Tsunami Watch

A true account of my Hawaiian Tsunami Watch.

Thursday 10 March 2011 at 9:01 PM
Polynesian Cultural Center Theater

My mother and I were on a vacation of a lifetime, a long planned trip to Hawaii. I was especially glad, since I tend to grow complacent of God’s beauty in my own backyard. I thought here I could see the love of God as expressed in nature in this unexplored Pacific tropical paradise.

We woke every morning in our beachfront cottage, just 30 short steps to the Pacific Ocean. We strolled through colorful gardens, gasped at our first Hawaiian waterfall, choked up when we saw whales and sea turtles, and acted like a tourist every chance we got. Nearing the end of our vacation this Thursday evening was meant to be a grand finale of song and dance. Following a much dreamed of luau, we saw an evening show depicting the rich cultural heritage of the different Polynesian Tribes though out the region.

Still excited from the show, my mother and I slowly walked out to the rental car talking of our amazing day and weaving our way in and out of cars lined up to exit the parking lot. This had been the icing on top of our very rich Hawaiian vacation cake.

Thursday 11 March 2011 at 9:20 PM
Polynesian Cultural Center Parking Lot

The cars were not moving. I’ve been to baseball games and NASCAR races that kept traffic flowing better than this. I opened up the sunroof to expose the multitude of stars and turned on the radio, ready for a long wait.

The song faded and a radio announcer broke the news. “Hawaii has now been issued a Tsunami Warning. Please follow…”

I tuned out the radio and looked at my mother in disbelief. Tsunami?

“What?” we both said at the same time.

We looked at each other wide eyed. I don’t know about her, but my stomach was spinning in circles. All I could picture in my head was the Indonesian Tsunami several years ago that left death and destruction in it’s path.

I knew returning to our cottage was out of the question, but where do we go? Who can I call to find out? Where was the evacuation route? Was there a website with this information? The questions kept chugging through my brain with no answers as the panic begin building.

I paused and listened intently as the announcer continued, “Japan has been hit by an earthquake! It measured 8.4 on the Richter scale, and created a massive tsunami. All residence along the Hawaiian coast line should immediately move to higher ground.”

My mother in the passenger side starts in, “Oh my God, what are we going to do?” I imagine she was visualizing the same Indonesian scene I was.

Thursday 11 March 2011 at 9:31 PM
Polynesian Cultural Center Parking Lot

Getting a grip on my racing thoughts, I took inventory of what I did know. I knew I couldn’t go back to my cabin. I knew I needed somewhere safe and high to stay for the night. I knew I couldn’t panic. I knew I had some time before the first wave was expected to hit Hawaii around 2:59 AM. I also knew I had a friend on the island of Oahu.

I started there, with my friend Zoe. She and I had worked together in Maryland years before, and she was now stationed in Hawaii. Luckily I still had her phone number.

She answered her cell with a tentative hello.

“Zoe,” I started in calmly, “I just heard there was a tsunami heading to Hawaii…”

She cut in quickly with a cheerful, “Oh yeah, my mom just called me.”

I asked her my next question with fingers crossed. She had not lived in Hawaii long, so I wasn’t sure if she know Tsunami protocol.

“Do you have any idea what I need to do?” I continued, “Mom and I are in a cabin on the beach…”

She cut me off again, this time in surprise, “Oh my God!” Then to my relief she continued, “no worries. You guys head on over to my place. I’m in a safe zone, and I’m on the 19th floor. I’ll blow up my air mattresses, and clean up a little some.”

I don’t know why, but the last thing she said got to me. Here I am, sitting in a parking lot trying to seek safety, and this angel is not only offering refuge at 10 o’clock at night to an old friend, but she is worried about hospitality too.

Tears of relief threatened to spill over, and I told her in a shaky voice, “Zoe, I don’t know if I can ever thank you enough. We’ll be there in about an hour.”

Friday 12 March 2011 at 3:45 AM
Zoe’s 19th floor Apartment

Zoe’s one bedroom apartment was cramped. She was asleep in her room and my mother was quietly snoring on the air mattress across the living room. I was laying on my own mattress, with my cell phone place over my heart so I could feel the vibration as my brother in Georgia and I texted back and forth. He was watching CNN, and I was tuned into the local news channel as we watched the tsunami waves coming ashore at Waikiki Beach and seeing heartbreaking reports from Tokyo. Between texts I was updating the rest of my friends and family on Facebook.

I had come to Hawaii to rediscover the hand of God in a new exciting place. I saw a glimpse of it while taking pictures of the magnificent ocean, looming mountain and breathless sunsets, but I saw the true hand of God in a cramped apartment at 4 AM. The week of sightseeing was forgotten. It was here, safe and welcomed by a friend and connected to those I loved most, I discovered I had found that very thing I came searching for, the love of God in the form of friend and family.

Tina B
Work Count=999
Note: This story is a true account of my tsunami watch on vacation with my mother in Hawaii, March 11, 2011.
Prompt: Write a story or poem about exploring a new place and finding something that changes your life.

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