Tall Ship Visit

A L O H A !

" It's easy to grin 

When your ship comes in 

And you've got the stock market beat. 

But the man worthwhile, 

Is the man who can smile, 

When his shorts are too tight

in the seat."

Judge Smails,

'Caddy Shack'

" I quit my job,

and went ashore

to become a writer. "

Theodore Sturgeon

" Hug the shore;

let others try the deep.  "

Virgil

 

 

 

 

 

 =^.^=

 

The historic Japanese tsunami of March 11

set afloat massive islands of lumber

and other debris in the Pacific.
 

Last week, on September 11 

(as seen above)

with 102 cadets aboard

 the Russian three-masted sailing ship,

STS Pallada, 

docked by the Aloha Tower pier 

here in Honolulu 

as part of a three and a half month

training voyage. 

The young crew sailed from their home-port

of Vladivostok to Kodiak, Vancouver, 

San Francisco & Los Angeles,

before arriving 

here at our Honolulu. 

On her homeward course, via Tokyo,

the ship will more than likely

pass through some of the tsunami debris.

 

The captain is seriously concerned 

about it.

With translation by Natalia V. Borodina,

ship's information and education mate,

Captain Vasily Sviridenko, said

“The reason the huge commercial vessels

traveling the North Pacific

have not reported anything

is because they cut through such stuff 

like through butter.” 

For the Pallada,

  however, the debris could be

very dangerous.

“She is especially vulnerable 

as her hull is thin,”

Captain Sviridenko explained.

At 300-feet in length,

  small by today’s maritime standards,

the  fully-rigged three masted ship

  is one of the largest and fastest

tall-ships in the world's oceans today.

Asked by University of Hawaii, Manoa 

scientists to help track the flotsam,

 the captain replied, 

“Sure! 

I will have our eager young cadets

be on the look-out for debris

24 hours a day.” 

Of course, the safety of his crew 

is his primary responsibility.

Безопасное путешествие друзья! - 

Safe Voyage Friends!

Though the Pallada takes one back 

to a bygone era as if by magic,

she is just 20 years old!

Back in the day,

whalers, lumber boats

taking isle sandalwood to China,

and packet ships,

filled Honolulu's skies

with masts and rigging.

  This was like a visit

from a very old and dear friend!

Incidentally,

In the Hawaiian language,

  Honolulu means "sheltered bay"

or "place of shelter" 

based on our ideal, natural harbor.

So to say "Honolulu Harbor" is repetitive.

  Some old timers remember 

that our capitol city was routinely called

'Honolulu Town' 

once upon a time.

And yes, Russian sailors

visited us

way back then

too!

One of Kauai's

historic sites is the

"Russian Fort"

more HERE.

Thanks for visiting today,

YOUR comments

          are delightful!   cloudia