2006 Big Island Ironman Triathlon is History

Aloha to all Big Island lovers,

After our last post how a Waikoloa family dealt with the challenges of the recent Kohala Coast earth quake, we feel it's time to go on with life, just as everybody else on the island does.

Yes, believe it or not, earth quake or not...not even a full week after the 6.9 earth quake rattled the Kona and Kohala Coast on Sunday 10/15/06 the 2006 Hawaii Ironman, Triathlon World Championship took place in Kailua Kona October 21. Kona was full of visitors and athletes from all over the world expecting another spectacular triathlon. And this is what they got.

This Ironman will be for ever in the memory of Big Island visitors and Ironman athletes alike as the 'race with the earthquake'. After a 6.9 earthquake had hit the the West coast of the Big Island on Sunday morning 10/15/06 at 7am, just one week before Ironman and left Big Island visitors, athletes and residents shaking, trembling and wondering whether there would be an Ironman this year, it was soon clear that the island and its people had gotten away with a big scare but minor injuries and building damage.

In the days before the earthquake hit, Kona was unusually hot and humid, and in the days after, the area got slammed with a series of torrential downpours of uncharacteristic intensity and duration. On the day of the Ironman, skies were overcast and no heavy winds troubled the athletes on their bike ride from Kona to Hawi and back. It seemed that Pele had made peace with the athletes. It was all going so well, right up until 7:20 pm, over twelve hours into the race when a torrential downpur happened in Alii Dr, the home stretch of the Ironman World Championship.

Athletes had to make it through knee deep high water to make it to the finish line. About one hour later the downpour stopped and the water receded allowing athletes to cross the finish line under more regular conditions, some after they ran for 10 and more miles in dripping wet shoes and clothes and others, the luckier ones, totally dry. Read more about the 2006 Ironman Championship in Hawaii on the Ironman official site.

Find 2006 Ironman results on our website. West Hawaii Today has in addition to the Official Ironman website (see link above) lots of great stories about this year's Ironman available. Don't miss those. We are certain all our Big Island visitors who stayed on our beautiful island during the Ironman week will have quite some stories to tell when coming home to the mainland.

Be assured that life is back to normal on the Kohala Coast. Vacation rental owners along the West Coast are looking forward to your visit. You will find SPECIAL rates for your stay on the Kohala Coast in November here.

A hui hou and aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide
p.s.
We have found this great video on YouTube about the Big Island Ironman Triathlon and would like to share it with all the Hawaii travelers who have never seen the Hawaii Ironman and plan a visit to the Big Island.

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Tags: Big Island Ironman, Ironman Triathlon 2006, Hawaii

Aloha From Waikoloa - We survived the Earthquake

After our first hand report about the earthquake on Sunday 10/15/06 from a Kona Resident, we got this detailed report from a Waikoloa resident, whose family experienced the earthquake on the Kohala Coast. Big Island residents who read this personal account, will find valuable recommendations for being prepared for an earthquake or another natural disaster.

'Aloha from Waikoloa - We survived the Earthquake' Written by Sharon 10/20/06

Sharon is a Big Island resident who lives in Waikoloa. She also teaches a free stretch class for seniors each Wednesday 10 - 11am at Tutu's House. As there are so many people on the mainland wondering what happened on the day of the earthquake and how Big Island residents coped with it, Sharon agreed to share her email to her family and friends with our visitors of the Kohala Coast Vacation Guide. Mahalo Sharon!

Hi there, Warren, Mom, Einstein and I are just fine!
First of all, thank you everyone for your concern and support. We are truly blessed with sooooo many great friends and family. I was so shocked that my buddy Carolyn called all the way from Bahrain a couple hours after the earthquake hit. It was on the news worldwide. Sorry I didn’t respond sooner. We are still cleaning up – almost done. People are still calling and emailing to find out if we are okay, so I figured I better send something to let you know we survived.

I was spared the horror of having to experience the earthquake. I had been on Kauai for a few days hanging out with my buddies Joey and Susan. I was leaving Sunday morning to return to Kona. I felt the earthquake (probably the largest one). I tried to call home but couldn’t get through on the land line and cell. So after about 45 minutes, I finally got through to Warren on his cell. When I heard his voice, I was so relieved. And that no tsunami was generated was even more of a relief. Warren said it was like a giant had picked up our house and just shook it from side to side violently. There was no warning. It just started with a growling sound and then the whole house just starting shaking. He was upstairs with Einstein. So he grabbed Einstein and watched as everything in the bathroom and bedroom started to flying out of the cabinets and drawers. One of the mirrors from our bed wall unit fell and good thing Warren had picked up Einstein or he would have been hurt. After the first one, Warren ran downstairs to check on Mom. She was a bit shaken, but okay. It was so violent that Warren couldn’t get downstairs and good thing he didn’t try or else he might have fallen down stairs and hurt himself. When the next one hit, Warren grabbed my Mom and Einstein and stayed under the door jam.
This is what Warren told me - The house was a mess – not an empty space to walk. The kitchen was a mess with cracked cups, dishes, spices, pantry items, etc. We have tile floors in the kitchen and bathrooms. In the living room, Mom’s TV fell down (it still works), one of the bookcases fell and shattered a lamp and vase, some of the crystal glassware and figurines in the wall unit shattered. Most of the damages were in the kitchen and living room. We have stress cracks in the drywall, but it is mostly superficial. Our sidewalk that faces the hillside moved about an inch from the house. Our neighbors sustained some damages like the garage door fell on their cars and rocks walls that just crumbled. Some of the larger rocks on our hillside came rolling down, but didn’t damage anything. If you drive around, you won’t see too much damage on the outside – it is all inside the house. I just found out today that the fencing contractor who installed our fence lost his house. He lives in Kamuela (wet side) and his and three other homes slid off their foundations. His house was declared a total loss and will have to rebuild. Compared to this, our damages are so minute.

I spent 8 hours between Lihue and Honolulu airports. Lihue airport had power. Honolulu did not. So having spent about 5 hours in Honolulu with very minimal AC was not fun. I was fortunate that I bought water and food in Lihue because when I got to Honolulu, all the shops and restaurants were closed. People were calling me on the cell, and after a while I wasn’t answering. Sorry about that. I was trying to conserve my battery so I could keep in contact with Warren and let him know my status for I didn’t know how long I would be waiting. I finally landed in Kona about 5:00pm and arrived at home about 6:30pm. I was waiting for my bag and box, but of course they didn’t make it because we have several different flights on one plane. And this was the last flight to Kona that day. Good thing Joey vacuum packed the Lawai zuke and cucumber tsukemono and put them in a cool pack. Man, it would have been so stink! Hawaiian Air delivered my stuffs Monday around noon. Thanks again Sue and Joey for checking in on me from time to time.

So while I am doing my part in cleaning, mom is in Las Vegas. She left Monday evening and is returning tomorrow evening. Their flight was delayed on Monday – instead of leaving at 1:00pm, they left at 6:30pm. The group that was suppose to leaving on Sunday, left on Monday at 1:00pm. She had to fly into Honolulu first which was at 10:30am. So she and her buddies spent the next 7 hours hanging around at Honolulu International. They didn’t mind. They were so excited. She’s having a great time!

This earthquake was a wake-up call for our state and all of us about how we handle this type of situation. Communication is so important and being prepared. Living on the Big Island, you have to be prepared. We get power outages more frequently than Oahu. So we always have flashlights, batteries, propane lanterns and stove, hibachi, charcoal, small AM/FM battery radio, phone that hooks up to phone line (not the cordless type where you need electricity) and all “the list of items to have in case of hurricane and tsunamis”. We have a car battery charger that can power some small appliances. We try to make sure it is always charged. Thinking of getting a generator. We bought these crank type flashlights from Brookstone. They are really great and very bright. You crank for 30 seconds, and the light lasts for couple hours. There’s a couple different ones that cost between $25 to $50. Well worth the money.

So this is how we spent earthquake day – Sunday, October 15, 2006.
Hope all is well you. I know everyone experienced different levels of the quake and it was scary. This is something you wouldn’t want anyone to have to experience. I cannot comprehend the feeling. I know the ones I felt before are no where near what happened on Sunday. They say we will continue to get aftershocks for another month, and it should start to lessen. People here are still edgy every time we feel one.
Well wishes to all of you and keep safe. Sharon, Warren, Mom and Einstein

We will keep our Kohala Coast vistors updated. Stay safe for now. Aloha, Pua http://vacationspot7.blogspot.com/
p.s.
For daily updates on earthquake, check West Hawaii Today online.

You will also find articles and stories on the Big Island Ironman Triathlon. Yes, it still takes place at this minute on the Kohala Coast on the Big Island. With more on that soon. Stay tuned!!!!

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Tags: Kohala Coast Earthquake survivor story

Kohala Coast Earthquake Aftermath

Kohala Coast Earthquake Aftermath

As promised in our last post on Big Island earthquake, we are back with a short update on situation on Kohala Coast after the Kona and the Kohala Coast got hit by a big earth quake of 6.7 magnitude (epicenter about 6 miles off Puako) on Sunday morning 10/15/06 at 7:07 am and a 10-minute later aftershock of 5.8, followed by more than 20 strong aftershocks during the day. It is a miracle that 'only' broken bones and minor injuries were reported. Some houses and even Kohala Coast hotels like the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, especially older ones, had serious damage.

Update on Kohala Coast Vacation Rerntal Business

We checked back with our Kohala Coast vacation rental hosts. They had to do a lot of cleanup of broken dishes and things fallen out of fridges and from shelves. Everybody, residents and Kohala Coast tourists (a lot are here for the Big Island Ironman), got quite rattled but most important, there were no injuries of rental owners and their guests. Luckily, electricity and water were back on the Big Island after a few hours. A few areas still don’t have potable water service in Waipunalei near Laupahoehoe, at Lakeland Subdivision and along White Road near Waimea, and the Hawaiian Home Lands Subdivision near Kawaihae but these areas are not involved in Kohala Coast vacation business.

Closed Roads on Kohala Coast, Hamakua Coast and Waimea Area

The big cleanup on the west coast of the Big Island is happening. A few of the Big Island activities might be still restricted for some time due to necessary road repair but the Kohala Coast vacation rental hosts are ready for your business. For current Kohala Coast visitors, here are the roads which are still closed.The Akoni Pule Highway (Route 270) remained blocked at mile marker 4 north of Kawaihae because of damage to a bridge and at the 26-milemarker near Pololu Valley. A couple of Hamakua roads, Kalopa Sand Gulch Road and Hoala Road in Paauilo Mauka, were closed too. In addition, only one lane at mile marker 9.5 of Kohala Mountain Road was open, while a detour had been created at Kukaiau southeast of Paauilo to avoid a partial cave-in at the mile marker 35 of Hawaii Belt Highway. Waipio Valley Road was open only to local traffic.

Read more about the Kohala Coast earth quake cleanup and aftermath in West Hawaii Today

We will stay in touch and keep you updated. Check back with us in our Kohala Coast Blog.
A hui hou and aloha, Pua

I Feel the Earth Move Under my Feet

Aloha and welcome back to the Kohala Coast Blog,
Today, we decided to include this first hand report from a Kona resident who experienced the Kohala Coast earthquake on Sunday morning at 7:07 am. We thought we'd share this account with our blog visitors without changing any wording. It is an email we received from Judith Kahealani Lynne from Kona. Please, read on. Stay safe. Aloha, Pua

Aloha kakou -

Well it's been a memorable morning to say the least.... I knew it was time to jump out of bed when I heard things starting to crash above me and I figured it wasn't a good idea to be a part of the rubble. Fortunately Scott (I live in the ohana space at Scott and David's) is an excellent architect and after living in Southern California he had the savvy to be very wise in the design and construction of this place. So all that was damaged was some glass items, some very valuable art (he has an amazing collection of museum quality Buddhist art) and our nerves.

I'm still shaking...... It felt like the Tutu Pele her very self, picked the place up and shook us by the shoulders... "straighten up right now!"We live at the 1400' level, above the airport and I swear to God it felt that the epicenter was right below us! The feeling of standing barefoot on the lava/earth during an earthquake like this is indescribable. I could feel it shaking in the depths....After surveying the damage we decided it was time to make phone calls. Only problem .... no electricity making it impossible to use my phone and the internet was down, too. My cell had half a battery left - just enough to call my kids, my dad and step-mom and sisters. The local radio stations were out, so it we couldn't get any information until a friend of David's called from New York to let us know that we had had an earthquake measuring 6.3 and the epicenter was right below us ... well duh!

Then my friend Julie who works on the national level for the government during emergency situations called my cell and said that she couldn't find anything on the government's websites, however FOX news was all over it! So she relayed that it was a 6.5 earthquake, Kona Community Hospital sustained damage and had to be evacuated, Royal Kona Inn also was evacuated due to damage, outgoing flights were not allowed at the airports, there were rock slides on Queen K Highway and other places. Now I'm listening to KAPA, which has become a veritable hotbed of community activity as everybody calls in with their stories and information about the roads, utilities, etc. Local at it's best.

Anyway, I think you can listen to them on the web if you want to get the flavor of what it's like out here.(NOTE: Make sure you've got at least one old style phone that actually plugs into the wall to use when the electricity goes down.Also since the bank machines don't work, nor do the credit card machines without electricity, make sure you've got a stash of cash for emergencies, because the stores are on a cash only basis right now. Julie says you can get a crank up radio at Radio Shack which seems like a really good idea for when the batteries run out.) Just heard that the bridge at Kawaihae is completely closed, water is lost in Lapahoehoe, the road between Waimea and Hilo is closed, so you have to take the Saddle Road and a lot of roads have debris and boulders on them. Just heard that the pali above Kealakekua Bay collapsed and took a fancy house with it.News flash! KAPA is playing the Jimmy Buffet song "I Don't Know Where I'm a gonna go when the volcano blows...."

Real Estate values are plummeting! Anyone want a good deal on the Royal Kona fixer upper.....And that's my report from de island.....Rockin' an rollin' in Kona,Kahealani (Judith Lynne)

Judith Kahealani Lynne"moving heaven and earth with the voice www.frequencykeepers.com

I lei kau, E lei ho'oilo I kealoha.
"Love is worn like a wreath through the summers and the winters, Love is everlasting." Mary Kawena Pukui

You will hear from us soon with more stories and updates on the Kohala Coast. Be safe. A hui hou. Aloha, Pua www.kohalacoastweb.com

Hawaii Big Island Healing Vacation

Aloha Kohala Coast beach lovers,
Hope our recent post about the Hawaii Big Island Ironman Triathlon got you thinking about planning your next trip to Hawaii for this time period in October. It’s definitely an experience of a lifetime. However, you have to anticipate big crowds of visitors and athletes in Hawaii during the Ironman week, which is not everybody’s association with a special Hawaiian vacation.

Hawaii Big Island Healing Vacation

Kohala Coast resorts and private holistic practitioners alike are recognizing another powerful tendency within the Hawaii tourist industry. More and more tourists are visiting the Hawaiian Islands for healing purposes, with baby boomers leading the group of searching for a healing vacation in Hawaii. Maybe you are one of them who want to get away from their busy lives in the fast track, take time to relax, recuperate and rejuvenate in the serenity of exotic, tropical environment Hawaii has to offer. Of all the Hawaii Islands the Big Island with representing fire, snow, ocean and earth elements, has always been considered as a very powerful energy and therefore healing island. Talk to Hawaiian healers and they will tell you all about it.

Hawaii Island Conference on Health and Wellness

To further meet the needs of this ever-growing group of Hawaii tourists, the First Hawaii Island Conference on Health and Wellness Travel was recently held on the Big Island with great success. The conference helped launch the Hawaii Island Health and Wellness Travel Association, which was successful in signing up more than 100 members at the event. You can read more about this conference in West Hawaii Today’s article Today’s article ‘More than just a pretty beach'.

Are you interested in spending your healing vacation on the Kohala Coast on the Big Island? Find comprehensive information on ancient & modern Hawaiian healing modalities provided by individual healers, health care professionals or Kohala Coast Spa professionals regards acupuncture, chinese medicine, ayurveda, herbalism, naturopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, Lomi Lomi, Hawaiian healing therapies, fitness, yoga, Pilates, Kohala Coast spas and Big Island retreats. Serenity now! Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide
p.s.
Stay in your best shape with this Hawaii Stretch Video - full body stretching and guided relaxation to the sound of gentle of ocean waves.

Tags: Hawaii healing, Lomilomi