Saturday, noon. In the Pailolo Channel between Maui and Molokai.
As my good friend and frequent shipmate Clay Hutchinson likes to say, "Indecision is the key to flexibility." We've embraced that philosophy here aboard the mighty Moku pe'a, and put it into action yesterday. On the way back to Lono, we decided to mosey up to Lanai's Kaena Point and have a look at the anchorages there. They were around the corner of the island and protected from the wind chop coming from the south, so we decided to give it a go and anchor.
There are two good anchorages, one I've called Kaena Point in the past, and one just further north that Lori and I anchored in once a few years ago. Lori and I had just settled in for the night when I decided to listen to the VHF weather before going to sleep. It forecast an 18 foot north swell arriving during the night. Yikes! We departed just after sunset and entered Lono Harbor on Molokai in the pitch black of night using flashlights to find the range markers.. Very exciting!
Michael and I decided to try the northern anchorage where Lori and I had so much fun, and put down bow and stern hooks to keep us centered in the small inlet. I've decided this beautiful spot should be called "Lori Bay" in honor of my beautiful wife and the exciting time we had there.
We launched the dinghy and went ashore to find the ruins of an ancient Hawaiian village with stone house foundations in tiers running up the hillside. We also dinghied over to our usual anchorage at Kaena Point, only a few hundred yards to the south, and climbed around the heiau on the cliff there.
The forecast called for zero swell and southeast winds last night. It looked safe being on the northwest corner of the island so we stayed the night and had a calm and pleasant evening.
Michael finally beat me at cribbage last night. He is still gloating today, and it is wearing a bit thin.
Michael liked the north shore of Molokai so much we decided to go back. This morning we pulled the hook and headed east up the Kolohe Channel in flat seas and light easterlies. We motorsailed up past Shipwreck Beach on Lanai until the wind filled in. We are sailing upwind, but the seas are flat and the decks are dry. We should round Cape Halawa on Molokai at about 1PM where we can slack sheets and head west. Perhaps we will anchor in Waikolu tonight?
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