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

 
 

kitty's Journey

"MEOW" 

miauw miaou

                      miau
                                                                             niaou
       miyau
                                                                mya:u,
                                            nyaa
                                                                        (n)ya-ong
                        mjau
      myau

They ALL Mean "A L O H A"

see how clever i am?

 

I'm proud

that I was Ship's Cat 

First Class

for so long.

It was kinda my identity.

I even rode out of the harbor,

with the deck plunging & rising.

I saw the ocean world

and dolphins dancing.

What is this place?

Whoa!  Where's the water?

Where are the fishies?

Fishies?

Hello?

It does smell interesting.

 Is this what they mean by 'retirement?'

I could get used to this!

Thank you for coming here today

to admire me.

Also leave me an admiring comment.

Gotta Go!  

                                        Signed, 

                                                  Land Kitty 

Autumn: Sub-Tropical Edition

A l o h a

Legions of the sky:

always on the move. 

Seasonal duties call; 

Singing the drama

of the year

as she turns.

Every humble cast off

dignified by a life-cycle

lived.

Changing,

O Changing. . .

But there is still red wine in the cup

so drink it down,

life's-blood

of color,

of appetite. . .

then the forgetting.

We all make our days. . . one by one-

Only now and then

looking up and thinking:

O Precious

Passing

 G i f t !

Thank YOU

for looking in.

May Blessing follow

YOU

from this

'place.'

        warmly, cloudia

Rainbow Gazebo

A L O H A !

“ When the Earth is sick,

the animals will begin to disappear,

when that happens,

The Warriors of the Rainbow

will come to save them. ”

Chief Seattle

" Just stop for a minute 

and you'll realize you're happy

just being.
 I think it's the pursuit

that screws up happiness.
 If we drop the pursuit, it's right here. "

James Hillman

“Don't pay any attention to the critics-
don't even ignore them.”

 Samuel Goldwyn 

 > < } } ( ° >

Now where were we?

I'm sitting in my new apartment.

Hubby has gone to work

(SOMEBODY has to!)

I have vacuumed my rugs,

washed the bare tile floors,

cleaned up the place

and run a load of laundry.

"Why is she telling us

this mundane stuff?"

Because to me

it is quite extraordinary!

I don't know what to DO with myself

in this new environment.

But losing myself 

in this ever-changing view

feels irresistable.

If none of this makes sense to you

click HERE for the back-story.

Thanks for stopping here.

Your visit is appreciated.

       Warmly, cloudia

     

LifeStyle Shock

A L O H A !

Our New View

" Home is a name,

a word,

it is a strong one; 

stronger than magician ever spoke,

or spirit ever answered to,

in the strongest conjuration.  "

Charles Dickens

Ala Moana Beach Park

" The light is what guides you home,

the warmth is what keeps you there.  "

Ellie Rodriguez

The Ala Wai Canal

" We shape our buildings;

thereafter they shape us.  "

Winston Churchill

S P A C E !

" Peace - 

that was the other name for home. "

Kathleen Norris

" There is nothing like staying at home

for real comfort. "

Jane Austen

This will take some getting used to.

" Where thou art - that - is Home.  "

Emily Dickinson

 

View from my bed

" Tis distance lends enchantment

to the view, 

and robes the mountain 

in its azure hue.  "

Thomas Campbell  

_ -=<>=-_

We are in lifestyle shock.

WE have spent 2 nights in the new apt.

It is like waking

from the 20 year dream

of the boat.

That cramped hot place

 was an adventure

for quite a while.

I am remembering

what conveniences

are.

Miss Kitty

is adjusting better

than anyone has the right

to expect from a cat:

"Boat? What boat?"

First she seemed suspicious,

then appraising,

now appreciating;

This is where the love,

and food (!)

are.

I can lie in my bed

watch the sky,

the mountains,

the habitations of people:

my beloved

Island of Oahu.

Dear Honolulu.

I watch evening come to the land,

and remember

like a previous life

what it was like

to live upon those

mountains.

Then I look to the sea,

the sunset,

and thank my lucky stars

as they arise!

Thanks for stopping by.

Your encouragement

and kitty advice

is much appreciated.

         Warmly, cloudia

I am remembering who I was

before we went to sea.

 

Home is a place not only of strong affections, but of entire unreserve; it is life's undress rehearsal, its backroom, its dressing room.  ~Harriet Beecher Stowe

Saturday Song

A L O H A !

" Be careful of reading health books.

You might die of a misprint. "

Mark Twain 

" Always remember

that you are absolutely unique.

Just like everyone else. "

Margaret Mead

" Even after all this time,
The sun never says to the earth,'You owe me.'
Look what happens with
A love like that.
It lights the whole sky. "
 

Hafiz of Persia

    (*)>
/ )
 /"