EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MAUI

The Silver Whisper left Kahului, Maui and has just moored outside of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii.  Our arrival. 

That steeple below is Mokuaikaua Church, founded in 1820 as the first Christian church in Hawaii.  The walls are mostly made from lava rock, with the motar from burned coral.  The interior features native 'ōhi'a wood.  Open to the public.  Contains various artifacts, such as a scale model of the Thaddeus, the ship that brought the original missionaries to Hawaii.

At one time, Tropical Storm Norbert was headed straight for Hawaii and looked ominous. Now at 60 MPH, Norbert will not even reach hurricane strength, and should begin to weaken early next week, with a path that should pass south of the Big Island,  Predicted to beome a post-tropical remnant low, south of the Hawaiian Islands.

It will take time for Kauai to recover from the destruction caused by Hurricane Lowell this past Monday night into Tuesday.  At one time, 90% of the 36,000 customers had no power.  As of this morning, 73% of Kauai's electricity customers had their power restored.  It was 66% yesterday.  Lihue Airport is back to normal.  Schools and government offices should mostly be open on Monday  Lowell is now a post-tropical cyclone far away to the west and north of Hawaii. After those worries since the ship left Vancouver, all looks well for the Silver Whisper.  We leave Kona tomorrow for Honolulu and home

By the way, I yesterday mentioned that the 9/11 terrorist attack on the USA occurred 25 years ago.  I should have also mentioned that Hurricane Iniki destroyed Kauai with 200 MPH gusts 34 years ago.  You kind of hate to mention these kinds of anniversaries, but our nation and Kauai recovered well.  It has been reported that the Iniki caused $3 billion in damages, but the total economic and societal costs of 9/11 have estimated to be $3.3 TRILLION.  Click here to read these details.

Never said much about Maui, so here is a quick summary.

• I have lived on three of the State of Hawaii counties:  Kauai, Hawaii and Honolulu, which incorporates the island of Oahu.  Maui has five islands:  Maui, most of Molokai, Lanai, Molokini and Kahoolawe.  Also, another obscure entry, Kalawao County.  

• 
  It is the smallest county in the USA by land area and has the second smallest population:  Loving County, Texas has 64 people.  Kalawao, 82.
• Encompasses the peninsula on the north coast of Molokai, which was set aside as a leper colony, from 1866 to 1969.
• The accesses are a mule trail, airport and pier.

About Maui County.

• 200,000 years ago, all islands of the county were connected in a single landmass.
• Population 160,592.
• Five airports.

Maui island.

• Second largest island in Hawaii with 727.2 square miles. 
• Population of around 150,000 (Molokai about 7,350 and Lanai about 3.325).

• 
  Called the Valley Isle because a 6-mile wide isthmus connects Haleakala with West Mountain Mountains.
• Inhabitants from the Marquesas came as early at 450 AD and Tahitians around 1000.

• 
  James Cook lel the first European party to Maui in 1778.
• Became part of the King Kamehameha kingdom in  1795,
• King Kamehameha II made Lahaina the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1820.
• Missionaries settled in Lahaina in 1823.
• The height of the whaling era, centered in Lahaina, was in the 1843-1860 period.  400 ships visited annually.  Whale oil was replaced by cheaper petroleum.
• The 2023 wild fired devastated Lahaina.  

• 
  Haleakala is not extinct, but dormant, last erupting around 500 years ago.
• 3 million tourists/year.

• 
  Remains as the leading whale-watching center.  Only in the winter months.
• Water is real problem.

• 
  Is an important astronomical research center, located on Haleakala.
• There are no private beaches on Maui.
• The road to Hana has over 600 curves.  But you can fly to Hana.

• 
  Haleakala was once 15,000 feet high.  Has eroded to 10,023 feet.  Sunrise from the peak is a highlight must.  To the right and below, photos I took 16 years ago.  You will see other tourists with blankets from their hotel,  That is a silversword plant.

So, anyway, lunch yesterday featured pork and bok choy ramen.

Went for a walk all around the ship for the very first time yesterday,

The Panorama Lounge hosts games in the afternoon, like trivia of different kinds.  You can earn points to ge a shirt,  Here below, bingo,

Next door to the Panorama Lounge is our casino,  Tiny thing

Tomorrow, more from the Silver Whisper.

To close, I asked Google to chronologically list the top 10 songs about Hawaii:  This the first time I heard My Waikiki Mermaid.

The history of music inspired by Hawaiʻi stretches across traditional mele (songs), hapa haole music(Hawaiian-style music with English lyrics), and modern island standards. [1, 2]

Here are 10 of the most significant and popular songs about or from Hawaiʻi, ordered chronologically from the early 1900s to the modern era.

1. "My Waikīkī Mermaid" (1903)

Artist/Composer: Albert "Sonny" Cunha
Significance: Cunha is widely recognized as the father of hapa haole music. By blending American ragtime tempos with traditional Hawaiian sounds, this track pioneered a new genre that introduced mainland United States listeners to a romanticized vision of the islands. [1, 2]  

2. "On the Beach at Waikīkī" (1915)

Artist/Composer: Henry Kailimai and Sonny Cunha
Significance: This song exploded in popularity at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Expositionin San Francisco. It triggered a massive, decades-long nationwide craze for Hawaiian music, hula dancing, and the ukulele across the U.S. mainland. [1, 2, 3]  These are hapa haole songs, so that link above has Burl Ives as the singer.  Here, Hank Snow

3. "Ke Kali Nei Au" / "The Hawaiian Wedding Song" (1926)

Artist/Composer: Charles E. King (he is part Hawaiian, and had an interesting life)
Significance: Originally written in the Hawaiian language as a duet for an opera, it gained global recognition when it was translated into English as "The Hawaiian Wedding Song." Legendary covers by Andy Williams and Elvis Presley cemented it as an international wedding standard. [1, 2]

4. "My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaiʻi" (1933)

Artist/Composer: Johnny Noble, Tommy Harrison, and Bill Cogswell
Significance: Written for a local Fourth of July celebration on the Big Island, this tongue-twisting, upbeat tune became a massive hit on the mainland. It is one of the most famous examples of vintage island nostalgia, famously performed by everyone from Don Ho to Bing Crosby. [1]

5. "Sweet Leilani" (1934)

Artist/Composer: Harry Owens
Significance: Owens wrote this gentle lullaby for his newborn daughter, Leilani. Bing Crosby recorded it for the 1937 film Waikiki Wedding, sending the track straight to number one on the charts. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1938, sparking an unprecedented explosion of Hawaiian pop culture in Hollywood. [1]  

''Sweet Leilani' is a song featured in the 1937 film Waikiki Wedding. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and Bing Crosby's record became one of the biggest hits of 1937. Harry Owens wrote the song on October 20, 1934 for his daughter Leilani, who was born the previous day. Leilani is a popular Hawaiian name meaning heavenly garland of flowers.This performance is by Al Caiola and his orchestra and chorus. It comes from the Reader's Digest 1968 12 inch vinyl LP 'Academy Award Winning Songs-12 Oscar Winners.'

Harry Owens, of course, is associated with Hawaii Calls, aired on radio from Waikiki Beach from 1935. His Royal Hawaiians featured Hilo Hattie, Alfred Apaka and Al Keoloha Perry. He also wrote To You Sweetheart Aloha.

6. "Waikīkī" (1946)

Artist/Composer: Andy Cummings
Significance: Written while Cummings was feeling deeply homesick during a cold tour in Michigan, this song is considered a masterpiece of local songwriting. Unlike commercialized Hollywood tunes, "Waikīkī" captures the genuine, soulful, and bittersweet love that locals have for the islands. [1]
His Hawaiian Serenaders included Gabby Pahinui.

7. "Blue Hawaii" (1958)

Artist/Composer: Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger (Popularized by Elvis Presley)
Significance: Though originally written for a 1937 film, Elvis Presley's 1961 title track for his film Blue Hawaii turned this song into a global phenomenon. The soundtrack album spent 20 weeks at number one on the Billboard charts, defining the mid-century "tiki culture" era of tourism. [1]
But was first recorded in 1937 by Bing Crosby, one of the songs also from Waikiki Wedding,  Click on that and watch the whole 1hr28min film.  Listen to all those hapa haole songs.

8. "Tiny Bubbles" (1966)

Artist/Composer: Leon Pober (Popularized by Don Ho)
Significance: This track became the signature song for Don Ho, arguably Hawaiʻi's most famous modern entertainer. Its easy-going, cheerful rhythm made it a staple of Waikīkī nightlife and a global anthem for island leisure. [1, 2]

9. "Waimānalo Blues" (1974)

Artist/Composer: Liko Martin and Thor Wold (Popularized by Country Comfort)
Other Hawaiian versions featured The Pahuhui Brothers and Cyril Pahinui, Roland Cazimero and IZ.
Significance: Released during the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s, this folk-rock track serves as a poignant protest song. It beautifully touches upon the loss of open spaces, urban overdevelopment, and the struggles of Native Hawaiians trying to preserve their homeland.

10."Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World" (1993)

Artist/Composer: Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole

Significance: Armed with just a ukulele and a tender, soaring voice, "Bruddah Iz" created a legendary medley that became a global phenomenon. It is arguably the most famous piece of music recorded by a Native Hawaiian artist in modern history, embodying the pure essence of the Aloha spirit. [1, 2]
There is story.
• 
  At 3AM one morning in 1988, Iz, with a tiny uke, recorded this combination in one take.  He then weighed 500 pounds,
• Five years later in 1993, this song was reluctantly added by the producer to Iz's Facing Future album.
• ...spent 375 weeks on top of the World Digital Songs chart, making it the longest-leading number-one hit on any of the Billboard song charts.
• Became a global anthem for peace and hope.
• Passed away at the age of 38 in 1997.  Weighed 757 pounds.

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