Our passage from Molokai to Hilo was one long motor trip but the monotony of motoring was relieved by the sight of whales everywhere we looked until we cleared the far end of Maui just before sunset on March 6. We had an uneventful night with more whale sightings as we were about to enter Hilo harbor. We were anchored four nights to the west of Coconut Island:
{GMST}19|43.708|N|155|04.322|W|Hilo|Coconut Island{GEND}
On March 11 we went into Radio Bay and tied up to the wall there as usual. Unfortunately when John went into the DOT office to check in with the harbor master he was told that boats which have been in the State of Hawaii for more than 90 days are no longer considered "transient" and are not allowed berthing in Radio Bay. This was news to us since it's never been a problem when we've made multiple visits in past years, but they are now enforcing the heretofore ignored rule.
{GMST}19|43.883|N|155|03.147|W|Hilo|Radio Bay{GEND}
When they insisted we leave immediately we moved to Reed's Bay where we dropped the hooked in 33' over a rocky shelf, and backed towards shore ending up in about 10' of water. John sighted down the red channel markers to do our best to keep out of the channel when the wind shifted because you don't want to be in the way of the cruise ships or tugs and tows.
{GMST}19|43.841|N|155|03.721|W|Hilo|Reed's Bay{GEND}
We experienced high winds and huge swells coming over the breakwater during a few stormy days, so on March 16 we moved out to the protection of the breakwater to get out of the wind fetch which was very bad in Reed's.
{GMST}19|44.463|N|155|04.197|W|Hilo|Breakwater{GEND}
We were very happy to be in Hilo for two important reasons. In March our good friends Frank and Lynn of M/V Nova came out for their first visit to the Big Island and treated us to two fun-filled days of sightseeing. It had been about eight years since we'd seen them but we picked up our friendship again as if it were still Fourth of July on the Delta. Then on April 9 we actually got to wave to people we know when the Star Princess brought my aunt and uncle to Hilo! They too treated us to a full day of island time while we acted as their unofficial tour guides. We had last seen them eight years ago when we drove John's truck from Oregon to San Carlos, Mexico. We felt very fortunate that we could be in Hilo for both visits since we so rarely get to see old friends and family.
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