Saturday, 07.06.2002 (Part II)
When we got back from the hike, Mahealani informed me that it is tradition to go swimming to loosen muscles and joints that suffered strain during the course of the hike. Since we never found the swimming hole or the waterfall, we decided to go swimming at the beach.

Hubby was there relaxing after a long day of studying (and worrying about us), and he joined us on the beach. We took the two kayaks out on the water despite the blustery conditions and rough waters. They got me in the purple kayak and gave me some brief instructions about paddling and set me adrift. As the waves came at me, my heart raced. Of course, we were in shallow water (I could've stood up if I had capsized) but yet there was something unnerving about paddling into the waves. Hubby and Mahealani swam around me like dolphins escorting a ship on the open seas, guiding and encouraging me. Nevertheless, my nerves got the best of me and I paddled for shore, leaving them in my proverbial dust. My kayak and I washed ashore and I got out of the vessel, feeling a lot better to have my feet on the sand.

Fernando and Mahealani took the two kayaks out and paddled out quite a distance away, battling the winds and the waves. Meanwhile, Hubby stayed on shore with me and practiced bobbing with me. As the waves rolled in, I ducked my head under the water and practiced blowing out through my nose and mouth. This helped me to get used to the pull of the ebbing of the waves and the tossing of the water around me.

It started raining and since it was already quite cold and windy, we decided to call it a day. We headed back into the beach house to get washed up.

Feeling quite parched and famished, I must've drank a gallon of water and ate a ton of Doritos. Not long after, I felt my head starting to pound and I suddenly felt nauseated. I took a shower, popped a couple of Tylenol and went to lie down. Too much excitement and physical activity for this desk jock, I suppose.

I slept for a few hours and Hubby woke me up to have some dinner. I still felt terrible and couldn't bring myself to eat more than a few bites of dinner. I retired to the bedroom again and rested for about 15 minutes.  Feeling substantially better, I got out of bed and joined the gang in the living room again.  After having a serving of Lucy's banana pie dessert, we decided to go back out on the beach for some sand crab hunting.

Armed with a bucket and two flashlights, the four of us went out in search of sand crabs. Kamuela is the expert crab spotter, often seeing crabs scurrying across the sand before any of us would notice it. The next thing you would hear was, "Fernando! Get it! Get it!! It's right there! Get it, Fernando!" Fernando would jump to action with the bucket, chasing this poor, unsuspecting crab until he caught him. We would all then gather around the bucket and gape at it, oooh-ing and ahhh-ing at how big the crab was. (Those had to be the biggest sand crabs I've ever seen. The crabs we would catch at Camp Erdman were never as big as these.) Mahealani, the future Marine Biologist, would then pick it up, turn it over and check to see if it were a male or female. Then we would release them.

The last crab that they attempted to capture was a big one. As they were chasing it, the beams of our flashlights caught sight of a young couple sitting on the stairs leading to the beach. Cuddled up, having a nice romantic moment, they were horrified to see us running toward them with Kamuela, with his Gin & Tonic in hand, yelling, "Get it, Fernando! It's right there! Get it! Get it!" and Fernando swinging the bucket, giving chase as the crab ran toward the couples' feet. Mahealani and I scampered away laughing, leaving the guys to their mission.

"Get it, Fernando! Get it! Get it!"

I wish I had gotten that on film. Just thinking about it cracks me up.

Kamuela, the Game Master, is deliberating on what kind of evil he should unleash on us, the unsuspecting players. Mahealani is talking smack to Hubby, threatening to give him another point of damage. Lucy, Kamuela & Mahealani's mother, known affectionately to all of us as "Mom" is seen in the background in the kitchen hard at work while us "kids" had fun.

After we got our fill of sand crab tormenting, we went back in the house and played a board game called "Orcs at the Gate." It's an adventure game which kind of reminded me of a MUD, but in the form of a board game.

The idea was to earn points by picking up treasures, killing orcs, and killing other players. There is a caveat, though, you must also contend with the evil Game Master who can unleash some pretty overwhelming challenges -- like a board full of orcs.

Needless to say, we all died and the Game Master won. Isn't that always the case?

Fighting orcs is hard work. It got me all tuckered out and I called it a night. It was a full day indeed.

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