VIRTUAL ALOHA ARCHIVE
VIRTUAL ALOHA ARCHIVE
Unique Hawaiian Marine Adventures
Did you ever want to swim with a dolphin, or how about a Manta Ray? Would a
walk in a shark tank interest you? Many unique services allow you to enjoy memorable
marine experiences in the Hawaiian Islands. On Oahu and the Big Island dolphin encounter
programs will allow you to interact with a dolphin while you learn more about these
amazing creatures. If you prefer to enjoy the dolphins in their natural environment
snorkel and catamaran cruises can take you to places in the wild that dolphins frequent.
If manta rays interest you, on the Big Island you can enjoy an evening snorkel or dive
among these majestic creatures on their nightly feed. On Oahu you can walk on the bottom
of a giant seawater tank at Sea Life Park filled with hundreds of marine creatures
including sharks!! There are whales in the waters around the islands with tours available
year round but the most sightings occur when the Humpback Whales migrate to the Hawaiian
Islands December-May. Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles and Hawaiian Monk Seals are both
endangered year round residence. SCUBA, Snorkeling, and Snuba tours are other ways to
enjoy Hawaii’s unique marine creatures in their natural environment. Snuba is like
SCUBA but rather than caring a heavy tank of air the tank floats on a raft and you are
able to dive freely with a 20-foot air hose connected to your tank. If marine animals
fascinate you but you are unwilling or are unable to enjoy the adventures mentioned above
then you can still explore Hawaii’s amazing marine life by visiting the Waikiki
Aquarium on Oahu or the Maui Ocean Center on Maui. You can enjoy a SCUBA divers
perspective without getting wet!
For your safety and the safety of the marine creatures and environment please do not touch
or take anything from the ocean. Endangered animals like the Green Sea Turtle, Monk Seal,
and Humpback Whales are protected by Federal Law. Humans are not allowed to touch them or
approach them within 500 feet. Humans can infect any marine life with harmful germs by
touching or feeding the creatures. If you are lucky explore Hawaii’s amazing marine
life while in the islands we recommend to just float, relax, and take it all in. It is a
more rewarding experience to observe the creatures in their natural state. For more
details on island specific marine adventures visit www.alohafriendshawaii.com
Lost: 2 Danish for 8 Days
Two Danish women tourists became stranded for eight days earlier this month
on a hike into Kahana Valley, on Oahu’s North Shore. Their lack of knowledge about
the trail they were exploring and poor preparation for the hike got them stuck on a
dangerously steep ledge unable to retreat. Their simple survival skills kept them alive on
a mountain ridge for 8 days.
The two 21year-old women took the city bus to Kahana Valley on Aug 14th and
were seen at about 5:30pm entering the valley. Two days later, their host family reported
them missing to police. By then, the hikers had eaten the bagels, apples and drank the
water they brought with them. They continued to survive by sucking the dew from mosses and
leaves. Unfortunately, they had failed to inform their host family where they were going
or when they planned to return, so there whereabouts had to be determined. On the 18th
the bus driver recognized the women on TV and remembered where they got off, from there a
full-scale search ensued. The hikers clung together and stayed put on the ridge, experts
say this aided in their survival. Had they fallen from their location the result could
have been as serious as death. Instead, they watched for days as volunteer searchers,
police, fire-rescue and search helicopters worked below. The girls knew they were looking
for them but had no way to signal them.
Four volunteers with The Hawai’i Trail And Mountain Club hiked the Pu’u
Ohelehele trail in search of the two young Danish women. Having seen the story played out
on the nightly news with no sign of the girls, they broke off a trail maintenance crew on
a hunch about where they might be. The four volunteers heard the lost hikers calling for
help about 100ft from the summit and one of the volunteers radioed to the rest of the
crew. A few minutes later one of the volunteers called on a cell phone and reported
"These are the two girls that are missing and they’re alive and they’re
well. They’re in good shape." The trail specialists led the girls a short
distance to where they were airlifted to waiting friends and family from Denmark. After
seven nights and eight days on the narrow ridge of a steep 2,265ft cliff the hikers were
finally rescued! They are both doing well after a short hospital stay and say they will
hike again during their stay in the islands, but will be more careful.
We often tell people of the dangers that can be associated with hiking in the islands
without precaution. Some steep and narrow trails meant for experienced hikers branch off
the main trails, you might not know the difficulty of the strenuous terrain without a
hikers guidebook. The two women had a hiking guidebook and still ended up taking one of
the side trails that lead them to a trail they were not experienced to do. They also began
a very long hike late in the afternoon leaving them very little daylight time. No matter
where in the world you are when hiking we recommend taking at least two quarts of water
per person per day, snacks or sandwiches, a flashlight or glow-stick, light all weather
clothing for mountain hikes, a cell phone if possible, whistle. A whistle is very handy if
you get lost. It will last longer than yelling and can be hear over several miles. Other
items useful to have are camera, sunscreen, and bug repellant. Wear appropriate hiking
shoes and be prepared if the trail has mud, it may be slippery. It’s a good idea to
leave a note in your home, hotel room, or with friends explaining how many people are
hiking, where, and when you expect to return in case there is an accident. A little
preparation will go a long way when you really need it!
CREATE AN AUTHENTIC HAWAIIAN LUAU ANYWHERE!
Luaus are fun for birthday/anniversary
parties, promotion/retirement parties, family reunions, company picnics, block
parties, bridal/baby showers, or just when a few good friends get together. For
lots of great decorating tips, tasty recipes, and fun
Getting married? Check out our tips on creating a
Planning to host a Christmas in April party? Check out our NEW tips on creating
a Hawaiian theme Christmas luau at www.alohafriendsluau.com/christmas.html
Parasailing in Paradise
It is easy to get a birds eye view of the islands without having to jump
out of an airplane. Parasailing offers a safe and fun way to take in the beauty of an
island. Our adventure started with speedboat ride out to the open ocean. The harness that
was attached to the parachute was easy to put on and was pretty comfortable. When the
parachute was released I was gently lifted up-up-and-away! As I soared through the air
taking in the beauty of the south shore of Oahu I thought this must be what it would be
like to fly like a bird. No sounds from the island could be heard, only the soothing sound
of the wind blowing. Prior to my adventure I was concerned about getting motion sickness,
but the boat ride was the only thing that slightly effected me. I found parasailing to be
a very relaxing experience that did not cause any trouble to my sensitive stomach. There
were a total of 6 people that went out on the boat and each one of us enjoyed about 10
minutes of parasailing time. If you decide to include parasailing on your Hawaiian
vacation be sure to wear sunscreen. You may be exposed to direct sun for over an hour.
Parasailing is not offered on every island. For activity provider details and prices
please check the Ocean Adventures activity suggestions for the specific island you will be
visiting at www.alohafriendshawaii.com
WWII Ends 54 Years Ago
On September 2nd 1945 WWII came to an end on the deck of the USS
Missouri when Japan signed a treaty of surrender in Tokyo Bay. The battleship USS
Missouri, fondly known as "Mighty Mo", took three years to build. Its’
first assignment was to World War II service in Pacific, June 1944-August 1945. The Mighty
Mo later served two tours of duty in the Korean War and participated in other peacekeeping
missions. Today this floating museum of history is decommissioned and is permanently
docked at Pearl Harbor on Oahu. Some restoration planned for the Mighty Mo has been
completed but much of the quarters below deck are still awaiting restoration. The ship is
now open to the public and there are guided tours of this gigantic battleship available
daily. Knowledgeable guides explain interesting facts about the battleship and the brave
men who served on it. A shuttle to the Mighty Mo is available from the USS Arizona
Memorial Museum. The USS Arizona, the USS Missouri, and USS Bowfin are historic war
museums located at Pearl Harbor. A visit to all three museums is an all day adventure. To
ensure you have time to view all three museums we recommend viewing the USS Arizona first,
then the Mighty Mo, and end the day with the USS Bowfin.
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that there is a way to predict the arrival of box jellyfish
and/or Portuguese Man-of-war to waters around Oahu? Box jellyfish and Portuguese
Man-of-war pack very painful venom to stun their food and can be agonizing or deadly to
humans. Lifeguards noticed an increase in sightings about once a month and began to track
times of increased jellyfish to see if there was a pattern to predict their arrival. It
was found that about 8-10 days after a full moon the box jellyfish and/or Portuguese
Man-of-war are most abundant from Ala Moana Beach Park to Hanauma Bay on the south shore
of Oahu. Lifeguard stations post warnings for jellyfish and other dangerous water
conditions so you can safely enjoying your time in paradise.
HAWAIIAN WORDS OF THE MONTH
Each month build your Hawaiian vocabulary and learn to speak like a
native…
Kai (pronounced K-eye) and Moana (pronounced mow-on-a) mean ocean
Kele I’a (pronounced (Kay-lay EE-ah) means jelly fish
Honu (pronounced hoe-new) means Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle
Kohola (pronounced ko-hoe-la) means whale
Mano (pronounce Ma-no) means shark
JUST ASK!
Do you have a question about anything related to Hawaii? We are sure other Virtual Aloha
subscribers are staying up nights wondering the same thing. Get it off your mind and just
ask us! Submit your Just Ask question to islandtips@aol.com
Mahalo to Norman C. For this month’s question: What type of nightlife is available in
Hawaii?
The island of Oahu, the Kona side of the Big Island, and the Lahaina Area of Maui all
offer a variety of nighttime entertainment for adults. There are unique cocktail shows,
bars, dance clubs, sunset cruises, and a wide selection of restaurants. There are also
family oriented activities like star gazing adventures, laser tag, magic shows and other
unique dinner shows. Oahu has the most evening activity options. For more details on
island specific evening activity suggestions please visit our web site at www.alohafriendshawaii.com
ISLAND WEATHER
If you are planning a visit in September you can expect great weather with
temperatures reaching in the mid to high 80’s, mostly sunny skies, and light trade
winds (10-15). There has been a trend of evening or early morning showers with it clearing
up by mid morning. The sun is very strong year round, be sure to wear sunscreen and limit
your time in direct sunlight to avoid sunburn. The surf is still best on the South Shores
with swells up to 5 feet.
This Enews letter is SENT BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY. To subscribe please send an email to Hawaiifriends@aol.com with the word subscribe in the body of the email.
(C) Kim and Mike Crinella/A Friend in the Islands. No reprints without acknowledgement from the publisher that the article(s) are written by Mike and Kim Crinella, A Friend in the Islands at www.alohafriends.com
PLEASE
NOTE: Prices
for island activities featured within our site are NOT guaranteed.
Since we are not affiliated with any of the activity
providers we are not notified if services or prices change.
You will need to contact
the activity provider directly for a current price quote and for availability
information.
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Disclaimer : Our activity suggestions, tips, and
Enews articles are based on our experiences and research. The information contained within
this site and our Enews letter "Virtual Aloha" is meant to be a guide for anyone
who wants to learn more about the islands and for visitors to explore what kinds of
activities are available prior to arrival. Prices are listed to use as a guide to help
determine what fits in each visitors budget and are subject to change by the activity
provider. We are NOT affiliated with any activity provider and do
NOT make any money from activity providers our suggestions! We are concerned with
the quality of our suggestions and welcome positive and negative feedback about the
activities. We, Mike and Kim Crinella, and our company, "A Friend in the
Islands", will not be held responsible for any accidents, loss of property, or any
other misfortunes associated with activities who's information is provided.
This page was created by and is maintained by Mike & Kim Crinella. All
information, graphics, and photos contained in this web site are property of Mike &
Kim Crinella. Reuse of anything for commercial purposes requires credit be given to Mike
& Kim Crinella and A Friend in the Islands at www.alohafriends.com
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Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by A Friend in the Islands. All rights reserved.
Revised: 30 Jun 2006 15:41:46 -0400.
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