1:40PM 77. Sunny. Hazy. Some surf, but not, according to the ocean safety folks, much of a hazard. The surf breaks maybe 150-200 feet from shore; it hits a coral reef. Further in toward Kapaa there is a life-guard protected beach where there are many surfers today. These are not the beginners I saw on Maui’s west shore. These folks know what they’re doing.
In fact, I started the day driving all the way to Hanalei and beyond, hunting for the Pinetree Surfboard competition, but it appears the surf didn’t meet championship standards. Or, something, anyhow I couldn’t find it.
It rained the whole way there and back. On the road I learned the one-way bridge etiquette. One goes from one side, then one from another until both lines have no more cars. Some mainlanders rush in and aggressively take space. It’s easy to see why this is not liked. It does not receive the two finger wave that means, “Great. Thanks. Aloha.”
One trip over here, a few years back now, I brought my commuterman driving style with me. Commuterman goes with the flow, but does not, ever yield. In two-fisted rush hour driving this has some logic, though not much else, to commend it. In this case I confronted a guy on a one-way bridge, asserted myself like the Dodge Charger ahead of me did today. A young Hawai’ian got out and, totally without the Aloha spirit, told me what he thought of my driving, tourists and tourism in general. I fought back.
Today I see the stupidity and the unnecessary nature of that conflict. Wish I could find him and say, sorry, I’m a more polite guy now.
Mario suggested the Ono-Char Burger stand just beyond Aliomanu Road on the way to Kapaa. I stopped there today. He was right. This is one great burger. Get on a plane, land in Lihue, drive north on 50, go past the 13 mile marker and pay attention on the right. Duane will make sure you get a good one.
Went grocery shopping. Two half pints of blueberries: $8. Microwave ready bacon: 8.19. And so on. Hawai’i has twice the inflation rate of the mainland and one run through the grocery store and a stop for $3.67 a gallon gas will tell you why.
Also noticed here in the Da Fish Shack the corrosive power of salt spray. All the exposed metal has oxidized and looks poorly maintained when it may be almost new.
Had my snack, now to try a nap.
