Hawaii Teacher on Board
Arrival

By Naidah Gamurot

Oct. 15, 1998. Arrived in Hilo last night to flashflood warnings, thunder, and lightning. The past weeks had been the usual picturesque days of sunshine and tradewinds on O'ahu. I stayed the night with a geologist friend up on Kilauea Volcano. Spent part of the night watching lightning and listening to rain and thunder.

This morning I drove down to Hilo in torrential rains to pick my other three shipmates - Dennis, from the University of Idaho, Terry from UNLV - both geologists, and Rob, a member of the ship's crew who was rejoining the boat. Our 8:30 a.m. departure from Hilo Bay had to be cancelled due to heavy seas. The same thing happened to our 10:00 a.m. attempt - as I spoke to the ship from the Hilo and watched lightning strike the bay. Oh, darn! We had to stay in a beautiful hotel overlooking the Hilo Bay for the night.