cruise

New York by Water

Did you know the Staten Island Ferry is a free boat ride that gives one of the most memorable views, by water, of the New York City skyline? Because the ferry commutes back and forth between Manhattan and Staten Island, round the clock, it’s one of the most popular Harbor Cruises by tourists and residents alike. Check out the majestic Statue of Liberty, skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan, and Ellis Island. Be prepared to stand for the view. After all, remember, it’s free. It’s also unforgettable. 

Invasion of the Boat People

A couple times a week the beach is inundated with tourists when a luxury cruise ship pulls into Nawiliwili Harbor and docks for a short period of time. Hoards of beach lovers pour down the gang plank to enjoy the pebbly soft beach of Kalapaki Bay. With colorful towels, bamboo mats, swim fins, and boogie boards in tow, families stake a claim along the shoreline to gather and sunbathe. Within minutes children squeal with laughter, splashing each other and running away. A slender middle-aged European man stands with feet firmly planted squinting out to sea. As if deep in thought, he raises a cigarette to his lips and takes a long drag before flicking the ash into the wind. Loose strands of black hair fall across his wrinkled brow causing him to pivot a half turn and then back again. Over his shoulder, an energetic group of millennials mark off the sand and choose sides for a pickup game of soccer. Shouting in an unfamiliar language, they slap each other on the back before aggressively kicking, chasing, and passing the ball back and forth toward the goal. So much activity. So much joy. This is how to spend a day in paradise. After awhile, short toots from the bridge of the huge vessel signal it’s time to head back. Beach towels are rolled up, soccer games disperse, umbrellas are left vacant, and the sand is brushed away as flip flops are slid into place. The boarding process begins for passengers to depart “Fantasy Island” and return to sea until we meet again. 

Island Schedules are Maintained 

The schedule said cruise ships arrive shortly after dawn twice a week. That gave us reason enough to be an early-riser and catch a glimpse of the sun peeking over the horizon before the ship passed by the cliff. Since we set the timer on the coffeemaker to rouse the senses with a vanilla macadamia nut blend, Gerald ran down to the neighborhood bakery and grabbed a couple of oven-fresh cinnamon rolls as well. Minutes later, donning walking shoes and a light windbreaker, we joined others on the footpath to the point of Nawiliwili Harbor. We watched as the stars disappeared and the sky turned from black and grey to peach and orange. Amethyst waters faded into random shades of blue while earnest fishermen settled into their surroundings. Overhead the fluffy cloud bank drifted away revealing a bright yellow globe on the horizon. As if on cue, the waves began to clap in applause when the “Pride of America” burst through the open waters navigating the channel between the mountains and the bay, masterfully assisted by a marina tugboat. With the grace and elegance of a seasoned ballerina, she breezed on through to her island home in the port.