Team “Mauna Lani-3 Fast, 3 Furious” made our way to the Kona airport to take the Mokulele flight to the Kapalua airport on Maui early Saturday morning before 7:00 am of Labor Day Weekend. Months before we had all decided to participate in the 47th annual Maui Channel Crossing Race from Club Lanai to the Ka’anapali Beach Resort where we would also stay and enjoy the pre and post race festivities. We were all anxious for the experience as our group likes open water racing but this was going to be a far different experience swimming involving an escort boat and swimming as much as 5 miles offshore from either island. The swim race is one of the most well known masters swimming events in the nation even though most open water swimmers are never able to participate due to Hawaii’s unique and isolated location in the middle of the Pacific. The fortunate participants came from all over the mainland US, as well as Australia, and beyond to compete. The race is composed of teams of six swimmers in various configurations and a few...

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Hurricane “Lane" started life as most storms do heading this direction off the coast of Mexico and began it’s general march westward toward the Hawaii islands the week of August 12th. The local news updated the storm’s progress and Lissette and I noted the location and general trajectory westward and toward our island nightly. I have come to doubt the meteorological community when it comes to hurricane predictions as they seem to cry “wolf” too often in order to bring our eyes and minds back to their news stations nightly it seems. In this case my attention quickly became more acute when I saw the storm was predicted to develop into a category 5 storm with 180 mph winds and the predicted path could possibly take it under our southern tip then “hook” upward and charge the western coastline where we live. Potentially, this major hurricane could have affected the eastern side then travel up the western side of Hawaii island then damage the other major Hawaiian islands in it’s path. In my 17 years on Hawaii ...

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Lissette and I left at 5:30 am from Mauna Lani to make the long trek over Saddle Road to the Hilo side for the Richardson Rough Water Swim this past Sunday at Richardson’s Ocean Park. I’ve never been to this park nor participated in this race before but several of my masters swim teammates had raced in past events and said the course was beautiful and the setting was really special. When we arrived I could see why they liked the area as it was a slice of old Hawaii in a County of Hawaii beach park. Richardson’s has the only black-sand beach in the Hilo area and provides multiple tide pools and protected swimming areas including sheltered rock pools where children can swim and play. It has an excellent surf break also as I noticed several surfers catching some nice waves very near our start area. The Richardson Ocean Center is located in a building that once was the Richardson family’s home that dates back to the 1920s. Today visitors to the Ocean Park can visit the house to learn more about the marine life in the are...

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My masters swim group met early Saturday morning at 6:30 am to ride together to Kona for the 2018 King’s Swim sponsored by Kona Aquatics and Bike Works. Kona Aquatics has been headed by coach Steve Barowski for the last 30 years and has a large, age group swim program as well as an established masters program that includes many local triathletes that train at the Kona municipal pool at the Old Airport. This pool is the only 50 meter pool on this side of the island and from what I understand, Steve Barowski helped specify the pools dimensions to ensure it’s suited for large swim meets and multiple practice venues. Their pool makes our 25 meter pool in Mauna Lani look like a small pond but I still feel pretty lucky to have a legit lap pool in my own community! We arrived at the Kona Pier and registered ourselves including the necessary body marking where I received number “77” on both upper arms. Someone said to me in passing “Lucky 7’s” before I entered the water for a warm up and I thought to myself-well “ma...

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I woke at 6:00 am to get fueled up and check the weather conditions for the 1-mile, 2018 Hapuna Rough Water Swim this last Saturday morning.  My early morning weather “observations” revealed no movement in the palm fronds which meant it was not going to be a “rough” water swim to my relief.  Because of this, I knew we had a great chance for a glassy start and easier swim around the buoys. After a short 10 minute drive to Hapuna Beach State Park I could see a perfectly flat water condition extending from the beach to the horizon beyond with Haleakala on Maui clearly in sight!   I soon caught up to one of my team mates Cindy and her friend Aubry and we all made our way down the long path to the ocean then along the beach in front of the Hapuna Beach Hotel on the north end of the bay.  I paid my entrance fee and was told to go to body marking where my left arm was carefully given a #309 with a large Sharpie marker by a what appeared to be an 8-9 year old age group swimmer sporting # 111.  I knew by my number there wo...

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I’m writing this post for those of you reading this on the Mainland US and beyond….the latest National news regarding the 40 acre lava flow in the Puna/Volcano district of our island is real but the scale and scope of it’s effects are really minimal in the big picture as it relates to our location on the Kohala Coast. This isn’t stated to minimize the experience of 1000’s of residents that have been evacuated and or displaced but I state this as the island of Hawaii is the size of Connecticut and some of us live 100’s of miles away!! The only real action was 2, large earthquakes on Friday, May 4th. One was a 6.2 and the second larger quake was a 6.9. I was at my office looking outside and could clearly see the large columns that hold up the roof above the outdoor lanai flexing and swaying back and forth. My fear was the roof would slide off to one side as the foundation moved in the opposite direction-scary. I’m very thankful to those friends and family that have texted, called and emailed as I haven’t heard fro...

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It was a beautiful Saturday morning at Anaeho'omalu Bay within the Waikoloa Beach Resort as 300+ swimmers gathered for the annual Cinco De Mayo, 1-mile, ocean swim. I’ve never participated in this particular open water swim but have swam in the bay for Lavaman Triathlon several times in the past so I was familiar with the territory. The reef in “A” Bay comes all the to the shoreline so the race director gave direction for everyone to swim 150 yards or so to where several paddle boarders were gathered. I was prepared for a beach start and had already lined up on the inside of the mass of ready swimmers. I was caught off guard as the entire group jumped in the water on his direction in front of me and began swimming out to sea! By the time I made it to within 50 yards of the start line-they fired the gun and everyone took off in one huge white water “ball”. Oh well-my best laid plans to swim a fast first leg to the yellow buoy, 1/2 mile out, were now interrupted by 250, determined swimmers. Once I re-calculated m...

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The Hobie Sponsored, Pelagic Pursuit-Kayak Fishing Tournament was held on Sunday, April 16th on Hawaii Islands west side. Our friend Sean Jensen tipped me off that the weigh in was occurring nearby at Plenty Pupule Kayaks behind Home Depot. We had coincidentally met Sean at Costco nearby after he finished the tournament. Sean is my assistant Stacy’s very brave husband and “local boy” who is fearless in his pursuit of large fish in a small kayak :). Sean reported that his day was highlighted by catching 2 large tiger sharks and one marlin-all from his 16’ kayak! He reports being “reeled” in by one of the sharks and towed him out to sea over 1/2 mile where he figured out what he had hooked up to and cut it free!! The marlin was reeled up to his small vessel and managed to get free. Check out the photos of the 50 lb barracuda, large Ono, grey snapper and beautiful rainbow runner fish. They are all beautiful and amazingly caught in open ocean kayaks powered primarily by foot pedals which drive “flippers” th...

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When Lissette and I moved to Hawaii Island in 2001 the population was 150,000+. The island’s population has grown to 200,000+ with the greatest percentage growth on the west side of the island. The North Hawaii Community Hospital services the northwest side of the Island admirably despite it’s remote but beautiful location in Waimea. I’ve had the fortunate experience several times of visiting the emergency room because of accidents and illnesses and give thanks for the kind and professional assistance I was always shown by it’s team of doctors and health professionals. The last visit illustrated their need to expand the emergency room facility as my entire treatment of a large cut to my foot from the reef was performed entirely on a gurney in one of the emergency room hallways as all the exam rooms were full. In my case it was no big deal but I did observe several patients being shuffled between the hallway and private exam rooms as the night progressed to accommodate all patients. The hospital is looking ahead knowing ...

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The 13th annual 2018 Parker School Kahiau fund raising event was held on Saturday, March 3rd this year at the Fairmont Orchid. We were guests of the Broadbent and Satterthwaite families and very much enjoyed the company all others seated at our table which included a Parker School graduate from 2004! It was a beautiful Saturday evening with 300+ attendees first enjoying drinks, conversation and perusal of the silent action offerings at the Kilohana Room followed by an incredible dinner on the lawn of the Plantation Estates of the Fairmont Orchid. We were serenaded by the Parker School choir and also enjoyed hearing from one of the students that expressed his thanks for being granted a scholarship to Parker which as he explained it, “changed his life forever” for many reasons. His sharing was humorous and did illustrate the direct relationship between scholarship gifts from our community and lives changed in a positive manner. The scholarship fundraising, live auction raised $120k from event attendees including several $20,0...

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