Sailing from Waikiki

Hubby's colleague invited our family on their 34 foot sailboat. We sailed from Waikiki down to Diamond Head and back. Diamond Head is the famous inactive volcanic cone. It is a major landmark on our island.
The hosts suggested that Son1 sit on this little triangular seat outside the stern of the boat. Hubby and I exchanged looks. There weren't exactly any seat belts, and well, Son1 is an active three year old. And we were on the open water. Son1 scrambled up there faster than we could consider the consequences!!

We headed toward Diamond Head. See the clouded look? Vog traveled 240 miles to our island, from the Big Island, where the only active volcano in Hawaii is emitting sulfur dioxide. In the foreground you see a wahine outrigger team (wahine, pronounced wah-hee-nay, is the Hawaiian word for female). The wahines had just pulled ahead of a men's team during a practice session and all of the folks on sailboats cheered as they paddled by. Outrigger canoe teams compete all over the Hawaiian Islands.
Son1 made himself quite comfortable, and helped himself to the wheel. Son2 was busy fighting the evils of the life jacket. Per coast guard regulations, children twelve and under must wear life jackets at all times. There is a fine if children are not compliant with the life jacket regulation. Everyone tried to distract Son2, but that only lasted for a little while.

Hubby and I took turns downstairs with him in the cabin, where we rescued him from the evils of the life jacket.Meantime, Son1 found himself another seat, at the bow of the sailboat. YIKES! Thankfully, he hasn't seen the Titanic movie, and didn't attempt a Leonardo DiCaprio move.

There wasn't too far to run on a sailboat before Hubby caught up with him!

Vog on Oahu

Until we lived in Hawaii I had never heard of vog. For awhile I thought people were mispronouncing the word fog. Oh nooo, it is a very real and very hazardous condition. Vog is blended from the words "volcanic" and "smog". Sadly, the Farmers are all getting sick from vog.
Vog is created when sulfur dioxide mixes with other pollutants from an erupting volcano, in the presence of oxygen and moisture in the sunlgiht. Right now, Kilauea volcano has been erupting, and emits about two thousand tons of vog daily. Kilauea is located on the Big Island, some 240 miles away. Just today, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park did not open until 1pm because of the dangerous vog. Sometimes vog affects our island because southern Kona winds blow and carry vog to our island. When we look outside we can see a thick brown haze in the distance. The other day I walked Son1 to school. I felt I swallowed a dust cloud! Son2 has had recurrent sinus infections since late November . My pediatrician says these are the worst cases of childhood respiratory concerns she has seen in twenty years. Faithfully, I have chased my children around with prescription medication that will reduce breathing accutenes associated with vog. My eyes are watery tonight and Hubby is using an inhaler as a precautionary measure. Son1 is in a fit of coughs and sadly, Son2 is congested again. We are praying for rain!!!!

The weather folks recommend we stay inside and drink plenty of fluids. Until then Hubby and I are dispensing medicine and praying for more rain.