Hanauma Bay- 29 Aug

Chuck stole away Saturday morning to go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.  Hanauma Bay was a sacred location to the ancient Hawaiian Royals because of it's superior fishing and shelter from big seas and wind.  Located on Eastern Oahu in the crater of an old volcano, it's now a nature reserve with limited daily access and strict rules on wildlife contact.  You have to attend a conservation video before heading down the hill to the beach.  Good link here.

The vis wasn't all that great due to wind and waves, but Chuck still got to geek out on all the fish he wished he would have had a chance to kill as a child saltwater aquarist.

More pictures and video posted on youtube - see box on right hand side of the page.

Bay from the top of the hill.  Water was no more than 6 ft deep everywhere inside the reef.  Most of the fish were found in water only 2-3 ft deep.

Raccoon Butterflyfish

Just your everyday average Humuhumunukunukuapua`a.

This is the state fish of Hawaii and kindergartners have to spell it before advancing to 1st grade.

Threadfin Butteflyfish

Achilles Tang

Friday Pizza and Game Night - 28 Aug

Pizza and popcorn and a new Curious George Game

Rainbows

Mission Complete.  We found the end of the rainbow.  Located in southern part of Kaneohe Bay.

Hawaii is known for rainbows and we were lucky enough to see this from our porch Saturday morning.

Little bit of a double right before it faded away.

Playing - 21/22 Aug

Movie Night.  

Playing trains.

Day on the Bay - 22 Aug 09

There is a 1,000 acre sandbar in the middle of Kaneohe Bay that lies anywhere from dry to about 2 feet deep.  We checked out a Boston Whaler from the Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base and ventured out.  

It was a windy day so the ride out was a little sporty and made the swimming a little cool for the boys, but what a great spot.  

A three hour tour.

Kim and Zach wonder along the sandbar.

Despite being 1.5 feet deep the boys insisted on having their floaties.

Typical party setup.

Heading home.  That is our apartment complex on the hillside.

Coconut Island off the tip of the peninsular you see in the picture above.  Coconut Island was shot for scenes of Gilligans Island.  Now it's 1/3 residential and 2/3rds University of Hawaii Marine Biology Lab.

First Visitor - Mid August

Ben Massiglia from VQ-2 days came out from Pax River.  He was doing what Navy guys typically do, ditching the family to do some "testing" in Hawaii just as the movers showed up with the household goods.  

Since we have yet to have a dinner in Hawaii sans Keikis, we made sure Ben wouldn't either. 

Picture taken so the guilty would be punished.  Posted on Facebook for Sandy to see.

First Day of School - Early August

On August 10th the boys started class at the Navy Hale Keiki School in Pearl Harbor.  For us Haoles, Hale Keiki means Home of the Child in Hawaiian.   In case you're still confused haole means non-native.  The school was founded in 1946 by Navy Wives and is predominately attended by military kids.

Heading out.  Zach in his fashionable frog patterned shorts with matching frog shirt.

One of us is more excited than the other.

Andy putting away his book bag.

Andy and his teacher.

Zach heads into class.

School will flat tire you out.

Oh Yeah, We Moved

Housing didn't work out quite as planned.  We turned down their first offer as the commute was pretty bad and it was a bit small.  Our choice was going to be a bit of a wait.  Not having separate bedrooms or a full kitchin was getting a little old too.  

So, in one frantic week Kim found a three bedroom apartment on the windward side, setup loaner furniture from the Navy and loaner furnishings from the YMCA while we were closing on our house in Whidbey.  We moved in at the end of the week, on July 16th.

The place is ok, but the view is great.  We're still ready to move back to Ford Island.

View from the den and our bedroom.  That's Kaneohe Bay and the Koolau Mountains.

Yes, We Ate at Haleiwa Joe's - Mid July

As soon as we tell anyone we're in Hawaii, the first thing they say is "You gotta eat at Haleiwa Joe's"  I am happy to report to everyone that we have eaten at Haleiwa Joe's.  It actually lived up to the hype and is only a mile from our new place.

Haleiwa Joe's is a really nice seafood restaurant tucked up against the Koolau mountains on the windward side.  It's all open air and looks out on really pretty gardens.

If you visit we'd love to have you take us there.

View of the gardens from our table.

View of the restaurant from the gardens.

Checking Out Hawaii - Part II - Early July

We enjoyed a great four day 4th of July weekend.  Good time to decompress and check out the area.  We made a trip to the North Shore and for the 4th went to the Schofield Barracks.  They had the typical fair and Kansas played.  The kids begged to stay and listen to some rockin' 80s tunes, but Mom and Dad were tired.

Boys take a ride on the Keiki Kopter.

Andy begins his mini-golf fascination.  

The Dudes on the 4th.

We're not beach people, but Hawaii will make anyone a beach person.  We see why Hawaii is Hawaii.  Beaches are incredible.

Pictures with our new underwater digital camera.  This is a convict tang caught (har har) while snorkeling at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base.

Checking Out Hawaii - Part I - Late June

We settle into our luxurious suite in the Ford Island Navy Lodge and get started.  We didn't think we would have much to do, but were quite surprised by all the required running around it took to get settled.  I don't know why we forget, we've only done this 11 times.

The boys getting a haircut is hardly a Hawaiian highlight.  But we like the pictures.

Playing at the Navy Lodge playground.

The memorial to the USS Utah, sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor, is a short walk from the lodge.  The hull lies only partly submerged just off the memorial.

Boys go to the Children's Museum with their new friends Ethan and Isabella.

Zach goes for the car.

Andy goes for the money.  I like the way this is headed.

Checking out the Koi pond at the Hale Koa, the military resort in Waikiki.

The epic children's pool at the Hale Koa.  The bar is right next door.

Shew.  Zach starts another day of the grind in Pearl Harbor.

Departure from England and GAME ON - June

Ok, fun is over.  We leave the UK on Saturday, 13 June and fly to Newark.  Spend the night and fly into Seattle on Sunday.  We have to pack the house, get organized and be on a plane Monday the 22nd for our move to Hawaii.

-Monday - completely frazzled.  We're running about 7 hours out of our time zone.

-Tuesday - express shipment movers show up.  We get an offer on the house.  Now things get really busy.

-Wednesday - household goods packers arrive.  Negotiate on the house.

-Thursday - packers all day.  Settle on the house.   Move into the Navy Lodge.

-Friday - Chuck drives down to Seattle to drop car car at Matson for shipment.  During drive down finds out he was selected for O-5.  Household goods are loaded.

-Saturday - clean house, say goodbye to friends.  Take kids to Washington Park to throw rocks in Puget Sound one last time.

-Sunday - leave for Seattle.  Spend the night in SEATAC.

-Monday - leave for Honolulu.

England will tire a little guy out.

Zach.  Cheeseburger. Empty house.

Sick of taking pictures of moving trucks.  Luckily Zach seemed relatively unphased.

One last trip to a Washington State "beach".  At this point it's good to know we're going somewhere warmer than 60 deg in late June.

On the way out.   Happy its sold, but very sad to leave it.  

We decide to take the ferry off the island.  Zach and Chuck head outside to say goodbye to Whidbey.

 A little stop at Paine Field to see the brand new 787.

Here we go.