Many people know Kaho’olawe as the Target Isle, declared for use as a bombing range under martial law after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. However, many are not aware of the cultural significance and the restoration work that is happening over there. Some members of the Skyline Ohana had the opportunity to volunteer on Kaho’olawe from February 13th to February 16th, 2018. 
As we all arrived at the Kihei boat ramp at 6:00 a.m., we rubbed our eyes, chugged whatever coffee we had, and got ready for the journey over. We were suited up with life vests and took our seats. It was a beautiful morning leaving Kihei. We even had a humpback whale bid us aloha with a tail slap. Most of the group had never been to Kaho’olawe before, so we were eager to get our first up-close views of the Target Isle. Upon arriving to Honokanai’a Bay, where base camp is located, the water was clear and calm and we did not have to jump overboard to swim to shore because the wind and swell were cooperating. 
The beach was beautiful, however, there was a surprising amount of marine debris along the tide lines. Throughout our time on the island, we visited the beach and inspected what had washed up on shore. There were shoes, toothbrushes, clothes hangers, hagfish traps, plastic fragments, oyster spacer tubes, glass bottles, fishing line, and the list goes on. It was a loud reminder of how we need to use less plastic and make sure it is being disposed of properly! 
After getting a tour of the island on Tuesday, we woke up for breakfast at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday to get up to the range to plant some native species! At Skyline, we value conservation and protecting native ecosystems, so much of our work revolves around removing invasive species and replacing them with natives to encourage better water storage, erosion control, and native bird habitat. It was very special to take one of our values and implement it on another island, an island that most people never get to visit! 
Everyone was motivated and ready to work. We gathered all of the plants, gear, tools, and lunch and made our journey to the range. We started planting around 9:00 a.m., carefully placing a’ali’i and koa plants among others with fertilizer and plenty of soil and water. Kaho’olawe does not have any topsoil left. It is mostly eroded to hardpan-soil/clay so plants can have a hard time getting established and being successful. However, lead botanist Paul and his assistant Lyman have had many years to experiment and test different ways of planting, allowing them to monitor which plants succeed and which ones do not. Over recent years, they have seen an almost 80% success rate for native plant growth, whereas when they first began it was around 6%. 
Wednesday was a long day in the sun and dirt, but everyone felt satisfied with their work, and rain was in the forecast so we packed up most of our materials and made our way back to basecamp. Thursday morning presented thunderclouds and rain, which made the range inaccessible. There is always cleaning to be done at basecamp, so we broke off into groups and started cleaning! Basecamp has been around since the 80s, and since it is right on the bay, it has received a bit of salt. We finished cleaning early and couldn’t go to the work site, so our leaders called it “island appreciation day” and gave us free time to enjoy being on Kaho’olawe. 
Friday morning we woke up once again for breakfast at 6:00 a.m. It was time to pack our bags and head back to Maui. A new group came to the island from Oahu that morning. Seeing them arrive reminded us how we felt when we first arrived on Kaho’olawe: a bit disoriented, in awe, and grateful. After unloading the group and gear from Oahu from the sandbar close to shore, it was our turn to board the ship. Unfortunately, the captain could not find enough time between the sets to load us onto the boat close to shore so we had to swim. But all of us were excited for the adventure. We went out in groups of three with crew assisting us making sure we all made it onto the boat. On our ride back to Maui, we saw a very small baby humpback whale with its mom and (most likely) male escort. The boat ride took a little over an hour to get back to Kihei on Maui. Most of the group probably took some long naps upon returning home. 
It is truly special to see what KIRC does for the island and state of Hawaii as a whole: encouraging not only physical restoration to the beaten-down island but cultural restoration as well. The Skyline team left feeling rejuvenated and developed a whole new perspective of the island. We talked about how it is always easier to teach about something you have experienced personally, and now we each have our own stories to tell about the time we volunteered on Kaho’olawe. To learn more about what is happening on Kaho’olawe and how to volunteer, visit http://www.kahoolawe.hawaii.gov/home.php About the Author: Skyline Hawai’i offers unforgettable tours for the lover of natural beauty, the adventurous thrill-seeker, and everyone in between. Let us show you what the Aloha spirit is all about. For more information or to make your reservation today, visit: www.skylinehawaii.com. 
As we all arrived at the Kihei boat ramp at 6:00 a.m., we rubbed our eyes, chugged whatever coffee we had, and got ready for the journey over. We were suited up with life vests and took our seats. It was a beautiful morning leaving Kihei. We even had a humpback whale bid us aloha with a tail slap. Most of the group had never been to Kaho’olawe before, so we were eager to get our first up-close views of the Target Isle. Upon arriving to Honokanai’a Bay, where base camp is located, the water was clear and calm and we did not have to jump overboard to swim to shore because the wind and swell were cooperating. The beach was beautiful, however, there was a surprising amount of marine debris along the tide lines. Throughout our time on the island, we visited the beach and inspected what had washed up on shore. There were shoes, toothbrushes, clothes hangers, hagfish traps, plastic fragments, oyster spacer tubes, glass bottles, fishing line, and the list goes on. It was a loud reminder of how we need to use less plastic and make sure it is being disposed of properly! After getting a tour of the island on Tuesday, we woke up for breakfast at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday to get up to the range to plant some native species! At Skyline, we value conservation and protecting native ecosystems, so much of our work revolves around removing invasive species and replacing them with natives to encourage better water storage, erosion control, and native bird habitat. It was very special to take one of our values and implement it on another island, an island that most people never get to visit! Everyone was motivated and ready to work. We gathered all of the plants, gear, tools, and lunch and made our journey to the range. We started planting around 9:00 a.m., carefully placing a’ali’i and koa plants among others with fertilizer and plenty of soil and water. Kaho’olawe does not have any topsoil left. It is mostly eroded to hardpan-soil/clay so plants can have a hard time getting established and being successful. However, lead botanist Paul and his assistant Lyman have had many years to experiment and test different ways of planting, allowing them to monitor which plants succeed and which ones do not. Over recent years, they have seen an almost 80% success rate for native plant growth, whereas when they first began it was around 6%. Wednesday was a long day in the sun and dirt, but everyone felt satisfied with their work, and rain was in the forecast so we packed up most of our materials and made our way back to basecamp. Thursday morning presented thunderclouds and rain, which made the range inaccessible. There is always cleaning to be done at basecamp, so we broke off into groups and started cleaning! Basecamp has been around since the 80s, and since it is right on the bay, it has received a bit of salt. We finished cleaning early and couldn’t go to the work site, so our leaders called it “island appreciation day” and gave us free time to enjoy being on Kaho’olawe. Friday morning we woke up once again for breakfast at 6:00 a.m. It was time to pack our bags and head back to Maui. A new group came to the island from Oahu that morning. Seeing them arrive reminded us how we felt when we first arrived on Kaho’olawe: a bit disoriented, in awe, and grateful. After unloading the group and gear from Oahu from the sandbar close to shore, it was our turn to board the ship. Unfortunately, the captain could not find enough time between the sets to load us onto the boat close to shore so we had to swim. But all of us were excited for the adventure. We went out in groups of three with crew assisting us making sure we all made it onto the boat. On our ride back to Maui, we saw a very small baby humpback whale with its mom and (most likely) male escort. The boat ride took a little over an hour to get back to Kihei on Maui. Most of the group probably took some long naps upon returning home. It is truly special to see what KIRC does for the island and state of Hawaii as a whole: encouraging not only physical restoration to the beaten-down island but cultural restoration as well. The Skyline team left feeling rejuvenated and developed a whole new perspective of the island. We talked about how it is always easier to teach about something you have experienced personally, and now we each have our own stories to tell about the time we volunteered on Kaho’olawe. To learn more about what is happening on Kaho’olawe and how to volunteer, visit http://www.kahoolawe.hawaii.gov/home.php About the Author: Skyline Hawai’i offers unforgettable tours for the lover of natural beauty, the adventurous thrill-seeker, and everyone in between. Let us show you what the Aloha spirit is all about. For more information or to make your reservation today, visit: www.skylinehawaii.com.
