Scout is doing fine according to Aunt Irene!
We will be docking in a matter of minutes at the Port Of Hilo.
The downtown is a mere two miles away!
We slowed down at 4:00 am and docked at Port Hilo by 6:00 am, surrounded by Matson Line trucks. Sleeping Beauty was sound asleep.
We are in the harbor, now moving toward the dock.
The ship’s movements were so slow we did not feel anything. We knew we were close to land when we heard the truck’s backup warning beepers go off.
We are fastened down and will be leaving the ship in about two hours.
Hilo is the largest city on the Big Island of Hawaii. Located on the eastern coast, Hilo is known for its lush rainforests, stunning waterfalls, and black sand beaches.
It is going to be a pleasant day in paradise.
The name “Hilo” means “to twist” in the Hawaiian language. The name is derived from the twisting rivers that flow through the Hilo area.
The city of Hilo is surrounded by beautiful natural wonders. This 7-line ziplining tour gradually increases in length and height per line, allowing you to soar past waterfalls and through lush greenery. You’ll also learn about traditional Hawaiian agriculture and experience the exhilarating rush of the longest zipline in Hawaii, with the forest opening up beneath you.
We departed the ship at 8:24 am and loaded onto a nice bus for a 35-minute ride to a beautiful spread of land with deep ravines.
The ship is huge!
Arriving on the site, we checked in, got weighed, and proceeded to take a walk in their botanical gardens before getting harnessed up!
We walked down the path to the restrooms and harnessing area.
We were the second group, so we did a botanical garden walk first. The island is amazing when it comes to greenery. “Greenery” is the island’s forth most important export!
Paintbox Eucalyptus
Mary loved the flowers, and we got to taste some nuts as well as Hawaiian apples.
Dr. Mary presents the red flower three.
Returning to the start of the walk, I got suited up first as there was more to harness in (and keep from falling out). We made a decision; no Depends this time. I wore “cargo pants” with buttons so we fit everything into my pants.
I was just at the weight limit, so I had to leave my dentures and toupe behind!
In full regalia, we present ourselves as the zip-line wizards. Screaming through the jungle, yelling, “What out for that tree!”
The orange on our faces is to keep away wild pigs, so we are told. We had fun with it, and it easily came off at the end with a liberal amount of soot remover, hair polish remover, a small flame thrower, a wire brush, and two quarts of high-octane jet fuel.
Quite a pair!!
We did a quick check of the weather in case we needed an umbrella; after all, it rains 240 inches a year here in Hilo. We lucked out and got a slight bit os mist only during our flights across the ravines.
Last minute weather check was required.
Now we are off in a bus to the top of the canyon, where we took six zip lines down the canyon. You could hear Mary scream can to Honolulu 123 miles away!
Zoom!
We zipped down the canyon from side to side at increasing distances starting at 200 feet and ending up over 2,500 feet! We hiked between the zip lines but the hike was not too bad. We saw Hawaiian cattle grazing the fields. They looked quite content.
We hiked between the various lines.
Oh dear, she is off again!
See the little dot moving and yelling, “HELP!”
The last zip line was the longest and went over an amazing waterfall.
Sphincter muscle, don’t quit on me now!!
One-half mile in the wide open spaces was an exciting ride. 12,450 feet to the bottom of the canyon over a molten lava stream carrying albino alligators; Wow!
After our last zip of the day, we stopped for photos at the observation station.
After an exciting day of zipping, we returned to the bus and then the ship at 12:30 am. Time for lunch!
The ship is huge and we found protection from the rain!
We grabbed a bite to eat at the grazing grounds before heading to the Salty Dog outdoor grill, where we enjoyed a hamburger before retiring to our cabin.
Mary and I stopped at the Ice Cream Bar. She ordered a St. Patrick’s ice cream sandwich while I opted for soft-serve. Tomorrow, I’ll indulge in a chocolate sundae. They looked terrific, and I need one badly.
One of the grazers sopped by and ordered three sundaes. In 30 minutes, we might hear an explosion.
We went back to our cabin to rest before dinner. At 3:30 pm, we visited the medical office on the ship to check on the patient with an eye problem. He departed the boat but was unable to catch his flight, so he returned on board.
Afterward, we headed to the promenade deck to find some drinks. We dined with Linda and David at the Salty Dog restaurant and had a lovely evening. As we dined, Hilo and the Big Island moved slowly by our window; oops, maybe we moved slowly past Hawaii?
Departing Hilo on our way to Honolulu
The captain came on the PA as we departed Hilo and announced that the “lost passenger” they were searching for this morning actually went overboard very early this morning; the event was caught on CCTV. Authorities were notified, but no luck in finding him.
At 7:30 pm, Mary took me to the spa for another acupuncture treatment. This time, she stayed with me and took pictures of “Paul The Pin Cushion” while giggling. I looked like a damned cannibal with a bone in his nose. Now I know what a cat feels like.
What? Even a needle in my nose? I feel like I should purr.
He got me in the hands, also. I am one step from being a human porcupine.
I am a pin cushion but for whatever reason, it works.
While there was a production going on we decided we have had enough fun today and crashed like two old people. We got our latest picture from the ship emailed to us.
Pictures from last night. That’s Mary on the left!
