We visited Hawaii on May 1 – 6 to visit the crew of USS Colorado.
On Wednesday we visited flew to Hawaii with a flight change in San Jose, California. We arrived about 6 PM, checked in to the Stay Waikiki Hotel and went out together with other members of our group at the Reef Restaurant in the — Hotel just a few blocks away.
On Thursday we visited the Submarine Base at Pearl Harbor. We visited Rear Admiral Seif, Commander Submarine Force Pacific, who spent about an hour with us discussing the strategic situation in the Pacific and the status of the Submarine Force there.
Afterwards we visited the Dolphin store to pick up some good submarine Merchandise before heading to lunch in the base dining Facility. We also visited the Submarine Memorial Park and stopped at the submarine squadrons headquarters building. This building was the headquarters for Admiral Kimmel, the Admiral in charge of the Pacific Fleet during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. His office is now the office for the Commander of Submarine Squadron Seven.
We had dinner at a Thai restaurant with Don and Sheri
On Friday we enjoyed an early walk on the Beach and then visited the Hale Koa hotel. After lunch at the Maui Brewing Company we headed to Pearl Harbor for a 3:15 appointment to visit the Arizona Memorial. We had passed by the Memorial in 1974 on a harbor cruise, but had not visited it.
On returning to shore we toured the park and visited the WWII submarine USS Bowfin (SS-xxx) and the Submarine Museum there. We headed back to our hotel met up with the rest of our group and headed back to Pearl City for a dinner at a Japanese restaurant.
On Saturday we were able to ride USS Colorado at sea. We left the hotel early to arrive at the submarine base at 7 AM where we boarded a Torpedo Retriever to take us out.
It was a great ride! We were given tour of the forward spaces on the boat. Some of us got to go to the bridge – and got appropriately drenched. The boat submerged and gave us a taste of up and down angles.
We debarked about four in the afternoon and headed back to shore.
We drove back to the hotel then headed out to dinner back in Pearl City. We ate at the 404 Club where we were joined by Captain Cory Portman, Commander of Submarine Squadron Seven.
Breakfast at Hale Koa?
We walked past zoo and partway to Diamond Head in the morning. In the afternoon we checked out places for dinner.
Rick and Donna depart in the afternoon.
In the evening we had dinner with the Price’s and Moore’s at Mahina and Suns
Breakfast McDonald’s
Walked around Royal Hawaiian, checked out food malls
Lunch at Beach Bar: sandwich & cold latte
Diamond Head hike 1400
Swim at Beach
Dinner at Basalt – great
0900 (-10) Depart SW Flight 2545 (5:50)
17:50 (-7) Arrive Las Vegas – arrived 15 min early but had to go fm terminal C to B
18:35 (-7) Depart Las Vegas SW Flt 977 (1:55)
21:30 (-6 ) Arrive Den – Arrived early at 2100
Bags 2145 zoom ours 2149
On fine bus 2153
Home abt 2230
