CRITTER: Comeback of the Maui black coral
In 1985 if you walked into a jewelry store in Lahaina Maui the first thing you would see is a big sign saying “we sell the famous Maui black coral necklace.”
CRITTER: Unusual marine life living in the Hale‘iwa trench
Hiding submarines in WW2 from the enemy here in Hawai‘i was not an easy job but the military was successful at doing so right offshore of Ali‘i park in Hale‘iwa O‘ahu.
CRITTER: Koloa Landing would make a good Marine Reserve
Marine reserves in the past have often been controversial because they can create a “no take” zone which keeps the local community from fishing their favorite part of the coastline.
CRITTER: What is killing our corals in Kaua‘i?
In 2010, I took my first boat ride down the magical Na Pali Coast and stopped at Nualolo Bay to snorkel. The water was crystal clear and the corals were just stunning. Huge mound and pork chop corals mixed in with golden and pink antler and cauliflower corals.
CRITTER: Out to sea and surrounded by eight large tiger sharks
We left Grand Bahama Island off the coast of South Florida early in the morning heading out to sea on our 100 foot research ship.
CRITTER: Pipeline reef is made up of fossilized coral
I was recently watching an old surf movie about the Pipe Masters surf contest held at Pipeline on O‘ahu North Shore and got a kick out of the prio surfers talking about the reef at Pipeline.
CRITTER: Controlling shark behavior face-to-face
I was surfing in Hanalei Bay one sunny afternoon with a group of friends that surf there often, and we were all talking about sharks while we waited for a set to roll in.
CRITTER: Female honu pick the sex of their babies
Just think how wonderful it would be if you had two boys in your family and you decided you would like a girl for your third child and the mom could just decide on her own what sex child she wanted.
CRITTER: Dangerous man o’ wars washing up on our beaches
While surfing at Makaha on O‘ahu’s South Shore one day, I went through a wave and felt like I had been bit by a huge shark. My entire body was in intense pain but when I surfaced I could not see any wounds and I was really confused as to what was happening.
CRITTER: Cowrie shell cave found off North Shore of O‘ahu
As a marine biologist and professional scuba diver I often wonder where all of the fish go along our coastline when we have giant surf.
CRITTER: Keeper of a 400-foot underwater cliff at Ni‘ihau
For those of you who like to snorkel or scuba dive, can you imagine jumping off a dive boat into water that is so clear you can see the bottom 400 feet below?
CRITTER: Hawaiian fish cooperate with each other to find food
The Hawaiian Islands rise straight up off the seafloor and into the sky making vertical cliffs underwater.
CRITTER: Hawaiian sunrise shells are common, but hard to find
While scuba diving along Kaua‘i north shore at 80 feet deep a half mile offshore I found an area of the seafloor that was littered with small rocks on the sand.
CRITTER: Humpback whales are worth over $2 million each
Fifty years ago almost 95 percent Of the oceans’ large whale species had been harpooned.
CRITTER: Hawaiian angelfish are different than anywhere in the world
Diving with angelfish in Palau, Caribbean, Indonesia and even the Galapagos Islands is just spectacular because these fish are large, extremely colorful and super tame!
CRITTER: Colorful fins may mean danger on our coral reefs
While out snorkeling I often point out a fish on the reef to a tourist that looks just like a stone.
CRITTER: Spearfishing can protect Kaua‘i coral reefs
For thousands of years butterfly fish have protected our coral reefs by feeding on dead and dying corals, which makes room for new corals to grow. The Hawaiian name for many of the butterfly fish species is kikakapu, which means “forbidden.”
CRITTER: Lunch with an eagle ray in Hanalei Bay
As a marine biologist, I have spent more than 10,000 hours in the sea in the last 30 years and over 300 hours in Hanalei Bay where I call home.
CRITTER: Hawaiian kumu — a master teacher underwater
Kumu is a species of goatfish that grows to be about 15 inches long and is usually a pink or red color.
CRITTER: Living glue that holds Hawaiian reefs together
If you go to the big Island of Hawai‘i you may find a black sandy beach to walk on that was formed from ground up volcanic rock.