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Sports
Add your commentFishing for Answers
Community discusses amendments to fisheries regulations
By Catherine Cluett
Marine life is one of Hawaii’s most treasured resources. With Molokai’s dependence on subsistence living, preservation of resources like the island’s fisheries becomes all the more vital to every day life. But many have noticed a decline in the quality and quantity of marine resources around the state, and it’s a complaint the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is trying to solve by talking to communities throughout the Hawaiian Islands and soliciting their input in a proposal to amend existing fishing regulations.
Bill Puleloa, an aquatic biologist with DLNR, visited the Governor’s Molokai Community Advisory Council last week to get some answers from Molokai residents about how to best manage, conserve and restore the island’s marine resources.
Blazing the Trail
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At the Pala`au Pavilion in Kalae, Bill Garnett outlines the Ala Pala`au project that would provide recreation, restoration and employment.
By Catherine Cluett
For Bill Garnett, much of the future is found in the past, and he lives that motto every day in his work with rare and native plant restoration on Molokai. This philosophy also led him to read through old Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) documents which pointed to historic trails in the Pala`au State Park region in Kalae.
Garnett’s peek into the past lead to a $90,000 grant to plan for uncovering and restoring those same Pala`au trails. The goal is multi-faceted -- restoring native forests and rare species, providing cultural interpretation of these resources and presenting a new area of recreation as well as employment.
The HTA awarded the grant to Ke `Aupuni Lokahi, Inc., (KAL) a non-profit organization for community improvement. The grant funds only the planning process, which will include gathering ideas from the community and completing the necessary environmental and cultural reports, permits, and analysis to facilitate implementation of the plan. Education and training in natural resource management, with an emphasis on youth stewardship of the land, is a key component of the project which is being called Ala Pala`au.
“This is the biggest grant they have ever given for a natural resources project,” says Garnett, an employee of the University of Hawaii who oversees the planting of rare and endangered plants in Kalaupapa and around the island.
Garnett expects the planning process to take about a year. It will involve not only comprehensive preparation for every aspect of the project, but also completion of a botanical survey of the area.
The project will provide new recreation, restoration and employment, according to Meredith Speicher, a planner with the National Park Service (NPS).
The NPS in Kalaupapa has also volunteered their staff to match the funds in labor for the project. Guy Hughes, NPS Natural Resources Division Chief, says Park Superintendent Steve Prokop hopes the topside trails and lookouts over Kalaupapa will be a way for people to experience the peninsula even if they are not able to make the trek down.
One bordering landowner expressed concern that once they open their doors to this project, it would take on a life of its own. “What guarantee do we have that this will not turn into something more in the future?”
In short, there is no guarantee, according to Hughes. But Stacy Crivello, a KAL board member, is quick to point out that communication is integral to the project’s success, and nothing will happen without landowner’s cooperation.
Lori Buchanan, member of the Molokai Planning Commission and the Molokai Invasive Species Committee, added that the project would need protection against potential liability. “Who is responsible if a tourist falls on the trail?” she asks. “What agency will be held accountable?”
No one has all the answers yet. Garnett points out that part of the project’s purpose is job creation and training, and that hopefully Molokai residents will take responsibility for tasks like trail maintenance. “But we have $90,000 to plan this, so we better be able to answer all these questions,” he says.
Garnett hopes to work with local nurseries to supply native plants for the area, and schools to involve youth in the work.
Another challenge the project currently faces is a lack of clarity of land ownership and property lines. The Department of Hawaiian Homelands owns the majority of the land earmarked for the project, and several divisions within the State of Hawaii as well as the National Park Service lease portions of it. Defining the boundaries between these parcels will be a large part of the planning process, says Garnett.
Ke Aupuni Lokahi is a non-profit organization established to administer the Enterprise Community (EC) Grant awarded to the Molokai community in 1998 by the United States Department of Agriculture. That grant sunsetted in December 2008, according to Benny Venenciano, Administrator of KAL.
While KAL’s EC status is over, the work it does in the community is not, and Venenciano says the organization is continuing to offer support to the projects it began, many of which now stand on their own feet. These include the Molokai Land Trust for open space conservation, the Molokai Community Health Center, and the Molokai Community Development Corporation, which provides affordable housing.
The first public meeting for the Ala Pala`au Trails project will be held in mid-March. Look for the specific date and time in the Dispatch calendar.
Call Ke `Aupuni Lokahi at 553-8188 for more information or if you would like to volunteer in the planning of the project.
Molokai at the Inauguration
The Friendly Isle represents in D.C.
By Todd Yamashita
Today, D.C. is at the center of the world. All eyes are on the nation’s capital to witness perhaps the biggest change in American politics since the induction of the nation’s first president. It is estimated that over 100 million television and internet viewers tuned in to the event.
More important to Noe and I, there are over 2 million who are physically making their way to the same place at the same time. To make matters a bit more interesting, the temperature is in the teens and possibly even colder with wind-chill.
In-Transit
By 6 a.m., we are on the train. The trip into town is only 16 miles as the crow flies and normally takes 20 minutes. But today there are so many people packing in that the train’s doors won’t close and we are stalled on the tracks a number of times. After an hour and a half in transit we become aware that our journey to witness the inauguration is a race against time.
After emerging from the subway we meet up with a friend and begin navigating the city streets. It’s an amazing sight – all the roads and highways are closed to traffic but instead are crowded with hundreds of thousands of people. At one point we enter a mile-long highway tunnel packed with more people than live on the entire island of Molokai.
At 8:45 a.m. we finally locate the Blue Gate which is the security entrance onto the National Mall. Our tickets place us in a good spot - less than a quarter mile from the capital. But unfortunately, there are over 240,000 thousand people holding the same ticket, many of whom are in our line, which is as wide as it is long.
It’s now 9:45 a.m. and in the past 45 minutes we’ve moved just five feet closer to the front of the line which is still so far ahead we can’t even see it. Finally we’re in! It’s 11 a.m., and with thirty minutes to spare, we find a relatively uncrowded spot on the lawn.
The Inauguration
The capital is huge – it’s so much larger than it appears in photos. Although we are not positioned to see the actual ceremony, we are very close to the jumbotrons, allowing us to see and hear everything in detail.
The crowd cheers as various politicians grace the screen -- Ted Kennedy, Colin Powell, the Clintons. But not everyone is as popular – Lieberman, Cheney, and Bush receive jeers. As Sasha and Malia make their way out the crowd erupts again in celebration.
Anticipation is high. There is electricity in the air. Finally Obama appears and the crowd erupts into a raucous cheer. Noe and I can’t believe we’re here.
Canons thunder around the city. Obama is sworn in and is now officially the 44th president of the United States. “My fellow citizens, I stand here today humbled by the task before us…”
It’s amazing. A crowd of nearly 2 million falls completely silent as the president speaks. We have all come such a long way and have waited patiently for this experience. Eight years of an unpopular president, two wars, a troubled economy. During this time of challenge and doubt, here stands an unlikely leader exuding hope and the promise of new beginnings. The crowd is spellbound.
It’s now 1:30 P.M. and the crowds are dispersing. The bone-chilling cold is relentless and all we can think about is finding warmth and food. We watch the rest of the inauguration from a nearby pub. CNN shows Bush Jr.’s 747 leaving for Texas and the entire restaurant celebrates – the city now belongs to the Democrats. A resident describes it as a weight that’s been lifted and the mood is all-around jubilation.
Welcome to the Ball
A quick power-nap and shower at a friend’s house and we’re ready for more. We set off on an “Amazing Race”-like jaunt across the city to the Washington Convention Center where thousands of celebrities, politicians and Obama supporters are congregating for several celebrations. Noe and I were lucky to score tickets to the Obama Home States Ball which combines Illinois and Hawaii revelers.
In D.C., movie stars take a backseat to the popular politicians. We’re lucky – the last major event of our whirlwind journey is headlined by none other than President Obama himself! In person, Obama is twice as engaging and charismatic as he is on TV. After greeting the crowd with an aloha, he gives a quick speech thanking supporters and proceeds to dance with his wife.
Obama and Michelle have amazing chemistry and without a doubt are still very much in love. How cool is it to have a young Hawaii-raised president who happens to be a happy and positive person?
As quick as he had popped on stage, Obama is gone. Noe and I, along with everyone else, are in awe to have shared the same space with this amazing man.
Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, have stopped by for a quick appearance. Biden seems to be as laid back and jovial as Obama. After joking with the crowd and dancing with his wife, he, too, is off.
Soon North Shore musician Jack Johnson takes the stage. The eco-conscious artist who normally performs in T-shirt and slippers admits it’s his first time performing in a suit. Accompanied by John Cruz, the duo is putting on a show that’s all about good times and aloha. We are happy to get a photo with Jack after the show then call it a night.
Representing Molokai
After sleeping in a bit we return to D.C. the following morning to meet with Hawaii’s politicians and offer ho`okupu (gifts) from Molokai. Representing the island’s businesses -- Molokai Visitors Association, Molokai Mele, Gourmet Salts by Nancy Gove, Dan Bennett Pottery, Purdy’s Mac Nuts, Decoite’s L&R Farms, and the Molokai Dispatch each donated items – mahalo!
First on our list is Sen. Akaka, who graciously accepts us into his office. From there we shake hands with Sen. Inouye in the hall, then make our way to House of Representatives office building. We meet with Rep. Abercrombie who is delighted with the gifts and we’re quickly off to Rep. Hirono’s place. She isn’t around but her attentive staff makes us feel quite welcome.
Back at Sen. Akaka’s, we take a break and talk story with him about Hawaii and politics. Moments earlier, he had met with constituents and confirmed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. But he was most excited about recently swearing in Gen. Shinseki as secretary of Veterans Affairs, who he had worked hard to facilitate to the new post. We also talk about his support for the Kalaupapa Memorial Act, but most of all, Akaka enjoys talking about his love of the islands and its people.
Sharing with Sen. Akaka our excitement for Obama is a highlight of the trip. Akaka, with over thirty years of service in D.C., helps us to put it all in perspective. The sacrifices are great, but you can hear it in his voice that working to better the lives of our greater `ohana is truly what it means to be a great politician.
Mahalo again to our own `ohana who have made great sacrifices for us to travel to the inauguration. Mahalo also to our Molokai supporters and our Hawaii constituents who helped to open doors for us along the way. The excitement and hope we have for our nation, state, and island are our own personal ho`okupu to our new president. May all of our collective optimism pave the way for a better world!
Much Aloha, Todd and Noe Yamashita
For photos of the trip, please visit Noelani Yamashita's Facebook page.
Molokai Masters Are Ready for Blast-Off
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By Catherine Cluett
Six men make their way home over rose-tinted waters, paddles splashing in unison, with the sunset at their backs. They pull their wa`a beside the darkening palms, and each grab a beer. “Practice is just starting,” they laugh.
These men are the two-year defending champions of the Master Blasters, a dual-sport event featuring paddling and drinking. They have prepared long and hard for both, and are ready to take the prize again on Saturday, Nov. 22.
“Molokai is the team to beat,” says supporter Luana Kaaihue. Twenty four teams from around the state registered for the race last year, and Molokai team members expect a similar turn-out this year.
“It’s a fun serious race,” laughs team member Ed Misaki. But there seem to be enough regulations to put Olympic rule-makers to shame.
First, there are age limits. Every paddler in the boat has to be at least 40 years old for men, and 35 for women. But you can’t stack your boat with all 40-year olds – the minimum sum age of all team members must be 290 years for men and 250 years for women.
Proper attire can’t be forgotten, either. Each crew dresses in team costume; last year, Molokai’s own became chefs for the day. There is a separate prize for the best-dressed team.
Next, is the drinking. At the start of the course, the wa`a wait unrigged. The men must chug a beer before racing other teams to put their boat together. You think that’s tough? The race hasn’t even begun.
There are four official stops along the six mile course. Each team has their own bar-maid and race official. “The barmaid is to make sure the beers are there, and the official is to make sure you drink them,” says Walter Rawlins, team steersman and captain. At every stop, each crew member must get out of the canoe, run to shore, drink a beer, and run back. Teams who fail to complete the task will be faced with disqualification. Rules vary for the women’s race, which starts 20 minutes after the men’s.
The course, which begins at Kawela Rice Patch and ends at Malama Park, is designed to stay in shallow water for the safety of the paddlers. Three escort boats follow closely should assistance be needed. The Fire Department and paramedics also stand at the ready – with hoses to spray paddlers as they’re nearing the end of the race.
Liko Wallace, President of the Molokai Canoe Club, says this event is the club’s main fundraiser. Each boat pays a $150 entry fee, and the team sells t-shirts and other items.
Afterwards, an all-out party ensues at the finish line with live music, prizes, and of course, drinking. First prize is one gallon of dried squid. “The men catch them, the women dry them, and the winner gets a prize valued at $300 to $400 dollars,” says Misaki.
The trick of the trade for this race, according to Rawlins? “Win; and if you don’t win, drink like you did.”
Mel Chung, Gunsmith
By Catherine Cluett
Walking in the door of Mel Chung’s gunsmith shop presents every man’s dream: a selection of guns neatly displayed on the wall, along with gun accessories, tools and hunting supplies. It’s a Saturday morning, and the shop is attracting a good showing of Molokai men for Chung’s first gun show, featuring hunting shot guns. “I like to hang out at gun shops – who doesn’t?” asks one show go-er.
I laugh. It’s the first time I’ve stepped foot in one.
The right half of the room is Mrs. Chung’s beauty salon, with swiveling chairs draped in pink towels. Some might say it’s a contrast of the sexes at its best, but I soon learn the gun shop might be the dream of many women, too. “It’s not just men who come into the shop,” she explains with a smile. “Many women on Molokai have better aim than the men.”
I get sucked right in as Chung runs his fingers over the smooth walnut wood and intricately engraved metal of a Browning Auto-5. John Browning, the gun’s designer, was a Mormon from Utah around the turn of the 19th century who was a prolific gun designer, Chung says. The gun in my hands was made in the 1950’s, and the model was discontinued about ten years ago, he adds.
Next is a Winchester Model 12, a design last made in 1980. This one dates back to the 1930’s, Chung tells me. It’s a pump-action shot gun, and over 1.9 million of them were sold. “Winchester is like the Ford of guns,” he says. They were one of the largest gun manufacturers in the U.S., and were popular with everyone from bird hunters to military personnel.
Chung beams with pride as he shows me a gun his daughter rebuilt when she was 17 or 18 years old. It’s right on the wrack behind his desk, with his other highly-prized specimens. He points to an enlarged photo of his daughter on the wall. She’s leaning over a tool bench in the back, through a door he has discretely closed while the public roams the shop. The gun is crafted of shining black walnut, a customized sporting version of a Mauser military rifle. She has obviously grown up with a top-notch teacher.
Before replacing each gun to its resting place on the wall, Chung carefully sweeps clean its steel surfaces with a brush. “It’s important to clean a gun after even handling it,” he explains – especially after my inexperienced hands have left fingerprints all over the metal, instead of handling just the wooden surfaces.
Chung’s collection features a wide variety of gun types, and he says he collects them for their historic or operational value.
Both the gun business and gun-making have changed a lot in his 45 years of working on guns, Chung tells me. “There are a lot more legal requirements involved,” he explains. Chung is federally licensed to both sell and repair guns, Mrs. Chung assures me. Most of the guns in his collection aren’t manufactured anymore because the materials used today have changed to reflect economic demand.
“I get a lot of old guns that need refurbishing,” Chung says. “Sometimes it’s more expensive than buying a new gun, but it’s the sentimental value that often brings people in to have it fixed.”
Chung started the business in 1982, but has been working with guns since he was a teenager. His family has been living on Molokai for three generations, but he is the first to make a business of his interest in guns.
Chung has traveled all over the mainland for factory training in gun repair. He says his close connections with manufacturers around the country have gained him access to a lot of training not normally offered to civilians. Mrs. Chung says she has taken some of the courses, too.
Guns are more than a hobby for the Chung family; they represent a way of life that perpetuates a sustainable lifestyle of Molokai. “The business is important to support the subsistence hunting culture of the island,” says Mrs. Chung.
Chung offers such a full-service repair shop with services such as cleaning and inspection, parts supply, and repairs like metal refinishing, and barrel, sight and stock work. He also performs warrantee repairs. The gun show afforded people the opportunity to look at guns not normally displayed, ask questions, and become educated on a variety of gun-related subjects. Chung says the show also drew new people and created interest outside his normal clientele. I am glad to be one of them.
This was Chung’s first gun show open to the public, though he travels to Honolulu twice a year to participate in a gun show there. Chung says he plans to start having gun shows at his shop every month. Next month he will display his hunting rifle collection, and another month might feature French military weapons. He’ll keep us posted for updates.
For more information, call Chung at 553-5888.
Ted’s Excellent Adventure
This coming May, I will be pursuing a dream I’ve had since my love for bicycling and nature first provided me with momentary escape from the chaotic pace of our world. Outside of our relationship with The Lord, we are virtually on our own here on this earth. And there are some things, we just need to do.
My dream is to cross the Continental United States, by way of bicycle: to seek, explore, and to share; to meet new people, and experience the uniqueness of life in rural America.
We will be following the migration pattern of our forefathers as they settled this great country on a route commonly known as: “The Bi-Centennial Bicycle Route”, or “The Trans America.” We will begin in Yorktown, Virginia and terminate in Astoria, Oregon.
The path will take us cross ten states, five major mountain ranges, and four time zones.
We will put in more miles than the average person riding a bike 20 miles a week will do in 3-1/2 years. We will ascend altitudes of near 12,000 feet, as we cross the Rockies, Grand Teton, Sierra Nevada, Ozarks, and Appalachian mountain ranges. We will cross the Continental Divide 9 times as we meander our way northwest through Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.
This trek has become the ultimate goal for many cyclists world wide through recent years. An average of more than 400 cyclists do this journey every year, on this particular route alone. There are actually five pre-planned bike routes crossing North America all between three and five thousand miles long. Our route is 4,247.5 miles, longer if we get lost. We chose this particular route, going east to west because of its historical significance, and the fact that we will be inching our way closer to home as the months go by. Psychologically, this might just give us the boost we need.
In 1976, on the inaugural crossing of The Bi-Cetitennia.l Bicycle Route in celebration of the 200th anniversary of our nation’s Independence, there were more than 5,000 individuals that started. Although each had their own personal goal, many did not finish for one reason or another. However, 2,700 of them did. Every year since then, crazy people like us, have been doing this - some crazy enough to do it more than once.
For me, this has become a final “MEGA’ attempt at pursuing this once in a lifetime dream. At my age and physical status, it would be wise for me to pursue this goal now, otherwise it may remain a dream. I have done some pretty crazy things on my bike, nearly killing myself on more than a couple of occasions.
I have completed the “Ride to the Sun” or “Haleakala Hill Climb” twice. This is a 36 mile, 10,000 foot climb that takes you from sea level at Paia, to the summit of Haleakala, in a time frame of under 4 and a half hours. If I were a year older, I could have won my division. Instead, I was the oldest one in my age group. I have completed the “Oahu Century” bicycle ride, 100-mile event, three times. I got lost all three times nearing the finish.
I have ridden just about every dirt road and bike trail at the “Molokai Ranch” when I worked there as a bike guide from 1997 to 2002. Ridden up to the forest reserve from Kaunakakai, and down every dirt road leading back. Carried my bike up and down the
Kalaupapa trail a dozen or more times to ride the lava stricken dirt roads of Kalawao and the perimeter of Makanaloa. Once I got a flat at the old landing near Kalawao. Unprepared for such a mishap, I ended up carrying my bike back across the peninsula, then up the trail, finally to my home in Kualapu`u at 9:30pm.
Had my bike stolen in California, batteries die Ofl night rides, and walked home late at night. I’ve had broken chains, stems, destroyed wheels, tore tires, you name it. from the tropical rain forest of Kamakou, to the rock infested dried stream beds of La`au. Pu’u 0 Hoku Ranch to Cape Halawa, along abandoned jeep roads, and dusty cow trails. From Kualapuu to Halawa Valley, to Kalua koi, to Kualapuu in a single day. I’ve even ridden the trail up to the Halawa falls and back.
From Lahaina to Lahaina, around the West Maui mountains. From Hana to Paia, the list goes on The names of the individuals who accompanied me on these episodes have purposely been left out to protect their otherwise civilized, and good character.
Now it is time for a greater challenge, a true test of whether or not I am who I think I am. So you ask...ARE YOU CRAZY?” You bet! This cross continental adventure will take approximately 13 weeks, cover a distance of 4,247.5 miles, and a cumulative altitude gain of about 168,000 vertical feet. There will be challenges around every bend, and lessons to be learned. But the experience, will last a life time. It will bring new meaning o life, a new perspective, and a glimpse of what the human spirit is capable of.
My dear friend and partner for this journey, will be Lisa Davis, of Kaluakoi. A long time resident of the island, and my former boss at The Molokai Ranch’s Mountain Biking department. Lisa has also realized a yearning for this life changing experience. Together, we hope to accomplish the physical, mental, and emotional task that only true adventures will even consider.
This will be a self-supported journey which means we carry everything to sustain us. Every precaution has been considered, and plans have been been laid out. We have the desire, the discipline, and the ability to reach our goal. Our tentative departure will be somewhere around May the 10th, 2009. Returning on or about August the 10th J want be back home to celebrate my mom’s 92nd birthday with my family.
We would like to invite you, the people of Molokai, to take part in this incredible journey, by way of a fund raising drive for your organization. With our permission, you will be allowed to collect pledges from the community, friends, relatives, anyone. The possibilities are endless, since the pledges will not only be limited to those around us, but from those abroad as well.
Even at a penny a mile, this fundraiser could bring in over $40.00 per person. One hundred percent of which will go to your cause. We ask for nothing in return, just the support of our loved ones, and your prayers to accompany us. This opportunity will be offered to any organization with a worthy cause. Churches, schools, humanitarian needs, what ever is impressed upon your heart. Let The Lord Guide you, as He Will the two of us.
Originally you would have been able to track or efforts via Google earth through a POD (Personal Locating Device). However the SPOT Satellite Messenger unit which utilizes two-way signal processing could not guarantee reliable service in Hawaii. There for we decided to go with the old fashion way, via e-mail updates where ever there is a signal. This method saves us about $275.00. We will send an e-mail update a couple of times a week as to our progress, as we venture through the American heartland.
There is absolutely no guarantee that things will go as planned. Therefore, the particulars of how you set up your fundraiser will be left totally up to you. We cannot be held accountable for situations out of our control.
Thank you so much for your time. May this bring us closer as friends, and closer to The Lord as human beings.
Aloha kaua, Ted.
PARTICULARS
The estimated cost for this journey will be approximately $8,000.00. So obviously, we are going to need some help. I have devised some clever means to offset the cost by somewhere around 25%. These expenses include:
Airfare: One way from Molokai to Yorktown, Virginia, $750.00 per person.
One way from Astoria, Oregon to Molokai, $550.00 per person.
Bike: We decided on our mountain bikes for this trip. This will cut down on our out of pocket expenses. Retrofitting these bikes will cost approximately $300.00 to $400.00 per bike instead of the $1500.00 for a specific touring bike and set up, the later would have put us over our budget.
Trailer: A towable bike trailer and a lockable, waterproof storage allow for tti e ability to carry the extra necessities to sustain such a long and vigorous endeavor. $400.00 ea.
Fedex: Shipment of bikes, trailers, etc, $400.00 each way$800.00 per person.
Lodging: There will be a total of 17 to 20 nights in some sort of hostel. These include a two-day set-up and staging stay in Yorktown, Virginia One night a week on the road (13 nights) for a good nights rest, hot shower, sit down meals, laundry, and restocking of supplies, etc. In addition, there will be two days in Astoria, Oregon for packing and shipping of equipment back home. $1000.00 per person,
Food: This kind of work out requires plenty of calories. We will be burning 6000 to 7000 calories a day, fueling four times a day plus energy snacks and liquids. $2000 ea.
Car rental or Taxi: We have no choice. On a couple of occasions or more, we will require some sort of transportation to get to our equipment, and again once we ship our equipment back. $200.00.
Gear: Special gear will need to be obtained to make this a safe and enjoyable trip. Some of these include Lightweight technical clothing, we will encounter temperatures of below freezing in the high country, to near 100 degrees m the low lying flat land. There will be thunder storms, tornados, and I understand hail storms arc common in the summer months in the mid-west.
Specialized compact, lightweight camping equipment. Such as tents, sleeping bag, cooking utensils, etc. Personal defense apparatus for protection against dogs, bears and other unwanted threats. Well stocked first aid kit, maps, GPS, Personal locating device, travel insurance, lap top computer, etc. $2000.00 ea.
Misc. Expenses: These include toll fees, camping, park entry, and all other applicable fees. $200.00 to $300.00.
And that is how we came about the $8000.00 total cost. As you can see, there is no allowance for personal effects. These costs are based only on the necessities to complete this trip in a reasonable and safe manor, Although not a planned expenditure, emergencies are a possibility, cost will vary. Obviously, a lot of home woi k went into planning this.
COST DEFERANCE
Of course, there are a number of ways that one can defer the cost of individual expenses. Here are a few we are looking in to. These include, but are not limited to:
1. Aluminum can collecting at 5 cents each, I estimate a possible income of at
least $100.00
2. Yard sale: I have as much stuff lying around not being used as the rest of
you. A possible income here of at least $200.00 to $300.00.
3. Family: If I beg hard enough, I bet I could get at least $100.00 from each of
um. A possible $400.00 depending on how hard I beg.
4. Services rendered: as a craftsman, there are miscellaneous projects I can do
quite well. A possible $1000.00.
5. Donations: I will not come right out and ask, but I can throw a hint or two,
and some of you will be willing to chip in. A possible $200.00
6. Riding my bike to work: At over $5.00 a gallon of regular, this could be the
biggest deference of them all. A possible $25.00 a week.
There are other ways of generating income. I already have $6000.00 set aside as of the writing of this letter. If I can defer the cost beyond what we need, w: would be more than willing to pledge miles ourselves.
Thank you for considering to help in any way you can.
Aloha kaua, Ted and Lisa
For fundraising information, or to donate to Ted and Lisa’s trip, contact Ted at 567-9209.
Cop on Top
Who knew hanging out on a roof could make so much money?
By Linda DeGraw
On October 17 at total of a nine volunteers and athletes from our Special Olympics Moloka’i delegation traveled to Maui for its annual 2008 Cop on Top where law enforcement officers camp out above Safeway stores for three days and two nights. Our Special Olympics Police officer was our very own born and raised Moloka’i Police Officer Nathaniel “Chinky” Hubbard and his family to help us raise the $10,000.00.
The first work day Thursday morning started at 6:00 a.m. and everyone stayed late until 10:30-11:00 p.m. This went on for the next two days. On Molokai, volunteers and athletes also sat out front at Friendly Market asking for donation.
Sealing the Numbers
By Catherine Cluett
On Saturday , Oct. 18, about 20 NOAA volunteers will participate in a twice-yearly count of Hawaiian monk seals on Molokai. The purpose of the count is to track seal activity and gather information about the recovering species, says Julie Lopez, island volunteer coordinator for the count.
Volunteers will cover the East End, West End, Mo`omomi Beach, and Kalaupapa in their count.
The Hawaiin monk seal was hunted to near extinction in the mid 1800’s. Though most monk seals live in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, sightings have increased in recent years in the main Hawaiian Islands, according to a 2000 study by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The species was listed as “endangered” under the US endangered Species Act in 1976.
Archeologist Paul Rosendahl states that Hawaiian monk seal remains from as early as 1400 to 1750 AD have been found in carbon dating studies of artifact material found in the main Hawaiian Islands.
The Hawaiian monk seal is one of only two mammals endemic to Hawaii (originating here and found no where else), according to Thea Johanos-Kam of NOAA. The other species is the hoary bat.
“Monk seals are fully capable of swimming among the various islands in the archipelago and there is no reason why they wouldn’t have been in the main islands before human arrival 1500 to1600 years ago,” says Johanos-Kam.
For more information about the count or monk seals on Molokai, contact Lopez at 567-6518.
Honu Hatchlings
Rescued baby honu wait in a bucket to be released.
By Catherine Cluett
Hundreds of tiny tracks mark the sand from the grasses’ edge down to the ocean. They are neither the tracks of a crab, nor the marks of a bird. These footprints belong to baby green sea turtles making the 50-yard trek from their nest to begin their lives at sea.
It was the tracks which alerted a Popohaku home owner and Nature Conservancy volunteer to the turtle nest. George Balazs, a marine turtle research biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), carefully dug a hole in the sand as a group of volunteers peered down into what had been the nest of over a hundred baby green sea turtles. Balazs was looking for clues that might bring insight to the genetic distribution of green sea turtles on Molokai.
There are three genetic fingerprints of green sea turtles, or honu, found in Molokai waters. One of these variations makes up about 70% of the overall population, says Balazs, while the other two are much less common, each comprising about 15% of green sea turtles around the island.
Balazs has been tracking the DNA makeup of turtles found on Kawa`aloa Beach, just west of Mo`omomi, for the past several years. The discovery that every single nest so far has belonged to one of the two less common DNA groups is a fact he says is surprising.
Sea turtles normally go back to where they were born to nest -- “but not perfectly,” explains Balazs. If all turtles only nested where they were born, the species would never spread. Some turtles have to break the pattern.
The homogeneous DNA thread found on Kawa`aloa Beach means, Balazs explains, that one mother turtle started nesting there, called a “founding turtle,” creating a new colony. Green sea turtles don’t reach sexual maturity until the age of 25 to 40 years old. So 30 years after the founding turtle first nested there, her offspring came back to nest at the same site, creating a legacy of the same DNA fingerprint.
The nest found on Papohaku was the first recorded hatching on that beach. Balazs is curious to find out whether those turtles belong to the same genetic group as those nesting at Kawa`aloa. To get this information, volunteers, under Balazs’ supervision, dug up the nest after the young had already hatched, and collected a sample of partially developed or decomposing eggs from which to extract DNA.
Statistics were also gathered about how many eggs were laid (99), and how many of those hatched successfully (over 90). In addition, five baby turtles were rescued from the nest that probably wouldn’t have made it otherwise, says Balazs.
After hatching, sea turtle young work collectively to dig out of the nest. But eggs laid on the periphery are at a disadvantage because they are not surrounded by the warmth of their fellow developing nest-mates during the 60-day incubation period. These eggs may hatch a little later than eggs in the middle of the batch, explains Balazs, and may account for the few babies left behind.
Balazs and Nature Conversancy volunteers released the five hatchlings into the ocean and watched as the tiny bobbing heads made their way out to sea.
Usually, he says, researchers don’t interfere with nature’s course. But giving five extra green sea turtles, a species on the brink of extinction only 30 years ago, a chance to survive in the wild, is a rewarding bonus of the job. There are many predators that prey on the tiny sea turtles. But, as one volunteer said, “we did our best. And that’s all we can do.”
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