Training: Escort into Palmyra

As widely reported in the news, when we approached Palmyra Atoll, we were greeted by enormous pods of dolphins and melon-headed whales. At the time, Mike aboard Kama Hele estimated about 400 whales. Since then, weʻve learned that the melon-headed whales of Palmyra routinely travel in pods of 500 to 1,000.  Can you imagine how much biodensity is needed to consistently support that level of life?

Once we entered the channel, we were surrounded by a school of manta rays. As Nahaku observed, "Palmyra is alive. No matter where you turn, there's life. This is what Hawai‘i used to be like… And, can be again."

Hopefully, we‘ll have some more footage of our Palmyra escorts. In this video, it's hard to see the whales because they're beneath the water (the shadowy dark blobs) most of the time. Only occasionally do they breach. However, you can tell by the enthusiasm of the crew how exciting the moment truly was.

Video courtesy of Pauline Sato