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.
Two hurricanes in less than one month…
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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 streams into rivers and causing major damage. According to Hawaii News Now, Hurricane Lala dumped enough rain to fill 1.9 million Olympic swimming pools. Entire homes were pushed off their foundations. Highway 11 (the main road around that side of the island) was closed off in several places. The elementary school flooded, and the bakery at Punaluʻu (a popular roadside stop) was filled with mud and boulders. At least three people lost their lives. All of that happened only a couple of hours down the road from us. Most of our team lives in Kailua-Kona or further north, and we had very strong winds and rain. Savannah, who lives south in Honomalino, had to wait two days to get her power back. Still, nothing compared to what Kaʻū went through. Then, last week, Hurricane Lowell swept past Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. Much of Kauaʻi lost power, roads were washed out along the north and west shores, and the piers at Waimea and Port Allen were badly damaged. Waves reached more than 25 feet (7.6 meters). Lowell stayed a few hundred miles offshore from the Big Island, but we still felt the effects here. The peak of the westerly swell rushed right into Kaunaʻoa Bay; see the image below for a during-and-after comparison. The ocean was simply not safe for swimming, so we cancelled the moonlight swim for several days. Two major storms in less than a month is not normal, even for a hurricane season (July to November). And unfortunately, the season isn't over yet. NOAA is expecting an above-normal season in the Central Pacific, with 5 to 13 tropical cyclones forecast compared with an average of 4 or 5. The storms may pass in a matter of hours or days, but the recovery takes much longer. Communities in Kaʻū and Kauaʻi will be dealing with the damage for months, and in some cases years. If you'd like to help, Vibrant Hawaiʻi is supporting recovery efforts on the Big Island, where we live and where most of you have visited.
On the bright side… Mantas always come back to feed in Kauna’oa Bay – even between storms. We had a wonderful three weeks of continuous sightings before Lala, and some of our favorite mantas (X-Wing, Vegemite Ray, Obama Ray, Louisette, Jolene Ray, Pu’uwai, and Georgia) showed up between Lala and Lowell as well. Find them and their stories in our manta ray library! Since the storms, we've had some beautiful nights back in the water, and it feels great to share those magical moments with guests again. Wherever you are, I hope your summer has been gentler than ours.
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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.
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Aloha Reader, It's hard to believe, but we've wrapped Season 1 of Ocean Wings. Twelve episodes, twelve incredible guests, and so many moments that reminded me why I wanted to start this podcast in the first place - to share stories that inspire me and will no doubt inspire others. If you've been following along from the start, thank you. If you missed a few episodes along the way, now's the perfect time to catch up before we head into Season 2 (we're hoping to start recording in May). A few...
Aloha Reader, When someone suggested interviewing Manta Ray Advocates team members for my podcast, I didn't know what the conversation should be about: we talk and text almost every day, what else is there to say? Turns out my right hand, Savannah, has a whole lot of stories about what it's like to work here :) In this new episode of the Ocean Wings podcast, we dive into topics like collecting data on the manta rays we encounter, handling customer communication and operations, and briefing...