Monday, October 20, 2008

KIALUA R. I. P.

I don't have a photo of Kialua. I walked past her every day. She was a trim classy little boat. Jaunty each time she left the harbour.
"Really salty looking," sailors would say when they saw her.


I chose a photo of sails to commemorate her. In this shot I was laying on my back on the forward deck. Not a smart place to be when flying a jib- but got a great photo.
Kialua ended up on the rocks at Makua.
It's not entirely clear how.
Engine trouble.
Sails up with an inexperienced person at the helm.
A sailboat's nemesis is the land. You having trouble? Head toward open sea. Stay away from the shore. But often times it just happens.
And a trim, dandy little boat meets its demise. Most likely they will not salvage her -- the diesel and oil will be removed and she'll be dragged off the rocks and sunk.
Home for budding coral and fish. A subterranean ecosystem.
A new paradigm if you will.
So give me a few words to help me remember.
Because there is a lesson in this. I am sure of it.
Value what you have at this very moment?
Joy is fleeting.
Soon it may be gone.
Like Kialua.

This just in...Pat from BAREFOOT sent me a shot he took.

Thanks Pat!

16 comments:

Lisa R said...

I walked by Kialua on the way to Orion for three weeks! That's really sad...I hope everyone is okay?

Anonymous said...

For many of us, our boats are the embodiments of our hopes and dreams. That is why we grieve when we see a boat aground - hopes and dreams dashed.

Zoroaster's Dog

Holly Kennedy said...

Are the owner's okay?
How sad. Do you think they'll get another boat and move back into their slip? (Did I use the right word, Gordon!!????)

ORION said...

No one was hurt that I know of and no they probably wont get another boat-

Kim Rossi Stagliano said...

Oh, how sad! The poor boat looks so forlorn. I feel for the owners. And you're right. Enjoy today. Even if it's kinda crappy. Tomorrow could be worse. My, aren't I cheery?

Bookfool said...

Yikes! That's horrible! I'm glad to see you've commented that nobody was hurt.

Polly Kahl said...

Aloha Pat! That's a sad photo. She looks like she was quite a beauty. The owners must be heartbroken.

Chris Eldin said...

Wow, what a shot! I'm glad the owners are okay, but it does look very sad.
But when I saw the photo before reading the text, my imagination conjured up a sexy guy on a deserted island. Muscular, out hunting food. A manly man....
;-)

Cloudia said...

As a live-aboard it hurts to see ANY boat aground. Just as, being a motorcyclist, it hurts to see a bike down.
We here in ala wai had wondered about the Makua grounding. Funny, I just blogged today about being a live-aboard....synchronicity!
Your writing today is top flight (of fancy?) and gently profound. Best wishes and safe seas to YOU & your kitties!

Les said...

What a terrible shame. Having spent some time on my dad's live-aboard, I can only imagine how awful this must feel to the owners. A boat is so much more than a dwelling (or a toy). :(

I do hope it was insured to the max.

the Amateur Book Blogger said...

It is so sad when boats go down, even more so with loss of life. Many locals watched in slow motion horror as the Maria Asumpta went down in fine weather in Cornwall in 1995. She was launched in 1858 and had been the oldest surviving sailing ship. with a lee wind she was taken in between a near island and the cliffs, and all the locals knew it was a bad idea. Fate took a hand, the wind was too strong, the engine was started but with contaminated diesel and failed to work. They lost three crew aged 19, 24 and 50. Old boats have such histories, but the sea can be just as dangerous today as ever.

Jamie Ford said...

That's so sad. Sailing definitely isn't one of those things taken lightly. We had friends in Eagle Harbor (Bainbridge Island, WA) that sailed to Alaska, and nearly lost it all. Not for the faint of heart.

BClark said...

Broken dreams. Life is fleeting. Like a crippled bird. Sad

Katie Alender said...

Oh, that just sort of hurts to look at. What a pretty little thing she must have been!

Michelle O'Neil said...

That photo doesn't even look real!It looks like a painting.

It does look very sad.

Anonymous said...

I owned and lived aboard KIALUA for 3 years in the 90s, at Sand Island - what a gut blow to see that picture. She was as sturdy as a brick house and gave many hours of happiness to me, my friends, and the couple that bought her and moved aboard in '96. The sea is a harsh mistress ... RIP!