Ben Oostdam's Autobiography: 1960-1963

page 66

Haleakala - LaPerouse Bay Maui : May, 1963

May 8, Wednesday: Jason called at 07:00 that he was ready to take us to Molokini to-day, We launched his boat at 08:00 and made our first deep dive at the rim around 10:00. I used the sledgehammer and large chisel to dislodge some medium-size black coral bushes, and Jason tied them to a line attached to a garbage can which we later filled with air from our regulator to blow it to Jason at the surface. All went well, except that my mouthpiece was hard to keep in.
We decided to land on Molokini and found very few flat parts on which one could camp. The lighthouse was full of batteries. The water in the breached crater was beautifully azure and clear. (The water outside on the rim still transmits as much as 70% light at 70ft depth)
Around noon we were ready for our second dive, which was much more eventful. When Paul was about out of air, I still had some 600 lbs, so we decompressed together by buddy breathing some 15 ft below the boat. We then noted that Jason had turned on the OB - which divers hate - and was manoeuvering around to pull the anchor line, after which he slowly towed us along. When the bottle was empty, and we carefully came to the surface, we were on the cliff (South) side of Molokini.
Jason told us that a big storm from Maalea (North) had turned the water surface white and wild, but that we now were well-protected, except that we would have to set the anchor before climbing aboard, because it was to steep and deep for him to do. Paul volunteered to do that and it was rather scary to see him on top of a wave against the cliff lodging the anchor, then appearing to slide down the ragged rocks on his stomach for some 10 ft or more. He made it alright, but did not climb aboard as I did. Instead, he held onto the gunnel, while Jason and I bailed out the boat which was half full of water. The storm got worse and high waves kept refracting around the island and getting closer and closer to us from both sides till we only had a room-size "quiet" spot left.
Jason decided to make a run for it, and Paul put us through the frightful spectacle again of appearing to be smashed against the rocks while dislodging the anchor.

photograph of dolphin from Conception Island Log (a welcome alternative to picts of busty women and hairy chested men holding up their catch !)

While the water was still rough and white, Jason gave us a 40-60 chance to make it, and cast out his trawl-line to catch a mahi-mahi within a few minutes. Although he almost swamped the boat again bringing the fish aboard, we did make it safely ashore !

mahi-mahi (dolphin) Coryphaena hippurus

We charged two bottles, and I wrote an application letter to Dr. Leebrick together with a proposed budget. Found out that Rose now also keeps a diary on 3x5 cards held together with rubber bands...