March 2018 Seawords

Seaw rds The Marine Option Program Newsletter

March 2018

“Scientists are concerned that an entire 24 ecosystem, as well as reproduction rates,

will be affected as the toxic contamination gradually moves up the food chain.”

MOP GOES WHALE WATCHING SAFETY SHOULDN’T BE LUCK MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY SYMPOSIUM

March 2018

Volume XXXII, Number 3

Articles Page 3: Letter from the Editor Page 4: MOP Goes Whale Watching Page 6: The 29th Annual Symposium on Maritime Archaeology & History of Hawai‘i & the Pacific Page 13: March Surf Report Page 14: Safety Shouldn’t be Luck Page 18: Ocean Art Page 19: Critter of the Month Page 20: Shipwreck of the Month Page 22: Marine Mammal of the Month Page 24: Ocean Updates Page 26: Generation Blue Page 28: East China Oil Spill Page 30: Hanauma Bay: Calendar of Events Page 31: Flashback: March 1984 Page 32: MOP Calendar of Events

About the Photography -Cover: Kimberly Wood, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -Table of Contents: Koa Matsuoka, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -February Calendar of Events: Kimberly James, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -Back cover: Koa Matsuoka, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -MOP Goes Whale Watching: Alexa Gonzalez, MOP Student Coordinator -All uncredited photos by: MOP -Disclaimer: any photo taken from flickr.com is used under the Creative Commons License and is credited appropriately with links to the user’s flickr account.

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Letter from the Editor

A

loha!

Thank you for honoring me with this opportunity as the Associate Editor and Editor of Seawords for the last six months. I have loved sharing others’ writing to spread awareness about our oceans and I plan to continue to write for Seawords. Mahalo for welcoming me with such open arms and I know you’ll do the same for our new Editor, Jenny Johnson, UHM MOP Student and Associate Editor!

We had our 29th Annual Symposium on Maritime Archaeology and History of Hawai‘i and the Pacific. This year’s theme was “World War in Hawai‘i and the Pacific”so check out page 6 to see who presented what! We had a very special “Shipwreck of the Month” because our former Seawords Editor and UHM MOP Alumna, Kathryn Lam, tells us of her experiences in Stockholm, Sweden at the Vasa Museum. Head to page 20 to see more! Madelyn Rangel, UHM MOP Student, tells us of the effects of the East China oil spill on page 28, and how they are working to clean it up.

What would you like to see more of in Seawords? Send us your thoughts!

Mahalo for reading,

Kayla White, Seawords Editor Seawords

Volume XXXII, Number 3, March 2018 Editor: Kayla White Associate Editor: Jenny Johnson Camra Hopper (éminence grise) Dr. Cynthia Hunter (éminence grise) Jeffrey Kuwabara (éminence grise) Seawords- Marine Option Program University of Hawai‘i, College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Telephone: (808) 956-8433 Email: <seawords@hawaii.edu> Website: <http://www.hawaii.edu/mop> Seawords is the monthly newsletter of the Marine Option Program at the University of Hawai‘i. Opinions expressed herein are not necessariliy those of the Marine Option Program or of the University of Hawai‘i.

Suggestions and submissions are welcome. Submissions may include articles, photography, art work, or anything that may be of interest to the marine community in Hawai‘i and around the world.

All photos are taken by MOP unless otherwise credited.

MARCH 2018 |3

MOP Goes Whale Watching!

By: Jenny Johnson, Associate Editor

S

uperbowl Sunday started out quite differently for MOP students than the average American. Instead of getting ready for a big party, setting up appetizers and anxiously awaiting the big game, MOP students grabbed their cameras, put on their shades and headed to the Atlantis Whale Watching Cruise.

still about 30 minutes until we would head out to see the humpback whales. Downstairs held all of the delicious food, a tempting bar and access to the bow of the ship. MOPers were most interested in the bow because it seemed to have potential as the best viewing spot to see the humpbacks. Gradually, most if not all MOPers took over the bow of the ship and anxiously waited to leave the Pier.

For MOPers, this event was among the most exciting. I mean, who Finally, the Atlantis Cruise wouldn’t want to see giwas en route towards the ant humpback whales Waikīkī and Diamond head (Megaptera novaeanarea to seek out the humpgliae) swimming about back whales. Of course, the and breaching in the cruise cannot approach or Hawaiian waters? As chase the whales and must expected, an excitkeep a distance of 90 meters ing event meant spots from the cetaceans. Howevwere filling up fast in er, it is okay for the humpthe MOP vans and on backs to approach the ship.

MOP Students pose for a group photo. Photo by: the cruise. Alexa GonStudents talked and laughed Alexa Gonzalez, Student Coordinator. zalez, MOP Student while taking in the scenic Coordinator, called the Atlantis Cruise line multiple views of Diamond head and the open ocean. Then, times to score more spots on the ship. After everyone suddenly the first humpback was spotted! A breach in had arrived in the parking lot of Pier 6, where the At- the distance caught the attention of cruise goers which lantis Cruise takes off, MOPers gleefully boarded the made everyone want to see more. Slowly, more whales ship. Students were greeted by friendly faces welcom- began showing up. In front of the ship, to the left and to ing everyone to the cruise. The upstairs, where we re- the right, humpbacks were honoring us with their pressided first, was set up with round tables covered in fancy ence. Their rounded, humped backs and dark bodies tablecloths. Quickly, antsy students dropped their bags peeked out of the water. To the left, a big splash and a at the tables and began exploring the ship, as there was unison choir of gasps followed the first up-close breach 4| Seawords

MOPers enjoying the cruise! Photo by: Alexa Gonzalez, Student Coordinator. made by one of the humpbacks. After, the giant cetaceans would disappear from sight as they dove down into the ocean until coming up for air about 10 to 15 minutes later. Water and air would shoot out of their blowholes high into the air and further entice the whale watchers. Cruise goers attempted to run to each side that the humpbacks would appear but this proved difficult as the waves were huge and showed no mercy to people trying to walk around. A few stumbles here and there seemed well worth it to get the perfect view or perfect shot of these majestic creatures.

MOPers and cruise goers were able to spend their Superbowl Sunday surrounded by humpback whales because these cetaceans migrate from Alaska to the warmer waters of Hawai‘i in the winter months. These friendly giants migrate to Hawai‘i to mate, calve and nurse their young. The warm, tropical waters provide a safer environment for calves as these waters hold fewer natural predators. Though, with safety comes sacrifice. Hawaiian waters do not house krill or plankton, a humpback’s main food sources. Mothers who have just calved will not eat for months, essentially starving themselves to provide a safer environment for their young. As the mothers are starving, they are still providing their calves with nutritious and essential milk. This sacrifice by the mother is crucial to the calves’ survival.

Thanks to the migratory patterns of humpback whales, the whale watching cruise was a success, with MOPers and fellow cruise goers seeing many humpbacks up close and out in the distance. I highly recommend the Atlantis Whale Watching Cruise to anyone who wants the amazing experience of seeing the incredible humpbacks in their natural habitat!n

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) diving back down into the water. Photo by: Alexa Gonzalez, Student Coordinator.

MARCH 2018 |5

The 29th Annual Symposium on Maritime Archaeology & History of Hawai‘i & the Pacific By: Jenny Johnson, Associate Editor and Kayla White, Editor Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.

Session: World War I in Hawai‘i and the Pacific Chair: Hans Van Tilburg WORLD WAR I AND THE UNITED STATES NAVY Presented by keynote speaker: Dr. William N. Still Jr., history professor/program emeritus, East Carolina University Author of Crises at Sea: The United States Navy in European Waters in World War I (2007) Keynote Speaker Dr. William N. Still Jr. served in the Navy from 1954 to 1956. After serving in the military, he received his Master of Arts degree and his Ph.D. from University of Alabama in 1964. Dr. Still then became a professor of history at Eastern Carolina University where he founded and directed ECU’s Program in Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology in 1982. Along 6| Seawords

with ECU’s program, he also initiated the University of Hawai‘i graduate certificate in Maritime Archaeology and History with the help of Dr. Sherwood Maynard and many others who had key roles in the development of the certificate program through the Marine Option Program. Dr. Still is an extremely important figure in maritime history, being the author of many different works and serving with such organizations as the North American Society for Oceanic History (NASOH), the advisory board of the National Maritime Alliance and many other organizations.

Dr. Still’s book, Crisis at Sea: The United States Navy in European Waters in World War I, is the “first comprehensive history of the United States Navy in European waters during World War I.” Author, Dr. Still, uses sources from America, Britain, Germany, France and Italy to reveal details about the United States, the Navy and the conclusion of the war that will now be Hans referenced by students and scholars. Dr. Still’s work is MO

remarkable because of his new research such as his use of official French documents and British recollections of American ships and sailors.

“A TIRED OLD LADY OF THE SEA”: SINKING THE USS BALTIMORE

Presented by: Hans Van Tilburg, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries The pre-Dreadnought cruiser USS Baltimore was built in Philadelphia and launched in 1888.

The ship was involved in both the Chilean incident and the Battle of Manila Bay in the Spanish American War. Before being sent to British waters per Britain’s request, the cruiser was converted to a minelayer (CM-1). The USS Baltimore officially joined World War I on June 2, 1918 upon its arrival to Clyde River. USS Baltimore is a historic minesweeper because of its timely arrival as being the first in British waters and its destruction of four German U Boats. This successful destruction of U Boats was due to laying the Northern Mine Barrage which consisted of a series of 73,000 Mk-6 antenna mines that began at the Orkney Islands and reached all the way to Norway. Unfortunately, these mines caused casualties post-WWI due to the inherent dangers of minesweeping. USS Baltimore was moved to Pearl Harbor where she would be decommissioned one year later. After surviving the December 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, USS Baltimore was taken out to sea and blown up with three dynamite charges that ultimately

Captain Rick Rogers smiles for the camera with his new MOP hat. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator. led to her sinking and the end of her service to the United States Navy.

THE VOYAGES OF THE GOLDEN RULE Presented by: Gerry Condon, Veterans for Peace The Golden Rule is now sailed by the organization Veterans for Peace but in 1958 the sailboat was manned by Albert Bigelow, a peace activist whose goal was to see a nuclear free world. Bigelow, a retired Navy commander began his journey along with three Quakers to stop nuclear testing when they set sail from California to the Marshall Islands. While on this mission to stop the US nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands, Bigelow and his crew were apprehended in Honolulu. The Golden Rule was not allowed to leave Honolulu per a US federal court issued injunction but this didn’t stop Bigelow and his crew from making two attempts to leave Honolulu, ultimately leading to their arrests and 60-day prison sentences. Eventually, the Golden Rule made its way to the bottom of the Humboldt Bay in northern California where it had sunk some 52 years earlier. Now restored and used to sail around the world for a “nuclear free world” and “a world without war” by the Veterans for Peace, the Golden Rule has a purpose once again.

Van Tilburg awards Captain Rick Rogers and Dr. William Still OP hats. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.

MARCH 2018 |7

USCG HERITAGE: CUTTER MCCULLOCH THERE’S A HARBOR AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL...UPDATE FROM FRIENDS OF FALLS OF LOST AND FOUND CLYDE

Presented by: Hans K. Van Tilburg, NOAA Office Presented by: Don Froning, MAHHI Foundation of National Marine Sanctuaries USRCS steamer McCulloch was built in 1897 and would have a lifespan of 20 years until its deadly crash in 1917.

USRCS McCulloch and eventually USCG Cutter McCulloch, was built for patrol and rescue in the Bering sea. In 1914, USCG McCulloch crew members rescued passengers on board the SS Hanalei from a crash into the reef that proved fatal, killing 23 people. Three years later, McCulloch was on its northerly route from San Pedro to Mare Island, California on the foggy morning of June 13, 1917, while steamer SS Governor was making its southerly route from San Francisco to San Pedro, California that same morning. The SS Governor was holding 429 crew and passengers while being manned by Captain Howard Thomas. Along with 90 Coast Guard and Navy personnel and Captain John Cantwell, the USCG McCulloch and the SS Governor collided at 7:33 a.m., four miles WNW of Point Conception due to foggy conditions. With one fatality on board the McCulloch, the cutter sank 35 minutes after the collision. Almost 100 years later, the McCulloch wreck site was originally discovered by archaeologist, Jack Hunter. Later, a science team from a NOAA-USCG remotely operated vehicle (ROV) training surveyed what was left of the McCulloch. The remains are significant to the US Navy and Coast Guard’s history.

THE SCUTTLEBUTT

Falls of Clyde was built in 1878 in the Port of Glasgow located in Scotland. Falls of Clyde has had many different purposes in its lifetime. In 1898 the ship transported sugar in the Hawaiian waters, 1907 saw it become an oil tanker, Alaska used the ship for floating petroleum and in 1963 Bob Krauss was introduced to the ship and began her revival in 1969. Eventually the Falls of Clyde was bought and exhibited by the Bishop Museum. Currently, Falls of Clyde is located at Pier 7 in Honolulu, Hawai‘i where there has been a recent push for the ship to be moved because of safety concerns that the Friends of Falls of Clyde believes to be unfounded. In 2017, a shimmer of hope appeared when David O’neil of Scotland showed interest in the restoration of the ship, which would mean Falls of Clyde may once again become a museum ship on the Grenick Clyde River in Scotland.

SS VENTNOR- SHIP OF HUNGRY GHOSTS Presented by: Keith Gordon, New Zealand Underwater Heritage Group Inc. The discovery of gold in 1867 brought many Chinese gold miners to New Zealand to find this precious resource. There were many fatalities of Chinese gold miners during the years of 1867 to 1872, which was when gold mining was at its peak. These fatalities were espe-

Conference staff and all participants

Scuttlebutt is an open forum for sharing all news, announcements, issues, concerns and questions related to the maritime archaeology and history of Hawai‘i and the Pacific. This session’s topics included: • The US proposed dropping out of the UNESCO • Annual meeting of the Maritime Archaeology Society • Greenpeace • Discussions of next year’s symposium and how to get more students and military involved

Session: Maritime Heritage in the Pacific Chair: Cindy Hunter

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Speaker Keith Gordon has a conversation with UHM Student a MOP Coo

cially troublesome because a belief held by the Chinese acknowledges that if someone dies in a foreign land their spirit will not rest until their remains are returned to their place of birth. In response to this problem, Choie Sew Hoy and son Kum Poy Sew Hoy used their family merchant business to ship the remains of Chinese gold miners to their respective families. SS Ventnor was used for this shipment, and in 1902 on its way to Hong Kong from New Zealand, she hit a reef and sank off New Zealand’s North Island. Thirteen crew members lost their lives along with the loss of the remains of 499 Chinese gold miners. Flash forward to current times, the Project Ventnor Group, including speaker Keith Gordon, has repeatedly dived on the crash site and researched the SS Ventnor and its artifacts.

A slide from the Falls of Clyde presentation, presented by: Don The group has handled their diving and research Froning. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator. procedures carefully and thoughtfully due to the sensitive nature of the crash. Despite their precauCo. of Oakland, California and classified as a schooner. tions, media has still shone a negative light on the protected dive site even though there were no remains Its first life consisted of being used in the Jaluit shipping company, the copra trade in Micronesia and lastly in of any Chinese gold miners found on the ship.

Honolulu because of the recent entrance of the US into THE MANY LIVES AND STORIED HISTORY WWI. MY Hermes became USS Hermes when she was OF THE MY HERMES inducted into the US Navy in 1918. USS Hermes’ main mission was to find injured soldiers during WWI but Presented by: Suzanne S. Finney, MAHHI that wasn’t the only mission. During this time, biologiFoundation cal studies of bird and vegetation life on Layson were to MY Hermes experienced five different lives according to be conducted by crew members as well. Her Navy life Speaker Suzanne S. Finney of the MAHHI Foundation. was cut short when she was decommissioned in 1919.

The motor yacht was built in 1913 by W.F. Stone and The third life brought a completely new name for the yacht when Lanikai Fish Co., later becoming Hawaiian Sea Products, bought her and renamed her HMAS Lanikai in 1926. Eventually, Lanikai came full circle and was used as a yacht once again when she was bought

by Northrup Castle in 1933. Lanikai was bought three more times, including once for the movie “The Hurricane” (1937). Later, she was turned into USS Lanikai once again for the US Navy in 1941. Her fifth and final life saw Lanikai sink in Subic Bay during a typhoon in 1947. Divers found the remains of Lanikai in 2003 where they recovered material but did not restore any of what was found.

and attendee during pau hana. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM ordinator.

EUROPEAN INFLUENCES IN PROTO-HISTORIC HAWAI‘I: WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT WE SHOULD DO ABOUT IT Presented by: Captain Rick Rogers, Sandwich Island Shipwreck Museum MARCH 2018 |9

It is believed that when Captain Cook arrived in Hawai‘i it was not the completely untouched culture that he and many others had believed it to be. Rather, Rogers thinks that earlier European influences had already touched these islands long before Cook’s ship did. Before “Los Monges” and “La Vesina” were replaced by the Sandwich Islands, the first atlases revealed that the islands of “Los Bolcanes” and “La Farfana” were mapped as being in the same exact spot as “Los Monges” and “La Vesina.”

Manila galleons, massive Spanish trading ships carried people and cargo from different nations across the Pacific ocean, and may have left their influence on the Hawaiian culture long before Captain Cook had arrived.

Day 2 Session: Current Research in Maritime Archaeology/History Chair: Suzanne Finney

(PMNM). Kelly and her team identified over 30 plane crashes within miles of the Midway Atoll. Many new historical sites were identified as well and added to databases for future use and education. The National Park Service’s Submerged Research Center (NPS/SRC), East Carolina University (ECU) and Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) collaborated with the team for 10 days of remote sensing surveying in specific areas where the Battle of Midway took place. The project aimed to use cutting edge technology and strategies to bring their studies at Midway Atoll to people all over the world.

“This was truly a successful project… we have many new sites that we are working on ongoing research to figure out what they are, how we can better share them with the public and what our next steps will be to survey and explore the Midway Atoll.”

RETRIEVING THE PAST, THE USS ARIZONA CASUALTY RESEARCH PROJECT

EXPLORING THE SUNKEN HERITAGE OF Presented By: Daniel A. Martinez, Chief MIDWAY ATOLL Historian WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument NPS Presented By: Kelly G. Keogh, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

In May of 2017, a survey took place at the Midway Atoll on maritime archaeological heritage with the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

In 2014, there was lots of discussion about the accuracy of the names on USS Arizona’s Shrine Wall and if it was historically correct. Robert Sutton, Chief Historian of the National Park Service (NPS), decided that a study of the USS Arizona casualties should be conducted at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri. They put together a research plan with experienced WWII researchers and a year later, they went to St. Louis to start digging through old documents. They looked through letters, military documents, journal entries and almost any other type of record. After lots of daunting and detailed research for days, the team was able to organize and correct the mistakes in the USS Arizona’s Shrine Wall.

A PIECE OF THE MARITIME SILK ROAD… LITERALLY: THE NANHAI NO.1 Presented By: Hans K. Van Tilburg, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries UHH MOP Alumnus Tyler Phelps and UHM MOP Alumna Jessica Lotts give their presentation on MAST 2017: Survery of Amphibious Vessels of O‘ahu. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.

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The third Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage (AP-

CONF) was held in Hong Kong on November 26, 2017. “The conference aims to address management and protection strategies of underwater cultural heritage in Asia and other countries of the Indian and Pacific Ocean in the 21 Century”, says Hans K. Van Tilburg. One of the main features of this year’s conference was the pre-conference tour of the Nanhai No. 1, which is currently under excavation and analysis at the museum, and the trip to the Maritime Silk Road that connected Chinese coastlines to Southeast Asia and the coast of Africa. The wreck of the Nanhai No. 1 was discovered near the origins of the Silk Road and the legacy of the navigation is still celebrated today as China’s “One Belt-One Road” initiative.

MAST 2017: SURVEY OF AMPHIBIOUS VESSELS OF O‘AHU Presented By: Tyler Phelps, Balanced Divers Inc., and Jessica Lotts, UH Marine Option Program In June 2017, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the UH Marine Option Program (MOP) conducted a 15 day archaeological survey of submerged U.S. Navy remnants near O‘ahu. This included assault vehicles, aircrafts and landing ships from over 70 years ago. This survey course is known as the Maritime Archaeology Surveying Techniques (MAST) and instructs scientists to document the status of submerged properties. The students recorded data from a ship near Barber’s Point, four landing craft sites near Pearl Harbor and one Amtrak site near Hawai‘i Kai. While all of these sites were recorded, one of the four landing crafts was documented in immense amount of detail for future use and for the student’s practice.

Keynote Speaker Dr. Wiiliam N. Still Jr., author of Crises at Sea: The United States Navy in European Waters in World War I. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.

• 30th Annual Symposium themes and locations.

“Best of…”

• WWI Centennial Taskforce

THE EMERGING UCH INITIATIVE IN TAIWAN Presented By: Hans Van Tilburg, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

“The Antiquities and Archaeological Sites Division within the Bureau is in charge of planning, formulation and promotion of underwater cultural assets, surConference staff and all participants vey, deliberation, registration, abolishment, change, asScuttlebutt is an open forum for sharing all news, sistance, supervision and consultation of underwater announcements, issues, concerns and questions cultural heritage, and the zooning, management, and related to the maritime archaeology and history of promotion of the underwater cultural heritage protectHawai‘i and the Pacific. This session’s topics included: ed zone”, says the UCH Overview Taiwan 2017). Dr. Hans Van Tilburg and three other well known foreign • Pacific Aviation Museum instructors and scholars from Taiwan participated in a • Falls of Clyde four week long classroom and diving workshop hosted • Zhang He, “How large was the ship?”

THE SCUTTLEBUTT

MARCH 2018 |11

Speakers, students and attendees conversate during pau hana. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.

by Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH). In the presentation, Tilburg tells us of the character of the UCH training in Taiwan in Keelung and Taipei and showed us a movie the students made about their adventures during the four weeks.

WAR COMES TO HAWAI‘I: NAVIES, ESPIONAGE AND NEUTRALITY DURING WWI Presented By: Brendan L. Bliss, Instructor of History, Hawai‘i Pacific University

Captain Rick Rogers, Archivist Hawaiian Airlines started the presentation explaining the evolution of aviation in Hawai‘i. An unsuccessful parachute jump in 1889 inspired 12 and 14 year old brothers to build a glider. The young boys were the first to bring aviation to Hawai‘i and quickly after, planes started evolving and becoming much more sturdy. Naval Aviation then started developing a series of water-based operations with a changing executions. Amphibious aircrafts came next with retractable landing gear that could be operated on various territories. In the presentation, we looked at the types of Seaplanes, Flying Boats and amphibian Aircraft that graced our skies at one point.

This presentation covered the impact of the Territory of Hawai‘i of naval activity during WWI that focuses on internment of German vessels. When war broke out, WRECKED ON O‘AHU: A CATALOG OF German vessels sought to Hawaiian harbors for protec- UNSOLVED LOCAL WRECK SITES tion in 1914 and this involved Hawai‘i who didn’t care Presented By: Blade Shepherd-Jones to be a part of it at the time.

Blade Shepherd-Jones ended the symposium telling us Bliss also told us how the rest of the United States dealt of the crash sites he visits and his discoveries in differwith the issues of neutrality. The interned German ves- ent areas. Two large sailboat pieces were found off of the sels were causing lots of ongoing problems for the gov- South shore of O‘ahu but not much is known about how ernor and military. This became a public reminder that they got there. A plane wing was found off of Mānana there were many dangers that came along with war, Island that was believed to be a wing from a WWII even for the neutral. Lastly, he tells us of the fate of the fighter, a F4U Corsair, although there is no record of vessels once the U.S. enters the war. this Corsair crashing near this area. Some fishermen mentioned seeing an engine, but it has never been reSEAPLANES, FLYING BOATS AND AMPHIBIANS: THE FLIGHT FROM SEA TO located. Among many other of the mysterious missing parts Blade told us about, many are still a mystery and AIR IN HAWAIIAN SKIES have yet to be identified. n

Presented By: Captain Rick Rogers, Archivist Hawaiian Airlines 12| Seawords

March Surf Report By: Alina Abramovich, UHH MOP Student

G

oodness, what a month! The end of January bled good surf into February - providing a steady stream of rippable waves to the northerly exposed shores of both Big Island and O‘ahu. Although January had been a tad slower in the NPAC swell activity compared to past years, February picked up a slew of powerful swells. Both the Hilo and Kona coasts were treated to alternating weekends filled with surf, while Oahu’s North Shore created perfect conditions for the Volcom Pipe Pro. The winds in the more exposed locations have been favorably following a typical pattern of offshore mornings, followed by slightly onshore afternoons.

However, meteorological predictions state that the month of March will see a more regular occurrence of easterly trade winds. Hopefully this prediction proves true and we all get to enjoy more of these glassy conditions. March is also predicted to follow the yearly trend of holding some size, but gradually dropping in swell consistency and energy as the month progresses towards spring. Before you hang up your gun for the year, do note that the NOAA and Surfline predictions also promise a few potential XL swells, as well as some regular size throughout the month.

As for the south shores of the islands, it looks like the end of March might finally provide more substantial surf for our southern-most residents. Based off of the meteorological data, the south shores usually see pulses beginning in the last few weeks of March, with more action starting to happen in April. Ideally, both the NPAC and SPAC swells treat us to some more excellent, clean rides this upcoming month. Stay safe and get pitted!n

Big surf. Photo by: Anthony Quintano, Flickr.

MARCH 2018 |13

DIVE SAFETY

Safety Shouldn’t Be Luck By: Tyler Phelps, UHH MOP Alumnus

D

iving is an extreme sport. We have a tendency to think of it as fun and relaxing but accidents happen every year, sometimes resulting in death. The most recent data published by the Divers Alert Network (DAN) in the 2017 Annual Diving Report counted 127 worldwide recreational diving fatalities in 2015. While this may seem like a surprisingly high number, the number of fatalities has been declining. DAN’s Injury Monitoring and Prevention Department, directed by Dr. Peter Buzzacott, has been publishing their annual report for 30 years! Their research analyzes incidents, fatalities and furthermore how they could have been prevented. Why should you care? Virtually all we know about diving has been a byproduct of the human experience. Best practices, rules and equipment have been innovated by the misfortunes of others. It’s important to learn from these mistakes so they don’t happen in our own lives. Of the 127 worldwide fatalities, the United States contributed the most with 39. Within the United States, Hawai‘i consistently ranks in the top four states that have the most fatalities, right up there with California, Florida and Washington. While I strongly recommend that everyone reads the free access DAN 2017 Annual Diving Report, this article aims to provide insight and lessons learned from their data so that your diving can be safer.

Since this age group makes up the larges shouldn’t be too surprising. However, generally a result of the diver’s age.

Which factors cause divers to die?

The two experience groups that had the with 1-5 years’ experience and with ove it is to ask, why do novice divers (with die as often? New divers generally stay they are new to the game and shouldn’t hopefully. However, they are the most lik as lung over-expansion. New divers are tistically they account for a high propor more experience start pushing their lim of conservative judgement when it’s nee

Age While we can learn tremendously from accidents and near-misses, it’s the fatalities that make the headlines. After digesting the data, a few observations could easily be made. Adults, predominantly males, over the age of 50 made up the largest percentage of U.S. fatalities. Divers under the age of 40 made up only a small fraction of the whole. Why is this? The largest demographic of divers are still middle-age adults, in part due fact that diving can be a costly sport.

A 10-year-old is likely to dive a lot less frequently than someone with a 401k.

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Health and Fitness

Often times we hear the saying, “you sh Victims in 74% of U.S. and Canada fat obese according to their body mass inde important to take care of your body if y BMI also doesn’t discriminate against m this category is unhealthy but as a gener are at greater risk.

Before a fatality or accident occurs, th leads to the incident. Divers with more also lead to have health problems. Indee event leading up to a fatality was a pre-e

Experience

Scuba divers performing a safety stop.

Photo by: LASZLO ILYES, Flickr.

st portion of the diving population, this Equipment Considerations there are other factors at play that are Of all the fatality data that had information on the trigger incident, a few mechanisms stood out to me. The most common was insufficient breathing gas. This emphasizes how important it is to constantly monitor your air! Most of the other mechanisms I could summarize together as a buddy check not being hould be in good average health to dive.” performed. No matter the dive, it’s so critical to check yourself and your buddy talities were classified as overweight or before entering the water. ex (BMI). Diving can be strenuous so it’s you wish to continue to enjoy this sport. Learning from Death muscle mass. Not to say every diver in ral correlation those with a higher BMI While the U.S. and Canada had the lowest number of fatalities in over 20 years, 46 deaths is still significant. If you find yourself in the demographic of being middle aged, with a high BMI and pre-existing medical conditions, exercise here is a “trigger” event that ultimately conservative caution when diving. You don’t have to stop diving but recognize e laps around the sun and higher BMI’s that you are at higher risk for diving accidents and injuries. ed, that is why the most common trigger Divers with less than five years of experience should also be conscious of their existing medical condition. experience and comfort levels. Just because you’ve been diving awhile, does not give you the freedom to exempt yourself from the rules designed to keep you e largest amount of fatalities were those safe. Always perform a buddy check and monitor your air frequently to reduce er 20 years’ experience. As facetious as the risk of running out of gas.

h less than one year of experience) not within their comfort zone. They know be pushing their limits so soon, at least kely to succumb to certain injuries such still at high risk for getting hurt but startion of the fatalities. Divers with a little mits and sometimes pay the price for lack eded most.

Lessons Learned from Dive Accidents Each year DAN receives tens of thousands of calls and inquiries fielding incident reports. One of my favorite parts about the Annual Dive Reports are the summaries of select dive accidents revealed as case studies. These are awesome learning opportunities! Rather than me regurgitating what is already mentioned in detail, here are my lessons learned from the most recent dive accident report.

MARCH 2018 |15

1. Have DAN Insurance – When you consider transportation and treatment 3. Your first 20 dives are critical – Ov inside a hyperbaric chamber, dive accidents can be extremely costly. In 2015 there was a case where the diver did not seek medical attention because they knew they couldn’t afford the treatment. DAN is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to improving the safety of the dive industry. Their dive accident insurance is extremely affordable and is highly recommend for all divers.

reported to DAN had fewer than 20 dive ence before bringing the camera on you moderate experience, between 21 and rates. Take your time and go slow!

4. Use extra caution on deep dives – Th

2. When in Doubt, Call DAN! – The longer treatment is delayed, the harder it dent reports was 70ft/21m. Everyone is is to remedy symptoms. In one case study, a diver did not seek treatment for 10 days because they were in denial of having decompression sickness. DAN has a 24 hour emergency hotline and another phone number for non-emergency inquiries. If you ever have doubt, make the free call to DAN to seek expert medical advice.

ferently. Be aware of your body, behavior

5. Greater than 40, greater the risk – The

was in the mid-40s with an average BM into this category should be aware of th extra caution.

6. An Accident Can Happen Anytime,

The most accidents happened with grea peak sunlight. Remember an accident ca emergency action plan and be aware of h change due to your location.

7. Maintain Your Equipment and Perfor

were only 11 equipment related trigge ally all of them could have been preven serviced regularly and if a buddy check overstressed enough. Buddy checks are skip them and ensure your equipment is

8. Continue Your Education – Since 199

and accidents were only Open Water cer by 50% for those that were Advanced ce for Rescue Divers. Statistically and mor ing are at a lower risk for dying. After y ommended to continue your training to that will ultimately make you a safer div

Conclusions and Take Away M

From 2006 to 2015 the diving populatio been estimated to reach 30,444,000 div million dives that have resulted in 563 tional 87 that were non-recreational div past ten years and with more dives being accident to occur. Since 1987 there have but the number of deaths has generally freediving fatalities in the Annual Repor to investigate those sections at your con

Scuba diver. Photo by: Peter Liu Photography, Flickr.

16| Seawords

Trends in the data show that dive accid first day of diving (not on repetitive da unfamiliar dive site by newly trained d haven’t been diving in a while, especia After you receive rental equipment, go t

ver half of the divers in incidents es. Wait until you get more experiur dives. Interestingly, divers with 60 dives, also had high accident

The average depth for 65% of incis affected by nitrogen narcosis difor and air pressure on deeper dives.

e average age of incidents reported MI of 27 for males. Divers that fall he increased risk to injury and use

Anywhere and for Any Reason – at visibility, warmer waters and in an happen at any time! Prepare an how treatment/response time may

rm Buddy Checks – In 2015 there ers that led to an accident. Virtunted if the diver’s equipment was k was performed. This cannot be e crucial for diver safety so do not s properly maintained.

90, the group that had the most fatalities rtified. The amount of fatalities dropped ertified, and then by an additional 60% rbidly speaking, divers with more trainyour Open Water class, it’s strongly reco develop newfound skills and comfort ver.

Lifeguards rescuing scuba divers. Photo by: Scott Lowe, Flickr. sure everything functions adequately and you know where everything is. Periodically, it’s a promising idea to conduct skills dives to practice essential drills such as making an alternate air source ascent so those skills stay fresh.

Divers over the age of 40 with pre-existing medical conditions and have a higher BMI need to exercise extra caution when diving. All divers should take advantage of DAN’s affordable insurance and hotline network to prevent delay in treatment. Newer divers should be very conscious of their experience and comfort levels. The first 20 dives you make are extremely crucial so it’s important to focus on safety and yourselves before seeking additional task loading like using Messages an underwater camera. Take your time, have your gear serviced regularly and on in the United States and Canada has don’t skip those buddy checks! vers. These divers have made over 306 3 recreation diving deaths and an addi- I would like to give a special shout out and mahalo to Dr. Peter Buzzacott and ves. Diving has gained popularity in the Dr. Virginie Papadopoulou for providing me with inside access and insight g made, the higher the probability for an to the 2017 Annual Diving Report. The research, education and reports that e been 3,341 fatalities reported to DAN DAN accomplishes has been incredible. y been declining. DAN also reports on I strongly recommend all divers read rt. If you free dive too, it’s recommended through the free access Annual Diver reports by following this link ( https:// nvenience. www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/ dents most frequently occurred on the report/). By staying informed and eduays), using unfamiliar equipment, at an cating ourselves on the best diving pracdivers. Remember to take it easy if you tices, we can ensure that safety shouldn’t ally when checking out a new site too. be just luck. n through a thorough inspection to make MARCH 2018 |17

ocean art

A World Away

By: Stacia Robinol, HCC Student

Sarah knows a place where her heart lives.

A place where the world is still.

At the ocean, her thoughts are cleared, That place that time and space have no hold.

The ocean where the water never stops kissing the shore.

Sarah knows someplace majestic amongst the ocean.

That water is a place that pulls her in a deep blue.

The place where time stands still.

This level of paradise she thought could never be reached.

As waves come crashing in, The warmth of the sun kissed her skin.

Staciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poem was chosen from a collection of poems submitted to us by Eric Paul Shaffer, an HCC English Professor, and written by his English 201: Creative Writing class.

18|â&#x20AC;&#x192;Seawords

Ocean. Photo by: Like_the_Grand_Canyon, Flickr.

critter of the month By: Alina Abramovich, UHH MOP Student

Hawaiian Bobtail Squid (Euprymna scolopes)

Distribution: Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands Size: Up to 2 inches Diet: Mostly small shrimp and other small crustaceans Coloration: Usually brown but can be multicolored at night due to its symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent bacteria Habitat: Common on sand flats at night and usually residing in shallow, coastal waters off of the Hawaiian Islands Depth: Resides in the shallows IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern, Insufficient Data

A

Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes).

Photo by: Dr. Margaret McFall-Ngai.

dorable and pear-shaped, the Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) is certainly a unique and fascinating creature. Residing in the sand and mud on shallow reef flats, Euprymna scolopes spends the sunlight hours of the day hiding from predators by burrowing its little body into the sediment - even throwing sand on top of itself so as to create more realistic camouflage. At night, the Hawaiian bobtail squid emerges from its safe hideaway to feed on small shrimp and other crustaceans. However, this squid is far from unprotected. One of the coolest aspects of this organism is its symbiotic relationship with a special type of bioluminescent bacteria that reside in a pouch (light organ) under its eye and emits the same type of wavelength and frequency of light as the moonlight above the waters - making the Hawaiian bobtail squid essentially invisible to predators from below.

Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes).

Photo by: Dr. Margaret McFall-Ngai.

Euprymna scolopes is not hatched with its symbiotic bacteria, but rather acquires them soon after birth by secreting mucus out of its light organs in order to capture them. This capture is far from a bioluminescent-hostage situation however, seeing as the squid generously provides its glowing companions with essential sugars and amino acids. Together, the squid and its glowing bacteria create such a perfect camouflaging technique that even the U.S. Air Force has studied it in hopes of bettering their aircraft camouflage. Euprymna scolopes is truly a master of disguise, even within the realm of other cephalopods - a class of animals known for their clever camouflage capabilities. Finally, the Hawaiian bobtail squid is also a very social creature - in terms of bacteria interaction that is. Every morning during its burrowing ritual, the squid has been observed to expel 90 percent of its pre-existing bacteria from its light organs, only to acquire new glowing friends throughout the day, just in time for the dark feeding hour. n MARCH 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|19

Shipwreck of the Month: The Vasa By: Kathryn Lam, UHM MOP Alumna and former seawords editor

T

he year was 1625. The place was Stockholm, Sweden. The orders? To build four ships, two large and two small, for the king, Gustavus Adolphus. Sweden was at war with Poland and the king’s fleet had suffered major losses. The admiral’s flagship had been captured and others had fallen victim to the enemy and the elements, prompting new additions.

the Vasa was finished to the king’s new specifications.

Richly decorated with sculptures and carvings to show the prosperity of Sweden, the Vasa was to be “the most powerfully armed ship in the Baltic, if not the world.”

Not only did the king want the Vasa to be a warship and to have a double gun deck with 72 cannons; it was also to be his royal residence while at war. Thus, the Vasa was fitted with the luxuries of a king in his proper quarIn 1625, the naval shipyard in Stockholm was run by ters in addition to the two gun decks with 64 cannons master shipwright, Henrik Hybertsson, and his brand (the ship had been built faster than the cannons could new partner, Arendt de Groote, a young merchant. As be cast), provisions for a crew of 450 men, and a second de Groote and Hybertsson began construction on the set of luxury quarters for the captain. ships, a storm wiped out ten others causing the king Maiden Voyage and Sinking to change his order to two medium sized vessels. This meant the Vasa, initially conceptualized as one of the Unfortunately, moments after her launch in August smaller ships, would need to be expanded. Unhappy 1628, she sank, toppled by a gust of wind. The Vasa emwith the proposed changes, Hybertsson refused to barrassingly was unable to make it out of Stockholm. change the size of the ship he had already started to She collapsed a mere 390 feet from shore within eyebuild. When he died in 1627, his assistant took over and sight of the city inhabitants and the foreign ambassadors of the king’s allies and enemies.

The Vasa. Photo by: Christian Lundh, Flickr.

20| Seawords

After the failure of the Vasa, the king launched a formal inquest. Why had the Vasa sunk? It was suspected that some of the cannons had sprung loose, causing weight to shift from one side of the ship to the other so that it capsized. This could not be confirmed, however, as SCUBA technology at the time was underdeveloped. The final conclusion was that the Vasa had been too narrow for her height, leaving her vulnerable to toppling over as her center of gravity was too high above the water. Today it is now known that the open gunports caused the ship to take on water which contributed to her sinking. Since Hybertsson, the shipwright who had created the original plans for the Vasa, was dead, he could not defend himself and became the perfect scapegoat. The case of the Vasa was closed; It had been the error of the late Hybertsson.

Museum goers gazing upon the Vasa. Photo by: Thomas Quine, Flickr.

Recovery

most delicate parts of her framework. When she was not being worked on, she was being rinsed in a solution Recovery was attempted over the next 300 years but it to replace the water in her wood so that she would not wasn’t until Anders Franzén, an engineer in the Swedish crack when dry. In September 1988, she was built into a navy, determined to recover the navy’s lost ships, pulled protective casing and set sail on her final voyage--to the a piece of black oak from the water in a coring device in Vasa Museum, a building made especially for her.

August of 1956, that her final resting place was discovered. Over the next five years, divers and archaeologists The Vasa Today worked together to bring the Vasa to the surface. BeThe Vasa Museum opened to the public in 1990 allowcause she had been entrenched in the mud for so long, ing people from around the world to admire the hard the process was slow and she had to be lifted carefully. work which created her in the 1600s and the determiIt took divers two years to dig tunnels under the ship nation which revived her in the second half of the 20th where steel cables were inserted to begin the lift. The Century. Today, visitors can participate in an interactive gross amount of mud that had accumulated in and on museum which demonstrates how life was on a ship in the ship rendered her heavy and cumbersome. After the 17th Century. The Vasa is the center of the museum the team managed to lift her from a depth of 105 feet to and is accompanied by a fleet of replicas, models, re52 feet, divers were able to reenter the water at a safer covered artifacts such as clothing and cooking utensils, depth to help clear her of the debris. and a short film which plays in nine different languages.

Part of clearing the Vasa of debris included repairing Children and those who are children at heart can obany obvious damage and making her as watertight as serve what it took to keep a ship like the Vasa afloat and possible. On April 8, 1961, the team began her final lift walk in a life-sized replica of one of the gun decks. n which was completed on April 24. It had been 333 years since the Vasa had sunk and her recovery had been fol- Cost of Admission lowed internationally. Similarly to her maiden voyage, Adults: 130 SEK / $15 hundreds of people, including press from around the Students: 110 SEK / $13 (with valid student ID showing world, came to watch her break the surface. expiry date) However, the recovery process was not yet complete. Children and young people 0-18 years: free of charge For the next 26 years, archaeologists worked on the Season ticket: 200-300 SEK / $24-36, gives free admission to the Vasa Museum.

MARCH 2018 |21

By: Jeremy Gasta, UHM MOP Student

Narwhal

Marine Mammal of the Month:

Narwhal

B

Species: Narwhal Scientific Name: Monodon monoceros Range: Arctic Ocean Diet: Fish and squid Size: 13-20 feet long

ack in the medieval ages, there was a thriving market for what we might have thought impossible: unicorn horns. The spiral horns, told long in myth and legend to have medicinal and magical properties, were a rare and extremely valuable commodity, worth many times their weight in

gold. Unicorns were simply thought of as a fact of life, though many of the traders came from the more northern areas of Europe, and few buyers saw what these purported unicorns actually looked like.

If they did, they would likely have been surprised. Far from a horse with a fantastical ornament, the true unicorns were plump, mottled-grey, medium-sized Arctic whales.

(Though to be fair, the whales are so surprising-looking that many people today are unaware that, unlike the mythical horse, these creatures are very real.) While the narwhal (Monodon monoceros) looks generally similar to its close relative the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), its most striking feature is the large horn the males have jutting out from their jaw, which in some individuals can reach nearly 10 feet in length.

Replication of a narwhal (Monodon monoceros). Photo by: Jessica Simpson, Flickr.

22|â&#x20AC;&#x192;Seawords

Aside from said horn, the narwhal looks like a fairly typical whale. Along with the aforementioned beluga, these two species are the only animals in the mon-

Arctic sea ice. Photo by: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Flickr. odontidae family, and as such have many similarities: they are both medium-sized, Arctic whales, with no beak, a bulbous “melon” organ on their forehead for echolocation, and a lack of a dorsal fin for easy travel underneath pack ice. While the beluga is pure white, however, narwhals come in a more mottled aesthetic, with black, grey, and white colors and spots mixing.

This greyish medley, as well as a tendency to float still at the surface for extended periods of time as if dead, led to its name “nar whale,” with nar being derived from the Norse word for corpse. Don’t be fooled by this, however - like other cetaceans, narwhals are friendly and intelligent, with high levels of sociability making them quite lively. They live in groups of up to twenty individuals in the winter, but will join in mass aggregations in the summer months, forming super pods up to 1,000 whales. This is related to a yearly migration the species takes following the season: in summer, when the arctic sea ice is down, the whales will stay closer to the shore and eat mainly pelagic prey. When the coasts freeze over in winter, the whales move offshore, but still mostly stay underneath dense pack ice and eat benthic prey from the seafloor. Their habits of most often remaining under ice, instead of swimming in the open ocean, helps them to avoid predatory killer whales (Orcinus orca).

Of course, the most distinctive features of these whales are their horns, and zoologists have wrestled with the

question of why they exist for years. While it can be generally said that males have horns and females don’t, that’s not a solid rule, as about 15% of females also grow tusks, and a similar percentage of males lack them.

Some males even grow two tusks. As so much of the narwhal population is tusk-less, yet seem to do fine, they do not appear to be needed for survival. Males have both been seen to smack and stun small fish with them, as well as gently rub their horns against each other in a behavior called “tusking.” While this was long thought to be a sort of “jousting” contest to compete for mates, more recent research has revealed that the horns are filled with millions of nerve endings, acting as a highly-sensitive sensory organ that allows the user to gain all kinds of information about the seawater and environment around them. It has recently been proposed that tusking is actually communication between males, allowing each animal to pick up hints and information about where the other has been.

While there is still a lot more research needed to find out what exactly narwhal’s horns are for, perhaps this is fitting. They started out as the basis for a mythical creature, and even today are regarded as myth by some. It’s only fitting that they would continue to cause mysteries for the people trying to understand them. n

MARCH 2018 |23

cean updates

By: Kayla Palmer, UHM MOP Student

“IF WE KEEP PRODUCING (AND FAILING TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF) PLASTICS AT PREDICTED RATES, PLASTICS IN THE OCEAN WILL OUTWEIGH FISH POUND FOR POUND IN 2050,” WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM. Oil Spill In the Sea of East China

authorities have now reduced the spill to a size of 30 square kilometers from its original 328 square kilomeOn January 6, an oil tanker, “Sanchi” carrying 136,000 ters. tons of condensate oil, crashed into a cargo ship on the East China Sea. Burning for more than a week, the For more on this oil spill, view page 28 for Madelyn Sanchi sank, leaving authorities to presume 32 crew Rangel’s (UHM MOP Student) article titled East China members on board dead. Many scientists are trying to Sea Oil Spill. understand the environmental impacts the Sanchi spill will have on the ocean, but it is hard to determine as this is the first spill of condensate oil on such a large scale. “Most oil spills have a chronic toxicological effect due to heavy residues remaining and sinking over time. This may be one of the first spills where short-term toxicity is of most concern,” says Ralph Portier, a marine microbiologist and toxicologists at Louisiana State University (LSU).

Condensate oil is a light weight oil that is easily flammable and because of its low density, it is likely to remain on surface waters and evaporate. Even though condensate oil evaporates easily, its chemical elements can remain for weeks or even months, becoming toxic to ocean waters and marine life. Aquatic life near the Sanchi at the time of the tank explosion is expected to be severely impacted and contamination is a big concern for nearby fish, plankton, birds and marine mammals. A high petroleum concentration rate was discovered near the area of the spill through water testing by Chinese authorities. This region is known as a popular fishing area as it is home to many spawning fish and shrimp as well as crabs and mackerel during the winter. Scientists are concerned that an entire ecosystem, including reproduction rates, will be affected as the toxic contamination gradually moves up the food chain.

East China Sea. Photo by: U.S. Pacific Command, Flickr.

A New Type of Virus Discovered in the Ocean

In every milliliter of water, 10 million viruses can be found and scientists have just discovered a new virus with unique biological characteristics. This new-found virus cannot be detected through standardized tests and can provide an insight into virus evolution and its role in the ocean. This virus does not contain a doublestranded (tailed) DNA as most abundant viruses do but instead is single-stranded (tail-less). Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers found this Three weeks later clumps of oil have been witnessed apunique family of tail-less viruses by testing genomes of pearing on the shore of Amami- Oshima and are curvarious viruses in water samples off the coast of Massarently being tested by authorities to confirm its conchusetts. It is now known by the name Autolykiviridae nection to the Sanchi oil spill. As of today, Chinese 24| Seawords

Two Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas). Photo by: Sk8mama, Flickr. after a Greek character in mythology that plays as trickster and is hard to catch. Researchers discovered that the tail-less viruses can infect a far more diverse range of bacteria species and are responsible for a significant amount of bacteria-killing, compared to tailed viruses that can only infect one or two species. Scientists also concluded that their genomes consist of 10,000 bases compared to the normal amount of 40-50 thousand.

government officials, the Vancouver Aquarium agreed to end the practice of holding whales and dolphins captive in a display pool.

“The ongoing discussions about whales and dolphins in our care have been a distraction from real threats to the ocean and have sidelined the critical work we lead. We aim to inspire people in every corner of the planet to participate in creating healthy oceans, and it’s time to “This work is important also for understanding the get on with it.” stated the Vancouver Aquarium. evolution of the virus world because it shows that viThe Vancouver Aquarium was previously prohibited ruses related to the most common viruses of eukaryotes in May, 2017, from breeding practices and allowing (such as adenoviruses, poxviruses, and others), at least any new cetaceans to enter their aquarium after two in terms of the capsid structure, are much wider-spread beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) died two weeks in prokaryotes than previously suspected,” said Eugene apart due to an unknown toxin. The aquarium tried to V. Koonin who is a senior investigator at the National overrule this decision by presenting a plan that will enInstitute of Health (NIH) and did not take part in the courage education as well as appreciation of marine life MIT research. while displaying five new beluga whales and cetaceans.

The ancient lineage of the virus is connected to animals Due to the death of five cetaceans in a 15 month period, and algae leaving many scientists to believe that this vi- the Vancouver Aquarium was still expected to follow rus is not ocean-specific and may play a role in the hu- the ban despite the plan that they presented. man biome as well. Even with its significant ecological A Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliqimportance, the tail-less virus was always misrepresentuidens) named Helen is currently the only cetacean lived in research databases due to undetectability under ing in the aquarium and it is still being decided whether standard lab procedures. or not she will move to another facility, which may lead This realization is leading many scientists to develop to health problems, or to bring another animal to acnew methods in the search for viruses in order to avoid company her, which would go against the previous ban any misrepresentation in databases of viruses for the fuand the aquarium’s announcement. Along with the anture. nouncement of not keeping cetaceans captive, they have The Vancouver Aquarium Will No Longer Keep also agreed to start a cetacean rescue program and use their display pools as a temporary home for rescued ceCetaceans in Captivity taceans before they are placed back into the wild. n After years of pressure from animal rights activists and MARCH 2018 |25

Actions for the Ocean

GENERATION

BLUE

By: Madelyn Rangel, UHM MOP Student

M

arch 20 marks the official beginning of spring. For some, this means that it might be time for a spring cleaning. Nontoxic cleaning supplies work just as well as harsh chemicals, with none of the negative environmental impacts. Here is a list of some environmentally friendly tactics to try out when reducing clutter, cleaning your house and freshening up your wardrobe. n

1:

Sprinkle baking soda over your carpet before you vacuum to absorb any odors and leave your carpet fresh. This could replace other fabric deodorizers, such as Febreeze, which was found to contain 89 air contaminants by the Environmental Working Group.

2: 26| Seawords

Baking soda

Eco-friendly dry-cleaners

Most dry-cleaners use perchloroethylene, also called “perc,” which is highly toxic and releases smog into the atmosphere. One alternative is DCS Hawaii Dry Cleaning Services on Kapiolani Blvd., which does not use perc, according to kaimukihawaii.com.

THE OCEAN SPANS OVER 70 PERCENT OF OUR WORLD. It is responsible for regulating temperature, food production, sustaining numerous species, and is a source for inspiration for many people.The ocean gives us so much and it is time for us to return the favor and take actions to make the ocean ecosystem healthy again.

Almost every action that we take affects the ocean in some way. Our everyday choices can be tailored to support a healthy ocean. Here are some examples of green acts that will keep the ocean blue.

3:

Use lemon as a cleaner and stain-remover

Many claim that lemon has strong cleaning and stain-removing properties. According to the Tsuyama Central Hospital in Japan, lemon juice killed 99.99% of bacteria in one study. However, there have not been any tests approved by the EPA. While it is not recommended to rely on lemon juice as a disinfectant, the method is widely-claimed as a powerful cleaner.

4: 5:

Mix vinegar and water to clean and shine surfaces

Try making a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar to get your windows streak free. This can replace Windex, which has, among many other toxic chemicals, ammonia. Although found in nature, ammonia runoff can be toxic to fish and other marine life and promote eutrophication in bodies of water.

Look for “green” cleaning products at the store

Sometimes there are big messes that you don’t want to use a homemade recipe to clean. If you would rather buy a tried and true cleaner for things like mold, toilet bowls or your dishwasher, simply look for brands with an “eco-friendly” label. There are many popular brands of natural and organic cleaning supplies available in most grocery stores, such as Green Works, Mrs. Meyer’s, Seventh Generation and Method.

Undewrwater world. Photo by: Cheryl, Flickr.

MARCH 2018 |27

East China Oil Spill By: Madelyn Rangel, UHM MOP Student

O

n January 6, an oil tanker collided with a freighter in the East China Sea. One week later, it sunk to the seabed. Now, almost 150,000 tons of oil may be leaking into the ocean in the worst spill in decades.

The Sanchi was carrying oil from Iran to South Korea when it hit a Hong Kong cargo ship in a fiery crash.

The 21 Chinese crew members aboard the CF-Crystal freighter, carrying grain, were rescued. But of the 32 crew members of the Sanchi, there were no survivors.

Even with international rescue efforts, the heat of the fire and multiple sequential explosions with toxic gas

using water to try to put out the fire rather than another substance, like foam, that may have worked more quickly. Other differing viewpoints suggested that the Sanchi should have been allowed to burn to completion or blown up to burn all of the remaining oil and keep it from entering the ocean.

The tanker was carrying condensate oil, regarded as one of the most valuable forms of crude oil which is very different from the black, sticky type we typically see with oil spills. Light, colorless and slightly soluble in water, condensate oil may spread quickly as an underwater plume and may be harder to clean up.

Mainly consisting of alkanes, or singlebonded atoms, condensate oil is highly flammable. A spill of this magnitude is unprecedented for condensate oil.

One possibility is that the very low specific gravity, a measure of the density of the oil, could cause the oil to rise to the surface of the water and spread out very thin, eventually evaporating. Another possible outcome is that the substance spreads deep below the surface in a toxic plume and travels unknown distances.

The impacts of this disaster may linger on for centuries. While the approximately 1 million barrels of oil were worth $60 million, the long-term environmental cost is immeasurable at this time. The ship sunk An oil tanker in Sydney Harbor. Photo by: MD11, Flickr. in one of the most lucrative fishing areas off of China, with crabs, mackerel and spawning grounds for bluefin leatherjackets and swordtip for two weeks made it impossible for rescue teams to squids. It is also located on a migratory path of humpget close enough to the Sanchi to search for survivors. back whales, grey whales and right whales, according to There was some amount of controversy and disagree- Greenpeace. ment over the action taken after the ships collided.

It is not yet clear what will happen next, but as of JanuSome were questioning the Chinese rescue efforts of ary 15, 2018, the oil slick covered 52 square miles. The 28|â&#x20AC;&#x192;Seawords

exact area that the oil may spread is unknown and especially hard to estimate with condensate oil.

What is known is that as long as the ship remains on the sea floor, the oil and fuel tanks will continue leaking as a long-term, slow leak.

On Feb. 1, Japan environmentalists were surprised to find chunks of oil washing onto the shores of Amami-Oshima, one island in a chain off Japan.

They did not expect the oil to reach Japan from the area of the crash. It has not yet been confirmed if the chunks of oil are related to the Iranian tanker.

Chinese scientists predict that pollutants could reach as far as the North American coast via the Island in the East China Sea. Photo by: Erik Van der Horst/ North Pacific Current. According to research done FieldsportsChannel.tv, Flickr. in the United Kingdom, the pollutants may also go not seen near the amount of coverage as the 1989 spill or towards Japan and South Korea. But, Chinese estimates the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and minimal say that it is not likely to reach Japan. information has been given by the Chinese government As a comparison, the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in the regarding either a clean-up plan and toxin analysis in Prince William Sound in Alaska that released 1 million the surrounding waters. There are no known reports on gallons of oil is still contaminating about 20 acres of the monitoring toxicity levels in plankton, marine birds or shoreline and decomposing at a maximum of 4 percent fish in waters surrounding and downstream of the curper year. rents around the spill.

Although it was three times smaller than the Senchi As of five days ago, 161 square miles of the spill have spill, the Exxon Valdez oil spill received extensive media been cleaned up, and planes, ships and remote satellite coverage and an expensive clean-up effort. Interestingly, sensors continue to monitor the oceanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface. n the rapidly spreading oil spill in the East China Sea has

United States Military ships in the East China Sea. Photo by: U.S. Pacific Fleet, Flickr.

MARCH 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|29

MARCH 2018 Reef Research

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1 MARCH

Hidden in plain view: semi-cryptic reef communities in Hawai‘i • Chelsie Counsell • Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

8 MARCH

Kaua‘i coral disease: a case of Black Band • Megan Ross • University of Hawai‘i at West O‘ahu

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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THEATER THURSDAYS: Science Talks or Educational Films Thursday evenings 6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. at Hanauma Bay Admission is free Parking free after 4 P.M.

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15 MARCH

Is that coral sick? Reporting aquatic threats with Eyes on Reef (EOR) • Jason Mehlinger • Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources

22 MARCH

Trails of the ancient mariners: tracking turtles with genetic barcodes • Brian Bowen • Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

29 MARCH

Picky eater or generalist feeder?

Specialized herbivores in Hawai‘i • Eileen Nalley • Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Can’t make it to the Bay?

Watch our science talks on YouTube, search for Hanauma Talks

Follow us on social media

30| Seawords

FLASHBACK: MARCH 1984

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By: Jenny Johnson, Associate Editor

his flashback takes place in Punalu‘u on the south side of the Big Island in 1984. MOPers from UH Hilo were in Punalu‘u tagging turtles for The Turtle Project, headed by NOAA Wildlife Biologist, George Balazs. Through this project, MOPers were able to obtain first-hand experience with Hawaiian green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), also known as honu. The students safely caught the turtles in the night and hauled them onto the beach to be measured, weighed, tagged and then set free back into the vast ocean.

Bright sunny skies and warm air in Punalu‘u pleasantly surprised the students who thought the weather would bring strong gusts of wind that would leave them chilly. It seemed they were lucky to have this wonderful weather, as some people had warned them about the strong winds coming down from Mauna Loa. To have success with The Turtle Project, students were on two hour shifts overnight to watch for turtles that were caught in the net they had set up. Along with flashlights, a starlit sky brightened the long night for students who were running on very little sleep. Excitement would wake them up as soon as a turtle appeared. Students would quickly put their swimsuits on and rush into the chilly water. Nancy Bernard, UHH MOP student, was on watch when two turtles were seen in the net. She and UHH MOP students, George and Chris, took 45 long, tough minutes to get the turtles onto the beach. There, the turtles would lay comfortably until the morning.

After the students woke up early and indulged in a quick breakfast, they headed to the beach to measure, weigh, tag, draw blood to determine the sex, pull off parasitic turtle barnacles, and lastly, set the honu free into the ocean.

Reflecting back on the weekend, in her 1984 article, Nancy explained, “Two days of turtling can be exhausting but it’s always challenging and it’s always fun.”

The Turtle Project was created

by George Balazs of the National Marine Fisheries Service to study and keep track of the Hawaiian green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas).

Honu are a threatened species, and tracking has allowed scientists to study their behaviors as well as factors that threaten them. n

MARCH 2018 |31

March

Photo credit: Photo by Kimberly James, UHM MOP Photography Contest

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Next month: April -April 8: Hike to Kaena Point -April 21: MOP Symposium

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Tour of R/V Falkor UH Marine Facility Pier 36 1:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

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MOP & Community Events

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Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

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Tour of Oceanic Institute Oceanic Institute 9:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

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Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

MARCH 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|33

University of Hawai`i at MÄ noa Seawords, Marine Option Program College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Address Service Requested

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