NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND FEB 16, 2008

NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND February 16, 2008

Napier (Ahuriri in the native Maori language) is an important port city in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. It has a population of 57,000. Napier is the largest cross bred wool center in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the largest apple, pear, and stone fruit producing areas in the country. It has also become an important grape growing and wine production area.

Napier was struck by a disastrous earthquake on the morning of February 3, 1931. The town was leveled; what remained was consumed by fires. The town completely rebuilt itself using the contemporary Art Deco style of the time. Now the town is still noted for the continuing architectural Art Deco style.

We were lucky to be able to be in port during their ART DECO Weekend. The annual weekend festival this year included the Queen Victoria. During the docking of the QV, a greeting was provided by swarms of pleasure yachts, an overhead air show and thousands of visitors lining the shore docks and overlooking bluffs.

We were amazed to see some of the Vintage (pre-war) antique cars on the dock as we disembarked for a day in the town. There were over 80 of the 350 cars in the rally in town that were on display at the dock. After a pleasant walk to the town, we came upon a cricket game being played by people in 1920-1930’s costume. It turned out the the whole town enjoyed dressing up in some form of the period costume. At a period band shell built along the ocean walk (Marine Parade) they had a full 1930’s band with folks dancing the Charleston and other dances.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND FEBRUARY 15, 2008

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND February 15, 2008

The Auckland Metropolitan Area, or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest urban area in New Zealand. Auckland’s population is approximately 1.3 million making it by far the largest city in New Zealand, with one third of the country’s entire population.

Auckland straddles the volcanoes of the Auckland Volcanic Field. The 50 volcanic vents in the field take the form of cones, lakes, lagoons, islands and depressions, and several have produced extensive lava flows. The volcanoes are all individually extinct although the field itself is merely dormant.

Auckland is popularly known as the “City of Sails” because the harbor is often dotted with hundreds of yachts and has more per capita than any other city in the world with one boat for every four families.

We took a tour of the city and got extensive views of the numerous yacht harbors. We also visited the wonderful Auckland museum. Here one whole floor was dedicated the Maori, Pakeha, the peoples of Oceania. It examines the diversity of Pacific Island communities and the astonishing beauty of the objects they produced.

The visual highlight of the tour was the Sky Tower. At over 600 feet it is the tallest man made structure in the southern hemisphere. At one point they had a glass floor in the observation deck floor. Not many were willing to walk on it except this one who took a picture of his shoes. We then took some pictures at the tower and on the way back to the ship.
Finally we stopped at the New Zealand National Maritime Museum right at the dock where the ship it docked. They have an extensive exhibit of the history of physical boats one of which Judy chose to captain.

LAUTOKA, FIJI February 12, 2008

Fiji is comprised of 300 islands, two of which, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, comprise more than 80% of the total land mass. The total population of Fiji is 850,000. Lautoka is the second largest city with a population of 30,000. It owes its existence to a large sugar mill (said to be the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere) and a deep-water port. It may be of interest to note that Fiji produces some of the world’s best sugar.

Today we traveled by bus to the home of the Burness Family. There we learned of the host’s great grandmother and great grandfather who independently traveled from Scotland and met in Fiji in the 1860’s. Their family grew as farmers and they raised sugar cane on their plantations. Now in addition they raise orchids and artheriums. In the first two pictures you will see examples of these plants.

Next we traveled to Viseisei Village which according to legend is the island’s oldest village. The chief of the village had some of the singers and dancers perform for us with much beauty and excitement. A cooperative market in the village helps visitors “discover” souvenirs.

CROSSING THE DATE LINE FEB 11, 2008

CROSSING THE DATE LINE MONDAY February 11, 2008

For us the date of February 11, 2008 has not occurred.

Today is February 12, 2008. Yesterday was February 10, 2008.

We crossed the 180th meridian, which is the date line. When proceeding west from Greenwich England, one hour is gained every 15 degrees of longitude. Consequently, 360 degrees divided by 15 degrees equals 24 hours, which causes one day to be gained when circumnavigating the globe westward.

When this is done in an airplane it does not seem so significant and is hardly noticed. When it is done on the ocean at 20 knots per hour it has a different relationship and is hard to realize.

There are eleven people on board that have a birthday on February 11, 2008 and those lucky few will not age.

AMERICAN SAMOA -- PAGO PAGO

PAGO PAGO AMERICAN SAMOA February 9, 2008

Polynesians were exploring and settling in remote islands hundreds of years before Europeans visited the Pacific Ocean. These intrepid explorers set sail with no compass and not knowing whether they would see land again. They had a vague notion of the direction in which new land lay educed from the observations of migrating birds. Travel was in a twin-hulled waka, navigating by the stars and by primitive maps made of sticks and shells.
The life of the peoples of the Pacific is bound up with numerous rituals and traditions. American Samoa is made up of seven islands and Tutuila is the largest. The island is high thin and eighteen miles long. Enclosed by nearly vertical rock walls festooned with tangledltropical vines, the harbor of Pago Pago is in fact a drowed volcanic crater. It is located just east of the date line (180th meridian) and just south of the equator.

It is very beautiful coming into the harbor. On the first picture you can see the high mountains and the harbor curving around to the right. As we curve around with Judy in the picture we can see the harbor opening up to us.

The next picture as we got hungry is from our beautiful table #4 finally approaching the dock on port side.

After boarding a tour bus we made a stop at a rather unspectacular (but I’m sure much photographed) rock linked to a legend about two lovers swimming to the island from another island to escape a cannibal king. They drowned just short of the island hence the two rocks….or so the story goes.

I had to take a picture of this golf course. I will never be able to pronounce the name I’LII’LI.

Finally we arrived at a Samoan village recreation and were treated to lunch, handicrafts, family life, cooking, coconut tree climbing, and of course the Polynesian dancing. This is a picture after getting “leied” (that is receiving our lei). Much Fun.

CROSSING THE EQUATOR FEBRUARY 7TH

CROSSING THE EQUATOR February 7, 2008

Crossing the Line Ceremony

This ancient tradition of a Crossing the Line Ceremony is intended to commemorate a sailor’s first crossing of the equator. The ceremony undoubtedly owes its origin to ancient pagan rites connected with propitiation of the Greek sea god Poseidon, known to Roman as Neptune. Sailors who had already “crossed the line” are nicknamed Shellbacks, and those who haven’t are known as Pollywogs. Basically the ceremony consists of the Pollywogs being subject to humiliating ordeals largely for the entertainment of the on looking Shellbacks and King Neptune’s court.
These pictures are of the procession of the King Neptune and the Pollywogs “ordeal” undergone to everyone’s amusement. The ordeal is simply being doused by jello, spagetti, whipped cream, etc. and then rinsed off in the nearby swimming pool. All of this is taken in good sprit and fun for all.

HONOLULU, HAWAII

HONOLULU, HAWAII Febuary 4, 2008

Today we docked at one of the eight islands of the 50th state of the union Hawaii: Oahu.

Oahu (approximately 600 square miles) was first settled according to oral histories and artifacts in the 12th century. The royal court of Kamehameha moved to the island from the Island of Hawaii in 1804 and ruled the island until taken over as a territory and finally becoming a state in 1959.

We took way too many pictures and distilled them down to these 9. Judy is in most of them for scale, plus the fact I kind of like her.

First is the welcoming scene of Aloha Tower. The hula dancers and musicians were out dancing and playing for us as we arrived at 7AM for a very warm welcome.

Next is a picture of Judy with a larger than life bronze of one of the dancers trying to teach her some moves.

Early in the morning we went to Pearl Harbor to see the USS Arizona memorial. We attached a picture of the map of the harbor as it was on December 7th 1941 in the center you may be able to make out the Ford Island. Along the left side is the battleship row they took such a beating including the Arizona.

The 4th picture is of the memorial structure over the ruin of the Arizona hull and the 1000+ sailors still entombed. The 5th picture is of Judy with the Arizona tye up key in the background. The 6th shot is from with in the hall listing the names of those who died that day. In addition there are names of 89 more who survived the attackand chose to have their remains entered with their shipmates; very touching.

The 7th and 8th shot are of the Battleship USS Missouri now moored in Pearl Harbor as a museum. Judy has a special affection for the “Mo” as her uncle served on it and was on board during the signing of the Japanese surrender. He really had some stories.

Finally speaking of the Japanese, here is a picture of a model of one of the aircraft carriers loaded with some of the planes used in the attack.