Rebekah’s Studio

. . . AND SOME HAWAIIAN PLACE NAMES

Not only am I lucky to live in Hawaii, I’m lucky to live in Hawaii to go sailing!

This past Labor Day DH and I spent most of the day on Kaneohe Bay off Oahu with our good friends Ken and Georgia aboard their 38′ sloop Mariah.

We sailed with main alone, and not having a headsail up meant wider unobstructed views of the shore. This is the view from the bow after leaving the yacht club mooring and passing Moku o Loe (aka Coconut Island). Puu Ohulehule is the triangular peak on the left, and the peak and ridge named Kanehoalani is about 10 degrees to port (left) of the bow.

We’re headed toward Ahu o Laka, a 3.1 acre islet off Kahaluu popularly known as “the sandbar” that is awash at high tide. It’s a popular destination for boats and various water craft on weekends and holidays, and last Monday it was a “zoo!” We opted to sail on by to a quieter spot farther north to anchor for lunch and some kayaking before continuing on to Hakipuu and Kualoa.

Passing the sandbar, from left, Georgia, DH, and skipper Ken. The hill beyond the sandbar in the distance on the left is Puu Hawaiiloa.

Kaneohe Bay is full of reef and shallow areas. In addition to spotting the white reef stakes, the red and green channel markers, and noticing landmarks, local knowledge is a must for piloting one’s way to where we were going. No worries, skipper Ken knows the way!

We sailed among a herd of honu (turtles), big ones. Every few minutes we passed another one. Fresh breeze, calm sea. What a lazy afternoon!

Honu enjoying the habitat of Kaneohe Bay

Soon we could make out Mokolii . . .

Mokolii

. . . and some activity at Hakipuu and Kualoa.

The tallest peak and the ridge extending diagonally left to right from the peak down to the flat land are Kanehoalani. The ridge points to Puu Hawaiiloa across the bay. Hakipuu is on the left of the ridge, and Kualoa is on the right.

Sailing in to Hakipuu beneath majestic Puu Ohulehule. Local knowledge required. We're careful to not run aground!

Ken tells us this little piece of paradise in Kaneohe Bay is just like Tahiti. You wouldn’t have known it was Labor Day weekend.

Copyright 2010 Rebekah Luke

For another look at sailing on Kaneohe Bay, view the video on https://rebekahstudio.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/flying-moths-over-kaneohe-bay/