Submarine fun

Haven't posted for a while. Monday was just a rest day. We went to the grocery store and a drive down to Sea Watch. We wanted to check the dinner menu for when Mad and Steve get to town. While were there we had a drink and watched the birds. They sure know how to find food.

Tuesday we went to Pukalani Golf Club for more golf with Larry. Chris is gone now so there was just the three of us. It was a really windy day. Made 350 yard holes into the wind play about 600 yards. Larry had the rough day this time. I was so-so. Sue was steady. We all had a good time.

After we got back we went to Moose McGillycuddy's for Tacos with Jane and Larry. This was the same place as Freds, they share a kitchen, where we had tacos with Nixons. They call it "Kiss My Taco Tuesday" We were disappointed as Moose's menu has completely changed since were were there last week. Dinner was good and it was happy hour. What more can you ask.

Wednesday was the fun day. Larry and Jane picked us up at 8:30 AM and we drove to Lahaina. We were going out on the Atlantis Submarine. Be sure and check out the Atlantis link tells there whole history. Yes a real submarine. Sue and I have done this before. I have gotten the tickets from the Lyons Club auction we go to in March. Anyway it is a fun adventure. They pick you up in a boat at the Lahaina harbor and take you out to the Submarine.

Waiting for the boat in Lahaina Harbor.

They have a tender on scene called the Roxie. They go through a lot of fun stuff like oogga horns and dive-dive stuff. Once on site the sub pops up out of the water right between the boats. That's the tender Roxie to the left.

There are people in the sub so we all have to scrunch up to the forward end of the boat while the folks on the sub get off on back end of the boat. Then we board. The cabin has seating port and starboard. It's kind of a tight fit but once seated you look out ports that are about 2 1/2 feet. Jane was a little worried but once settled all was a-ok. They go through the dive dive thing and blow ballast and down you go. They travel back and forth between a couple reefs. When on the reefs there are lots of fish to see. They have a narrator who tells you about all the fish and throws in a joke or two.

One of the more interesting things you see is the wreck of the Carthaginian. This was a sailing ship that use to be tied up to the Lahaina dock. I was aboard it about 15 years ago. She originally came from Germany as I remember. anyway the Atlantis folks bought it before it sank at the dock. It was really in bad shape. They got all the permits and stuff, cleaned up anything that would pollute and scuttled her in 95 feet of water. They did this in December 2005. Sue and I saw her on our first sub trip in Jan of 2006.

It really had not changed much. I was surprised. I expected barnacles and lots of growth, but there was little as you can see.

They then take the submarine down to the bottom. This was a depth of 132 feet for our trip. They say the sub is capable of 300 feet. They actually sit it on the bottom. Then it's up you go. They get to about 60 feet then blow the ballast and the boat goes up fast and pops up for the next folks to see. Same stuff we board aft while the other folks are crunched forward. Then they pull away and we watch the sub go under. Was a whole lot of fun.

So all good trips to Lahaina should end at BJ's for a Nooner and beer. Was a nice view out the deck. If you read the Carthaginian story in the Maui News link above. It mentioned a sail boat that went aground a few years back in front of Lahaina. It is right across from BJ's.

All in all it was a great day with good friends!