Blog | Lurline McGregor

Victory at sea, “438 Days”

I started this site in 2010 to fulfill a new year’s resolution I made to do at least three creative things that year. I started a window box vegetable garden and got my first kitten, which I counted as my other two most notable creative ventures for the year. Six years later, I still have a window box garden - kind of, although I’ve discovered it’s more efficient to shop at farmers’ markets. I don’t have the same kitty cat but I do have two others who are now two and three years old. And finally, I still have this website, which, despite not posting very many blogs over the years, I decided is worth keeping. I still like this format that allows for writing longer observations and thoughts.

Victory at sea, “438 Days”LurlineM2019-06-05T07:02:09+00:00

More on canoe racing

Another regatta paddling season has come and gone, and notwithstanding the typical drama, it was a good year and my crew and our club, Hui Nalu Canoe Club, did well overall. I was invited to be on a crew to do the 25 mile Dad Center race, which starts at Kailua Beach, goes around Makapu'u cliffs and Kawaihoa Point, and finishes at Kaimana Beach. It is the most exciting and funnest of the long distance races. The other races, including the Moloka'i to O'ahu outrigger canoe race, are mostly just long and for the most part, flat water, or at least, can be. In any event, there are no challenges of going around cliffs, daring to get as close as possible to the ocean crashing on the steep and unforgiving walls to surf the backwash. Having a great steersperson is a must for this race, especially one who knows the nuances of [Read More...]

More on canoe racingLurlineM2019-06-06T23:14:37+00:00

Sailing on Hōkūleʻa

Yesterday I finally got my chance for an overnight sail on Hōkūleʻa. Since coming out of dry dock, Hōkūleʻa has been under sail constantly, going around Oʻahu and traveling to the neighbor islands as well to make sure all old and prospective crew members start getting sailing experience. Last week I went for a mid afternoon sail on Hōkū and by the time we came back to shore about 3 hours later, I could barely contain my seasickness. It did not leave me immediately enthusiastic about going out again, but having always wanted to be on Hōkūleʻa in the middle of the sea during the night, I signed up. First thing I did was borrow a prescription ear patch that helps with seasickness. I am happy to report that in spite of a very dry mouth, which is one of the side effects of the patch, it worked beautifully, and that made [Read More...]

Sailing on HōkūleʻaLurlineM2019-06-06T23:15:13+00:00

Nuʻalolo Kai

I was fortunate to be invited on a 5 day ʻāina clean up trip at Nuʻalolo Kai this past Memorial Day weekend. Nuʻalolo Kai is the site of an ancient village on the Nā Pali coast of Kauaʻi, accessible only by water. It was home to at least 200 residents since the 1200s, if not earlier. The Nā Pali Coast ʻOhana, a group of Kauaʻi residents who saw the need many years ago to protect the ancient sites of the Nā Pali coast that were being degraded, manages the area, sending in crews at least twice a year, who do clean up, maintenance, archaeological mapping and restoration. Although there is fresh water from a spring, the tour boat companies who have permits to land on Nuʻalolo Kai bring in water and ice in every day for the camper-volunteers. There were 12 of us on this particular clean up trip. Most of the [Read More...]

Nuʻalolo KaiLurlineM2019-06-05T06:46:45+00:00

Aloha ʻoe, Senator Inouye

After the 1986 election, Senator Inouye called me and asked me to be his professional staff for Native Hawaiian issues on the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs, to which he had just been appointed chair. I had lost my previous job when my boss lost his bid for governor and was already co-producing a television series on Native Hawaiian issues in Hawaiʻi. I asked Senator Inouye if he could wait until the following June for me to start, and he did. During that period between 1987 and the time I returned home again in 1992, to work on his Honolulu staff before branching out on my own, the committee passed significant legislation that directly benefitted Native Hawaiians. The Native Hawaiian Education Act, The Native Hawaiian Health Care Act, The Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Act, the Native Languages Act and the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act were among the significant bills [Read More...]

Aloha ʻoe, Senator InouyeLurlineM2019-06-05T05:34:20+00:00