Kulamanu’s Aborted Journey
Screen shots from MarineTraffic showing Kulamanu’s details and her position off the south coast of O‘ahu. 15 September 2018.
With no public fanfare, Kulamanu (ex-Rella Mae) sailed out of Honolulu Harbor for San Francisco on the morning of 15 September 2018. Although waterfront people knew that pressure was on her owner to remove her from the harbor, her departure definitely raised a few eyebrows!
The empty berth on the Diamond Head side of Pier 7 next to the old Hawai‘i Maritime Center building was quite a surprise to everyone used to seeing the Kulamanu tied up there.
Gone! 16 September 2018.
Unobstructed view of the old Hawai‘i Maritime Center building on Pier 7, Honolulu Harbor. 16 September 2018.
After making it most of the way through the Ka‘iwi (or Moloka‘i) Channel, Kulamanu ran into trouble. Fortunately, the problems with the ship occurred while she was still in Hawaiian waters and not far out in the Pacific.
Screen shot from MarineTraffic showing Kulamanu’s track after leaving Honolulu Harbor. 16 September 2018.
Kulamanu out at sea, visible from Honolulu Harbor. 16 September 2018.
Screen shot from MarineTraffic showing Kulamanu’s position prior to being towed back to Honolulu Harbor. 16 September 2018.
The ship drifted past Pearl Harbor before she was taken in tow by Foss Maritime’s Barbara Foss and brought back to Honolulu Harbor.
Foss Maritime harbor tugs Pi‘ilani and Eleu outbound as Barbara Foss approaches Honolulu Harbor with Kulamanu in tow. 16 September 2018.
Once inside the harbor, tugs Pi‘ilani and Eleu took over the task of moving Kulamanu back to Pier 7.
Eleu at Kulamanu’s bow and Pi‘ilani at her stern. Barbara Foss at right. 16 September 2018.
Approaching Pier 7. 16 September 2018.
Eleu and Pi‘ilani (hidden by Eleu) carefully maneuver Kulamanu alongside the pier. 16 September 2018.
Back! For now… 16 September 2018.
certainly weird to see pier 7 empty in those pics.
any word on what will come of the windjammer (rella mae)? i’d like to go and see her off on her final journey if possible. i had no idea that all this had happened until a few weeks later when i came across pics of her coming back into honolulu harbor on FB. i recently heard a rumor that she might be sunk by the state–any truth to that? any info you have on the rella mae would be greatly appreciated!
John- I’d like to connect with you JO@LBYSF.org
John- I’d like to connect with you JO@LBYCSF.org
Aloha John,
DOT Harbors definitely wants her moved out of the harbor. If the current owner isn’t able to manage that, then Harbors may take control of the vessel. Scuttling is certainly a possibility if other options are ruled out.
i was told that bells from the rella mae and some old brochures from the windjammer days are on board/ kept in the maritime center. any idea what would happen to those things if harbors took posession of the kulamanu? i’m looking to see if i can get my hands on a piece of memorabilia before the boat is gone forever.
Hi John,
Most of the items that were in the Hawaii Maritime Center have been removed. I don’t know if there were any related to the Rella Mae / Kulamanu. I’ll try to find out.
thanks a million. could you also find out if i could gain access to the kulamanu to take photos of the inside?
Hi John,
I couldn’t find any information about the ship’s bell or any collateral material.
In terms of gaining access, that may be tough. I’m not sure what the status of the ship is.
Kulamanu is still there. Any new news?
Hi Ed,
No news.
I was the engineer on the Rella Mae when we sailed her through the Panama Canal from Norfolk in 1980. POS then, can’t imagine her condition now. A riverboat, never meant to be in open water.
Aloha Greg,
That must have been one crazy journey bringing her out here!
Thank you for trying to get info on the Rella Mae’s bell and other collateral material. I appreciate it greatly. Please let me know if you learn more.
Hi Greg,
Would you happen to have any photos of her at the time?
Also what made her a POS? I’m gathering information on the Rella Mae as a sort of personal project.
I WAS ON BOARD TJE RELLA MAE FROM SAN PEDRO CA TO MAUI THEN HONOLULU WE HAD TO WEAR WHITES WHEN WE DOCKEDi was the 8 to 12 oiler on her I went on to sail in the merchant marines fo 37 more years Richard Seelnacht
John,
By 1980 she was 34 years old and used up. Spent time as the Hudson Belle in NY and then as the George Washington with Wilson Line in DC, running tourists on the Potomac. The phony masts, bow sprit and pointed bow were added by Windjammer just before leaving Norfolk.
The only photo I have is an aerial shot taken May 27, 1980 by Backus Aerial Photography of Chesapeake, VA. We left Norfolk 10 days later for Honolulu. I have a jpg scan of the photo that came out pretty good (17 MB).
Hi Greg. Thanks for the information, I knew about her being the george washington but I didn’t know about the Hudson Belle.
I’d love to see that photo from 1980. Is it possible to email it to me? I’ll try to see if I can message you privately on here, but if not, I’ll be commenting my email address here.
Could you email me the photo at: windjammercruises@gmail.com? Thanks Greg. Also I was wondering about what you said how she was never meant for open sea because she’s a riverboat. Does she react badly to the ocean? Or do you mean something else? Thanks again
I was the exhibit designer and historian at the Hawai‘i Maritime Center from 1986, when the Center was just a hole in th ground on Pier 7 until around 2000, when I was transferred to Bishop Museum. In the early days, when we were working long hours getting the Centeer ready, the Rella Mae was a booze cruiser we called the Vomit Comet. With her round bottom—designed for the around Manhattan river cruises—she was a seasick special in the ocean if you were sober . . . add in “all you can drink” and the return each night to the pier was an adventure—people puking over the rails and occasionally falling in!
I remember mandatory Coast Guard inspections where they found several hundred infractions.
In the mid-90s Rella Mae—named for her previous owner’s mother—was sold and re-named Kanaloa. I heard from a harbor pilot friend that Harbors Division wanted her gone. Whether that will end up meaning scuttling is to be seen.
Haha. Vomit comet? My father, Walter Whitaker, used to captain the ship for booze cruises and he just passed away a couple weeks ago prompting me to reflect on my childhood, hence, think about the Rella Mae. I wish I had thought of it before he passed. I’d love to share stories, and I’m sure he had quite a few.
The Rella Mae was called the “Rolla Mae,” when I worked on her in the early eighties under Adrian Almeida. Most notable event working as an AB aboard the ship was finding a passenger holding on to the outside of the ship during the cruise in an attempt to impress his girlfriend. He was subsequently confined to the mens bathroom for the remainder of the cruise. My hands became extremely rough working the lines to hoist the sails for each cruise. It was a fun job which provided many dramatic moments, including watching an improperly secured entry point to the ship burst open during one cruise, allowing sea water to flood inside on a passenger deck. The ocean is a different place indeed
I use to work on the Dinner Sunset Cruises 90-94. Good times.
I was one of the crew who sailed her from San Pedro ca to first Maui then on to HONOLULU it was a rocky crossing we had a pirate flag on the mast Iwas the 8 to 12 watch oiler We barbecued on the Deck the captains name. Was Captain Reggie he was cool Quarters where cabins with stacked bunks She rolled a lot on the crossing we hoisted the sails to see if the wind would push us didn’t work but the mizer sale slowed down the roll It was a fun trip I went on to 37 more years as Engineer in the Merchant marines tankers and freighter. RICHARD SEELNACHT
I was the assistant engineer on that trip from Norfolk to Honolulu. I’m having trouble remembering you, though. It’s been 41 years. Jim Fernandez was the chief engineer and Tom Murphy was the mate.
I remember you You had just got out of the calhoon school . I came on board in San Pedro rode it all the way to Honolulu . Then quit came home and caught the SS John Lykes as a Oiler went on the jungle run it would be nice to hear from you Take care Richard 928 458 3274 rouletloop@gmail.com
Hi I I just came across this post researching the Rella Mae. I have a picture of my Uncle Bobby sailing in 1980 from Cali to Hawaii. One of the pictures is him with a group hoisting a pirate flag.
do you have any photos of the windjammer from that time? if so, could you email them to me at windjammercruises@gmail.com? I collect photos of the windjammer!
hello graig i was on the rella mae with you from san pedro to Honolulu I stood the 8 to 12 watch in the enginroom I went on to a long career in the merchant marines mostley as chief elect with Matson lines Ok you can write me at rouletloop@gmail.com or call 9284583274 ask for Richard Seelnacht
Thanks for the article. I was once the owner of that ship, when it was named George Washington. I wondered what happened to it. It is sad that they had to sink it. Who gave it that horrible paint job? It used to be a good looking ship. I wish I could have that steering wheel back. I bought it and installed it my self.
Yours truly
Capt. Warner Athey
Aloha Captain Athey,
I believe the paint job was part of an attempt to rebrand her as a “pirate” ship.