Lono

Friday, 2PM.  Off Kaena Point, Lanai

Moku pe'a had a glorious sail yesterday past Ilio Point and the west shore of Molokai.  The trade winds died at Laau Point, as they usually do, and we motorsailed the rest of the way to Lolo Harbor on Molokai's southwest corner, arriving at 2PM.

We found the harbor nearly deserted; no other boats and only a single group picnicking at the beach on the western end of the breakwater.  The harbor was as calm as I've ever seen it, just a small swell and no surge in the basin.  I normally anchor out and dinghy in to shore, but with no surge it felt save to put an anchor down and tie the stern to a bollard out on the breakwater at the eastern end of the harbor.

At 330 Michael and I went for a hike to the top of the cliff overlooking Lono - a must do when visiting there.  It is a long, hot hike with frequent stops to remove kiawe thorns from our slippers.  A few photos of the boat, quick chat with loved ones because that's the only place nearby with cell phone connectivity, then back down the hill.  We also walked up the beach east of the harbor in search of glass balls.  We need to find one to make this voyage complete.  Tired and empty handed, we strolled back to the boat at 530 to find that four teen aged girls had parked their SUV right at our bollard and were grilling dinner 20 feet from Moku pe'a.

It was very strange.  We said hello politely as we passed them and boarded the boat, but they didn't engage in conversation.  The six of us were the only people within perhaps five miles in any direction, and they chose to set up their party spot right next to Moku pe'a.

Michael made a fantastic pizza for dinner.  We sat there eating our dinner and the girls sat there eating their dinner, each group trying to ignore the other.  After dinner they decided to do some jumping into the harbor off of the bollard.  We could tell that they had been doing this before we returned from our hike by the water splashed up on Moku pe'a and water on the bollard.  Rather than get the boat wet, I went ashore, told the girls getting ready to jump that, "I'll untie the boat so you gals can have some privacy."  They ignored me.  I let the boat drift out and swing to her anchor in the harbor, and they did their jumping thing from the bollard.

There were a dozen bollards around the harbor to jump from.  Why these kids picked the one next to Moku pe'a yet had no interest in communicating with the people they knew would be aboard is a mystery.  They packed up and left just after sunset.

This morning we sailed over to The Needles on Lanai's west coast.  The trades filled in like they normally do just outside Lono, but halfway across the Kolohe Channel a line of clouds passed over the boat and the wind shifted to the southwest.  Moku pe'a beam reached on starboard tack all the way to Needles where we found a lee shore and the conditions too rough to anchor.  Just after noon we turned around and are now headed back to Lono.  The trades are supposed to be south of east, but southwest?  We have seen the strangest weather this trip.  Global warming?  Climate change?

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