Ike: Be Aware (there is no swimming at high tide!)

When you have jet lag, 5:30 am may not seem so early. But when you are up for 25 hours straight, and then sleep, you sort of cure your jet lag, and 5:30 am is VERY EARLY.

But, on this beautiful morning, it was worth it. We all got up and headed down to Lydgate Beach to watch the sun rise. Auntie Puna, a local teacher, came out with us to show us how to bring in the sunrise. We stood out on the beach and chanted and clapped as the sun rose over the Pacific Ocean. Not only was it special to have a real Hawaiian there to teach us (on sacred ground, no less) it was the first time I have actually seen the Pacific Ocean up close! Mishi and Tim did take us by the ocean last night to get our feet wet (and it was good grounding after that brutal 18 hours of flying) but I greeted the Pacific Ocean for the first time with Hawaiian chanting. How magical! Click here to watch a short video of the chant.

The ruins we visited were known to be a safe harbor and it was kapu (forbidden) to climb on the rocks. We did get some pictures of glyphs on the rocks.

Glyphs on the rocks

After breakfast, we loaded up the van and headed to the North Shore to Haena Beach. Here we were going to perform our first ceremony in the Menehune Cave. You haven't lived until you have about 30 onlookers taking pictures of you drumming and getting mud painted on your face.

Menehune Cave

Part of the day was supposed to be spent hanging out on this beach, swimming (washing the mud off of our faces) and enjoying the water. However, it was high tide and only one person was in the water---and he had a surf board. As I walked down to the surf, a couple walked by and were about knee deep in the surf. The lifeguard began to blow is whistle and I was looking around for swimmers. Turns out he was blowing it at the couple. Knee deep is too deep in high tide rip-tide water.

only place you can get i

We did manage to find a small area down in a jettied area where we could wash the mud off and get our feet wet. It was just enough. It turns out in our next adventure, we would have a chance to get really wet!

Inside the cave where we performed the ceremony. Can you see the faces???

High tide=no swimming :-(