Yesterday morning's temblors shook homes, rattled dishes and knocked people around, but it did not shake people's spirit.

Camaraderie was evident as most O'ahu residents remained calm and cooperative at a time when they could have panicked. They took everything in stride as they stood in line for food, ice, gasoline and other essentials.

"We made hot chocolate on the gas grill," said Peggy Lebeau of Royal Kunia. She and her husband, Jim, were among dozens of people waiting to get inside the neighborhood Times Super Market yesterday morning. Store employees allowed five people in at a time.

The Lebeaus have four children and said everyone handled the earthquakes well. Like most families, the Lebeaus were jolted out of bed by the strongest earthquake they ever felt.

"They've got their radios on and they're happy as clams," Peggy Lebeau said of her children.

Supermarkets and other retailers reported an early run on ice, batteries and bottled water, but none reported any major problems with customers. Roads saw light traffic as most people apparently heeded pleas to stay home.

In Kahalu'u, Waynette Tsubota said her family usually spends fall Sundays watching football. Yesterday, three generations of her family had a barbecue, a few beers and sat in the carport watching cars drive by on Kamehameha Highway.

The blackout was a blessing, Tsubota said.

"We got to spend time together in the garage with no TV distractions, with the family sharing things. This is the closest we've been in a long time."

EAST O'AHU

In East O'ahu, people flocked to stores in search of necessities.

Lines formed at the entrances to Safeway and Longs Drug Store at the Hawai'i Kai Shopping Center. One worker at Safeway manually opened the automatic doors as customers filed in one at a time.

Most establishments in the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center — with anchor store Costco — and Koko Marina Shopping Center were closed. Some customers were in City Mill, but at 1 p.m. it was preparing to close as supplies began to run out.

Vicki Hanowahine, her daughter, Heidi, and grandson, Tyson, drove to Costco from Waimanalo to buy water and were hoping to find a hot meal. Instead, they turned around and wound up at Keneke's Plate Lunch and BBQ in Waimanalo, one of the few businesses open there.

"It's probably the best plate lunch I've had in a long time because I'm so hungry," said Vicki, 51. "This will teach us a lesson to have water and peanut butter and crackers. Our refrigerator is full, our freezer is full, but we can't use (the food)."

Heidi Hanowahine, 22, said they tried to find a local "Manapua Man" but even he was out of food.

Vicki Hanowahine said the earthquakes scared 18-month-old Tyson, but Vicki said she is from California and "knew immediately what it was."

Marcos Santos, 35, lives in Waikiki but drove to Hawai'i Kai and stood in line at Safeway to pick up food for a planned barbeque at a friend's house.

"It was kind of scary," Santos said of the earthquakes. "I live in a building on the seventh floor. I just wanted to get out of the building."

At Longs Hawai'i Kai, workers escorted customers and tabulated items on a calculator.

"They're just glad we're open," said store manager Randy Doi. "I thought something hit the building like a truck or something" when the first earthquake hit.

The lack of power provided the perfect excuse for some to head outdoors. Jayson Saito, 30, of 'Aiea, went to Sandy Beach as part of his Sunday ritual.

"We're here Sundays, power or no power, rain or shine," Saito said. "The only thing is it's hard to get food after, but we'll figure it out later."

The first of the earthquakes shook Saito's bed and lamps and woke him up, but he didn't have a portable radio, so he didn't realize the magnitude of the quakes until he got into his car on his way to the beach.

"We drove by all the malls and they were all dead," Saito said. "Probably everyone is staying home barbequing."

LEEWARD O'AHU

Along the Wai'anae Coast, streetlights flickered, household lighting glowed, and all gas stations where shut down for more than seven hours.

The Wai'anae Store was one of a few retailers that remained open throughout the ordeal.

Kyle Okimoto, manager of the grocery, said about 3,000 customers had been to the store by 1 p.m.

"Ice sold out in half an hour, water is probably sold out, propane sold out — and we're waiting to see if there will be another delivery," he said.

Operating on its own generating system, Okimoto said Wai'anae Store likely had enough propane on hand to keep the store running through the day.

"It runs the register and lights, but none of the refrigeration," Okimoto said. "So, I can't imagine the thousands of dollars we've lost on perishable items."

Home Depot in Kapolei also was running its emergency generator. The store's inventory of up to 40 generators sold quickly yesterday. During the early afternoon, store manager Johnny Harris Jr. described the business day as "so far, so good," adding, "we're trying to keep the generator going."

Other area businesses resorted to various improvisations. Kmart in Kapolei was without power at midday, but set up a table by the front door with emergency supplies, such as flashlights, matches, batteries, coolers, bottled water, charcoal and toilet paper.

At the 7-Eleven in Kapolei, Duane Moku of Makakilo was one of 50 people lined up in front of the store shortly before noon. "I'm here to get ice, some bread, and some milk — the basics," said Moku, estimating that he had been in the waiting line a half-hour.

Cita Domingo, a 7-Eleven employee stationed at the store's door, was admitting three customers at a time.

"Everyone is being patient," Domingo said. Clyde Jacinto, the store's manager, said, "We'll be open as long as we can." Pointing to the waiting line, he added, "It's been like this all morning."

Honolulu Police Department Lt. Daniel Ford said an emergency generator system was humming into the early afternoon at the Kapolei substation.

"It's just a normal day — and then you throw in the power outage," Ford said. "It's been a lot of work because now we've had (officers at) all of the key intersections because the lights are out."

Police found little earthquake-related damage in Leeward areas, Ford said, noting that a minor water main break reported yesterday morning in Makakilo appeared to be unrelated to the earthquakes.

WINDWARD O'AHU

Marine Lance Cpl. Jack Hunter and two Marine buddies searched for more than two hours to find the fixings for a barbecue. They started in Kailua and five stores later ended up at the Kane'ohe Star Market, but still could not find ice.

"I'm not letting it get to me," Hunter said. "It's not a big deal even though everybody is freaking out."

Bobbie and Alika Joseph of 'Ahuimanu spent the day in their carport. Family members would come and go, food was cooked on a gas grill, and scrambled eggs and pizza were served and good times shared.

"We're trying to figure out what we're going to do without cable, no telephone, nothing," Bobbie Joseph said.

There were some frayed nerves, however, at the Kane'ohe Shell station on Kamehameha Highway. People from as far away as Waimanalo waited in line for as long as four hours for gasoline because it was one of the few stations in the area that was pumping gas.

Some people cut in line, leading to angry exchanges.

Fasi Loa of Kane'ohe said he waited at a pump where about six people were using their credit cards to fill 1-gallon gas cans. Loa had paid $10 and was next in line, but a woman with a credit card cut in front of him and filled her can, unaware that she was taking the gas he had paid for.

A man offered to use his credit card to buy Loa gas, but not before Loa scolded the woman.

"For what's happening in the island, it's not right," he said.

For Concha Moy of Kane'ohe, not being able to watch football on TV was "really a downer." But she also said she was concerned about the damage the earthquakes would do to the state's image.

"We don't want it known all over the country that Hawai'i is a disaster area, don't go," she said.

WAIKIKI

The visitors who were already here spent much of yesterday foraging for food.

Keo's was serving breakfast, cooking with gas, and had a line of 30. The Sheraton Princess Kaiulani served its full breakfast buffet and was preparing for spaghetti lunch, all using paper plates and plastic glasses.

At Pacific Beach, the Oceanarium was also serving hot food — by candlelight.

Princess Kaiulani also had working elevators, while the Pacific Beach had just one. Both had computers running on backup power and could check people out.

The Hyatt Regency posted a sign by its checkout desk announcing that elevators were out, airport flights were running on a delayed basis, flashlights were available in rooms, water was not to be used in guest rooms and phones were operable only for emergency organizations.

Harry Simon, visiting from San Diego, had found a hot dog stand for breakfast.

"I'm from California," he said. "Something like this over there I would just turn over and go back to sleep."

The largest lines were at ABC Stores, where five people at a time were allowed in the stores and lines 20 deep were forming. People were coming out with three and four bags of food and drink.

Some restaurants and stores acted spontaneously. Ramen Ezogiku was selling musubi at the door, two for $3.

KAUA'I

On the Garden Island, the farthest of the populated islands from the first earthquake's epicenter, more than 200 people jammed Lihu'e Airport hoping to catch a flight to Honolulu. There was much confusion as passengers were not sure if any flights would be leaving late yesterday.

Patrick and Reina Balderama of Wai'anae had already checked in their luggage when they were told all flights to Honolulu had been cancelled. The Balderamas have four grown children on O'ahu.

"This is gonna screw us up major. I just hope our luggage didn't go anywhere," Reina Balderama said.

Added her husband, "I'm pretty bummed out."

The county Civil Defense Emergency Operations Center was opened, but after concluding that there were no quake-related issues on the island, the officials remained on duty in support of emergency officials on other islands.

Clifford Ikeda, county civil defense director of plans and operations, said he learned he would be coming to work shortly after feeling the earth move.

"I was cooking breakfast, and it felt like a tractor was driving by the house," he said.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.