Tropical power and might

I first visited Hawaii in October 1996. At the time I enjoyed a brief stopover while returning from my brother’s wedding in Europe. However, I never made it to Pearl Harbour. As a result, I was determined to set the record straight when Garry and I returned to Hawaii in 2005.

Pearl Harbour is home to the United States Pacific Fleet. Since 1941, it’s been synonymous with the Imperial Japanese Navy’s surprise attack on December 7 that precipitated the United States' entry into the Second World War. The attack killed 2,403 Americans and wounded another 1,178. Eighteen ships were sunk or run aground including the battleship, USS Arizona.

More than 80 years later Pearl Harbour remains an active naval base. However, these days it’s also a major tourist attraction. Garry and I spent half a day exploring its numerous museums and memorials. The most renowned of these is undoubtedly the Arizona Memorial.

This memorial, accessible only by boat, straddles the sunken hull of the battleship. It was opened in 1961 and currently attracts more than two million visitors annually. I was fascinated to learn that the hull continues to leak oil, which leaves visible iridescent streaks on the water’s surface.

On shore, a surprising array of military hardware is on display. This includes a restored Second World War submarine, the USS Bowfin, which forms part of the Pacific Fleet’s submarine museum. We spent almost an hour exploring the submarine and the museum’s exhibits. We also spent time wandering through the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center which features exhibits about the USS Arizona and the USA’s involvement in the Second World War.

 

We then made our way to the Battleship Missouri Memorial. It was on the teak decks of USS Missouri, that WWII finally came to an end. Here on 2 September 1945, the Japanese formally signed documents of surrender in a brief ceremony. The signing table’s location is carefully commemorated by a brass plaque embedded into the deck. We got to explore almost every nook and cranny of this massive ship including the bridge, the sailor’s quarters (where I tried out the bunks), and its three, incredibly intimidating, triple gun turrets.

Once we’d had our fill of American naval history, we drove up to Punchbowl Crater, an ancient volcanic dome. It’s natural amphitheater has been beautifully landscaped into an expansive military cemetery. However, the views from its rim of downtown Honolulu were a highlight for us. We also stopped briefly to wander the grounds of the Iolani Palace and admire its colonial facade. This opulent palace was the 19th-century home of Hawaii’s last monarchs.

The first monarch of the Hawaiian nation, King Kamehameha, is proudly immortalized in bronze just outside the palace gates. Interestingly, we discovered that it’s actually the second statue created for display. The original was lost at sea when the ship delivering it from Europe sank in a storm near Cape Horn.

 

Our day at Pearl Harbour marked our final day in Honolulu. The following morning, we caught a flight to Hilo. Follow this link to learn more about our time on the Big Island.