Despite earthquake, Masters enjoy Hawaii

PRINCEVILLE, Kauai, Hawaii - While vacationing in Kauai, Bill and Beth Masters experienced one situation that was not planned.
“Last Sunday (Oct. 15), we were at the breakfast nook at the place that we are staying and all of a sudden, we felt the glass top table start to shake,” Bill said. “It rattled really bad for about 15-20 seconds, that is the only thing that we noticed.”
Kauai is about 400 miles away from the epicenter (which was located on the big Hawaiian island). The earthquake registered 6.6 magnitude and occurred at 7:07 a.m., local Hawaiian time (12:08 p.m. Central Time).
“We had never experienced an earthquake before,” said Bill.
Later on, the couple drove to church and while in route, their granddaughter called on the cell phone asking if they were OK.
“The talk at the church was if anyone had experienced any damage and none had,” Bill recalled. “The TV was also filled with news about the quake.”
“At first, we didn't realize what had happened,” noted Beth.
“It was a little bit scary, but the tremor wasn't that much,” added Bill. “We have been as close as we want to be to a earthquake.”
Despite the earthquake, the Masters are enjoying their time on the island.
“This is our second time to Hawaii,” said Bill. “We have been doing a lot of exploring and the weather is really nice, about 80 degrees.”
In 1853, R.C. Wyllie started a coffee plantation on the site of what is now Princeville. The coffee plantation failed, but Princeville is now the largest planned development on Kauai. Princeville is the home to some of Hawaii's finest resorts, golf courses and restaurants.
“From the house that we are staying at, we can see the Pacific Ocean and also, the house overlooks one of the golf courses,” Bill said. “The view is gorgeous. The sunsets are out of this world.”
The island also boasts three beaches: Pu'u (thumping point), Kenomene Beach and Kaweonui Beach (mostly rocky, but beautiful).
The couple has explored two waterfalls, Opoaeka-a and Wailua.
“If you ever watched the TV series ‘Fantasy Island,' Wailua is seen in some of the TV shots,” said Bill.
On Monday, the couple are planning to take a one-hour helicopter tour of the island.
“We have even been doing some hiking,” added Beth.
The one thing that the couple has not tried yet is a Hawaiian condiment - poi.
Poi is made from the corn of the kalo plant. It is produced by mashing the cooked corn to a high viscous fluid. Water is added during mashing and again just before eating, to achieve a desired consistency.
A bowl of poi was considered so important and sacred a part of daily Hawaiian life that whenever a bowl of poi was uncovered at the dinner table, it was believed that the spirit of Haloa, the ancestor of the Hawaiian people, was present.
Most first-time tasters describe poi as resembling “library paste.” It is an acquired taste.
“We have ate some fish, including Ahi, which is tuna,” Bill said.
It is not all play for the couple, however Bill has been working on an upcoming Sunday School lesson for his class at Neosho's First Christian Church.
The couple has traveled abroad for the last few years, including overseas.
“We enjoy traveling,” Bill said. “Our next trip will be to Florida sometime in January or February.”