September 4, 2024 – Victoria, BC

The Daily Musings have ceased since we returned to Victoria back in March. My logic was that we weren’t doing anything overly interesting or different.  I have been asked however what it is that we do now that we aren’t travelling.  So, since you asked, I will tell.

Of course we needed some time to decompress after travelling for six months – and remember, we had moved into our house in Victoria shortly before we left the country last September.  Once we returned, there were many hours spent trying to locate various items we expected to have – not knowing for sure whether we had even kept them through the downsizing.  Over these past few months those moments have lessened, but they still have not disappeared.  Just this morning I was trying to locate a stress ball…didn’t find one. Our lifejackets are AWOL; shot glasses, MIA.

Besides the everyday existing, we have scraped and painted the exterior trim, replaced siding, had the kitchen and bathroom cupboards repainted, and built garden beds.  The house is 75 years old – some projects need doing, but are kind of terrifying.  I’ve watched enough home renovation shows to know that there are always issues when big projects are started in these older homes.  For now, painting is about as much work as we want to take on. We will tackle the interior painting at some point in the not-too-distant future. This is not our long-term home, but for now it is a great landing pad for our inter-travel time. 

Around all this work, we have spent a lot of time exploring and experiencing our new city.  We have hiked, biked and walked a lot.  Attended festivals, concerts, parades and markets.  Supported local theatre and galleries.  Explored parks and historic buildings.  Tried rowing, explored the intertidal zone, taken a few dance classes (many more needed!), I even won an e-bike at “Go by Bike Week”.

On July 31, I managed to break two bones in my right hand.  Five weeks in a splint ended today.  Thankfully, two of those weeks were on a cruise ship with someone else doing the cooking and cleaning.  I did find that more passengers talk to and remember you when you are wearing a huge splint – and most wanted to know whether I had injured myself on the boat.  I guess they were worried that it could happen to them. 

I have been amazed at how many mundane tasks require the use of two hands.  Many I managed to find work arounds for (like putting toothpaste onto the brush), some I just decided not to do (like type posts for this website) but some proved impossible to ignore or adapt.  Cam has had to tie my shoes and zip up my jackets for the past month.  

Despite all this activity, we have found time to plan another lengthy trip.  Not six months, but almost three.  We will be home for Christmas.  Stay tuned for Musings starting mid-September – Meg

A continuation of my (Cam’s) time in Pearl Harbour

July 4th – the United States Holiday

July 4^th fell on the harbour phase and that was a “day-off” for most people. We were told to enjoy the local area because when the exercise started we would be 24/7 with very little time off. Hawaii is a special place, however they have many of the similar issues every other community has. As we were shy of things to do on July 4^th, we reached out to a number of local organizations and asked if they had any need for a large work party. In the end we spent ½ a day at Maunawila, which is a traditional Hawaiian place that had fallen into disrepair.

About 25 of us drove an hour north to the small village of Maunawila. We were given a tour of the ancient grounds, then learned some of the traditions and cultural beliefs. After doing this, we pitched in and spent 2 to 3 hours, moving a load of gravel and rebuilding a wall in a traditional house. It was a lot of physical work but an truly amazing experience and extremely rewarding. The head of this organization told us it would’ve taken them two months or more to complete what we did and they were most grateful for our efforts. The picture is of me sitting on the wall we built from scratch that morning. I did ask and it was perfectly fine to sit on the wall. 

Stopping to enjoy the ocean

On the way back to the base, we stopped on the North Shore and went swimming in the ocean. We were back on the Base in the evening, and of course, the fireworks on the military base were exceptional. It was a great way to spend the Fourth of July as a guest in America. 

RIMPAC goes “Live”

The operational tempo picked up after July 4^th, and did so daily work load. We went through a “crawl, walk, run” program that allowed us to develop the skill set needed to accomplish our mission. On July 8^th the ships started to sail, it took three days for all 39 military vessels to leave Pearl Harbour, including the aircraft carrier with its 60+ combat aircraft.

I managed to get a few days off during my time in Hawaii. Snorkelling, hiking and wandering were the ways I found to pass my days. There is usually someone around who will also be looking for something to do, so finding a friend to tag along with is pretty easy. I was able to tour the Battleship USS Missouri, which is docked along Battleship row. The Missouri is docked in front of the USS Arizona memorial. The Arizona was the only Battleship not raised after the Japanese surprise attack of December 7^th, 1941. 

It wasn’t always fun and games…

Now, before you judge and think “wow, that’s a paid vacation”, I should point out some of the not so glamours things that took place. My normal start time was 06:00, however that got changed after a few days when things were adjusted. My new starting time was 05:30 which means a pretty early start to the day. I would usually be done by 1 PM, however sometimes I was there as late as 4PM. During the day I was working on Ford Island, the focal point of the December 7^th, 1941 attack. 

The Pacific Warfare Centre was my workplace and I was inside a large building with no windows. Cellular phones and other similar devices such as smart watches, iPads, cameras, etc. were not allowed inside due to security. I would sneak outside once in a while to see the sunshine and the water around Pearl Harbour. Our location provided a first-class view of ships entering and leaving harbour when we could get outside. 

Evening relaxation

In the early evening, I would often go for a swim at the outdoor pool or the beach on Hickman side of the base. The beach may not have had the views of Waikiki, but it lacked the throngs that were on Waikiki and was safer than being on a military base. 

Having a sunset dinner on the beach at Pearl Harbour

In less than a week, my time in Hawaii will come to a close for this trip. I can’t believe I’ve been here for over five weeks already! I’ve learned a lot but I’ve also missed a lot. Summer is the best time to be on Vancouver Island. Missing the festivals, concerts and outdoor activities was not ideal, but necessary to be on this deployment. 

Thanks for reading and stay tuned. Our fall trip is coming up where we’ll be heading to some fantastic international destinations!

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