Turkey Day

Even as I write this, I am falling victim to the effects of too much good food in too short a period of time.
Living on an island, although it is a beautiful thing, is also a major form of isolation at times.  Often we find ourselves away from family and friends that we have grown up spending holiday seasons with year after year.  
What happens when you're by yourself in a new place during the holiday season?  Do you stay home and avoid the holiday season?
NOT UP IN HERE!  Not if I have anything to say about it.  
Because many of the people that work on the boats are from different parts of the United States, many do not have anyone to share the holiday cheer with and therefore spend them alone.  This year, we decided to have an Orphans Thanksgiving for those that were working and for those who did not have any plans for turkey day.  A meal was prepared (to perfection, might I add) and brought in a cooler to keep warm to the boat that was taking the sunset charter out for the evening.  Once the cruise was over (which we may or may not have stowed away on), on this particularly gray day, we set up for a feast for the six of us.  Six people from all different walks of life, all different places and all different ages.  We exchanged what we were thankful for, in a joking manner and ended up sharing our stories of what each person's first Thanksgiving was like on the island.  It's amazing that no matter how different a group of people are, if you set them in front of good food and a comfortable space, you will find that we all have things in common and stories to share.  No matter what, you can always learn something from someone else unexpectedly.  
This Thanksgiving I discovered that although I was far from home for the holidays, I was not alone.  Humans are social creatures by nature and if a space is created for people to share, they will.  Add mashed potatoes and anything is possible.  
This Thanksgiving I am thankful for new friends and for my access to the warm ocean.  I miss my family and my friends back home, but know no matter what, we all have something to be thankful for this holiday season.
I hope your tummies are full and your hearts are warm.  
Aloha nui loa,
M.

Ze Turkey

The Spread on Alala

Some smiling sharks...

We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.
~Frederick Keonig

One Year Down

To say time has been flying is an understatement of epic proportions.  

As I write this I am sitting on the lanai, watching the sunset and trying to catch up on some rest.  The past weeks have brought tsunamis, horrendous Sandy, car trouble, pirates and the continuation of chaos within the workplace.  Obama's reelection, Halloween mayhem, waterfalls, diving and lava.  Coconut palms, warm clothes (I've lost my ability to stay warm on my own), whales and new creatures.
It's been a while since I have written and now I have already passed my one year anniversary on the island- November 4th.  After planning to stay until last April, I have quickly doubled my time and plan to stay a while longer.  As usual, I still miss everything in California, but I am loving my time out here now too.  
Here's what's been happening the past two months: 
We've gone fishing- a lot.  Fresh ahi, mahi mahi and ono, enough for everyone.  I'm fat and sassy now.
We're starting to see humpback whales coming back, I just saw my first breach (where the whale jumps all the way out of the water and lands on its back) of the season a few days ago.  I may or may not have caused a complete scene on the boat...luckily I was not in uniform...
I found the Big Island Candies company...enough said...I now have a frequent buyers card.
I planted a coconut tree where the old town of Kalapana used to be before the lava took it in the late 80s- it's an intense story, you should Google it.
I got to bundle up and see the glow from the Kilauea crater in Volcano National Park...oxymoron-ish, but it was cold and dark.  The glow was so powerful.
I watched Obama win his second term, although not as excited as when he initially won with Stevenson House 3 storming the campus and raging all night, but it was still a load off my shoulders to know I wasn't going to have to move onto a boat in international waters somewhere...just kidding...but seriously.
I've free dove through lava tubes and spotted whale sharks cruising the depths.
I've ruined a great friend's purple surfboard out here because it took the hit on the lava rocks and coral instead of me...woops...
I dressed up as a pirate and paid a buck-an-ear for my earrings....you know you laughed.
All in all it's all been well here. (say all one more time).  

Sending love,
Spam count is...up....from where it was....I know....it's not a good thing....
Here's some photos to explain a little more:

The falls at Umauma River (pronounced uu-mauw-muh)

Planting my coconut palm at Kalapana

Mango Grove...you can't tell we were lost when this was taken as I look pretty happy. 

The Kilauea Crater glowing on clear night.  I was about 50 yards away.

The mooring ball at a dive sight called Pentagon.  If you look closely you can see a group of baby sergeant major fish swimming around the left side, below the eye.

“My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.” - Jack Layton, 1950-2011