3/5/2010 --- Maui, HI

What a day! I can add another item on my list of firsts. Launching from the beach on my 7-meter kite, I passed a turtle in my tack out to sea. Returning in my second tack, in the same vicinity, I noticed a dark shape a few inches under the water, but it seemed odd. It is too long and narrow to be your average Sea Turtle and I instantly think crap, a mangled turtle. It is injured and the flippers that should be on the side of its' body are now ripped out and hanging below it. I went into squinty eyed, face squashed mode reminiscent of my highway driving style. "Is that a dead dog on the road or a blown out tire?' 90% of the time it is trash,but there is that 10% phase of damn, it was a lab. I always think don't look, keep eyes averted, regardless of the answer, just don't look but so frequently, I am relieved to identify a spewed piece of tread or plastic bag that I look. Hoping for that feeling of relief. Shew! Just something to clog the landfills. Yet again, I am so so so glad I kept looking. I didn't find a mangled turtle to haunt my dreams, but an amazingly beautiful Monk Seal. I couldn't believe my eyes. These giant dark, wet, kind, expressive eyes made contact with me. I even spoke to the adorable face with the long whiskers."How are you doing cutie?" Turning it's head, it followed my gaze as the wind swept me past it . I got the sense it wanted me to come back. Have a little chit chat. Shoot the breeze. Take my shoes off and stay awhile, but in this case my board. All a conservation no no. I can't tell you how sweet, sensitive and kind the face was. It is beyond words. I never did see it again and I am thankful for that one passing glimpse.

3/3/2010 -- Kitebeach, Maui

John taking the 3-meter out for a spin.

3/2/2010 -- Kitebeach, Maui

Windy, windy, windy. What a wild kiting day. A witch wouldn't have gone out today for fear of being knocked off her broom. Even if she managed to hang on to the stick by one long witch fingernail, the last she would have seen of her long, black pointy, witch hat would have been a black dot getting smaller and smaller as it rolled bottom over pointy tip out to sea. I bet a whale would have enjoyed it. He could make a game of it with the other whales, Who can spout the witch hat the highest or keep the witch hat away from the whale in the middle. But what is a witch anyway without her hat. Just a gnarly woman in an ugly dress. Today would have been a good day to work inside on spells and potions instead. I digress. Back to kiterboarders attached to kites. It was super windy and I was not 100% sure it was my kind of day. One guy returned to the beach and walking past, I heard him mutter to himself, "I was on a suicide mission". I didn't get the warm fuzzies hearing it.

John went out and I sat back, flapped my gums and watch him tear it up. He was rocking the back rolls and catching some mad air.

The unexpected entertainment of the day came from a tourist (never seen him before so he must be one I figured). While pulling interesting moves, back rolls with a kite loop being one, he was captivating to watch due to his spectacular wrecks. Time and time and time again, he would pull a stunt and absolutely eat it. I hurt just watching him slam into the Pacific Ocean. John briefly chatted him up afterward by asking the guy "how are your knees?" He replied, "I broke one." John thought he meant tore his ACL but the guy replied, "No I broke my knee". Owwwwwweeeee! When I am old and gray, I hope to do things like WALK, talk, feed myself. No guarantees I know, but slamming oneself into the ocean regularly has got to decrease your odds.

3/1/2010 -- Maui, HI

What a day. I took off on the 5-meter right around 1 p.m. and for the first 15 to 30 minutes, I was in survival mode. The water was foamy, the wind was nutty and I just held on for the ride. Then it settle drastically and I wish I had joined the other women on a 7-meter.

2/28/2010 -- Maui, HI

Waking up this morning, I felt like a bus had run over me. What did I drink last night? I asked myself. I checked off the items: water, carrot juice, more water. No alcohol? Bummer! One shouldn’t feel this wiped and not have a vague memory of something fun taking place the prior evening. The tsunami scare sucked the life out of me and the rest of Kihei for that matter. Now that the news media agreed the Pacific Ocean wasn’t going to party on Maui like a teenager left home alone for the weekend, we debated what to do in the morning hours. Shoveling mud out of the unit could be removed from the list of things to do. I didn’t get to hit the end of month yard sales Saturday and decided if I, the yard sale fanatic didn’t make it; neither did the rest of Maui. Maybe, we could find some today. Plus, John didn’t have an opportunity to visit any sales on the Mainland before his flight, which was probably for the better. I could see him now trying to convince an airline attendant a dirt bike was appropriate carryon luggage. Anyway, it turns out, several were happening and I managed to pick up a hooded sweatshirt which is good. It is in the 70’s today and I will need it. BRRR!!! In our outing, I quickly noticed Kihei was the quietest I had ever seen it. Streets were vacant. The sidewalks were empty. I think everyone was simply glad to be safe and sound in their house. Plus, it appears all Maui residents did their grocery shopping yesterday. No need to eat out. You can look in your kitchen and start in on the case of spam or drink one of the 3 gallons of milk purchased. Also, Kihei received rain yesterday which contributed to the hang at home sentiment. At least for me. I did go running out a few times with my camera in hand. The rainbows were the prettiest I have ever seen. My photography doesn’t do them justice.

It is funny, I have never been one to go for the panoramic view, something John likes, but when he was off island last week, I found myself trying my hand at them. Here is the Maalaea Bay Harbor from the front of Maui Sunset.