Hello Hilo Confirmed

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Tue 23 Feb 2016 04:19

Position: 19 43.81 N 155 03,62 W
At anchor Reeds Bay, Hilo
Wind: North east, F4 moderate breeze
Sea: slight Swell: negligible
Weather: mostly sunny, warm

At 09.00 this morning we motored around the end of the Hilo Harbor breakwater and proceeded towards Reeds Bay which is one of the recommended anchorages in Hilo; while the holding is not the best it is the most convenient. I scanned the bay with my binoculars as I approached and caught sight of a blue hull. The colour was a very familiar shade. I looked more closely. Yes, it was the 'Fram', belonging to my fellow Norwegian Australian single hander, Harald. I motored closer.  He was on deck busy with something.  The dinghy was also on deck and the sails were not stowed. Initially I thought that he must be just about to leave. I hailed him.  He clearly was a little puzzled as he was not expecting me.   It turned out that he was just arriving.  I knew that he had left San Francisco about a week ahead of me and I was incredulous that we should be arriving from two different countries leaving a week apart and arriving in Hilo pretty much at the same time. It turns out that Harald had arrived yesterday evening but because he did not have a decent chart of the harbour he decided to loiter outside the harbour for the night, a seaman like precaution. Nonetheless, I found the coincidence quite startling. Once we were both secured (I had to anchor twice before I was satisfied that Sylph's anchor was holding adequately) we both proceeded ashore to clear in.

Customs has been cleared and RC dispatched to a quarantine facility where he will have to remain for the duration of our stay in Hawaii. The next problem to solve is how to satisfy the Australian importation requirements which are even more stringent than Hawaii; however, I can see a plan coming together. Hopefully I will sort out the details over the next few days.

All is well.