descendants, Kamehaloha Kong.
“This place looks peaceful now,” related Kamehaloha, “but in ancient times there were sacrifices at the sacred heiaus. Many Hawaiians believe that along a section of Waipio Beach lies the entrance to the nether world. Ha! I suppose I believe it, too!” he laughed. “Once I was hiking at night with some friends through the canyon to the twin falls of Hiilawe, and in the long, moon-lit shadows we saw a line of Night Marchers searching for the entrance to a secret domain.” He looked provocatively at Julian. “Do you believe in spirits, brother?”
Julian drew a deep breath but said nothing. The dubious look on his face was answer enough for Kamehaloha. Tamara, on the other hand, was much more willing to accept the thread of truth derived from such blatant superstition. And while the fabric of such a tale looked a little foolish when modeled by Kamehaloha, Julian found it all the more charming when worn by the girl.
“Look! A pair of Humpbacks!” Tamara called out from the deck. She pointed to a place not more than a hundred yards off the starboard bow. Kamehaloha followed her line of vision and sighted the whales too.
“Cut the engines and come down here!” Kong called to Julian, and the novice captain immediately did as he was told. “Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” he said reverently.
“Every time I get close to them it brings tears to my eyes,” said Tamara.
Julian stood wide-eyed and excited as he looked out to sea. Searching the horizon, he fervently hoped for a glimpse of the whales.
Kamehaloha searched the waterline through a pair of binoculars. He put his heavy arm around Julian’s shoulder, handed him the glasses, and tried to define the area of ocean where he thought the two whales might surface next. “Look for the spray from their blowholes,” he advised. “It’ll look like a little puff of smoke coming off the water.”
Julian put the binoculars to his eyes. At first he saw nothing accept the white crests of the waves. Since the engines had been shut down the boat was rocking with the pitch of the sea, and it was difficult to keep his vision focused upon one area of water. Then he saw the spray; and a moment later the whales breached side by side, two enormous tales following great black forms with white underbellies over the waves and back into the deep. Thrilled by the spectacle, he turned to hand the binoculars to Tamara. “Did you see that?” he exclaimed.
Seconds later the pair surfaced again, this time frolicking on their sides, pectoral fins slapping at the swells.
“They have a language all their own,” Kamehaloha explained. “I’ve heard it myself! If you place underwater microphones about thirty feet deep, then amplify the sounds, you hear the curious cries and squeaks—in a sequence or a pattern, like code—and it’s obvious that these are not simply random noises. They have meaning beyond our understanding.”
“I think they like us,” commented Tamara.
“They’re very curious creatures,” Kamehaloha said. “If we leave the engines off and just float here awhile, perhaps they’ll come even closer.”
But the pair of Humpback whales did not approach the Scoundrel, rather they moved further and further out to sea.
“Maybe we should follow them,” Julian suggested.
“Not a good idea, brother” said Kamehaloha. “Like any wild animal, they need their space; and besides, environmental laws against encroachment are very strict.” He began moving toward the prow of the boat. “It’s getting late,” he said. “We should head for Hilo Bay or we’ll miss the arrival of Hawai’iloa.”
He tried to re-start the twin inboards, but once again the carburetors seemed to need adjustment. Without concern Kamehaloha made the minor modifications. Julian peered over his shoulder. Meanwhile, Tamara climbed up to the head and stood at the wheel, ready to pilot the cruiser the rest of the way down the Hamakua coast to
“This place looks peaceful now,” related Kamehaloha, “but in ancient times there were sacrifices at the sacred heiaus. Many Hawaiians believe that along a section of Waipio Beach lies the entrance to the nether world. Ha! I suppose I believe it, too!” he laughed. “Once I was hiking at night with some friends through the canyon to the twin falls of Hiilawe, and in the long, moon-lit shadows we saw a line of Night Marchers searching for the entrance to a secret domain.” He looked provocatively at Julian. “Do you believe in spirits, brother?”
Julian drew a deep breath but said nothing. The dubious look on his face was answer enough for Kamehaloha. Tamara, on the other hand, was much more willing to accept the thread of truth derived from such blatant superstition. And while the fabric of such a tale looked a little foolish when modeled by Kamehaloha, Julian found it all the more charming when worn by the girl.
“Look! A pair of Humpbacks!” Tamara called out from the deck. She pointed to a place not more than a hundred yards off the starboard bow. Kamehaloha followed her line of vision and sighted the whales too.
“Cut the engines and come down here!” Kong called to Julian, and the novice captain immediately did as he was told. “Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” he said reverently.
“Every time I get close to them it brings tears to my eyes,” said Tamara.
Julian stood wide-eyed and excited as he looked out to sea. Searching the horizon, he fervently hoped for a glimpse of the whales.
Kamehaloha searched the waterline through a pair of binoculars. He put his heavy arm around Julian’s shoulder, handed him the glasses, and tried to define the area of ocean where he thought the two whales might surface next. “Look for the spray from their blowholes,” he advised. “It’ll look like a little puff of smoke coming off the water.”
Julian put the binoculars to his eyes. At first he saw nothing accept the white crests of the waves. Since the engines had been shut down the boat was rocking with the pitch of the sea, and it was difficult to keep his vision focused upon one area of water. Then he saw the spray; and a moment later the whales breached side by side, two enormous tales following great black forms with white underbellies over the waves and back into the deep. Thrilled by the spectacle, he turned to hand the binoculars to Tamara. “Did you see that?” he exclaimed.
Seconds later the pair surfaced again, this time frolicking on their sides, pectoral fins slapping at the swells.
“They have a language all their own,” Kamehaloha explained. “I’ve heard it myself! If you place underwater microphones about thirty feet deep, then amplify the sounds, you hear the curious cries and squeaks—in a sequence or a pattern, like code—and it’s obvious that these are not simply random noises. They have meaning beyond our understanding.”
“I think they like us,” commented Tamara.
“They’re very curious creatures,” Kamehaloha said. “If we leave the engines off and just float here awhile, perhaps they’ll come even closer.”
But the pair of Humpback whales did not approach the Scoundrel, rather they moved further and further out to sea.
“Maybe we should follow them,” Julian suggested.
“Not a good idea, brother” said Kamehaloha. “Like any wild animal, they need their space; and besides, environmental laws against encroachment are very strict.” He began moving toward the prow of the boat. “It’s getting late,” he said. “We should head for Hilo Bay or we’ll miss the arrival of Hawai’iloa.”
He tried to re-start the twin inboards, but once again the carburetors seemed to need adjustment. Without concern Kamehaloha made the minor modifications. Julian peered over his shoulder. Meanwhile, Tamara climbed up to the head and stood at the wheel, ready to pilot the cruiser the rest of the way down the Hamakua coast to
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