WAIKIKI BEACH, HAWAII

ISLAND-WIDE BLACKOUT

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December 27, 2008. An island-wide blackout seized Friday night, and Saturday morning after thunder and lightning with light rain in Waikiki.  Electricity came back on at 7:30 a.m. Saturday in Waikiki. The Ala Wai Canal area (3 blocks from ocean) came back on at 10:00 a.m.

OBAMA RECEIVED GOOD CARE

Obama had a gas-powered transformer delivered last night, but went to bed early around 9:30 p.m. according to his security. His electricity was restored this Saturday morning around 6:30 a.m. as a major priority.

CAUSE UNKNOWN

The cause of the blackout is unknown, but believed to have been caused by lightning striking a transformer.  A lady arriving in an airplane reported to the radio station that as she looked down at the island of Oahu, she saw the lights go out, come back on and then go out again.

FEAR

At 7:00 p.m., many tourists had just showered after a day at the beach, and were preparing to go to dinner, when all of a sudden the lights went out -- everywhere.  There had only been a light rain just before. We could see the lightning and heard thunder in the distance, but it did not seem threatening.  Then the lights blinked and everything stopped. "It was total darkness in the hotel room," reported a tourist sitting in the lobby which was packed with those who did not want to stay in their rooms.  Pacific Beach Hotel had two elevators operating on gas-powered transformers.  However, the tourists appeared to be frightened, but found comfort with each other, as they congregated in the lobbies of many major hotels fronting Waikiki Beach.

Copyright © 2008, Cherie Phillips

Hotels handed out light sticks to their guests, and it looked like a candle-light parade with the tourists walking by the ocean last night with few being able to sleep.  Everyone was outside of their rooms it seemed.  No one wanted to be alone in a dark hotel room, but found comfort in being with each other and not having to worry about climbing stairs nor getting stuck in an elevator.

Copyright © 2008, Cherie Phillips

HUNGER

Many were looking for food.  "We want something to eat and the restaurant just closed. We are hoping the light will come back on shortly so we can eat," said a tourist who was in the lobby of Pacific Beach Hotel. "I don't think so," I said, "I heard that a transformer was struck by lightning and that will take awhile to fix." Even McDonald's was closed, and the ice cream parlor which had given out free ice cream during the last black-out (after the earthquake several years ago) had closed up shop.

The only remaining place to get food, even though only a pre-packaged snack, was at the ABC Store (drug store - about two stores on each block in Waikiki), which was the only place open. The lines were very, very long and only a few people were allowed to enter at a time. The tourists bought flashlights, batteries, paper plates, sandwiches, fruit, and water.

Copyright © 2008, Cherie Phillips

MORNING AFTER:  FEAST

The lights came on around 7:30 a.m. in hotel rooms in Waikiki. Tourists hurried out to get food.  McDonalds was inundated this Saturday morning around 10:00 a.m. with continuous long lines and no sitting room.

The beach had only a few people, as many probably were still sleeping or eating.  However, by this afternoon they will be out in full force.  There was only a light rain at 10:30 a.m. this morning, and then the sun came out, but with a cloudy sky, and a rainbow in Waikiki.

Copyright © 2008, Cherie Phillips

BLACK-OUT NEWS REEL
MORE PHOTOS

80.2  F    1:41 p.m.

Sunshine breaking through the clouds. Earlier there was a beautiful rainbow that moved around and ended up reaching for the pot of gold in the Ala Wai Canal:

Copyright © 2008, Cherie Phillips

December 27, 2008, 10:23 a.m. - NORTH

Copyright © 2008, Cherie Phillips

December 27, 2008, 10:23 a.m.

Can you see the rainbow reaching into the Ala Wai Canal?

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Friday evening:  heavy trade winds.
Heavy clouds and fog move into Waikiki as of 6:00 p.m.  At 6:10 p.m. an unusual event of thundering began, and at 6:30 p.m. lightning began. Such event of thundering and/or lightning is very rare in Waikiki, but occurs normally on other parts of the island of Oahu. Light rain has begun at 6:30 p.m.  The electrical lights are blinking.

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5008 + 1.5 x 10 ¹⁰ Universal  | Chérie Phillips, Editor

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