N 20.52 / W 156.41
We're in Lahaina, a place I always wanted to come to by my own boat. Located on the west side of Maui, it's an old whaling town that is now a busy tourist destination, hosting a very active main drag of shops (Front Street) selling jewelry, T shirts, burgers and ice cream. A typical tourist scene. The small harbor is full, mostly with tourist boats, but there are a few lucky private yachts; there's a 35 year waiting list for a slip! To get here, we had sailed all night across the Alenuihaha Channel, experiencing ENE winds of 15-20 knots and 4-6' seas, and felt blessed that conditions were so benign. The winds died after we crossed Ma'alaea Bay, and we motored the few remaining miles to Lahaina, picking up a Lahaina Yacht Club mooring in front of town. We hurriedly launched the dinghy and went in to register at the YC. Moorings are free, and available for short lengths of stay to the visiting yacht. We had a quick shower upstairs, a quick beer downstairs at the YC bar, and proceeded to walk the town a bit. We were running on adrenalin at that point, but it felt good to mingle with the crowds for a change of pace. That afternoon Dave and Sherry arrived; they had anchored at Nishimura Bay on the NW side of the Big Island during the night and awoke early to cross the channel in the calm early morning winds. Avoiding the build up of the trade winds as you cross any of the channels between islands usually means a very early morning departure (like 0400) or an all night sail (like Infini did) before the kick ass winds and seas have a chance to paste you. Again, watching the weather forecasts and being aware of local conditions is imperative for safe cruising. We look forward to renting a car with our friends and visiting the National Parks before heading out to our next overnight stop in Moloka'i.
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