MAY - JUNE 2018 CONSERVATION

LOCAL PROJECTS

                Lots going on in our little corner of water world.  Between visitors, Gil has been in serious paddle training, often morning and evening, and I have had several conservation commitments that get me to remote parts of the island – to work! 

Tahiti, Coming Soon

                Just to whet their appetites and keep them motivated (as if they weren't), we received a site shot of the venue where we will be for two weeks in July.  It also shows the Tahitian boats, and their similarity to the ultra lights they have been practicing in.

Venue for va’a competition in Papeete

                Folks visiting the island had contacted the team coach about taking drone shots of them working out.  Afterward he and Gil took out some of their family members.  We are waiting for the edited version of six hours of filming.

Compare our ultras with Tahitian canoes above

Gil stroking, Nick steering

One of several drones

Brown Boobie – so much fun to watch him dive, fairly rare on this side of the island, always a treat

STORM AFTERMATH CONTINUES

Bag and Binge (instead of Weed and Feed) with National Wildlife Refuge

                In early May, refuge volunteers signed up to retrieve debris from Hanalei River banks for four hours and were then treated to snacks at the bunkhouse.  Nine adults (I might add the majority of us were senior citizens) hauled three dump truck loads of trash from the river bank that washed down during the recent flood.  We then went to a farm shed behind the taro fields that had another truck's worth of debris to be loaded.

Tons of trash, quickly being overgrown

Truckloads, rain and mud, still

One of the interns, we were all pretty slimed

Little people, big equipment - dedication to keeping it pristine

Habitat for five endangered water birds and cultural practices

Meanwhile, back at the Pier

Husk of a two-man kayak where the road to Black Pot used to be

No road, no parking

Shallow water, no jumping

Still gorgeous - it's all perspective

Elsewhere:

Nets hauled in at Kahili Beach (Rock Quarry)  
Common debris from fishing, hazard to all marine life

Anini outer reef 

We assume this tree came down Hanalei River before moving east and getting caught on the sandbar here. Maybe swells next winter will pull it out to sea

FLOOD RELIEF

                The people living past Hanalei are loving the peacefulness of the north shore like it was decades ago, since only residents are allowed access.  Needs continue being addressed; Gil ran into one of the grateful people our little effort has put “back in business” with tools donated for his yard work. 

I since learned of a single woman who lost everything – if not washed away, then ruined by mud and/or the damaging mold that followed.  With our final dollars for flood relief I got her new dishes, flatware, glasses, cutting boards and knives, storage containers and new bath towels.  The money went a long way at Ross.  Oh yeah, we had a set of stainless steel pans in the attic we used to take to Kokee; better they get used. 

My final delivery
I can't thank everyone enough that allowed me to participate at such a personal level.  It has been a heartbreaking/heartwarming experience.

NUALOLO STATE PARK

                Every Memorial Weekend, Kauai Native Plant Society takes a zodiac out to join the group responsible for maintaining this seasonal location.  Nualolo Kai is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Hawaiian Islands, there is an ongoing effort to restore and preserve. It is not open to the public at large. In addition to restoration projects, three boat companies are permitted to bring small tours in to learn about the rich history.  
               For us, it is a water landing (low tide arriving means jumping into thigh high water and on leaving, it is chest high).  We form a line and pass our gear overhead, which includes our work clothes and tools, and our own food and water.

Just passing Polihale - the other "end of the road"

The conch (pu) announces our arrival, then a chant to ask permission to come ashore, answered by another chant from shore granting permission. Chicken skin!

Before and after with new mega weedeater taking down guniea grass

by the end of day, lots of little native starts of pohinahina had been planted with chicken wire cages placed around them

The native plant enclosure, path starting to be seen.  We couldn't even open the gate when we got there.  There was not flood damage but it got plenty of rain - everything grew.

 

Hawaiian Poppy - tallest anyone had seen (8-9' high)

After clearing our fenced area and relaxing with some lunch, some of us trekked over the boulders to the opposite wall to see a super rare native violet.  I'm not sharing its location.

Tricky walking on both large and small rocks all the way back to camp (next to the far wall)

Changed back into our zodiac gear, tired and happy, these folks are mostly Kauai Native Plant Society plus a few from Na Pali Coast 'Ohana (who are there for five days).  

Please visit both websites for more info.

NENE COUNT AND MORE!

                The annual Nene count is state wide which means every Hawaiian goose should have been counted.  I agreed to do the refuge in Kilauea with friend Ann (we met on Midway and have stayed in touch. She is the new refuge biotech here – yippee).  We did the lighthouse area first at 7am, then every nook and cranny around the buildings, Nesh Hill and Albatross Hill before heading out to the more remote Crater Hill and beyond, 203 acres total – done by 3:30! 

Nook and cranny search for Nene (including band numbers on legs)

The runway on Albatross Hill 
Less down over feathers may indicate an earlier fledge date for this chick

44 of 47 hatched Albatross still surviving up here

This one pretty downy still

KILAUEA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Refuge map (graphics are mine) 
             We walked inside the circles, drove between them.  Mind you this is all very hilly so we were up and down. The small circle on left has a dot that represents the lighthouse.  Crater Hill is the middle circle (from the lighthouse it is across the cove and where all the boobies are visible in trees). The rest is quite remote and the trail was totally overgrown so we bushwhacked through as we were hit with several squalls; not a square inch of dry clothing and my phone shut itself off in protest.

Lighthouse below Crater Hill, red-foot boobies in the trees

Makapili Rock (islet), Mokolea Point (peninsula)

Looking back!  These views are a big part of why why I trudge when asked

Squall - one more coming at us!

Since Ann’s duties overlapped, we counted Nene going out and on the way back we checked off the albatross chicks who are getting the urge to try their wings in the wind – they should fledge in the next month.

Stretching his wings  

               

                There are also lots of Shearwaters in burrows so walking on the slopes requires great care.  Some Redtail Tropicbirds (RTTB) are still on nests while other little chicks are on their own hidden in bushes.  Another reason I'm out here; I don't get to see these little guys normally.

Living on the edge

RTTB safety of rock 
Nice spot for nest, note red tail feather, usually two, they often form new ones while they sit on the nest

Soggy down

Youngster with feathers starting

Lots of squawking overhead, courting or warning us from the nests?

As we slogged back along the non-existent trail, the bushes were wetter than the rain.  I lost Ann several times in the bush, and my raincoat once as a branch must have peeled it off.  

All was well, found it, found her, again  
She promised there is a group of university students coming next month to clear the trail. 
                   

Back up again

Once we got some sun and out of the foliage we dried quickly (except for our water-logged feet).  We stumbled on “feral” cherry tomatoes and ate them by the handful.

             
OTHER LOCAL VISIONS

                The stephanotis vine we planted along our back hedge many years ago has finally decided to bloom – we think it may have been the excessive rain!

Stephanotis or Hawaiian Wedding Flower, smells very nice

                And while we were excited a few years ago when our Jade vine finally bloomed, this year we had a seed pod form.  With advice from the horticulturist at the botanical garden, we have prodigy.  Crossed fingers!

     
Jade vine flowering and seed pod ready to harvest

Jade vine sprouts

HOPE IS ALIVE!