A slightly belated Happy New Year to everybody.

We have been continuing to explore around Honolulu, and will likely be going further afield on Oahu in the next week or two.  In the meantime we have been sailing a bit, and fishing a bit.

We had an excursion to the north side of the beautiful island of Moloka’i.  The weather forecast was for light winds, but not exactly true.  Crossing the channel it ranged up to 30 knots, all straight on the nose.  The boat blasted through without too much trouble. Like every time we have been out in the channel between Oah’u and Moloka’i we saw a group of pilot whales cruising along, and this time a few humpbacks spouting and occasionally breaching in the distance.

The cruising guide said the anchorage we were aiming at was safe in any wind strength except from the south.  They also did mention that it could be rolly in a north swell.  As we crossed the channel the weather service issued a large wave advisory for the night, for a north swell.  Oh well…

As we approached Moloka’i we hooked a small big eye tuna.  An unusual catch for surface trolling apparently, they are supposed to be more of a deep water fish.  They are valued second only to bluefin tuna for sashimi.  It made AWESOME tuna poke…

It was dark when we arrived, at the anchorage so I picked what looked like the best spot.  It was about another hour or so before the north swell came up.  As the guide book suggested we rolled.  We rolled a LOT.  Neither of us slept much just trying to stay in bed. In the morning light I realized I picked the WORST possible spot.  Right off the only rock cliff in the middle of one of Hawai’i’s  longest beaches.  The waves bounced of the rock and reflected right back out to us. Live and learn…

We sailed back in beautiful conditions the next day. No more fish, unfortunately.