Pearl Harbor

Day off. Met the Smarts at the “Outrigger Club” about 1030 and had my first swim at famed Waikiki Beach — a bit disappointing as the surf is practically nonexistent in the water was not as clean as might’ve been desired (I once found myself face-to-face with a few bits of floating feces, a la the East River). Also the sand bottom is littered with some pretty wicked chunks of coral. But as far as I’m concerned the weather out here can cover any multitude of small sins.

Had lunch at their house along with a Barbara Thompson — a cousin of the Roth twins. Later some more their friends dropped in — the “Widow,” and a Marion Worthington — both “live wires.” Fairly interesting afternoon of the usual “upper-class” chitchat — nice in small doses. Haven’t heard much of it in the last few years. Pat Smart (nee Patricia Havens-Monteagle of Oakland) has a pretty damn good head on her, but its inherent fineness been blunted by the circle she moved in as a child, or rather girl. That “society bringing-up” has ruined most minds of lesser scope and never has helped anyone.

Richard explained that their superb house is without foundations and merely floats with its flat concrete floor on the soft mud and dirt under it. It should be just about earthquake proof. During the afternoon he opened up the house to the afternoon breezes. The ceiling-to-floor windows slid back into the walls, and their places were taken by screens. The house is one of the few I’ve ever seen that makes use of Oriental decorations without overdoing it.

Went to the Outrigger Club for dinner — very inexpensive and very good ($1.50 for a top-notch steak dinner). Ran across Patty Standish there — can’t dope her out.

As the last boat left the Navy Yard for Ford Island at 7 p.m., I was stuck in town. All cars must be off the streets at 8 p.m. and all people, military included (except sentries) must be inside by 10 p.m. I took a long shot and tried the Royal Hawaiian (now run by the U.S. Navy as a rest and recreation center). Was put in a room with Bill Thomas, (from my squadron) who is a damn fine chap.

Before turning in I saw superb color picture — “Bahama Passage” with Madeleine Carroll and Sterling Hayden. The colors were magnificent — the whole picture was drenched in the brilliant sunlight of the Caribbean Sea and contain some stirring sailing shots and excellent underwater color shots. That Caribbean Sea is going to get it going over by me someday — if I last that long — there are so many wonderful spots there I’ve heard of —Barbados, Trinidad, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and a hundred others.