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Waimea Town Celebration

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Alakoko Fishpond

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Alakoko By Jan TenBruggencate Board President, Mālama Hulē’ia

Six hundred years ago, the community around broad Nāwiliwili Bay gathered to build a resource, a monumental accomplishment that would feed the island for generations. A complex mythology grew around that construction project – variously including magical little people and ancient moralistic tales – but it was rooted in a real feature that survives today. The Alakoko Fishpond, dating to between 1390 and 1450, is the legacy of that work. Over the centuries, many Kaua‘i hands have worked on that fishpond wall. Replacing flood-shifted stones. Filling voids. Rebuilding the mākāhā gates that allowed water and fingerlings to traverse but kept big fish inside. The community planted crops around the pond perimeter, collected lauhala from the ancient pandanus grove at the northern end, and drew water from the several springs that feed the pond. The pond and its surroundings fed the community that worked there. Now, it is this generation’s turn to honor the commitment of those generations. The Trust for Public Land purchased the 102-acre property in 2021, and transferred it to the community nonprofit organization Mālama Hulē‘ia. That conservation purchase extended a great arc of stewardship. The pond was once in the control of local ali‘i, and then Hawaiian Kingdom ali‘i. Alakoko was sold in the 1800s to private interests, and now is back in the hands of the community. In the coming months, Mālama Hulē‘ia will engage the community in planning for the future of the pond. Several projects have already been identified and are in various stages of planning, permitting and funding, said executive director Sara Bowen.

“Further input on the long-term vision will come from community input. Among the many initiatives that we know should go forward are the robust educational program, deep community engagement, repair to the fishpond wall, continued ecosystem restoration including removal of mangrove along the Hulē‘ia River, replanting with native species that will better hold the soil, and improving water quality and wildlife habitat,” Bowen said. In the past three years, thousands of Kaua‘i school kids have worked and learned at the pond. There are hundreds of students there every month. Their teachers work with Mālama Hulē‘ia staff on curriculum that includes natural science, history, Hawaiian culture and much more. “Amidst COVID restrictions, the fishpond has served as a unique outdoor classroom for over a thousand of Kaua‘i’s own haumāna (students), ranging in age from kamali‘i (young children) to kūpuna (elderly). Our partnerships with Kanuikapono Public Charter School and Kamehameha Schools have been instrumental in returning our community to this special place,” said Tiele Doudt, who directs Mālama Hulē‘ia’s education program. Meanwhile, the original mission of Mālama Hulē‘ia, replacing invasive red mangrove with native lowland species, is progressing. Dozens of acres have already been cleared, and the fishpond wall, which had been hidden under mangrove for decades, is now cleared and ready for repair. The organization has started working on permits required for repair of the fishpond wall repair. continued on page 8

Léo Azambuja Almost all the mangrove has been cleared from the Alakoko Fishpond, as show on this photo taken in January. The shallow, muddy area on the left of the picture is now attracting several species of Hawaiian endangered birds

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Mālama Hulē‘ia Operations Manager Peleke Flores

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On the cover: Malama Hulē‘ia Operations Manager Peleke Flores, far left, is seen with volunteers from Kawaikini Public Charter School, left to right, Lilia Gutierrez, Kaeo Hoffman, Keahi Troche, Pualani Jany, Miulana Asai and teacher Alohilani Rogers. Photo by Léo Azambuja

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An Insider’s Perspective on Saving Entangled Whales By Ed Lyman and Jean Souza An entangled humpback whale off Kaua‘i in late January has captured the public’s attention. At the time of this writing, several multi-agency efforts, with appropriate help from the community, have been mounted. These efforts have resulted in nearly 2,000 feet of line being removed, greatly increasing the animal’s chance of survival. However, gear remains on the animal, and it remains to be seen whether trained and authorized teams will be able to remove all the gear threatening this animal. Here is a rare look behind the scenes of an authorized large whale entanglement response.

Akeakamai

Peak Season for Humpback Whales January through March are the peak months for viewing humpback whales in Hawai‘i. The majority of humpback whales in the North Pacific Ocean return to Hawai‘i to breed, give birth and nurse their young. It is one of the largest seasonal gatherings of humpback whales on the planet. Humpback whales prefer the nearshore waters of Hawai‘i to search for and find mates, and pregnant females prefer shallow embayments as birthing sites. For these reasons, spotting humpback whales in Hawai‘i is easy from shore and from boats. Po‘ipū Whale On Sunday, Jan. 16, a drone operator noticed an entangled humpback whale off Po‘ipū and reported it to the NOAA Fisheries Marine Wildlife Hotline. The animal was entangled in heavy gauge line up forward on the left side of its body, possibly involving the left pectoral flipper and its mouth. Hundreds of feet of line was trailing. The whale is emaciated and has rough-textured skin that appears discolored because of lots of whale lice, indicating poor health. This is not the normal, smooth, shiny black skin of a healthy whale. Calls such as this one are directed to Ed Lyman on Maui. Ed is the Natural Resource Specialist with Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS). He has over 25 years of experience in large whale entanglement response. Almost 20 years ago, Ed, HIHWNMS, and NOAA Fisheries Service initiated the Hawai‘i large whale entanglement response. Once the entanglement was determined to be life-threatening, a trained, authorized and wellequipped team of responders was alerted. This included leader Jamie Thomton (Level 3 responder) of NOAA Fisheries, Capt. Tara Leota, Dr. Mimi Olry of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, and U.S. Coast Guard Station Kaua‘i, headed by Chief Timothy Elhajj. Within 90 minutes after notification the team was underway, and arrived on-scene within two hours with the help of the drone operator. Jamie, Mimi and Capt. Tara were aboard her rigid hull inflatable Papio and pulled up alongside the then-docile whale. A detailed assessment of the animal was made, and a special buoy with a satellite tag was attached to the trailing gear. The tag would allow the team to track the whale’s location so that it could be intercepted later. Nearly 2,000 feet of trailing line was accessed and safely removed. However, the line closer to the animal involved higher risk when removing and would require more experience, different tools, and therefore could not be immediately removed. The telemetry buoy on the remaining gear would allow a follow-up effort to hopefully remove the remaining gear entangling the whale. The 2,000 feet of line removed from the whale is being analyzed to determine its source and how long it has entangled the whale. The information obtained from removed gear is used to address preventive measures and provide more insight into the circumstances of a whale’s entanglement. Ni‘ihau and Back to Kaua‘i Ed Lyman flew to Kaua‘i the next morning (Monday, Jan. 17). The USCG, Capt. Tara, Jamie, and drone operator James Begeman motored aboard the Papio to Ni‘ihau, where satellite fixes indicated the whale was on the north side of the island and headed south along the western coast. A tricky thing about using satellites for tracking is that there are long periods when there are no satellites overhead – no satellites means no position updates on the animal. Also, if satellites are low on the horizon, some the signals are weak and the reliability of the fixes are low. The tracking buoy has both satellite and radio-based transmitters. The team picked up the VHF radio signal from the tag package. However, due to the long distance travelled and the animal moving rapidly away, and the limited daylight again, the team had to abort before reaching the animal. The team returned to Kaua‘i in the moonlight. Ed had to return to Maui the next morning. Page 6

On Wednesday, June 19, good satellite fixes indicated that the whale was off Kapa‘a headed north, counterclockwise around Kaua`i. USCG with Jamie and James and all the required gear left Nāwiliwili Harbor to attempt to relocate the whale for further disentanglement. The whale was spotted off Hanalei just before sunset by aerial support from Līhu‘e. The whale was there but the surface team was not able to relocate it due to long dive times and a fast-moving, unpredictable animal. Pre-dawn satellite fixes on Thursday indicated the whale was off the eastern coast headed south, clockwise around the island. USCG with Jamie left Nāwiliwili Harbor early in the morning to again try to relocate the whale, which in the meantime had picked up speed and was nearing Makahuena Point in Po‘ipū. Within a short amount of time, it was at Ka‘iwa Bay on the western end of Po‘ipū headed to Waimea and to Pacific Missile Range Facility. As the whale was once again outrunning and/or outmaneuvering the team’s extensive efforts, the search was called off for the day. Back to Ni‘ihau On Friday, June 21, the whale was off Ni‘ihau again. Due to ocean conditions and other factors, no onwater response was mounted this day. Better conditions were hoped for in the next two days, either off Ni‘ihau or off Kaua‘i. How Do We Disentangle a Large Whale? So how do we disentangle an animal that could be more than 45-feet long and weigh more than 40 tons? For starters, all responses are boat-based. This means that no one gets into the water. This is a big safety point. Once the whale is spotted, its speed and dives are reduced through the use of inflated poly balls that are attached to the entanglement. Basically, adding gear to get gear off. This is a modification of an old whaling technique called kegging, except now it is being used to save whales, not kill them for their blubber and baleen.

Once the whale has slowed and stays near the surface, the team has a number of options on how to cut the lines. Much of it depends on how it is entangled. The cuts are strategically planned and executed. Specially designed and manufactured v-shaped cutting knives can be attached to long poles. An advanced level of training is required for this operation as the responder will be close to the animal. Calm ocean conditions are always preferred, which is a challenge on Kaua‘i where the lee is usually small.

The entangled humpback whale is seen here trailing fishing line and with visible injuries on its left fluke, on this photo take Jan. 16. Photo by Tara Leota, NOAA Fisheries Permit #18786-06

Finding that One Whale in a Big Ocean Everyone who knows about this whale recognizes the dire outcome it faces if the team is not successful in freeing it of its man-made entanglement. If it could have shed the disentanglement on its own, it would have done it before. Its best chance of disentanglement is in Hawai‘i with this Kaua‘i team because the whales are closer to shore here than they are in their expansive northern Pacific feeding grounds off Alaska, Russia and British Columbia. The whale, even in its poor body condition, has been tracked at sustained speeds of three to six knots. Rarely has its speed been less than two knots. Satellite tracking has its advantages but it also has some limitations, as we have seen with this whale. In addition to the lack of satellite passes at times, fixes may not be immediately available or, as mentioned, may not be accurate. If out of cell phone range, the satellite fixes will not be accessible, and only line of sight VHF telemetry can be used. Trips to Ni‘ihau typically means the team is out of communication for half a day or more and thus have no easy means of getting updates. The need for a satellite phone to check on satellite fixes of the buoy while out of normal cell range has become more evident. As this article goes to print, it is not known what the outcome of the whale, and the human effort to disentangle it, will be. The effort thus far has been admirable, under very challenging conditions. But a word of caution to anyone contemplating jumping in with the whale in an attempt to save it: don’t do it. These animals are large, powerful and not always predictable. Do not tie your vessel onto the whale in attempt to keep it at the surface, they can take you and your boat underwater. People worldwide have gotten seriously hurt or killed while trying to disentangle large whales. Do not let it be you. Leave the response to those who have trained for this, are authorized, and who have the specialized gear, such as special cutting knives and underwater cameras. How You Can Help Early reporting is key to successful response efforts. We ask for the public’s help in following these steps if they spot an entangled whale: Call – Call the statewide NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at (888) 256-9840 to alert authorized responders. If you do not have cell service, call the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16. Monitor – If a response is possible, authorities may ask that you watch the animal from a safe – and legal – distance. Follow the 100-yard or close approach rule. This prohibits approaching humpback whales by any means (including with a drone) within 100 yards, and within 1,000 feet when operating an aircraft. Document – If possible, take photos and video of the animal and entanglement from a safe – and legal – distance. Again, remember the 100-yard or close approach rule. Wait – Rescue efforts should only be conducted by trained, authorized personnel. For your safety and the whale’s, do not attempt to free a whale on your own. Disentangling a large whale is dangerous. Removing trailing lines and buoys may diminish the chances of freeing the animal of all gear, leaving potentially lethal wraps of line still around the whale. People can also help by providing funding that allows the teams to purchase equipment (such as knives, poles, drones or new tags) and maintain the equipment they already have. For instance, the string of efforts to free this animal of its life-threatening entanglement has illustrated the need for a satellite phone or similar communication devices to maintain communications offshore, better telemetry to track the animals, drones to better assess the animals and the impacts of the entanglement, and better carbonfiber poles to reach out and cut the animals. The Kaua‘i team is likely to need a replacement grapple and telemetry kit, which involves the transmitter as well as the buoy that holds it. These items alone represent nearly $4,000. As this article goes to print, there is also another reported entangled whale in Hawai‘i.

This whale sustained tissue damage on its left fluke caused by more than 2,000 feet of trailing line, on this photo taken Jan. 16. Photo by Tara Leota, NOAA Fisheries Permit #18786-06

For more Info For information about entanglements of marine life, its risks and response, visit NOAA Fisheries website: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/ insight/entanglement-marine-life-risks-andresponse Those interested in learning how to properly assess, document and report critical entanglements to authorized and highly trained rescue teams, go to pacific-islandstraining.whaledisentanglement.org/# It will not prepare or qualify you to perform or assist in the actual process of disentangling a whale. For more information about humpback whales, visit the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary website: hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov Ed Lyman is the Natural Resource Specialist with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. He serves as the Regional Large Whale Entanglement Response Coordinator under NOAA’s Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program.

NOAA and partners removed nearly 2,000 feet of heavy gauge line from the entangled humpback on Jan. 16. Photo by NOAA Fisheries/Jamie Thomton, NOAA Fisheries Permit #18786-06

• Jean Souza serves as the on-site manager of Kaua`i Ocean Discovery at Kukui Grove Center and is a Program Specialist with HIHWNMS. She is a member of the Kaua`i large whale entanglement response team. She can be contacted at Jean.Souza@noaa.gov

Alakoko from page 2

“We hope to engage both students and the larger community in that effort. It’s going to be a lot of work,” said Peleke Flores, operations manager for Mālama Hulē‘ia. He has already begun training workers in the construction of Hawaiian rock walls in anticipation of the fishpond work. One possible future is to restore the fishpond for aquaculture and make the pond and its surrounding lands a source of food for the community: fish, limu (seaweed) and shellfish from the pond, and kalo, ulu (breadfruit) and other crops from the land. Another future might be a cultural center, focusing on education and Hawaiian crafting. Another might be a conservation science hub, working to create a template for repairing damaged ecosystems with native species. More likely, the vision would be a blend of those things and others, which will be identified during a strategic planning process. Scientific dating from core samples in the pond indicate it was probably built roughly in the time when the island was ruled by famed early king Kukona, his more famous son Manokalanipo and his son Kaumakaamano – the late 1300s to the middle 1400s. The community 600 years ago began work in a bend of the Hulē‘ia River, raising a kuapā, or fishpond wall. In this case it was a unique earthen wall a half-mile long. It was lined on the river side of the wall with a double row of basalt stones to protect it from tidal and storm action in the river. Some of the stories suggest it was such a big job that it wasn’t finished all at once, and that specialized stoneworkers were brought in to complete the task – a tradition that may have led to the mythology about Menehune completing the pond wall. From the Menehune myth, the pond got the popular name, Menehune Fishpond. Alakoko has also been called Alekoko, Pēpē’awa and Niumalu loko. But the oldest written references use Alakoko, including a Hawaiian-language 1852 Land Court survey that refers to “ka loko o Alakoko” (the Alakoko pond.) Over the centuries, pond maintenance was regularly needed to repair damage from normal tidal movement, flash floods, tsunami and hurricanes. Alakoko was one of a half dozen named fishponds in the area, but it is the only one that has survived. Some modifications were made during a restoration around 1900, including adding a smaller pond at the downstream end, and replacing two old stone mākāhā with concrete sluice gates that still stand today. Among the most recent threats to the pond is the mangrove, an invasive, non-Hawaiian tree that showed up on Kaua‘i about 1930. By 1970, it had started sprouting on the pond wall, and by 2010 it was dense, covering the wall entirely, along with both sides of two miles of the river and the entire inside perimeter of the pond. In the Hulē’ia river, the aggressive mangrove began intruding from both sides, reducing its width. That is when paddlers at Kaiola Canoe Club, led by paddler Stevan Yee, grew concerned enough collaborate with the Nawiliwili Bay Watershed Council, led by the late Cheryl Lovell-Obatake, to think about solutions. Mālama Hulē‘ia was the result: a community organization whose focus would be mangrove control. Mālama Hulē’ia started as a program of Kaiola Canoe Club, and was incorporated as an independent nonprofit in 2015. Its initial project was the removal by hand of more than two acres of mangrove fronting Niumalu Beach Park and along the road leading past it. Hundreds of community volunteers, school groups, Rotarians, hotel workers and others joined in. The community organization identified the mangrove-infested Alakoko Fishpond area as the next target, and negotiated a 20-year lease on the pond. By the end of 2020, more than 26 acres had been cleared – on the wall with hand tools, and on the pond perimeter with heavy equipment. For Mālama Hulē‘ia, that created a new responsibility, a new kuleana. The mangrove was no longer tearing up the wall with its roots, but now the wall was exposed once again to storms and tides. The protection of the fishpond became part of the group’s mission, and with it the increasing role of education. Teachers across the island asked to bring classes for outdoor education, cultural studies and work projects. Hundreds of students visit and learn there each month. After the landowners put the fishpond property up for sale in January 2021, The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with Mālama Hulē‘ia, negotiated a conservation purchase and bought the land with a no-strings-attached donation from Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg through the Chan Zuckerberg Kaua‘i Community Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. The land is now forever protected by deed restrictions, ensuring the property will forever be used for conservation, education and community. Page 8

Léo Azambuja Students from Kawaikini Public Charter school are seen here helping to remove mangrove seedlings from the Alakoko Fishpond last January. “The Trust for Public Land is so humbled to partner with Mālama Hulē‘ia and the Kaua‘i community to preserve this precious wahi kūpuna (ancestral land) and help make their long held vision a reality,” said Reyna Ramolete Hayashi, The Trust for Public Land’s Aloha ‘Āina Project Manager. Now Mālama Hulē‘ia and The Trust for Public Land are fundraising for the many projects anticipated in 2022, including work on the fishpond wall, continued replanting with native species, delivering educational programs to schools and community groups, restoring community work days, replacing tarp tent shelters with traditional Hawaiian hale construction, continuing its mangrove eradication and more. To help, please consider a donation. For information, visit www.RestoreTheFishpond.org to make a gift, volunteer, and learn more.

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"Our westside community of Kaua'i is resilient and strong like the liko lehua that springs up after a lava flow. We too will come back and thrive despite this pandemic." – Thomas Nizo, Festival Director

45th Annual Waimea Town Celebration February 19-26 www.waimeatowncelebration.com KAUAI‘

Schedule of Events KAUA‘I COCKTAILS & CUISINE 02.19.22 – SATURDAY HISTORIC WAIMEA THEATER 6:30 PM TO 9:30 PM Secret “Speakeasy” event featuring prohibition period drinks and cuisine plus a costume contest. Jazz music by Lady Ipo. Must be 21+ to enter. Purchase tickets online at www.waimeatowncelebration.com. Hosted by The Saddle Room and guest mixologists. $50 Admission / $75 VIP Ticket

NA‘I ‘OLE LONG DISTANCE CANOE RACE 02.20.22 — SUNDAY WAIMEA LANDING 8:00 AM TO NOON (AWARDS CEREMONY AT 1:00 PM)

February 19-26, 2022

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ALL EVENTS WILL REQUIRE A WTC HEALTH PASSPORT QR CODE TO ENTER Sign up online for your WTC Health Passport Each event requires guests to present their QR code generated from the WTC Health Passport and be checked in. People who are vaccinated can upload their driver's license and vaccination cards now (booster shots too if their initial Pfizer or Moderna series is 6 months old or 2 months for Johnson & Johnson). Non-vaccinated can upload negative test result of covid test up to 72 hours prior to the event they would like to attend. When guests arrive, they will need to present their QR code and ID for entry.

Traditional Hawaiian outrigger canoes race along the Waimea shoreline competing in the Century (+300), Half-Century (+150) and Quarter Century (+75) divisions for men, women and mixed crews. Lunch provided for all paddlers. Spectators enjoy FREE admission. For addition info, please contact Val Saffery of Kilohana Canoe Club at 808-345-0250.

Waimea Town Celebration 2022 KING KAUMUALI‘I LŪ‘AU 02.20.22 — SUNDAY HISTORIC WAIMEA THEATER 5:00 PM TO 8:00 PM A cultural presentation of hula and song by Kumu Hula Troy Hinano Lazaro of Ka Pa Hula o Hinano honoring Kaua‘i‘s last king and a lū‘au dinner included. Doors open at 4:30 PM. $30 per ticket | tickets available online

WAIMEA FILM FESTIVAL — HIFF HANA HOU! 02.21.22 — MONDAY HISTORIC WAIMEA THEATER 9:00 AM TO 6:00 PM An encore of successful films featured at the 41st Annual Hawai‘i International Film Festival in Honolulu never played on Kaua‘i. The lineup, trailers and tickets can be found at www.waimeatowncelebration.com. $10 per film at box office or $30 all day pass available online and at box office

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Waimea Town Celebration 2022 MUSIC IN THE PARK 02.22—24.22 — TUESDAY THRU THURSDAY HOFGAARD PARK 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM

TALES & TREATS — HAWAIIAN LEGENDS 0.24.22 — THURSDAY HISTORIC WAIMEA THEATER 6:30 PM TO 8:30 PM

Food eating contests at 11:30 AM. Entry is free. Sign up at the park. Cash and prices will be awarded immediately following contests. Tues: Spam Musubi. Wed: Redondo Hot Dog. Thurs: Kauai Kim Chee.

Kanaka Maoli Storyteller Moses Goods will be onstage with his production of Huaka‘i o na Holoholona and the desserts shared will be inspired by these legends and included in the ticket price.

AMBASSADOR OF ALOHA & MUSIC CONCERT 02.23.22 — WEDNESDAY HISTORIC WAIMEA THEATER 6:30 PM TO 8:30 PM

$10 general admission / Tickets are be available online

A Hawaiian music concert by Nā Hoku Hanohano Award Winner Kainani Kahaunaele that honors our Ambassador of Aloha for 2022 Basilio “Bunga” Fuertes who is a member of our community and generously contributes his time and aloha to our island community . $10 general admission Tickets available at the box office or online

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Waimea Town Celebration 2022 KAUA‘I PANIOLO SHOWDOWN RODEO 02.24-26.22 — THURSDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAY THE FRIENDSHIP DO RANCH 6:00 PM (THUR) | 9:00 AM TILL PAU (FRI) | 9:00 AM TO 3 PM (SAT)

HERITAGE OF ALOHA HO‘OLAULE‘A 02.25-26.22 — FRIDAY & SATURDAY OLD WAIMEA MILL 5:00 PM TO 11:30 PM FRIDAY 10:00 AM TO 11:30 PM SATURDAY

The largest traditional radio in al of the Hawaiian Islands features events like Paniolo Po‘owalu and Double Mugging which are unique to Hawai‘i Rodeos.

2 day Ho‘olau‘le‘a at the Old Waimea Mill. Paradise Beverage / Koloa Rum Beer Garden. Local food and craft vendors and 22 hours of live entertainment on the big stage.

$5 Adult / $3 Child (5-12 years)

WTC Health Passport required for entry. This will be a gated event!

WTC Health Passport required for entry. For additional info, please contact Kimo Akita at 808-639-8598

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Waimea Town Celebration 2022 3-ON-3 BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT 02.25-26.22 — FRIDAY & SATURDAY COURTS AT WAIMEA CANYON PARK 6:00 PM TO 9:00 PM (FRI) & 9:00 AM TO 4:00 PM (SAT)

FUN RUN (10K, 5K, 2K RACES) 02.26.22 — SATURDAY WAIMEA PLANTATION COTTAGES 7:00 AM START TIME

This is the largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament on the island and benefits the Westside Basketball Club. The cost is $10 per player (school division and $25 per player (adult division). Late registration at 5:00 PM on Friday for adult male teams. Youth teams late registration is 8:00 AM on Saturday. For additional info, please contact Dino Pabre at 808-286-2064

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The 45th Annual Waimea Town Celebration Fun Run benefits The Makana Training Center (Hiikua). Cost is $30 for adults and $25 for students (17 years and younger). Register online at flpregister.com/561or at the Heritage of Aloha Ho‘olaule‘a (Old Waimea Mill Site) on Friday (02.25.20) from 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM. Entry forms also available on the downloads page at www.waimeatowncelebration.com. Late registration is $40. Check-in 5:30 AM to 6:30 AM.

Waimea Town Celebration 2022 LEI PAPALE (HAT LEI) CONTEST 02.26.22 — SATURDAY HO‘OLAULE‘A FESTIVAL GROUNDS DROP OFF 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM VIEW 3:30 PM TO 7:00 PM PICK UP LEI AND AWARDS AT 7:30 PM Make lei appropriate for hats and enter 1 of 2 categories: “Most Beautiful” (use only fresh materials) and “Most Unique” (any material is acceptable). Age groups are Keiki — 2nd Grade, 3rd5th Grade, 6th-8th Grade, 9th-12th Grade and Adult. Or enter your family heirloom for the People‘s Choice Award. Entry form is on the website downloads page. For additional info, please contact Carrie Newcomb at 808-634-0815.

SUPER DUPER 2‘S ICE CREAM EATING CONTEST 02.26.22 — SATURDAY OLD WAIMEA SUGAR MILL SITE NOON AT HERITAGE OF ALOHA HO‘OLAULE‘A Super Duper 2‘s Ice Cream Eating Content is FREE to participate. Sign up at 11:30 AM next to the big stage at the Heritage of Aloha Ho‘olaule‘a. Age categories are as follows: (1) 5 to 8 years old; (2) 9 to 15 years old; (3) 16 to 25 years old; (4) 26 to 35 years old; (5) 36 to 54 years old; and (6) 55+ years old. For additional info, please contact Lisa Johnston at 808-652-7984

SCOTTY'S MUSIC ‘UKULELE CONTEST 02.26.22 — SATURDAY HO‘OLAULE‘A MAIN STAGE 1:00 PM | PRE-REGISTER BY 12:45 PM AT THE INFO BOOTH Rules are (1) 3 minutes maximum per song; (2) 1 song per entry; (3) soloists only, no groups allowed; (4) judged on presentation, tone, showmanship, difficulty of song and overall performance. Only ‘ukulele talent will be judged (not singing). Age groups: up to 6th Grade, 7th to 9th grade, 10th to 12th grade and adults. Win ‘ukulele and other prizes! Pick up an entry from Scotty's Music (across from Walmart) or go to the downloads page at ww.waimeatowncelebration.com. For addition info, please contact Carrie Newcomb at 808-634-0815

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Love Means Masks By Virginia Beck February is always a special time. The Waimea Town Celebration, Valentine’s Day and my Ku‘uipo’s birthday (smooches, artist Marty Wessler), – these are all reasons to celebrate aloha, or love. Hard to believe, year three of the pandemic, as we suffer staggering losses of loved ones to the Omicron virus. It is so sneaky, despite all the testing, it infects many. My housekeeper, my neighbor next door, the one across the street. My BFF’s grandson. No family, no community is untouched. We are all connected. Life is short enough, and grieving breaks our hearts, again. One more time, our amazing aloha and ‘ohana spirit has everyday heroes quietly stepping up: to pick up the pieces, find the resources, feed the hungry. What is it about love? So strong, so fragile, it opens our hearts and surges forth to help one another. I have been binge watching After Life, a British series on Netflix. It is not for the fainthearted, as the humor is bawdy, coarse and vulgar. Different film censorship guidelines, and language is not on the list. It’s about a gruff, annoying, sarcastic man bitter at losing his wife, and a rough journey through grief. His country village community is tight and gossipy. Hiding his deep love of his wife, drinking and threatening suicide, he slowly understands the kindness of friends. Gradually, he realizes they are all hurting, in different ways. His wife left him an amazing series of videos, coaching him for when she’s gone. So tender. And also incredibly funny! I laughed more than I cried. Our time together is always so short, too short. Making the most of it is the best we can do. Volunteering is second nature to us. We are all related in many ways. Probably only 0.2 “degrees of separation.” A deeply woven net of relationships, an entire web of communication, service, compassion and joy. What a privilege it is to live here. Yet, our amazing community pulls together once again. Opening testing sites on holidays.

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Working longer hours. Health care facilities and staff are stretched beyond their limits; like elastic bands, they are worn thin. Our Miracle working Department of Health – OMG, overtime to the max. You can’t complain about waiting in line for two hours, when there are no more tests in the pharmacies, and the whole world is upgrading masks. Omicron virus hits the throat first! You will be totally infected and infectious before it hits your nose. Health care runs on the thinnest of margins; 2 percent, if that. Most of the inflow goes to pay for the facilities, the staff, the equipment and the supplies. Endless overtime for caregivers burnt and crispy around the edges, but somehow showing up to work. Unless they have Omicron, tested positive, and then they are out. Short staffed at the hospitals. Our emergency rooms are functional, but cannot run on miracles. We ask too much of them, and the only way we can help them is to vaccinate, boost and mask, and stay out of their way. Aloha means we take responsibility for our kuleana (responsibilities), and protecting our families is everything. We can still celebrate, and this will burn itself out. In time for Valentine’s, in time for celebrations, especially the Waimea Town Celebration. Sometimes aloha means “Pretend you are an adult!” Other times, “Hang loose, and Play safely, with a mask.” Aloha always finds a way.

• Virginia Beck, NP and Certified Trager® Practitioner, offers Wellness Consultation, Trager Psychophysical Integration and teaches Malama Birth Training classes. She can be reached at 635-5618.

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Beach Cleanup Team By Tommy Noyes Beginning on Jan. 1, 2022 a series of king tides launched a mass of albizia driftwood into Wailua River and the ocean. A lot of that material ended up in the Morgan’s Ponds at Lydgate Beach Park. During the single month of January 2022, the Friends of Kamalani and Lydgate Park Beach Cleanup Team volunteers cleared away some 180 cubic yards of driftwood, almost all of it by hand. The Beach Cleanup Team was supported by the state Department of Parks and Recreation plus donated equipment provided by Pacific Concrete Cutting & Coring, and Cushnie Construction. Clearing away huge amounts of driftwood by hand takes a lot of hard physical labor, yet the Friends of Kamalani keep coming back every Saturday, clearing the driftwood from this special park amenity. What is it that motivates these people? “These beach cleanups are rewarding,” helicopter pilot Arthur Griffin-Noyes said. “I’m able to give a little bit back to my community, and it gives me the opportunity to work alongside my father on a project he’s passionate about, all while maintaining a place my son really enjoys.” “Since I’m currently a visitor and not kama‘aina, it’s a ‘pay it forward’ approach,” said Kaua‘i-born Roy Seshiki, whose residence is in Washington state. “My father volunteered here, allowing me to enjoy the amenities of the beach and park. Now I’m volunteering so my son, granddaughter, and other ‘ohana will enjoy this place today, and in the future.” Eric Horning’s background is in construction. He said we all have a place in this community and this island. “We cannot turn a blind eye, and think that someone else will take care of the ‘aina,” Horning commented. “It’s our job to help out where we can, and do the work that helps us all. We all benefit from this wonderful island that we live on, and the people that make it a place to call home. The good feeling that this brings is only necessary in our hearts and nowhere else. I’m glad that I am able to help out, and that many others feel the same way.” William Shorma, who owns Rushmore Buildings Company in Springfield, South Dakota, said these beach cleanups give his family a cool venue to be part of a community that takes care of their favorite piece of ocean. “We love snorkeling in the ponds, and the Kamalani Playground for the grandkids. We’re going on six years of doing this when we visit from the continent,” Shorma said. A Kaua‘i Community Players actor and mentor for the Sea Scouts, Tom Worthen said, “I’m grateful for both the joy created as I watch people use the park, and the connections we make in our hard working cleanup team.” Janice Bond said she and others at the Kapa‘a Lions Club began volunteering when new member Michelle Carlson announced she was the Beach Cleanup Team member in charge of refreshments. reported Janice Bond. “Several Lions helped with the Jan. 15 cleanup, and then on Jan. 22 more Lions came out, including candidate for Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Like and her whole family. As a bonus, several of the Beach Cleanup Team volunteers asked to join the Lions Club,” Bond said.

Community

Page 18

Tommy Noyes Helicopter pilot Arthur Griffin-Noyes gives a little bit back to his community, while working alongside his father, Tommy Noyes, general coordinator of Friends of Kamalani and Lydgate Park, all while maintaining a place his son really enjoys.

Worthen said he watches visitors and locals enjoying Lydgate Beach Park, and he can see the difference each beach cleanup makes. “Following recent extreme rain events, albizia driftwood logs have entirely covered Morgan’s Ponds and washed up on the beach. It is so rewarding to see the rapid transformation from a pile of debris to the pristine beaches that we love,” Worthen said. The constant battle to clear away marine debris is “daunting,” said Shorma, adding “we’re all hopeful that seawall infrastructure improvements can be made to reduce the severity of these cleanup efforts, and increase our time for enjoying an island vacation.” Since no one can control the ocean or weather, clean up and maintenance will remain a necessity, according to Seshiki. “When I was a Boy Scout, we were taught to leave our sites better or cleaner than we found it” Seshiki said. “Volunteering with The Friends of Kamalani and Lydgate Park’s Beach Cleanup Team allows me to do both, and enables others enjoy this place. My only hope is other visitors and locals will do the same.” The Beach Cleanup Team meets every Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. near Lydgate Beach Park lifeguard tower. Contact the author at (808) 639-1018 for updates on volunteer opportunities. • Tommy Noyes is Kaua‘i Path’s executive director, a League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructor and active with the Kaua‘i Medical Reserve Corps.

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Page 19

Take ‘er Easy By Larry Feinstein I guess it was around 4 a.m. on Saturday morning, and I did my all too-frequent, in-thedarkness wake up. I know for many of us it is a time of runaway worry about God only knows what. I was fine, because it is miles away from the first time it’s happened. Sure, you’re probably already thinking this is going to be a tale of wanton worry and you’d be wrong. As a kid, it was always my brother, Marty, who was blessed with the ability or affliction, depending upon the circumstance, of being able to sleep through virtually everything. Subsequently, it was simple enough to say he was a good sleeper. Why compete when I could be first by not sleeping very well? I am trying to do kid-logic here. I am not sure if it is a sibling thing or not, when the younger one, knee-jerk goes in the opposite direction of his poorly armed, older kin. He loved vanilla and I automatically fell deeply in love with chocolate, an affair I have never thought of giving up. When it came to sleeping, I was always up, waiting for the sun to find me. So, what I am saying is that it was perfectly fine for me to wake up, when everything and everyone was deep asleep. I have a favorite position for sleep and it has never crossed my mind to experiment. I always face myself to the right and I must be facing a wall. The reason for this is quite simple. When I was a kid, my brother and I shared a bedroom. Mine was on the right side of the room and facing the wall was a very secure feeling for me. In all these years, it has never dawned on me to try another way. Why fool with what works? Sorry, didn’t mean to get distracted by my sleep mania, because that is not the story I want to share. So, when I invaded a world totally unprepared for my entry this morning, in the curious darkness, I thought about Sam Elliot and his character in the Big Lebowski. Out of nowhere, this quintessential cowboy materializes at a bowling alley, where the Dude wrestles with John Goodman’s Vietnam-induced insanity. He is without question a spiritual presence with a message for the Dude. At 4 a.m., this past Saturday, I went to the movie of my mind and saw Sam Elliot telling me to, “Take ‘er easy”. So, I flipped my mind around and thought about a story I wanted to share with you. I am not sure when I decided to turn off the motor of the mind and slow it all down, but I did. We are in such a hurry and the next thing we know, we are dead. In a way, it seems like the idea is to stay really busy and then you suddenly die. I don’t exactly know when nearly all of this stopped for me, but it did. I decided I didn’t want to pick up heavy packages anymore. I didn’t want to wake up to a calendar filled with deadlines and commitments. Honestly, I don’t know if it is years of meditation and thinking about the Buddha, or just getting tired of running a race with no winners. It would be easy to blame this happily afflicted malaise on just being lazy, calling it quits before the game is over. I would like you to know I do not see it that way at all. I am pretty sure mine will be the last voice I hear, and I want it to be as familiar as possible. I really like having the time to do my writing and my news podcast and my Foster and Feinstein show on YouTube. I look around at all these all people and wonder why they are so busy. Biden is already 79 years old, and the vast majority of politically influential people all over the world are just too old! I am definitely getting older and forgetting stuff. I remember getting a brain MRI for some reason or other. I was fine. However, there was a sentence or two at the end of the

Mind and the Motorcycle

Page 20

report that indicated my brain was shrinking, directly related to the anticipated dehydration that occurs with age. My brain was shrinking and it was OK! Really? Here’s the deal, I have hustled for years, having more jobs than most of you could ever imagine. I have sat at desks, buried in paper, surrounded on the floor with even more. I have juggled more phone calls than most of you, too. Trust me, I am not bragging, just sharing. I have been so busy that I actually would wake up at 4 a.m., worrying about how I would ever pull off the stuff I was into. I am only sharing this, because I want the creds over on the side of working really hard for a really long time. I think the Sam Elliott character was meant to be otherworldly, this heavenly being, an angel cowboy, with a message from the sky, “Take ‘er easy.” It’s like being told to engage the world around you with grace and I like that. In my case it is about having the time to think about this kind of stuff. What can I say? • Visit www.buzzsprout.com/1292459 if you want to hear the news of the week, like you have never heard it before. Or go to www.youtube.com/channel/UCiKB7SheuTWKABYWRolop4g to watch two guys, seemingly having nothing in common, put on a weekly show of what it’s like to be friends.

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When not on the golf course, Ron Wood “gets you up” in the morning, while B B Choi “drives you home” at night. Plus, get the latest news, play fun contests and enjoy the best music around. Guaranteed.

locally owned & operated

therapeutic massage pain management body treatmets

metimekauai.com

Still Kauai’s 1st Radio Choice.

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30’ Zodiac Raft Kauai’s Best Whale Watch and Dolphin Watching! The Only Raft Company Touring the Entire Na Pali Coast

808.742.6331

www.NaPaliRiders.com

Not only the best day of your vacation, but possibly one of the best days in your life!

Snorkel Pristine Reefs

*conditions permitting

Explore Sea Caves