Come sail with me on a virtual cruise to Hawaii on Ruby Princess

[trbarton]

On 12/31/2020 at 6:52 AM, JF - retired RRT said:

Tom: see the post by @mustgo on 12/14...#682🥰

Thanks...I have seen this. I was interested in others peoples thought. 
 

Someone else did the trip & posted the trip with the bus numbers. I’ll see if I can find it. 
 

Tom😀

Edited January 2, 2021 by trbarton

[ellie1145]

Our tour of the Bowfin is drawing to a close, and we emerge onto the deck of the submarine. Standing on its deck it appears so narrow that it’s hard to imagine how 70 men lived below. It is wonderfully preserved.

 

 

We can see the bridge on the right which we will later drive over on our way to the Mighty Mo.

 

In the distance we can see the Arizona Memorial, which we will visit very soon.

 

Behind it, is the Barbers Point Lighthouse. This lighthouse, which was constructed in 1888 has provided a  beacon of light for ships approaching Oahu at night.  During the Pearl Harbour attack the area surrounding the lighthouse was strafed with bullets by the Japanese aircraft.

 

The lighthouse keeper watched the dogfight between the Japanese and the USA pilots. He observed two Japanese pilots parachuting from their burning plane. They were eventually caught and shot, but the lighthouse keeper was warned to stay inside the building as American troops would fire on anyone they couldn't immediately identify as friend, not foe. 

 

Over to the left is the Mighty Mo, standing tall and proud against a blue and cloudless sky. We can see her powerful guns ranged across her bow. She is an awesome sight. 

 

 

We walk back past the turret on which there is mounted a gun.

 

I have to wait a few minutes to photograph it as there is a group of Asian tourists taking selfies, laughing and posing.

 

It seems a little disrespectful. I’m not a great fan of selfies, you know the sort of thing, ‘Me at the Taj Mahal, me to the right of the Taj Mahal, me to the left of the Taj Mahal, me sitting in front of the Taj Mahal, me standing in front of the Taj Mahal,’ but no uninterrupted photos of the magnificent Taj Mahal on its own. Although it is nice to see photos of people, selfies must be the most boring of photos to others. 

 

 

As we step onto land we can see a huge Mark 14 steam driven torpedo which was carried onboard USS Bowfin, during her fifth war patrol. Compressed air in the torpedo tube expels the torpedo in the same way that a gun uses explosive to expel a bullet. 

 

The torpedo weighs 3,200 lbs, and is 20.5 ft long, and 21 inches in diameter. Once launched it can travel at 31.5 knots with a range of 9,000 yards, or 46 knots with a range of 4,500 yards. Should it reach its target, it is a formidable weapon, capable of causing much damage to enemy ships.

 

 

We see a navy boat ferrying passengers over to sail past the Arizona Memorial.

 

 

After a browse round the gift shop we make our way to our meeting place where some of our tour are already waiting.
 

[ellie1145]

 

We pass the time watching some cheeky birds who are waiting expectantly for any crumbs to be thrown their way.

 

 

 

 

They peer at us expectantly - I’m not sure who is doing the observing, them or us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2021 by ellie1145

[ellie1145]

21 hours ago, trbarton said:

Thanks...I have seen this. I was interested in others peoples thought. 
 

Someone else did the trip & posted the trip with the bus numbers. I’ll see if I can find it. 
 

Tom😀

 

Thanks, Tom, that would be really helpful. 👍

[azbirdmom]

On 1/1/2021 at 3:55 PM, ellie1145 said:

You must be delighted to hear about the Oxford vaccine. We hope that it will soon be rolling out across the UK. It is so much easier to handle than the Moderna one which is an absolute nightmare, and as they have promised to make no profit out of it we can buy it at just over £2 a shot instead of Moderna’s £30 a shot! They are also committed to getting it out to the rest of the world on a humanitarian basis. It’s no good us forming little pockets of immunity whilst the rest of the world is dying. It certainly won’t help restoring cruising.

 

Once again, thank you so much to you and your DH for taking part in the trials. Without your courage we would not have a light at the end of the tunnel. 

 

So stay safe and keep well. 

 

Yes it is wonderful news that the Oxford vaccine has been approved in the UK.  The USA study is ongoing and hasn't published results yet but I am hoping it will be soon.  It's been more than two months since our second jab and from what I was told the US FDA requires results on folks who have been followed for at least two months after both injections.  So we will anxiously await them reaching this threshold, but the main trigger is having a specified number of people in the study develop COVID-19.  Not that I wish ill on anyone but I really do want this vaccine to be successful here in the USA too.  Fingers crossed!

[trbarton]

5 hours ago, ellie1145 said:

 

Thanks, Tom, that would be really helpful. 👍

Here’s a link to traveling around the island on “The Bus”.....https://www.wikihow.com/Take-an-Oahu-Scenic-Bus-Ride

[ellie1145]

18 hours ago, trbarton said:

Here’s a link to traveling around the island on “The Bus”.....https://www.wikihow.com/Take-an-Oahu-Scenic-Bus-Ride

Brilliant, Tom. Thank you. 👍

Edited January 3, 2021 by ellie1145

[cr8tiv1]

If you are missing the sounds of Hawaii....check out Tiki Dave on Facebook.

 

He's on now:

https://www.facebook.com/TikiDaveMusic/videos/762596161019585

 

And does ukulele play alongs on Friday and Saturdays.  

 

Rumor has it that Leialoha is going to start hula classes in January.

 

[DUCHESSRN]

On 1/1/2021 at 2:46 PM, ellie1145 said:

 

Thank you so much, I am blushing.....☺️

 

You are so right about grandkids making you feel your age! It took us 24 hours to get over our little grandson’s visit. But it was lovely to have him, so I’m not really grumbling. Just feeling sad that we age day by day as he gets more and more energetic, and this pandemic has prevented us from seeing as much of him as we would have liked. Luckily we provide emergency childcare when they are called in to work so we are allowed to have him in our ‘bubble.’

 

Happy New Year to you!

 

(if ever I am in your neck of the woods I will bring you a good old British Christmas cake! 😉)

 

ELLIE Thank you ...I would love to meet you with or without Christmas Cake !!!..I will be on UK as soon as I can be to see my family in Winchester .

[ellie1145]

21 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

If you are missing the sounds of Hawaii....check out Tiki Dave on Facebook.

 

He's on now:

https://www.facebook.com/TikiDaveMusic/videos/762596161019585

 

And does ukulele play alongs on Friday and Saturdays.  

 

Rumor has it that Leialoha is going to start hula classes in January.

 

Thank you for that! I shall certainly take a look. It will be great to see Tiki Dave again. He is such a wonderful teacher and musician. 

 

Strangely enough I had heard from a couple of our Ruby trivia mates who regularly played the ukulele onboard, and she said she was joining the play alongs. What fun! 

 

Fantastic news. 👏

[ellie1145]

13 hours ago, DUCHESSRN said:

ELLIE Thank you ...I would love to meet you with or without Christmas Cake !!!..I will be on UK as soon as I can be to see my family in Winchester .

 

That would be great, DUCHESSRN! We live not too far away from Winchester, and my husband was there when training to be a teacher. 

 

Let's hope that life will begin to improve slowly and that we can meet one day. Fingers crossed. 🤞

[ellie1145]

The Arizona Memorial - a chance to pay our respects and to honour all those who died during that dreadful day.

 

"To the Memory of the Gallant Men Here Entombed and their shipmates who gave their lives in action on December 7, 1941, on the USS Arizona."

 

 

At 10.30 we make our way to the Memorial Theatre which is a large auditorium, full of seats and with a large screen. The presentation charts the events leading up to the Pearl Harbour attack and we find it fascinating. It is really interesting to hear about this event at the very place where it happened. There is much we didn’t know. 

 

 

 

The film, which lasts about half an hour, ends, and we exit to the rear of the theatre, and stand on the dockside as a naval launch speeds towards us. In the distance we see the Mighty Mo and the Arizona Memorial. 

 

 

Now we will pay our respects to those who lost their lives on the USS Arizona, and other ships, but sadly we will be unable to step onto the memorial as it is closed for visitors due to the dock being damaged.

 

Two 90ft floating concrete docks attached to the Memorial Visitor Centre sank, due to crumbing bolt holes, which allowed seawater to flood in. There was also damage done as a result of flooding after high tides.  It is a bit of a disappointment but at least we will sail close to it.  

 

The launch docks and people get off. There are sailors in smart white uniforms who direct us onboard. We take our seats and luckily can see out of the open sides. We move swiftly away from the dock and head out towards the middle of the harbour. 

 

 

Our first close up view of the Arizona Memorial. It is sparkling white, and was designed by a Honolulu architect, Alfred Preis. It is extraordinary to hear that he was detained at the start of the war as an enemy of the state due to his Austrian birth.

 

It was designed to float above the USS Arizona, and straddles the sunken hull without actually touching it. The building is 184 ft long, and the structure dips in the middle but rises at each end.

 

Preis described it thus:

 

“Wherein the structure sags in the center, but stands strong and vigorous at the ends, expresses initial defeat and ultimate victory.’

 

 

 

 

Although we cannot stand on the actual site, we can see something of its structure. At the entrance, one of Arizona’s three huge anchors is displayed, as well as one of the two ship’s bells. 

 

The Assembly Room has 7 large open windows on two of the walls and on the ceiling, and these commemorate the date of the attack. There is speculation that the 21 windows could also represent either a 21 gun salute, or the 21 Marines who stand eternally over the tomb of the fallen. But that is pure conjecture. 

 

There is an opening in the floor which overlooks the sunken decks of the Arizona, through which visitors can toss flowers to honour the fallen sailors. At one time, leis were tossed into the water, but unfortunately the string is a hazard to sea life, and are now only placed on guardrails in front of the names of the dead. 

 

Protected by velvet ropes is one of the most poignant areas of the shrine, the huge huge marble wall which bears the names of every one of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed in the attack. 1,102 of them still remain, forever entombed in the wreckage. There is also a plaque which commemorates the crew who survived the sinking.

 

 

We make our first sail past of the memorial and then head over to see the Mighty Mo. 

 

 

 

We sail slowly past the USS Missouri, and then speed off towards our final, and longer viewing of the Arizona Memorial.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 5, 2021 by ellie1145

[ellie1145]

The Tears of the Arizona or the ‘Black Tears.’

 

On December 6th, 1941, a day before the attack, the USS Arizona took on a full load of fuel, ready for its scheduled departure to the mainland later in the month. Nearly 1.5 million gallons were loaded. Tragically, it was this fuel which fed the explosion, and caused the horrendous fires which eventually destroyed the ship.

 

Just a few minutes into the attack a Japanese bomber dropped a 1,760 pound bomb which penetrated the forward deck of the Arizona, approximately 40ft from the bow. It exploded instantly and set fire to the aviation fuel stores and the powder magazines for the 14 inch guns. The resulting explosion was so powerful that it lifted the 33,000 ton ship out of the sea, causing massive fires and instantly killing 1,177 crew.

 

The fires burned for two and a half days.

 

Ever since that day, oil has leaked from the sunken battleship. It can still be seen on the surface of the water as it rises up from the wreckage. It is extraordinary that, nearly 80 years later, fuel continues to leak from the 500,000 gallons still left in the tanks, at a rate of over 2 gallons a day.

 

 

This oil is often referred to as the tears of the Arizona.

 

 

 

Edited January 5, 2021 by ellie1145

[ellie1145]

 

It’s getting late, here in the UK, just after midnight and I must wend my weary way to bed.

 

DH has not been well for the last few days - not Covid thank goodness, but we’ve had little sleep.

 

We are going into full lockdown as the virus is now spreading horrendously, and our hospitals are under severe pressure. This virus seems able to always stay one step ahead of us. Let’s hope our vaccine will still work.

 

How anyone can deny its existence or refuse to wear a mask I do not know. Horrifyingly, a few days ago some of those who refuse to believe in the virus demonstrated outside one of our premier hospitals in London, without masks, no social distancing and baying like animals, abusing and threatening exhausted staff as they made their way wearily home after a shift. Maybe these people should be invited into one of the overstretched intensive care Covid units WITHOUT a mask and see it for themselves. Or perhaps they should offer to help take care of the dying. After all, if it is fake there is no danger to them. Sometimes I despair. 

 

We will continue our visit to the Arizona Memorial tomorrow, and we will see a little more of this very poignant and moving shrine.

 

So goodnight, sleep tight, see you in the morning (or evening!).😴

[chipz]

Dear Ellie,

My best to you for your husband's recovery. The stress in these times takes a toll on our well-being.

Please rest and stay safe.

I needed to comment on your Snowman cake. I absolutely love the movie and cry at the ending every time. I so wish the Snowman merchandise was still available here in the States. I have a mug and the plush Snowman from many years ago. Christmas isn't the same without playing the DVD movie. I especially love the soundtrack.

I look forward to more of this cruise. I'm reliving the cruise we've taken to Hawaii.

[RLK33853]

Standing on the Arizona Memorial and looking down is one of the most eerie feelings I have ever had.  We've paid our respects on three different occasions and each visit is just as poignant as the the first.  I will also add that this is the one place I have never seen anyone doing anything disrespectful - sometimes people have to make a joke, or try to be funny, but this has never occurred at the Memorial when we were present.

[AF-1]

On 1/2/2021 at 5:10 PM, ellie1145 said:

Our tour of the Bowfin is drawing to a close, and we emerge onto the deck of the submarine. Standing on its deck it appears so narrow that it’s hard to imagine how 70 men lived below. It is wonderfully preserved.

 

 

We can see the bridge on the right which we will later drive over on our way to the Mighty Mo.

 

In the distance we can see the Arizona Memorial, which we will visit very soon.

 

Behind it, is the Barbers Point Lighthouse. This lighthouse, which was constructed in 1888 has provided a  beacon of light for ships approaching Oahu at night.  During the Pearl Harbour attack the area surrounding the lighthouse was strafed with bullets by the Japanese aircraft.

 

The lighthouse keeper watched the dogfight between the Japanese and the USA pilots. He observed two Japanese pilots parachuting from their burning plane. They were eventually caught and shot, but the lighthouse keeper was warned to stay inside the building as American troops would fire on anyone they couldn't immediately identify as friend, not foe. 

 

Over to the left is the Mighty Mo, standing tall and proud against a blue and cloudless sky. We can see her powerful guns ranged across her bow. She is an awesome sight. 

 

 

We walk back past the turret on which there is mounted a gun.

 

I have to wait a few minutes to photograph it as there is a group of Asian tourists taking selfies, laughing and posing.

 

It seems a little disrespectful. I’m not a great fan of selfies, you know the sort of thing, ‘Me at the Taj Mahal, me to the right of the Taj Mahal, me to the left of the Taj Mahal, me sitting in front of the Taj Mahal, me standing in front of the Taj Mahal,’ but no uninterrupted photos of the magnificent Taj Mahal on its own. Although it is nice to see photos of people, selfies must be the most boring of photos to others. 

 

 

As we step onto land we can see a huge Mark 14 steam driven torpedo which was carried onboard USS Bowfin, during her fifth war patrol. Compressed air in the torpedo tube expels the torpedo in the same way that a gun uses explosive to expel a bullet. 

 

The torpedo weighs 3,200 lbs, and is 20.5 ft long, and 21 inches in diameter. Once launched it can travel at 31.5 knots with a range of 9,000 yards, or 46 knots with a range of 4,500 yards. Should it reach its target, it is a formidable weapon, capable of causing much damage to enemy ships.

 

 

We see a navy boat ferrying passengers over to sail past the Arizona Memorial.

 

 

After a browse round the gift shop we make our way to our meeting place where some of our tour are already waiting.
 

Ellie,  in your third picture above you mention the lighthouse.  That is the air traffic control tower on Ford Island.  

[ellie1145]

On 1/5/2021 at 1:38 PM, AF-1 said:

Ellie,  in your third picture above you mention the lighthouse.  That is the air traffic control tower on Ford Island.  

 

Oh crumbs, AD-1! What a silly mistake to make. In my defence, the last few days have been very worrying and I didn’t get round to posting till really late, and didn’t check carefully before I posted.

 

Of course I was talking about the story of the Barbers Point Lighthouse, and I am so pleased you spotted my mistake.

 

Thank you, again, and many apologies. 

 

Memo to self - must do better! 🥴

[ellie1145]

On 1/5/2021 at 1:38 AM, chipz said:

Dear Ellie,

My best to you for your husband's recovery. The stress in these times takes a toll on our well-being.

Please rest and stay safe.

I needed to comment on your Snowman cake. I absolutely love the movie and cry at the ending every time. I so wish the Snowman merchandise was still available here in the States. I have a mug and the plush Snowman from many years ago. Christmas isn't the same without playing the DVD movie. I especially love the soundtrack.

I look forward to more of this cruise. I'm reliving the cruise we've taken to Hawaii.

 

Thank you, Chipz for your kind words. It’s been a pretty stressful few days as DH has been very poorly. Most frightening was the prospect of him needing hospital care if he didn’t improve, and that terrified me, as Covid is rampant. The thought of him going to hospital alone and maybe catching Covid was truly scary. 

 

He seems a little better today and has eaten a little - first food since Friday.

 

I hope he is on the mend - he has been given a change of antibiotics which seems to be working. We still have Snowman merchandise available, as it’s very popular and is always on the television at Christmas. We hate to miss it. 

 

I love the Snowman story. They also showed ‘The Snowman and the Snow Dog.’

 

Should our paths ever cross on the ocean I will bring you something from ‘The Snowman.’😉

[ellie1145]

On 1/5/2021 at 5:01 AM, RLK33853 said:

Standing on the Arizona Memorial and looking down is one of the most eerie feelings I have ever had.  We've paid our respects on three different occasions and each visit is just as poignant as the the first.  I will also add that this is the one place I have never seen anyone doing anything disrespectful - sometimes people have to make a joke, or try to be funny, but this has never occurred at the Memorial when we were present.

 

I hope that one day we will be able to visit the Arizona Memorial and pay our respects, too. 

[ellie1145]

“A celebration of a life well lived.” Daniel Martinez, chief historian for the Pearl Harbour National Memorial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we leave the USS Missouri behind and turn towards the Arizona Memorial we reduce speed, and a silence overtakes the boat. People stop talking and just look. 

 

 

USS Missouri is moored with its bow facing the Memorial, to signify that it now watches over the remains of the Arizona, so that ‘those interred in the Arizona’s hull may rest in peace.’

 

 

We pass a sign which shows where the USS West Virginia was moored in Battleship Row, when the Japanese attack took place.

 

 

Although she was badly damaged and sank, she was later refloated and rebuilt, continuing in the service of her country, being eventually sold to breakers in 1959. 

 

 

The launch sails closer and we can see more of the memorial itself. The American flag is flying proudly above it, and we can see through the seven openings. 

 

 

 

The launch slows down and we get a chance to remember those who lost their lives, and to pay our respects. Each of us is lost in our own thoughts. Although we are not Americans, we feel a sense of sadness at the loss of life and the terrible fate which befell the Arizona. 

 

 

 

 

The launch pulls slowly away and we cross the harbour and back to the dock. 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by ellie1145

[ellie1145]

 

 

 

 

Another shuttle boat passes us with its complement of visitors.

 

 

 

 

 

A sailor in a smart crisp white uniform stands on the dock, waiting for us to disembark. 

 

 

[ellie1145]

It’s been a moving experience, and we walk back across the grass, passing some more birds on the way. It’s a welcome distraction after such an emotional journey. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ellie1145]

 

It is such a beautiful setting, and so well cared for, that it is hard to imagine the horrors which took place on that day in 1941.

 

The sudden attack which wreaked such destruction, and led to horrendous loss of life seems almost unreal, but one can imagine the fear and the heroic acts which followed the sighting of the Japanese planes as they swooped in on their targets. 

 

 

 

 

 

We pass the huge anchor which once belonged to the USS Arizona.

 

 

One of the most fascinating things which we have learned is that since 1982, survivors of the USS Arizona have the right to be interred in the ship’s hull upon their deaths.

 

A service is held within the memorial, attended by the family, and a full military funeral ceremony is followed by a rifle salute by the US Navy or Marine Corps. A benediction is accompanied by the echo of Taps being played across the harbour, before the American flag is presented to the next of kin. What a moving experience that must be. 

 

Their loved ones are allowed to stand on the Memorial dock before giving the urn to a National Park Service diver, waiting in the water. These divers must carefully, and very respectfully, place the container inside the barnacle covered wreck, below gun turret number 4.

 

Even those who served on her before that fateful day can have their ashes scattered over the ship. Those who survived from other ships in Pearl Harbour on that day can also have their ashes scattered over the place where their ship was located during the attack. 

 

The first person to be interred in this way was Chief Petty Officer Stanley M Teslow, and by 2006, 28 survivors of the Japanese attack have been returned to the Arizona.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by ellie1145

[ellie1145]

The saddest story

 

One of the most moving and sad stories we heard was that of 3 sailors who were on the battleship West Virginia during the attack.

 

After the attack, sounds were heard which were almost imperceptible amid the noise and frantic activity following the carnage. At dawn the next morning the silence revealed the grim reality that someone was trapped, and still alive, deep within the hull of the ship. Sadly, there was nothing that could be done. 

 

Six months later their bodies were found huddled together in an airtight storeroom. But the most haunting discovery was that of a  calendar on the wall, which showed 16 days crossed off in red pencil.

 

These poor young men had no idea what had happened to their ship and the rest of the US fleet, nor that America was at war. This devastating secret of their survival for 16 days, was hidden from their families for 54 years. What courage those young men must have shown, and what a terrible fate befell them.