interesting and surfacing when Janine saw fit to alert us to potentially dangerous conditions (there were no life guards). We saw a few scuba divers down on the sea floor, moving slowly and scattering air bubbles with their movements. After a little more than an hour of snorkeling we headed back into shore for a break and a brief warm-up in the sun, then headed back out for a second round. I love having the opportunity to spend time with both Janina and Alicia; it feels a little bit like being back at Geneseo. Although it was a little hard at first to share Janine after having her to myself for so long, Alicia makes for an excellent adventuring companion and a great friend! I will be sad to see her go next week and can hardly believe that my own departure will be soon afterward! I cannot imagine daily life without Janine in it and am uneasy about the transition back to life in NY, with such a challenging year ahead of me. More and more each day I grow to appreciate the gift that has been the time I have spent here. I am loathe to give it up and wonder what effects my adventuring will have on my life at large when I return home.
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