Ocean Blog

The canoes and their crews were greeted Thursday (Nov. 13) with a pōwhiri, or sacred formal Māori ceremony that was expected to celebrate for hours; following a little more than week of public engagements, the waʻa will take 6 months off to wait out South Pacific hurricane season before continuing their voyage.

The Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation honored surfing pioneers Rochelle Ballard and Patti Paniccia, and paddling champions Johnny “Johnny Mac” McCandless and Lauren Spalding.

The possible flooding is due to peak monthly high tides combined with water levels that are running higher than predicted .

Large breaking waves of 12 to 18 feet are forecast along north-facing shores and 8 to 12 feet along west-facing shores.

Projections show an abrupt shift within the next 30 to 40 years from irregular El Niño-La Niña cycles to highly regular oscillations, characterized by more dramatic fluctuations in sea surface temperature.

The center’s integrated research program is organized around four themes: microbial biodiversity, metabolism and nutrient flow, remote and continuous sensing of ocean processes, and ecosystem modeling and prediction.

“Fishing is one of our most cherished cultural traditions, and events like this are a great way to celebrate and perpetuate this heritage while bringing together families and friends,” said Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation Director Clayton Honma.

The rulemaking decision — made last week during a regular board meeting — follows a prior board vote to ban reef fish collection along with intense public opposition to the capture and sale of native reef fish, many from West Hawaiʻi waters.

The swimming education event is designed to introduce keiki to aquatic sports and promote water safety; during which activities were led by student volunteers, coaches and staff from Waiākea and Hilo schools.

The traditional double-hulled voyaging canoes departed the Cook Islands the afternoon of Oct. 21 on the next leg of their Moananuiākea Voyage; they will be on the water for the next 2 weeks before making landfall in New Zealand for just the third time in 40 years.

The whale was spotted the morning of Oct. 14 in waters off the west side of Kaua‘i, but it was not the earliest sighting of the majestic cetaceans this year in the islands — that was in September.

Peak monthly tides will combine with higher-than-predicted water levels to produce conditions ripe for inundation of shorelines and low-lying coastal areas during early morning hours through afternoon of Oct. 10.

First sighted near Molokaʻi and then the Mariana Trench 10 years later, Iridogorgia chewbacca highlights the collaborative efforts needed to reveal hidden oceanic wonders.

University of Hawaiʻi offer a groundbreaking, low-cost solution to boost reef recovery worldwide and significantly increasing coral survival rates in real reef environments.

Hey, Big Island. Looking for something to do this weekend? We once again have you covered. Check out our top 10 things to do on the Big Island now!

Closure is necessary to support public safety efforts during crane dredging operations at Pohoiki Boat Ramp, which is located at the park.

Both Polynesian Voyaging Society traditional double-hulled voyaging canoes were welcomed by the Rarotonga community with a traditional ceremony, following a 2-day trek from Bora Bora, French Polynesia under nearly perfect weather conditions.

Waves of 10 to 14 feet are forecast this morning, decreasing to 8 to 12 feet this afternoon and 7 to 10 feet Monday for those shorelines in Puna, Kaʻū, North and South Kona and North and South Kohala. Flooding of beaches that are normally dry, minor coastal erosion and saltwater inundation also will be an issue with continued coastal flooding.

Large breaking waves of 7 to 10 feet are forecast by Aug. 8 along the southern shores of the island, with wave heights increasing to between at least 10 and 14 feet by Aug. 9.

The extension comes as National Weather Service forecasters also issued a high surf advisory for south-facing shores of the state that will be in effect from early Friday morning to early the morning of Aug. 11.