We Have Moved

Last Thursday we were notified that some busybody had reported that there were four “liveaboard” boats berthed at The Fuel Dock. This busybody had apparently gone to some trouble to document the evidence (e.g. reported someone emerging from a boat at 7 AM). For some reason that nobody can explain there is a rule that no liveaboards are allowed in any of the dozen or so berths at The Fuel Dock and I was told that threats had been made to close the place down. We had to choices: start sleeping ashore or move Pachuca.

Within the hour of this bad news Brenda and I visited the harbor master's office and put in a second application for a berth. I had been offered a berth in a condemned jetty shortly after our arrival at Ala Wai and I had turned it down because we were very happy at The Fuel Dock. I was not very optimistic about our chances of getting good berth in a timely manner. Fortunately Carey, to her credit did not pressure us with a deadline. She was happy enough to report that we had made our application.

To our amazement we got an offer yesterday to what we regard is an outstanding berth, number 843. It is at a fully functional jetty with water, electrical power, and good lighting, and deep water. It is the outer jetty with only the breakwater between us and the ocean. Behind Pachuca we have panoramic views of Waikiki and Honolulu, something that we did not have at The Fuel Dock. We are only about 200 yards from The Fuel Dock and plan to be regular visitors via the Zodiac.

We made the move yesterday, 5 Feb, at 1.30 PM. I regard any boat movement as serious business to prepared as well as I could. In the morning I removed 3 of the 5 stern lines and tied them to the jetty, making sure that they sunk well below Pachuca's hull. I inflated the Zodiac and visited the berth and tied a line from the mooring float to the jetty. During the actual move Hugh climbed aboard Pachuca, Nelson was on the jetty to cast us off, and Brenda was waiting at the new berth to take our bow lines. Everything went well. The engine started OK, not much power was being put into the batteries because they were already 100% charged by the solar panels and wind charger, and the wind was gentle. We used the stern mooring line I had set up to pull Pachuca close to the jetty. Brenda tied our bow lines then loosened the stern mooring line and we pulled Pachuca hard back and cleated off the mooring line. After that it was a matter of beers for the three of us in the cockpit then a visit to the harbor master's office for the paperwork and payment. In the late afternoon I swapped the mooring line for something more permanent: one of the heavy nylon mooring lines attached to the mooring ring with a shackle. Because the mooring ring looks a bit thin and corroded I tied a second stern line to the large shackle to which the mooring ring is attached as a backup.

We visited this morning and tied up at the Princess TaiPing for access to the facilities and wound up having coffee and donuts courtesy of Nelson and walked away with bread, a big sandwich for lunch, more dishes, and an invitation to a barbecue tonight at 6 PM. Also, Wally told Brenda that we can use the bicycles anytime that we want.

We plan to be regular visitors to The Fuel Dock for internetting, coffee, ice, showers, socializing, etc.

The first photo is of Pachuca approaching her latest home. The second is the view from Pachuca's bow. The third photo shows Pachuca's mooring setup. I've got two lines to the mooring float at the stern and two bow lines. There was already a plank on the jetty which has provided us with the easiest bow access that we've ever had. The bottom photo is of our next door neighbor: a Colin Archer double-ended ketch built in Hobart, Tasmania, of Huon Pine in 1946. It is in beautiful condition. Two Australian built boat side by side. Small world.