Snorkeling the Fringe Reef

This is a sea cucumber on the reef floor. Jack and Sam, I know you are experts on these by now, but I had to throw a photo in for you.

Pam and Louis swimming in unison. This looks like a picture you would get when you go snorkeling at some fancy resort. Great picture, but way better snorkeling than any resort!

A giant trevally (or 'ulua' in Hawaiian) of about 30 pounds swam by quite close to get a good look at the invaders. They are attracted to shiny objects, and reportedly will even bite if provoked.

Here is Louis, and you can see how clear the water truly is. This was the best snorkeling trip we had ever had, and we have done our share of it in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Hawaii.

I leave this fish for someone else to make a positive ID. CORRECTION: this is a female pearl wrasse (Opule in Hawaiian) It was spectacular in color. We also saw unicornfish, spectacled parrotfish, squirrelfish, pencil urchins, on and on...

This is a Moorish idol that seemed to pose for the camera. Note the bright purple coral in the lower corner also. It is common here.

Island life

bike ride through the forest.

Playing tennis.

Beach combing treasures

(from Eastern Island)

Field of Birds.

The fuel barge arrives!

Oh, The Birds

These birds are so funny! I never seem to grow tired of watching them. This young bird is sitting back on it's 'knees' and lifting it's big feet off the ground, perhaps because the ground is hot? They all sit like this for hours on end.

These birds are all lined up, looking at this building. They look like they are waiting for something exciting to happen. The sad part is, many of them eat the paint that is chipping off which contains led. This causes a problem called "wing droop" (maybe it's just my name for it). The wings actually droop down and they won't be able to fly.

These birds are talking to this bike! Whenever you get on your bike or in your golf cart, you have to shoo all the birds away.

The birds will all be gone soon. The young will not return for 7 years when they are ready to lay eggs. The adults will return again by the end of October. This is the only land these birds ever touch!

It's always a challenge getting around these guys!

Pearl Oyster Project

On Friday, Louis and I were asked to help out with the Pearl Oyster Project. Kristen, a grad student from UCSC is doing her doctorate project on the decline and rejuvenation of Pearl Oysters here in the Atoll. In the 1920's the Atoll was pretty much stripped of these oysters and now they are trying to get them back.

We rode out to the far side of Eastern Island where one group of the test sites are. They have placed several "substrates" around the Atoll and periodically go out and check them for new growth. They are made up of folds of weed cloth.

When we got to the site, Kristen and I went in and collected the samples and brought them back to the boat.

Here, Kate and Kristen scour through these samples. It took them HOURS! to look through about 8 of them. They were pleased with the number of young oysters on them. there was also baby brittle starfish, sea urchins and slugs. It was very interesting. After they were done, Louis, Kristen and I returned them all to their marked sites. They will be checked again in two weeks. It was a fun learning experience and a great snorkeling trip!

One Week Down, Five to Go.

Well, we saw the Gulfstream "G-1" aircraft that we flew in on come and go last night, bringing a few passengers, but mostly supplies. It left almost full, with some FWS, NOAA, and other employees. It is always exciting when the flights come and go, about the biggest excitement on the island. Today, a fuel barge came in from Honolulu to deliver fuel to the island, a 6-day trip for them. Here are some new photos of our adventures. We hope you enjoy them.

This is the Japanese Emerald Beetle, one of the prominent insects found mostly on Eastern Island. They land on you, but they're harmless. Introduced.


This is an adult monk seal sleeping. It's what they do most of the time when on shore. I guess life as a monk seal is tiring. They are endangered, and the NW Hawaiian Islands is the area of primary importance to the species.

Life on the Island

I cannot get over how blue and clear the water is. This is right at the edge of the Atoll.

This is called Rusty Bucket. There is a bunch of rusty old metal here.

Louis playing basketball. Games are every sunday at 4:00.

This is the Clipper House, where we eat.

This is the inside of the old SeaPlane Hangar. Now it is used for storage. There is some debate as to what to do with the building as it would be very expensive to restore, yet it is a historical building.

the Albatross

There are many, many Laysan Albatross chicks on the island.

There are about 500,000 here right now. At

the peak of the breeding season there are 1.5 million!

This is a young one. You can see lots of the soft, downy

fur. He's cute here, but they look funnier and funnier until they become

the beautiful adults.

Little bit older.

This one is clearly a little upset about his Elvis-like do.

Older. Cute? ha!

Adult. this is not a great picture of how truly

beautiful these birds are. I'll get one today so you can see.

This is a skeleton of an Albatross. As you can see, there

are several pieces of plastic in it. The birds get their food from

the ocean, so these plastic things floating on the surface apparently

look like food. The parent bird picks it up and feeds it to their young.

Louis found a golf ball on Eastern that had apparently

been fed to a young chick and went through it just fine!

Maybe, not so bright, these birds!?

Snorkeling at the Cargo Pier

Louis; thumbs up!

Lots of fish.

Louis diving after a fish.

WOW!



Louis jumps off the pier.

Mom, too!

Greg hard at work.

North Beach

right by the Clipper House (where we eat.)

I'm sure Alfred Hitchcock was on this island.

We are driving out to the aviary to release yet another Laysan Duck. As you drive, you often have to get out and shoo the birds out of the way. They look at you like "who are you telling me what to do?" Apparently, they are not impressed with the uniform!

Around the Island

This is the Common Canary. Very cute, bright yellow little bird.

(Tom, you asked how many different species of birds there were here. there are 20 in the information booklet, so let's say 20. I have probably seen at least 14 or 15 of them.)

This is the private jet that the Conservation International group flew in on. There are only a few of these in the world - very fancy!


Of course, it didn't take Louis long to find the dump.

Greg's On Island office!

Fun with Geckos.

Hi'ialakai Arrives!

On Monday, the NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration)

research ship, the Hi'ialakai, came into Midway. It was very exciting.

It was so big! We were lucky enough to get a full tour of the ship because one of

Greg's fellow instructors was on the boat. The only other people who got full tours

were the people from Conservation International (Rob Walton's group). It is very interesting to hear about the extensive research they do from this ship.

Very impressive!

They docked at the Cargo Dock - our favorite (so far) place to snorkel.

I think there are at least 5 smaller boats (15 - 25 ft) on this ship that are used to get the researchers out and about. We talked to this very nice young man who was the navigator. He got in with NOAA right out of high school and worked his way up! no college! He always knew he would do something with boats and he was able to make it happen.

He is on this ship 270 days a year!
That night, their band played on the dock and we had a little party. very fun!

Yep, that's Louis driving!! Perhaps the most exciting thing for him is that

he is able to drive these vehicles as well as our golf cart! It's really good

training, maneuvering around all the birds (they have the right-of-way).

Here, he is backing it into the boathouse garage. It has several air tanks

in the back. He will fill them for the next dive.

This has been his main job so far. It is very tedious and boring

in a very hot area. At the same time, it is very important to do it right as people's

lives depend on it, so he is taking it very seriously! I think he will only be

doing this until Wednesday. He'll be happy to be done with this job.

He's hoping to get put on Marine debris!

A Biologists Work is Never Done!

When we first got to Eastern, Pam noticed a young Albatross with some
fishing line wrapped tightly around one of its legs.

John quickly picked up the bird and Greg cut the string off.

Another bird saved!!!