HILO, Hawaii (AP) – Nina Wild and Andreas Maeder were planning to go out for a nice dinner after flying to Hawaii from Switzerland. But the manager of the bed and breakfast where they stayed near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park told them that wasn’t a good idea.
“She laughed and told us ‘No, no, we have a hurricane. You can’t go, everything’s closed,'” Wild said.
Instead, the couple was treated to a homemade meal at the bed and breakfast. They were among thousands of visitors to Hawaii adjusting their expectations of paradise this week as two hurricanes threatened to hit the islands.
Oahu, Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe were under a hurricane watch Friday as Hurricane Lester surged closer to the islands. Hurricane Madeline threatened the Big Island earlier in the week but was downgraded to a tropical storm and passed without causing major damage.
Lester weakened to a Category 2 but was expected to remain a hurricane as it passes north of the islands Saturday and Sunday, said meteorologist Bob Burke of the National Weather Service. Large waves from 15 to 25 feet are expected to pound east-facing shores of major islands, he said.