2008 Spirit of the West Cruise Diary and Photos
Below is the diary of our 2008 Spirit of the West Cruise to Hawaii.
We sailed on the Pride of Aloha - here's what she looks like on the outside.
Below you'll find a basic itinerary of our trip and a map of where
we're going. Go to the Itinerary
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These photos will all enlarge if you click on them.
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The cruise hosts
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We'll be flying to Vancouver on Thursday morning and will have a
day to relax and think about what we forgot to do at home before
we left. Friday we leave Vancouver and fly to Honolulu where we
overnight at the Waikiki Mariott. The photo to the left shows us
with Lucky, but apparently they won't let her in the hotel in
Honolulu so we had to leave her at home! Bummer ... how will Hugh
get around?
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Jan 12th Honolulu
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Left photo - Lyn DeLeeuw and Doug Halliday at Lulu's restaurant in Hononlulu - open air
looking right onto the beach about a block from the Mariott Hotel where we stayed. In the right
photo Billie and Hugh are on the walkway, boarding the Pride of Aloha! ... We're off!
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Jan 12th Honolulu
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Jan 13th Hilo
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Jan 13th Hilo
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Jan 13th Hilo
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Jan 14th at Sea
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Jan 14th at Sea
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January 13th. In the first photo Hugh and Mark up-load the January 19th Spirit of the West Show
to the Internet for the Radio Stations. The Pride of Aloha tied up at the docks at Hilo.
Hugh, Doug, Billie, Lyn, and Kathy - Happy Hour!
January 14th. Dr. Pete Knight from Pfizer Animal Health does the first seminar and Andrew Raphael
from Meyers, Norris, and Penny winds up the first day of the conference.
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Jan 14th at Sea
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Jan 14th at Sea
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Jan 14th at Sea
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Jan 14th at Sea
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Jan 15th at Sea
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January 14th evening. The Spirit of the West band performs on the stage next to the pool.
Over 200 people gathered to listen and to sing along - this is one of the most popular
activities on the ship (for our crew anyway). In the first photo Doris Bircham recites some
humourous and entertaining poems (practice for the Kamloops Cowboy Festival), the second photo shows part of the crowd, and the third photo
shows the band which consisted of Andrew, Jim Bell (cruise director), not sure who the girl with the Ukulele is,
Don, Hugh, and Ed. The forth photo shows a couple of the ships passengers (all
though we didn't know them) having the time of their life - they'll probably want to join the
Spirit of the West group next year!
January 15th. Hugh opens the second day of the conference by introducing Dr Pete Knight.
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Jan 16th Fanning Island
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Fanning Island
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Fanning Island
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Fanning Island
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Fanning Island
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January 16th. We are now about 200 miles from the Equator - we've arrived at Fanning Island. The first
photo is of Jim, Hugh, Billie, and Kathy on the Tender. The next photo, taken from Fanning Island, is
of the Pride of Aloha. In the third photo Billie has headed for a local craft market anf Hugh is keeping
a watchful eye on her. The next photo - is this not a true cowboy? Blue jeans, boots, long sleeved shirt and
hat ... this is Dan Stocking and Renee Turlock from Farmington, BC. Then Hugh, Billie, Kathy, and Mark
baking on the beach - tough to take!
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Jan 16th Fanning Island
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Fanning Island
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Jan 17th at sea
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Jan 17th at sea
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Jan 17th at sea
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January 16th. Hugh and Kathy plan the CAIS seminar ... well maybe not ... maybe they are just enjoying a
Corona! Lunch on Fanning Island was a huge buffet as shown in the second photo.
January 17th. Hugh introduces Kathy in the third photo, and she put on the CAIS seminar in the
forth. In the last photo planning has started for next year's cruise! We'll find out where it's going soon!
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Jan 17th at sea
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Jan 17th at sea
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Jan 17th at dinner
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Jan 17th at dinner
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Jan 18th meeting
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January 17th. Here's a photo of the jam session in Captain Cook's Lounge - it holds about 80 people
but here there were over 100! The next photo shows the jammers. The third photo - here's Hugh with
his pet rabbit at dinner time (entertaining as always) and next, one of the ship photographers poses
for a photo (wish I could sell her the photo for the same price as the ship photograpers sell their's for)!!
January 18th. A planning session in the McLennan Ranch suite - ideas on how to make future
cruises better (if that's even possible). Left to right, Andrew, Louisa, Shirley, Pete, Jim, Karen,
Larry, and Kathy (Mark takes the photo). Billie and Hugh take the centre seat.
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Jan 18th evening
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Jan 20th Parker Ranch
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Parker Ranch
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Parker Ranch
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Parker Ranch
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January 18th. Hugh, Billie, Mark, and Kathy pose on the stairs after dinner.
January 20th. We landed in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii and headed straight to
the Parker Ranch. Hugh tried for an interview with the first cowboy we ran into (at the Parker Ranch Store)
but found him very hard to get information out of. We were fed at the Parker Ranch Pukalani Stables where
the Ranch Vice President, Corky Bryan gave a talk on the operations of the Ranch. Next Hugh let everyone
in on the big secret - next years Cruise destination! The Cruise will be taking in 7 different countries and
will be going right through the Panama Canal - from West to East. Jim and Hugh then gave evryone details for the last day
(yes unfortunately its coming up). Next the Parker Ranch Paniolos Band entertained us and of course Andrew
jumped right in with his harmonica. The last photo is of Hugh interviewing Corky - the interview was great and
you'll get to hear it on a future Spirit of the West show! |
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Farewell party
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Farewell party
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Farewell party
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Farewell party
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Farewell party
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January 22nd. Here's some photos of the farewell party on the ship -
unfortunately the last day of this year's cruise. In the first photo Billie
draws a name from the hat that Jim held with all the names of the folks that
were on the cruise - Hugh announces the winners. Check back in the near future
for a full list of the winners! For now ... in these photos Larry gives
away a gift certificate for Morrand Industry products, Pete Knight gives away
one of the prizes donated by Pfizer Animal Health, Karen and Jim hand out
discounts for next year's cruise, and Andrew presents a coat from
Meyers Norris Penny!
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Last day
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Last day
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Last day
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Last day
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Last day
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January 23rd. Hugh did some last minute interviews which you'll be
able to here on future shows. In the photos .... Hugh tries to interview
this farmer at the Dole Plantation but found him rather stiff and hesitant to
answer any questions. Gloria Melnychuk from 100 Mile House tells Hugh what
she thought of this year's cruise, Tiny (the bus driver and tour guide)
just being his normal hilarious self, Doris Bircham speaks to Hugh while
Ralph makes sure she says the right thing, and Don Howard the fiddle player answers
some of Hugh's questions. Also interviewed for a future show was Dan Stocking but
we don't have a photo at this point in time.
This is a group photo that was taken onboard the Pride of Aloha
click to enlarge
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