"The Eddie" Hawaii 2016

When we first visited the Big Island in 2011, we noticed a bumper sticker that said "Eddie Would Go" and found it so intriguing we had to find out more.  What we found was not just the story of one amazing man -- but a deeply moving story about Hawaiian heritage and culture. (We are writing this mostly for folks back on the mainland who may know nothing about this event, person or cultural history.) 

As one of the most respected names in surfing, "Eddie" (Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau May 4, 1946 – March 17, 1978) was the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay on Oahu, saving many lives. He also was the first lifeguard to work the North Short where, during his watch, not a single life was lost.

Hokule'a

"Eddie" became involved in perpetuating his Hawaiian heritage. In 1976, the Polynesian Voyaging Society sailed the Hokule'a on a successful 30-day, 2500 mile journey following the ancient route of the Polynesian migration, using celestial navigation, between the Hawaiian and Tahitian islands. In 1978, a second voyage of the traditional sailing canoe was planned. At 31 years of age, Aikau was selected for this voyage as a crew member.

We held our collective breath -- watching these 60 foot waves!

The Hokule'a left the Hawaiian Islands on March 16, 1978. The double-hulled voyaging canoe developed a leak in one of the hulls and later capsized in stormy weather about twelve miles south of the island of Molokai. In an attempt to get to land to save his crew and the Hokule'a, Aikau paddled toward Lanai on his surfboard. Hours later a commercial airplane spotted the Hokule'a and the rest of the crew was soon rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. Aikau was missing at sea. Despite great search efforts "Eddie" was never seen again.

Held at Waimea Bay, "The Eddie" sponsored by Quicksilver, has not happened in many years because the conditions have to be perfect -- HUGE waves -- and the worldwide competition is by invitation only. For SEVEN years the waves have not been good enough to be called "The Eddie" but just last week we were blessed with stunning waves, rides and wipe outs.

CLICK LINK TO SEE LIVE SHOTS (hold your breath!) Quick Silver In Memory Eddie Aikau

CLICK LINK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY AND "HOKULE'A" :  Hokule'a Voyage

(The info here has been edited from a variety of sources including Wikipedia, Eddie Aikau Foundation, and other articles.)

Lava "Burps" and Archaeology

Our first view --- long overgrown driveway

For the last couple of weeks I have been working (in between other projects) on a lava feature that materialized only last fall, when we had a bobcat operator clear back wide spaces on each side of our long driveway that were thick with invasive species, brittle junk trees, and mats of various vines and small shrubs. 

Me - poser/dozer for my Birthday!

(Here's a photo we took in 2012 when the front ½ acre was totally overgrown.)

As the bobcat work cleared the debris, we discovered we had a large, tall, intact flow of pahoehoe that at one time had flowed diagonally across the property.

Carefully cleaning dirt out of the cracks

Since the initial clearing took place a few months ago, this “high ground” has tempted me to uncover its secret face. For a solid week my first task was removing small bushes, debris and vines… down to dirt.  As I removed buckets and buckets of dirt, I began to see the ‘face’ of the pahoehoe that had flowed across the driveway – long before there was one. 

It was clear to me that using the pick ax would damage the beautiful unbroken lava flow, so I had to switch tools!  I got out a small triangle hand trowel and stiff brush and began the “lava archaeology” that eventually revealed beautiful swirls, folds and features all across the width of this 5 x 20’ outcropping.  As I patiently cleaned and brushed away the dirt it seemed very personal -- like a wrinkled face; the more I looked the more I saw.  (to SEE more - click on each photo)

Our house is way in the back

Heavy black shows 1955 "burps" and flows

Because this feature is 10-12 feet higher than the rest of the property, I began to wonder when this outcropping happened.  I found a USGS map that features more recent lava flows along Kilauea’s East Rift Zone in the Puna District on the Big Island of Hawaii.  There were some very late outbreaks (burps) that happened  as recently 1955.  We doubt our outcropping is that old, but it is still a reminder of how very young this island really is. 

It's STILL All Right Here!!

Art by Donna Seller - "Arts Alive in Old Town"

...now, though, the "here" is in PUNA Hawaii!

We spent 22 years living in the heart of Northern California’s redwoods where we also owned a successful gallery in the historic Old Town section of Eureka.  The slogan for this Victorian area was “It’s All Right Here.”  We enjoyed being able to say that everything we needed was on “our street” which was F Street. We lived in a charming old home on F Street that was built in the 1860’s.  Our business, Many Hands Gallery Many Hands Eureka  (pictured above left) was on F Street, as was our bookkeeper, hairdresser, bank, favorite restaurants and other amenities.  It was one of the real charms of living in a small community.

Lava approaching Pahoa Village Road

When we bought our retirement house in the Puna District on Hawaii’s Big Island, we soon discovered that we had delightedly moved to a similar situation in Pahoa.  We are retired so we no longer own a business.  However it is STILL “All Right Here” – on Pahoa Village Road where we find our bank, CPA, market, video shop, auto repair, drugstore, health food store, post office, senior center, library, chiropractor, swimming pool and numerous small novelty shops, museum and used bookstore. 

Because of Kilauea's serious lava flow from the Pu'u O'o vent that threatened to go right through the middle of Pahoa, we now have many aerial images of Pahoa Village that did not exist prior to that distressing year-long event.  (In case you didn’t know, the flow stopped just before Pahoa Village Road.)

For a couple local tours visit this U-Tube video. Photo Tour of Pahoa  OR Another Puna Tour -- Look see!

Spider Webs and Galaxies

In Puna driving toward Pohoiki down Mango Road

Early one morning last week, my girlfriend Jan and I hopped in the car for a 12 minute ride down for a swim at one of Puna's favorite places on Hawaii's Big Island.

Wearing suits, sarongs and sandals and riding with car windows wide open we passed through the mile long sylvan tunnel locally known as “Mango Road” where branches of the ancient mango trees glowed in the morning sun. While rays of light flickered through the rich dark green canopy cool lavender shadows laced the underbrush.

As we both enjoyed the magic light, we were suddenly and simultaneously stunned at an unusual sight. There in the high treetops of the overarching branches were hundreds of spider webs, like galaxies, tilted at every angle, backlit by the sunlight and prisms of rainbows.  With the car fully stopped in the middle of the one-lane road, we were awestruck and silent. And we both also knew that when the light changed the vision we witnessed would be gone – gone in the way such ephemeral things vanish.

Gemini Legacy image of the galaxy "herd" VV 166

Even so, the next day, I spent an hour finding that same spot – a near impossibility on that stretch of tree-lined roadway.  Ready to give up my walking back and forth with stretched neck muscles, I turned around one last time – and THERE THEY WERE!  Of course I took photos, none of which begin to capture what Jan and I saw, or even what I saw the following day. I was very much reminded of galaxies in deep far reaches that are like spider webs woven in space.  In fact, there is actually a cluster of galaxies that are called “The Spiderweb.”

We are especially excited to share a BRAND NEW image with you from GEMINI Observatory taken right here from Mauna Kea!!!  Here is a quote that tells a little about this image.

A compelling new image from Gemini Observatory peers into the heart of a group of galaxies (VV166) traveling through space together. The variety of galactic forms range from a perfect spiral, to featureless blobs and present, at a glance, a sampling of the diversity and evolution of galaxies. Galaxy groups important laboratories for studying how galaxies form and evolve beyond our own Local Group of galaxies, which includes the Milky Way and the Great Spiral in Andromeda. Unlike animal herds, which are generally the same species traveling together, most galaxies move through space in associations comprised of myriad types, shapes, and sizes. Exploring the nature of these extragalactic “herds” may help to unlock the secrets to the overall structure of the universe.