O'ahu, January 30, 2022

December 7, 1941:  All hell breaks out at Pearl Harbor.  Even though the United States Government did not "declare" war until a day later, December the 8th, the real war began with the first bomb that fell on the Pacific Fleet.  The Arizona went to general quarters at 7:55am.  At 8:06am a Japanese armor piercing bomb went through the foredeck and exploded in a ammunition magazine.  The Arizona was out of the war 11 minutes after it started.  Yet it is now a symbol of United States resolve after that attack that has been remembered for more that 80 years.  The Arizona is not a tourist site, but rather a cemetery for the more than 900 hundred sailors and marines that are still trapped inside her hull.  We were moved by this monument, it would be hard not to be.

The Arizona Monument

The Ship, the Tomb, can still be seen beneath the surface of the water

The flag still flies over the Arizona

On the north shore of O'ahu we enjoyed several beaches and a number of small towns that are now mostly havens for surfing tourist and surfing bums.  These beaches are not for swimming because of the severe undertow caused by the big waves breaking so close to the shore.  These same waves are what makes these beaches the perfect launching point for much of the surfing on this island and among the best on all of Hawai'i.  I could have watched the surfers all day long.  Sandy struck up a conversation with the oldest surfer on the beach.  He was 72 years old.  He was a fun guy, and told us that at his age he does not believe he will die from drowning, more likely a heart attack from all the adrenaline that releases the minute he catches a "major' wave.  Perhaps that is true, but he can't make himself stop surfing.  He also believes that he once saw the face of God while tumbling under the waves trying to get back to the surface.  For that reason, today being Sunday, he surfed in the morning, went to Catholic Mass in his surf clothes, and returned for a second "session" on the waves, he never misses Sunday mass now.  But still after church, the waves were good and he can't stop.

Sunset Beach

Sandy's Surfer Dude

The north shore is known for its food trucks.  We stopped at an area that had about a dozen of them.  We enjoyed some Pad Thai and Spring Rolls.  We could have had just about anything.

Also along the north coast is the little town of Laie which we found out is populated primarily by Latter Day Saints (the Mormons).  The town has its own Morman Temple and its own Brigham Young University.  The town also has the Polynesian Cultural Center which is operated by the students of BYU Hawai'i. 

BYU Grounds

The Mormon Temple

Nu'Uanu Pali Lookout is a magnificent site that allow one a great view of much of the northern shore.  But there is also a macabre element to this spot.  In the late 1700 King Kamehameha I wanted to unite all the Hawai'ian Islands under his rule.  He had the support of the British and access much more modern weaponry than did Kalanikūpule, King of O'ahu and Maui.  The final battle occurred at this cliff with Kamehameha's warriors forcing 400 opposing warriors over the cliff.  Some, rather than being captured and becoming human sacrifice chose to end it quickly by just jumping off the cliff.  Knowing the preferred method of human sacrifice was to have your head bashed in with a war club, cliff jumping may not have been that bad of an idea.

In the United States there is only one Royal Palace and that is in Honolulu.  It is the palace of the Hawai'ian Kings and Queens.  It is now a museum.  The Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown in 1893 just 84 years after King Kamehameha overthrow the kings of Maui, O'ahu, and Kaua'i.  Latter annexed by the United States the Hawai'i became a territory with no Royal Family, or the need for a royal palace.  Across the street from the Palace is an impressive statue of King Kamehemaha who has been recast as a diplomat and statesmen versus the ruthless and opportunistic conqueror that he was.  He stands now in front of the state supreme court building looking back at the palace.

Around Oʻahu January 30, 2022

 We met our tour guide, Weti, at 6:45am this morning and did not stop touring this whole island until he dropped us off at 4:30 this evening at our hotel.  After Pearl Harbor, our first stop was a coffee farm where they roasted and ground their own coffee…very good!

Our next stop was the Dole Plantation where we got a bowl of the famous Dole Whip

We then explored the more interesting side of Oahu, the North Shore, where there was a mixed feeling of surf and turf.  The surfing world is quite alive and well up there and the topography was awesome. The mountains seemed to be carpeted, just welcoming serious hikers. 

                                                                                             

        Turtle Island

                                                               

Chinaman’s Hat Island

                    Our guide, Weti, from Samoa and an IT  graduate from BYU, the campus on the North Shore of Oahu.  

The three amigos…Carl, our guide Weti, and Murray, the male half of the couple that toured with us.

Speaking of a few nice nuts, we next visited a macadamia nut farm…

Just north of downtown Honolulu, is the National Cemetery of the Pacific which is located inside of the Punchbowl Crater, an extinct volcano and the final resting place for 53,000 veterans (and eligible family members).  The grounds are well kept and solemn, similar to Arlington National Cemetery.

The predominant statue is Lady Columbia at the top of the staircase in the Court of Honor who stands on the bow of an aircraft carrier.  Many of the Pearl Harbor USS Arizona  ‘unknown’ victims are buried here.

Here is a view of downtown Honolulu from the Punch Bowl crater with Diamond Head in the background.

O'ahu, January 29. 2022

Diamond Head!  Clearly one of the iconic symbols of not just Honolulu and Pearl Harbor, but all of Hawai'i.

I left the hotel room about 7:30am.  I Uber-ed to the Diamond Head Trailhead.  I was surprised that to get to the actual trail head I had to walk through a tunnel that took me inside of the crater.  I then walked across the crater floor to the trailhead.  So, the trail up to the rim peak actually starts on the inside of the crater, initially nothing more than a steadily steepening sidewalk.  Eventually the concrete sidewalk ended and the path evolved into a series of stairs and switchbacks carved into the basalt rim of the crater.  Finally, near the top another narrow pedestrian tunnel took me from inside the crater rim to outside.  Another 100 stair steps and I was at the top of Diamond Head.  This is a popular trail and there were hundreds making the trek with me.  I was glad I had done it.

The tunnel leading into the crater

Trail leading up the inside rim

Pedestrian tunnel 

Diamond Head was thoroughly tunneled and fortified during World War II

Diamond Head's crater

Looking back on Waikīkī beach

After descending from the top of the rim, I decided to walk the two and a half miles back to the hotel.  A nice walk through upscale and low scale shopping, a beach park, and lots of statues honoring Hawai'ans and the surfing culture.

Duke Kahanamoku