Manta rays are beautiful and majestic animals that have a life-changing effect on people who meet them. I want to protect them so humans can experience their transformational power for generations to come! My goal is to inspire people so they take action to protect the mantas' ecosystem and oceans all around the world.
Traveling with intention: a conversation with Chris Gorman
Chris Gorman lives in Nebraska - America's most landlocked state. So when he and his wife travel to the ocean, they make it count. Chris does what he calls "serial research" - diving into reviews, looking for operators who align with their values, and planning experiences that will stick with them long after they get home. In this week's episode, Chris shares how he chooses responsible travel experiences, why he looks beyond star ratings when reading reviews, and what made their manta ray swim come at exactly the right moment. But this conversation isn't just about vacation planning; it's also about what we carry home from the places we visit. Chris talks about how Hawaiian culture - the aloha spirit, the concept of pono, and the emphasis on sustainability - has influenced his daily choices back in Nebraska. We dive into what indigenous cultures teach us about living more intentionally, why slowing down is a good thing, and how travel can shift the way we see our responsibilities to the planet.
If you (want to) travel in a way that feels more impactful and less like checking boxes, Chris's approach will give you a lot to think about.
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Martina Wing
Manta rays are beautiful and majestic animals that have a life-changing effect on people who meet them. I want to protect them so humans can experience their transformational power for generations to come! My goal is to inspire people so they take action to protect the mantas' ecosystem and oceans all around the world.
Aloha Reader, November is almost here, and with it comes winter on the water. Hawaiʻi’s big-surf season runs from November through mid-April. Storms far out in the North Pacific generate large waves that travel toward the islands and reach the north and west shores of the Big Island - including the Kona/Kohala coast, where we (and other operators) run our manta ray tours. When a big swell rolls in, the surface gets choppy, sand lifts off the bottom, and visibility drops. We enter from shore,...
Aloha Reader, My last email wasn't the most cheerful one, with all the hurricanes sweeping through Hawaiʻi. So today, I'm happy to bring you some positive news! 😊 The Ocean Cleanup (TOC) is one of my favorite non-profit organizations: they come up with clever ways to remove plastic pollution from the ocean. In March, TOC reached a major milestone: 50 million kilograms of trash (that's about 110 million pounds) pulled out of oceans and rivers. In December 2024, the figure stood at 20 million....
Aloha Reader, It's been a while since my last newsletter. Since then, quite a bit has happened here in Hawaiʻi. Many of you met me and the team in person, and we know some of you keep an eye on the islands from a distance and worry when storms roll through. On August 15, Hurricane Lala skirted the southern tip of the Big Island and brought an incredible amount of rain to Kaʻū, the southernmost district on the island. Certain areas got more than 4 inches of rain in a single hour – turning...