Visting Palmyra

Aloha kākou,

We all enjoyed a great sleep in soft beds with sheets, blankets and pillows – what a luxury! For some of us, it was hard to get our "land legs" back after being on the canoe for so long. We enjoyed a nice breakfast of fresh fruit, cereal, toast and coffee. The Nature Conservancy staff took us on more field trips in the morning such as snorkeling and a guided walking tour. Palmyra has a very interesting history.  During the 1940s, the US military had 6,000 people here and remnants of that history still remain. But, nature is gradually claiming back the land with lush growth of plant life and birds by the thousands. The ocean is another story. It has seen little damage and the reefs are simply spectacular.  Going underwater opens a whole new world of life.

Nahaku Kalei dives, Palmyra Atoll

After our morning tour, we worked on Hōkūle'a to get her ready for the return crew. We disassembled the rigging and took down the booms which are used for the crab claw sails. The return crew will use the Marconi (triangular) sails, which will allow them to sail closer to the wind. This is needed for the return voyage because of the direction of the tradewinds, which will make the return challenging.

The return crews for Hokule'a and Kama Hele arrived on the flight at 2 pm today. It was great to see them! Nainoa Thompson and his mother, Laura Thompson, also came on the flight to see the crews and Palmyra atoll.

Bruce Blankenfeld and Dr. Craig Thomas kayaking, Palmyra Atoll

In the afternoon, we had more exploration time. Some of us went kayaking in the lagoons. That was so much fun! We saw loads of birds nesting in the trees and lots of fishes, including baby black tip sharks in the shallow waters. 

We enjoyed another delicious meal as an 'ohana. The staff here have bent over backwards to take care of us. We think that there haven't been this many people on Palmyra since the war.

Our voyage and stay on Palmyra have been such great experiences. We will in some ways be sad to leave tomorrow, closing a chapter on what has been a trip of a lifetime. But the voyage continues with the return crew sailing back to Hawai‘i, and many more stories will be told.

Aloha,

Keala and Pauline

Photo credit: Jenna Ishii