Vehicles are stowed in the white area. The passenger deck is the light blue area pictured above.This weekend we sailed on the Hawaii Superferry from our island of Oahu to the island of Maui. The three hour trip was far more relaxing than boarding a plane, even for a forty minute flight to Maui. We packed our car with luggage, stroller, beach gear, and Hubby's scuba equipment. My car was the Farmer family's fifth passenger. We left our home, drove onto the Superferry, and drove right off in Maui. What a relief to avoid the hassle of airport parking, security lines, x-ray machines, the elusive and limited $2 luggage cart, boarding the rental car shuttle, and installing the car seats all over again!!
We hit the vehicle entrance line at 4:40am. At the first stop, our car was inspected by using large mirrors and flashlights to make sure there wasn't anything illegal or dangerous underneath. You'll never guess what this lady is looking for under my hood. If you guess correctly post a comment and let me know. She is looking for seeds that may have fallen under my hood. Cross pollination of species between islands can compromise the environment. Certain species are specific to particular islands.At the next inspection point, we rolled down our window and handed over our IDs and confirmation code. In return we received boarding passes. The last inspection point was a random vehicle and passenger check. We were not inspected, though! Finally, we were among the last cars to board just after 6am. So much for picking the right lane. It worked out in the end, since we were one of the first cars off the ferry.
Once aboard, we chose from three gargantuan passenger cabins. Hubby and Son2 settled into seats, and Son1 and I aimed toward the viewing decks. We caught the sun rising over Waikiki and Diamond Head. The sun was luminous over the water. It was breathtaking. The deck was very occupied yet hushed. Some people used tripods and multiple lenses with their cameras. Some couples stood linked arm in arm. Son1 stood with his shoulders between my fingers and whispered to me all that he observed.
Immediately it struck me how I yearned for him to remember this day, to remember the sun rising in the East over the ocean, and the beauty of the moment. I leaned down and asked him if he would remember today. In the quiet morning I recalled different Psalms praising the Creator, and offered my own silent praises.
For a few instants we chatted about Who had made all that we were observing. After we passed the Oahu landmarks we went in to check on the rest of the fam. Hubby found us seats in front of one of the many flat screens mounted on the wall. But with so many kids on board, the boys wanted to follow the action at the Manta Cove, where all of the keiki were hanging out. This was a designated play area and movie area for kids.
I had brought snacks, but we were sitting so close to one of the three dining areas, that we just couldn't resist. Hubby loves pork manapuas. A manapua is a meat filled cake, or steamed bun, that you might see on a Chinese dim sum cart. Manapua is the Hawaiian word for this Chinese bun. These buns were introduced by the Chinese when they were brought to Hawaii as plantation workers. In Hawaii they are filled with different fillings. (Around Thanksgiving they are even pumpkin filled!)
Son2 loves bananas. They sold fresh fruit, but not bananas. So the cashier insisted she had one in her lunch, stowed in the employee area. She offered it to Hubby and Son2 and refused to take any money for it. Hubby slipped some money in the tip jar anyway. But that's what you can expect from local folks, much aloha. It would have been rude not to take it.
Now this was the absolute crown jewel of the menu, the kalua pork nachos. These were the most delicious nachos Hubby and I had ever eaten. Kalua pork is salted and slow smoked. The nachos were also topped with pineapple chunks but they are hard to see in the picture.
We chose seats near a door that led to the decks. We rotated children, and took turns on the outdoor lanais. The Maui coastline came into view. The coast rose out of the ocean and seemed to touch the sky.
We were here! Within a few minutes all passengers with vehicles were called to the lower decks, even though we were still sailing on the water. We grabbed our stuff and grabbed our kids. It was a little tough to get to our car. The cars on the Superferry are jammed closely together. There are no parking stalls, and the cars are parked so tight! I couldn't get in on my side of the car. I couldn't fit between the cars to get to my door. There is only about 6 inches between these cars, from my rear bumper, to his door. It looks wider in the picture, though, because we held the camera above our heads to take the picture. I climbed through the opposite side to my seat.
Being the last to load had it's advantages. We were one of the first cars off the ferry, and onto Maui!
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