Sep

7

A couple of years ago my surfing buddy and I went up north to the uninhabited valleys and had quite an adventure [read about it here]. We had always wanted to bring the family to show them this magical place full of ancient history and feeling, that was now deserted and overgrown with ancient ruins of temples and habitation from a millennium ago. We felt like we were approaching Jurassic Park.

The Labor Day Opening of Lobster Season hunt is becoming an annual event, so this year we took Sunseeker, a 61 foot Hatteras, and went in comfort and style, with hot showers, air conditioning, microwave ovens, stereo, TV, video, top flight dive and fishing gear: the works.

As we approached the valleys, my wife, a hula practitioner, recited the appropriate ancient Hawaiian chants and we left appropriate offerings to the local gods and powers that be in the valley. The locals call the feeling "chicken skin" , but you may know it as "goose bumps". Strawberry guava and lilikoi were in season. The stream with waterfalls gurgled in the bright tropical sun and we hunted crawdads and shrimp as we made our way up the valley. We saw where wild boar rooted. The big waterfalls off the towering cliffs threw sparkling diamonds of light and rainbows on the green sea foam while surfing the waves along the base of the cliff. Flying fish jumped out of the water and flew for dozens of yards ahead of the boat's wake. Birds hunted back and forth on the ocean searching for fish, and we followed the birds. The shore was covered with driftwood and we collected great canes and walking sticks. I wish I could have brought one back I found one that looked like Gandalf's staff for Vic and Laurel. I found out how useful they are when traveling through uncharted rough overland terrain to keep ones balance.

Despite the comforts oddly the big yacht was not as seaworthy as our primitive small Hawaiian outrigger canoe designed 1000 years ago with two intrepid adventurers with paddles. Despite relatively mild conditions, the big yacht could not stay overnight up North and could not handle the local conditions. Expensive chairs were tipping over and breaking. The crew scurried around fixing breaking things: a million things to break. When we went last time, the waves were 10 times bigger and the wind much worse, and we stayed without a problem overnight. The captain was cautious compared to how aggressive we were on our last trip with very basic, primitive tools. However, with the wives and kids along safety and comfort were the overriding concerns.

As always, I could not help but make market connections.

1. First, a simple strategy is the most powerful and with which you can be more aggressive as there are less variables to go wrong.

2. Complicated, expensive and bigger is not always better. It may be more comfortable, but depending on the goals, bigger is not always better.

3. The level of risk assumed will vary with the nature of that which is at risk. The risk level assumed on a million dollar yacht with women and children aboard is different than a $20,000 canoe with a couple of seasoned watermen aboard.

4. A couple of aggressive guys with skill and solid simple gear can compete favorably with the biggest and fanciest. It is the human factor the makes the difference.

5. The weather is always the overriding factor. No one, no matter how tough, how big, can overcome the powerful forces of nature.

6. Safety is the paramount consideration. Not returning or failing is not an option. The weather report and the weather are not always the same. It is good to be aware of that in advance and keep your eyes open and an eye on the sky and ocean, not just the ear to the weather radio.

7. There are always unexpected things in nature. Fish that fly in the air. Birds that swim in the water. Sharks with no bones or skeleton. Fish that turn iridescent colors. Stars that shoot across the sky. Oceans that glow and sparkle at night. Wind that goes in one direction, then in the opposite direction 50 feet away.


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