On Wednesday this week, family and friends of Dave “Kawika” Lyman gathered at the office of the HAWAII PILOTS ASSOCIATION at Pier 19 in Honolulu Harbor. As we usually do every year at this time, to celebrate Dave’s memory, we head out onto the water aboard the Pilot boat HONOLULU and visit the site where we scattered Dave’s ashes at sea back in 2006, near the Honolulu Harbor sea-buoy. In a tradition that memorializes what we know Dave would enjoy, we each scatter many Hawaiian flowers and pour several cans of cold beer into the water. We all have a few things to say and share, sometimes some great stories of some events involving Dave. Sometimes we don’t say too much. Sometimes there are some tears.
We have scattered the ashes of many mariners, family, and friends, at this same spot. So we know Dave is not alone out there. In fact, in my own mind, I have always imagined “heaven” as being a place where you spend time with some of your best friends and there isn’t a care in the world. This spot where we originally gathered back in 2006 was also marked by a large rock, a “pohaku”, which we put over the side with Dave’s ashes, a Hawaiian tradition. So each day as ships pass by the sea buoy entering or leaving Honolulu Harbor, Dave can enjoy seeing many of his seafaring friends and Pilots as if he were right there next to us.
Sometimes while piloting a ship through the harbor, I have felt the presence of Dave standing there on the bridge with me. It’s an interesting feeling.
Here are a few photos of our sail on Wednesday, January 29th, 2020.
(L to R) Kimo, Lori’s Aunty, Marion, Art, and Lori
Kimo Lyman, Dave’s brother, joined us as he was working nearby at the harbor aboard the HIKIANALIA voyaging canoe with Gary Brookins, who came along, too
Marion, Dave’s sister, looking out to sea. Most family and friends don’t get a chance to come out here onto the water. So it is always a treat to begin with. And this day, the weather was spectacular
Gathered on the dock after returning from our sail, from L to R: Capt. Ed, Lori, her Aunty, Art, Gary, Kimo, and Marion