October 25 and 26 2009 Double Duty between Ships

October 25, 2009 –
Sunday morning and all is quiet on the ship as well as Ford Island. I look aft and see our two sister ships docked at F-9 and fore is the U.S.S. Utah Memorial. Another Hawaiian morning and this time I wanted to start it off different. I thought to myself since I have been back ashore, things got into a dreary routine. I decided to start the day differently as for what I did would be a nonentity for many. I went to Eagle Café in Honolulu on Nimitz Highway next to the docks. Why Eagle Café? It is like any mom and pop café you would find on the mainland in the heartland. Except the staff are predominately locals as well as the customers. You have a choice of Hawaiian, Japanese and American style breakfasts. I normally pick the Japanese fare with mackerel, rice, miso soup, and salad. Last time I ate there was with my wife and son when they came to Oahu for last summer’s vacation. You can have breakfast at Eagle with my friends who normally do not eat what I do. The name sounds “mainland” enough to where people do not back out at the last minute. Another thing is they do not have “Waikiki” prices. On the way back I see the swap meet was going full bore after being closed Saturday for the UH football game. I will have to go there this Saturday to pick up some items not found on the mainland. I will be heading home in two weeks back to cold and rainy Seattle. Regardless of the weather at which my wife loathes, it is home.

The day consisted of maintenance of computers and servers. A good day to do it since hardly anyone was on the ship. I finished around five in the evening and fell asleep for a power nap before heading out to Taiyo Noodles for dinner consisting of shrimp fried rice and miso soup. I texted the wife and son to let them know I was there as they both have eaten at Taiyo with me last summer. After dinner, it was a shopping trip to Don Quijote, a Japanese owned discount store specializing in Asian foods and soft goods. The prices are good too! In fact, if ever in Honolulu, looking for souvenirs, go to Aloha Stadium swap meet or Don Quijotes. Many of the same vendors in Waikiki also sell at the swap meet. If looking for Hawaiian coffee, macadamia products, teas, liquors, or foods, I recommend Don Quijotes. If you are looking for t-shirts, woodcarvings, costume jewelry and overall Hawaiian souvenirs, the Stadium Swap Meet, where prices on those items are usually fifty to sixty per cent less than what you pay at tourist places.

October 26 –
The day started taking Mr. S back the vehicle he left behind at a parking lot near the airport for the weekend. He accidentally left the keys at the bank while making a transaction. He rushed back to the bank to get it but being a Saturday; they closed and ignored his request as he pounded on the door. Mr. S is new to the ship and is one of the biggest men I have ever worked with. He is not tall but just big. Built like a fighter and some compared his physique to Evander Holyfield. Despite his large muscular physical appearance he is very gentle, easy going, has a great sense of humor and non-intimidating at all.

I spent most of the day over at my old ship. I will be sailing with her on Wednesday for one day and return in the evening. I did the usual pre-sail checks I do here on the Hi’ialakai. I made copies of NOAA files I had initially installed electronically years ago and the C had updated it since. I will go back again tomorrow.
The educational site work is on my own time as I volunteered to do it as well as learning from it. Priority 1 is normal PMs, required installations and maintenance. I feel it is going to be ten to twelve hour days for the rest of the week and then some next week after we return. The Okeanos Explorer had left in the morning for the fuel pier for sea trials to test out her mapping equipment.

I added background music to an animated video made by someone who was on this ship a while back. Due to copyright and my respect for professional authors and songwriters, I am using classical music for background because it is public domain. This animation showed brief function of the ship and its missions. I initially put it on the front page of the educational site but without music, it was missing something. I added Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” in the background. There was learning curves to moviemaker but had fun and learned something new after six tries.

It is time for me to get a few hours of shuteye so I can function tomorrow. I used to be able to work all night and continue the next day but those times are gone. I talked to my son tonight and he tells me he does that on the weekends putting together models from fantasy wargames series. Ah, the advantages of being young allow such endurance.

Aloha and goodnight from the Aloha State.