Adventurer's Hawai‘i

From the BlogSubscribe Now

Hōkūle’a tribute

By

Hōkūleʻa and her companion canoe, Hikianalia, are on course and nearing the halfway mark on their voyage to Tahiti. Time for a shout out to the crews and more best wishes for them all especially for the younger generation who will carry on the legacy of the canoe. Having been fortunate enough to sail on two different memorable neighbor island trips, itʻs easy to go back and think of the crews from earlier days. Interested in the Polynesian Voyaging Society from its start, images flash through my mind:  Mau talking story after a work day on the canoe prior to the first voyage in 1976, following along with the armada of boats off Diamond Head as the canoe returned to Hawaii, watching the lights on the canoe off Waikiki as Hōkūle’a left Magic Island on that fateful 1978 trip, witnessing the canoeʻs departure from Papeete in 1980, returning to Oahu after my first outer island trip and riding big swells at night while steering the canoe  off Koko Head, the list goes on.

Hokulea copy

Hōkūleʻa in the Kaiwi Channel (Still had the crab claw sails then).

Follow along by going to the PVS website at: http://www.hokulea.com

Hawaii magazine outdoors issue

By

hawaii outdoor issue cover

Check out the June 2014 issue of Hawaii magazine for some scoop on some favorite hiking trails and especially a photo feature on three days in Waimanu Valley, one of my highlight trips as well.

See some photos from a very memorable visit there in the Big Island section of Adventurer’s Hawai’i. I remember it well for its remote beauty, and the up and down trail sections before the final steep switchback drop to the valley floor itself.

3 days in waimanu valley

The issue also includes some excerpts from Brother Noland’s new book, The Hawaiian Survival Handbook , which provides local insider’s info on subjects like How to Avoid a Wild-Pig Attack and other topics of interest to adventurers in the great Hawaii outdoors! The book will be available beginning July 15th and is published by Watermark Publishing.

 

 

 

Ohulehule Forest Conservancy

By

Waikane Valley: Back to the future?

Waikane Valley: Back to the future?

Waikane is undergoing a gradual transformation thanks to Paul Zweng and his corps of enthusiastic volunteers. The goal? Removing invasives and reintroducing endemic forest plants and trees.

Owner of 1443 acres that he remarkably was able to purchase for the “price of a home in Kahala”, Paul’s task of eliminating strawberry guava, albizia, and other non-natives seems daunting but progress is really being made and has attracted national attention. See this recent piece that appeared in the NY Times in December of 2013: Killing With Kindness.

Now koa seedlings are thriving as well as a host of other endemics that are now freed from being over run by the bad guys. For anyone interested in spending a little time on this wonderful project, Paul is always looking for volunteers. In the process, you will find out more about this historic valley, learn about native plants, and help apply the coup de grace to invasive trees and shrubs.

For info about this project that has the blessing of the Waikane Community Association and goes by the name of the Ohulehule Forest Conservancy , you can contact Paul at: pzweng@gmail.com or (808)377-1947. He puts out a weekly newsletter with updates and info about volunteers opportunities for the upcoming week. As he says, “Come out to Waikane, the forest needs you!”