Newsletter, December 2001

In mid July it was back to the mainland again to get ready for our trip to Alaska (and to see the doctor, dentist, audiologist, optometrist, dermatologist, financial advisor, get nails done and have a massage, visit, have dinner with various friends, etc.) Actually, we think we've discovered the secret to a really wonderful retired lifestyle. It is simply to live somewhere else. When we come home to visit we are wined and dined and treated like visiting royalty. Our friends are too classy to mention that we come home every six months or so!

While home we had time for a four-day trip to the Sierra. Bill had wanted to hike around in the Devil's Post pile area for the past several years. We stayed in an inexpensive motel in Mammoth, dined out in style most nights, and did day hikes back into the mountains to Red's Meadow, Mts. Ritter and Banner, Garnet Lake, Muir Trail, etc.. Great weather, great sights, great time!

On August 9th we were off to Alaska. Our first stop was in Juneau where we met up with the rest of our group in the airport. Then it was on to Gustavus and the Glacier Bay Lodge for the night. (The next morning, while waiting to board the Wilderness Explorer we ran into Sue and Jim Corenman at the Lodge. We had seen them leave Ko Olina on their beautiful "Heart of Gold" three weeks earlier - imagine the odds of seeing them in Alaska during that 2-hour window! They were going to spend a couple of days in Glacier Bay before heading south.) We had had such a good time on the Wilderness Explorer (the "WEX") two years ago that we decided to go again. This time we took 15 others with us consisting of a core of friends, some of whom we met while we were kayaking in Baja, (Sorrelle, Anita, Mary Louise, John, Marsha and Margit) and friends and family of theirs - who are now also friends of ours - (Phoebe, Judy I and Judy II, Mick, Rosie, Alice, Jennie, Joan and Rich). We were, therefore, more than half of the total passenger complement of 32 and a force with which to be reckoned!

It was another great trip. Exceptional weather once again with some afternoons so sunny and clear that we even went swimming off the kayak dock behind the ship. In answer to the commonly asked question: 53 degrees (about the same as SF Bay). We were able to see the Aurora Borealis on two of the nights. It all went by in a flash. Four days in Glacier Bay kayaking then one around the corner in Dundes Bay and out into Icy Strait for hours and hours of awesome whale watching. As before, the people and crew (more new friends!), the food and the experience were wonderful. After the WEX trip we spent another couple of nights in Juneau and then caught the Alaska Marine Ferry to Sitka. It was a very pleasant 9-hour trip. In Sitka we stayed at the Crescent Harbor Hideaway - a wonderful B&B right across from the marina. Sitka's a pretty small place and we were able to see most of it in the three days we were there, even the nooks and crannies. The museum is wonderful and the Russian-American history is fascinating. Then back to Oakland and a couple more weeks of putting our affairs in order before returning to Hawaii.

We were wakened early on 9-11 by a call from Kimmerie. As it was for all of you, we are sure, it was a stunning and numbing event. We were able to confirm that our friends and family on the East Coast were not physically affected. Many have compared the event to Pearl Harbor. We don't quite agree with the comparison but arguing seems to be very much off the point.

It seems we were only "home" (in Hawaii) long enough to catch our breath before it was off again. This time we went to Florida where Valerie's daughter Kimmerie married Brian Dunkel at Disney World. What a blast! Nicholas and Sarah came from Phoenix, Kimmerie's uncle, John, from Texas, Bill Jones (her dad) from San Francisco, Brian's family from various parts of Michigan and Ohio and K & B's friends from Boston, So. California and points in between. The wedding took place in a lovely wedding chapel on a little island with a view of Cinderella's castle in the distance. Kimmerie and her matron of honor arrived at the chapel in Cinderella's coach complete with footmen and six white ponies. It was a beautiful ceremony with happy tears all around. We don't think we have seen a happier couple since our own wedding a year and a half ago. The reception was at the Dancing Hippo pavilion complete with rounds of miniature golf. We stayed at the park for 4 days and were able to do all the rides and see all the sights. It is an impressive place - nothing like the Anaheim park - on 26,000 acres most of which are not developed. Disney's struggle with the fall-off of travelers was our good fortune. Never stood in a line the whole time! We also were able to fit in a side trip to Kennedy Space Center where, unfortunately, the increased security after 9-11 meant we were not able to go out to the launch site but being next to a Saturn rocket was impressive...that baby is HUGE!

Once back in California, we were able to fit in a couple of Berkeley Rep performances and much too quick visits with friends. Made us aware that there is more than one definition of "paradise". Hawaii is wonderful but would be much better if we had more visits from you Mainlanders.

We are back in Hawaii now, enjoying the holidays with local friends and puttering around the boat as usual. The marina is a fantasy during the holidays with all the live-aboards decorating their boats with lights, flying angels, Christmas trees, garlands - you name it. Truly magical at night.

We have been taking a basketry class sponsored by the Honolulu Academy of Arts and taught by Gail Toma, a very talented and nationally recognized fiber artist. It is wonderful fun and we have been quite productive - no easy task when working in the confines of a sailboat but very easy when house-sitting for our dear friends, the Goodsills, when they travel. Bill is a natural basket maker. Good to have a trade to fall back on!

Valerie is singing with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus. They are singing in Beethoven's 9th on December 29th and 30th. She hopes to continue and perform Mendelssohn's "Elijah" with them in the spring. Happiness! Bill gave his introduction to celestial navigation talk at the Waikiki Yacht Club earlier this month and was well received. The club is installing all new docks and will have more space. We have decided to join the club and might move there, at least for a while. Ko Olina will be hard to leave, though. It is a fabulous marina.

We joined a gym in September and work out at least 3 times a week! Valerie has been working on losing some of the too many pounds she has been carrying and we are both feeling fit and well. We hope you and yours are as well and happy as we are. The invitation to visit is still open. Unfortunately we don't really have room for over-night guests for more than a day or two, but we can help find reasonable places to stay and we would be delighted to show you the sights. Come play!

Aloha me ka Hauoli Makahiki Hou! (Happy New Year for the linguistically challenged.)

Valerie and Bill