The old homestead

One last thing--on the way to the airport, we drove around looking for the house Margaret lived in after graduating from Duke, the year she did community organizing. Here it is.



The shrine is fabulous

Last Day in Durham

We went to the Sarah B. Duke gardens for champagne brunch. Everyone who was anyone was there, although President Brodhead didn't stop by our group for a chat:


Later we drove around the area north of Durham, where the small towns and farms are gradually becoming bedroom communities to the research triangle. Nice statue of the Confederate War Dead:

Cameron, Hog Heaven, Saturday Night

We went to a fascinating discussion of work in Women's Studies in the morning; then a speech by President Brodhead; then lunch at Cameron Indoor Stadium where the group photos were taken.





After the luncheon we made our way back to the Duke Student Coop, which was doing a goldrush business in Duke-branded clothing, bookbags, umbrellas (it was raining), and did our bit with Duke baseball caps. We went to a very inspiring panel on the DukeEngage program which is promoting social engagement among Duke undergrads.

Back to the shuttle bus at Reunions Central near the athletic complex,


to get back to the car, and a drive around the outskirts of Durham before dinner. Guess where?





and back to the Quality Inn for an exciting evening of NCIS reruns and Cubs baseball on the cable.

Duke, Class of '68

Today we arrived in Durham for the 40th reunion of Margaret's Duke University class of '68. We found bookstores, food and classmates:

Last day in paradise

The dive trip I had planned to go on today was cancelled because the weather had caused too much turbulence and impaired the visibility underwater. So instead I drove south, stopped for lunch in Kihei, and kept going. I went as far south as seemed reasonable given the lava flows, and turned in at Ahihi Bay Marine Reserve. There was no beach, just a lava flow running into the ocean.


The snorkeling was usually supposed to be good, but, people coming out of the water said the visibility was terrible. The water was an amazing color.


I headed back up the coast, and stopped at Polo beach. Just my luck, yet another beautiful beach with construction going on in the background.



There used to be picnic tables, but the amenities had been displaced by heavy construction equipment, and Surveyors In Paradise:





I was informed as I was leaving the beach that they were helping in the project of laying fiber optic cable from somewhere to somewhere else.

On the other hand, there was also a wedding pending, with people setting up computer, sound system, and hibiscus corsages, etc. And the wedding party began to assemble. Of course, I felt that these girls were suitably dressed for the beach (evidently the wedding was for standing people only, no chairs)

Molokini

Today was for doing more than looking. I probably got some more whale shots but they are still in the camera. I took a snorkel trip that was supposed to go to the Coral Gardens on the West coast, but an unusual south swell had reduced visibility so the Captain opted for Molokini. Visibility when we got there was 100 feet, and we could see tons of fish.

There were whales everywhere too--you could feel them as well as see them. On the way back, I counted a whale do 22 consecutive tail slaps, where the whale lifted its tail straight up out of the water and then smacked its flukes down flat. I saw a baby whale breach-jump all the way out of the water. They certainly seemed to be having fun.

Me too.

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Snorkeling at Kapalua

Kapalua is a mid-size beach north of Napili. Snorkeling is good on the north side of the cove along the reef. Looking out from the sand where I was sitting, there are two canoes sitting halfway between me and the reef.


Looking back over my shoulder, you can see some other indigneous wildlife: the crane, visible at the top of this photo above the palm trees.



The construction made this place feel like it could be Puerto Vallarta or anywhere else where there is eternal construction next to the beach.

Anyway, into the water. When I picked up the fins and mask from a shop here, they basically threw in an underwater camera. Using it was a little challenging since the viewfinder was useless--the camera had an attached plastic grid/crosshairs which you could flip up to supplement the viewfinder, but there was no way to tell what relationship the thing had to what the lens would actually capture. However, I did manage to include some fish in the shots.



Underwater photography is pretty interesting from a physics standpoint, because both the photographer and the subject are moving in all three dimensions all the time. So I could see the value of slightly better equpment than the $9 disposable camera I had. But I think you can see a flock of fish in this next picture.







Before packing up for the day I gave the auto-timer one more chance:



Mahalo for reading!