Hualalai Magazine - Summer/Fall 2023

Hualälai Realty

AT HUALĀLAI REALTY,

it is our privilege to help you find the perfect Hualālai home. As Hualālai Resort’s exclusive on-site real estate office, we are the experts in this luxury niche market, having closed more than $2.9 BILLION since 1996.

We focus 100% of our efforts on sales at Hualālai. We look forward to sharing our insights and unique listings with you, and providing incomparable service for all of your real estate needs at the world’s premier residential resort.

5 ALOHA

E komo mai, welcome: a letter of greetings and good tidings to our Hualālai ʻohana of residential Members and Resort guests.

6 HUALĀLAI

MOMENTS

Indelible images of Hualālai living, from surfing above the waves to playing under par on a legendary course.

12 THE FRONT NINE

A quick swing through the latest news, views, and happenings at Hualālai.

20 WORK OF ART

Interior designer Nicole Hollis’s style savvy is on striking display at Hualālai, and her canvas is her own family’s Waiulu Villa.

BY LORI BRYAN

30 SAVORING EVERY MOMENT

Hualālai Canoe Club’s exceptional dining experience is even more delicious now that the day’s main meal is on the menu.

BY SHEILA GIBSON STOODLEY

38 WORTH THE WAIT

Thanks to years of steadfast conservation off the coast of Hualālai, the fish of the Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Reserve are making a comeback.

BY GINA DECAPRIO VERCESI

“We love sharing with guests how important conservation is to us, so they, too, can feel aloha for our land and sea.”

46 A DREAM COME TRUE

Forever cherishing Hawaiian culture and language, Kaʻaiʻōhelo McAfee-Torco, Hualālai’s new cultural manager, can’t wait to share her love for the islands with the Resort’s Members and guests. BY NICOLA

CHILTON

56 ROOM WITH A VIEW

Stellar sight lines, including this stunning lānai vista, make a recently updated Hualālai address an incredible home away from home.

ON THE COVER A bird’s-eye view of beautiful Hualālai Resort.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOUG PEEBLES

Patrick Fitzgerald President and CEO

Rob Kildow

Director of Residential Sales, Principal Broker

Charlie Parker

Regional Vice President, General Manager Four Seasons Resort Hualālai

Violet Terawaki

Director of Marketing

HUALĀLAI

MAGAZINE

Lori Bryan Editor

Mary Franz Art Director

Nikki Prange Copy Editor

Contributing Writers

Nicola Chilton

Gina DeCaprio Vercesi

Sheila Gibson Stoodley

Margaret Kearns

ALOHA HUALĀLAI ‘OHANA ,

E KOMO MAI (WELCOME). For Hualālai, 2023 has already proven to be a dynamic and eventful year, and we’re excited for what’s to come as we continue to improve the amenities and programming that make your stay so memorable.

Years ago, we created Hualālai magazine to showcase the best of our iconic Resort and the incredible experiences available to our Members and guests, and this issue does just that. The publication’s editorial team has curated a thoughtful mix of in-depth features and other contents, and we hope you’ll learn more about Hualālai through these stories of the people, places, and pursuits here.

In the following pages, we give you an insider’s tour of a renovated villa, spotlighting an interior designer’s stunning family retreat at Hualālai. We introduce our eagerly awaited new private charter boat, Alaka‘i Nui. Helmed by our esteemed Alaka‘i Nalu (Leaders of the Waves), the 46-foot center console catamaran will allow Hualālai Members and Resort guests to explore by private charter more of the beautiful Kona-Kohala coast than ever before. We also celebrate the Hualālai Sports Club’s opening of the Healing and Recovery Lounge, a full recovery suite offering acupuncture, acupressure, cupping, and other therapies for post-workout wind-downs.

We’re proud to highlight a question and answer–style feature with our new cultural manager, Ka‘ai ‘ōhelo McAfee-Torco, who discusses her devotion both to sharing the Hawai ‘i Islands’ language and culture and to providing new programs at the Resort’s Ka‘ūpūlehu Cultural Center.

New and notable dining experiences are also a focus in this issue. Members can now enjoy dinner at Hualālai Canoe Club, thanks to the venue’s expanded hours and offerings, and both Members and Resort guests can savor the dishes of Hualālai Grille’s new menu. Members are also invited to partake of our Golf Hale Socials—held at the Hualālai Golf Hale—which often feature artisan pizzas from the James Beard Award–winning chef Ken Forkish.

We’re also happy to note that the back nine of our Members-only Ke‘olu Golf Course is being changed to paspalum grass to match the course’s newly renovated front nine and should be ready for play by November. This will give our Members the option to play two outstanding courses at Hualālai: Ke‘olu and the championship Hualālai Golf Course. Additionally, we expect to have approval for our Ihoikai subdivision shortly, which will put 12 custom lots on the market.

We hope that this issue of Hualālai inspires you and makes your stay with us even more meaningful.

Mahalo nui loa,

PUBLISHED BY

Bruce Wallin

Chief Content Officer bruce.wallin@candrpr.com candrpr.com

Hualālai 72-100 Ka‘ūpūlehu Drive Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 808.325.8500 hualalairealty.com

Rob Kildow Director of Residential Sales, Principal Broker Hualālai Realty

Charlie Parker Regional Vice President, General Manager Four Seasons Resort Hualālai

IN FULL SWING

Playing the 17th hole of the championship

Hualālai Golf Course

STILL LIFE

Soaking up the serenity at the Keʻolu Clubhouse pool

RIDING HIGH

Foil surfing off the shore of Hualālai, outside of Uluweuweu Bay

the front nine

A QUICK SWING THROUGH THE LATEST NEWS, VIEWS, AND HAPPENINGS AT HUALĀLAI

ALOHA ALAKA‘I NUI

Hualālai’s new private charter boat has docked in time for summer. The Resort’s Members, as well as guests of the Four Seasons, can charter Alaka‘i Nui —a 46-foot center console catamaran powered by a quadruple 425-hp XTO outboard—for a wide range of personalized expeditions and experiences, from offshore fishing and snorkeling trips to underwater-scooter riding, with a twohour minimum. “A catamaran handles Hawaiian waters much better than a monohull; this boat is capable of providing longrange ocean adventures,” says Trent Fischer, director of Hualālai’s

Alaka‘i Nalu (Leaders of the Waves). “While our Ribcraft has capacity for up to 14 guests, it’s best suited for short-range outings. Aboard Alaka‘i Nui, up to 6 guests—all part of the same family or group—will enjoy an intimate VIP experience.” The boat, which includes a restroom and other convenient amenities, can cruise from the Resort to points as far south as Miloli‘i and as far north as Kawaihae, with nearly every ocean activity available for the group’s enjoyment. “Guests get to determine their own special itinerary for their day charter,” says Fischer. 808.325.8490

REGATTA REDUX

Though the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai OC-1 & OC-2 Canoe Regatta made its muchanticipated debut in 2022, this year’s race, held April 8, made an even bigger splash, drawing in 100 paddlers from the state of Hawai‘i and the U.S. mainland. The regatta was open to elite paddlers, and the race’s first-, second-, and third-place finishers won cash and prizes, including stays at the Four Seasons. The racecourse was extended from 2022’s 10 miles to 14 miles and had its starting and finishing lines in Uluweuweu Bay fronting the Hualālai Canoe Club. “Our goal is to host one of the most prestigious oneday paddle events in the state,” says Hualālai’s Alaka‘i Nalu director, Trent Fischer. “As the state team sport of Hawai‘i, outrigger canoe paddling deserves to be elevated.” So far, so good: Word of this newbie regatta has reached far beyond the Hawaiian Islands, according to Fischer, with paddlers as far away as Tahiti asking to be included in future events. 808.325.8490

5 Only at Hualālai

Those who stop in at Hualālai’s Seaside boutiques will fi nd madefor-Hualālai must-haves from top designers. James Perse created the now-iconic Hawai‘i “names” logo T-shirt years ago (the shops have offered distinctive apparel, jewelry, and accessories for nearly two decades), and names such as Sol Angeles and the Lady & the Sailor also make fashions that are exclusive to the Resort. Hawai‘i’s Mālie Organics—known for its fragrances using local botanicals—created a signature scent for the Hualālai Spa, while Shylee Rose Jewelry produces pieces for Seaside Beach that feature 14-karat yellow, white, or rose gold and incorporate the Resort’s name or Hawaiian words. Luxe candles from Voyage et Cie are also on hand. 808.325.8549

TEACHER OF THE YEAR 8

A golf instructor par excellence, Hualālai’s own Scott Bridges is the Aloha Section PGA’s Teacher of the Year. A golf professional and staff member of Hualālai’s golf operations team, Bridges received the organization’s annual award, for 2022, at Oahu’s

Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi early this year. Originally from Dallas, he moved to Hawaiʻi in 1990 and has more than 30 years of experience as a teaching pro. Prior to joining Hualālai Resort in 2016, he taught at other resorts on Hawaiʻi Island, as well

as on Maui. To be named Teacher of the Year, Bridges needed both the nomination and the votes of teaching pros in the Aloha Section PGA—his colleagues and peers. “It’s wonderful and a great honor,” he says. 808.325.8000

Plein Air Provisions 9

Sought-after local goods are in store more and more at Hualālai, thanks to the expanding program known as the Hualālai Trading Company’s Vendor on the Porch . Seasonal open-air marketplaces now set up shop both at the boccie ball courts, which tend to hold 10 to 12 local vendors, and at tented stations in the parking lot fronting the Hualālai Realty o ce, where there may be as many as 30 vendors, including food trucks. Over spring break and during the summer and festive seasons, these outdoor markets take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with popular food trucks such as Sugar’s Hawai‘i and Califas Mexican Food serving up their signature dishes. Big Island Provisions & Sundries has wowed with bao buns and smoked meats, while Jaw Jacker Grindz has delighted with mixed plates, burgers, and salads. “It’s a great venue,” says Patti Stivers, club purchasing manager at the Four Seasons, about the alfresco setting. “It allows us to feature many more of our Hawai‘i Island artisans than is possible within the Hualālai Trading Company space itself.” 808.325.8515

SECTION BY MARGARET KEARNS

FACES OF HUALĀLAI

The wonderful Hualālai staff have had the pleasure of assisting you before, maybe you’ve known each other for years. So instead of an introduction, this is a chance to catch up with a member of our Hualālai family, or, as we like to say, our ‘ohana.

public, homeowners, guests, workers, everybody—we get them all,” she says. In a typical day, she might make 60 coffee drinks and 40 smoothies, and those numbers can rise to 80 or 100 in each category during an intensely busy shift. But it’s the regulars who make her day. Some have been patrons of the Resort for longer than she’s worked there. “We’ve had a lot of repeat guests over the years,” she says. “The experience of aloha we show them is what people want and like and makes them want to come back to us. And a lot of them come back. They love this place, and I do too.”

—SHEILA GIBSON STOODLEY

Michele DeSilva is not psychic; she’s just very good at her job.

For the past twenty-some years, she’s worked as a barista-cashier at the Hualālai Trading Company, an entity at the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai that’s part gift shop, part convenience store, and part general store. During that time, she’s learned to anticipate the needs of those who come through the door.

“I try to be steps ahead,” says DeSilva, who is among the dozen-plus employees on the Hualālai Trading Company staff. “So many times, people come in and get certain drinks, and I start making them before they pay. They say, ‘That’s what I wanted!’ I remember what they get.”

Her quiet proactivity—sensing what is needed before being asked for it—helped win DeSilva the title of 2022 Employee of the Year. In addition to earning “a bunch of leis and being bombarded with employees hugging me,” she received an extra week of vacation and a bonus equivalent to a week’s worth of pay.

Hualālai Trading Company is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and its employees choose either the morning shift, which ends at 1:30 p.m., or the night shift, which spans noon to closing time. DeSilva has worked both but currently favors the night shift. The store also stands out for being one of the areas of the Resort that is open to everyone. “The

Every day, Hualālai’s John Novak confronts a challenge rooted in geography. The retail expert must please patrons who are accustomed to seeing overnight delivery as a given rather than a miracle, and he must do this on an island where overnight delivery is unavailable. The fastest that something can reach or depart the islands (unless the something is a medical sample that’s been hand-delivered to an airport before 11 a.m.) is via FedEx’s second-day air service. Novak knows what this means for his customers and how to help them despite the constraint. Though he can’t instantly deliver 200 bathrobes embroidered with the Four Seasons logo, he can work with you to obtain them in time for your conference.

Novak, who received his employer’s Manager of the Year award for 2022, has served as the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai’s retail sales and event operations manager for the past several years. He gets things done by making the most of what’s available. “Hualālai—it’s its own city. There are resources here,” he says. “You’ve got to know when and where to tap into the right ones.” Upon first coming to work at the Resort, “I thought my retail experience wouldn’t translate to hospitality, but it really did,” he adds. “World-class service is world-class service, whether you’re at a restaurant or behind a counter.”

Recently, when Novak encountered a guest who was unhappy with her rental car, he knew just what to do. She was a member of a wedding party that was staying at the Four Seasons, and she had sent the car to the airport to be detailed, but it didn’t come back clean enough to comfortably transport her friends and family in their gowns and finery. Novak solved her problem, arranging for a car detailer to tend to her rental car on-site.

Taking care of her need was an outgrowth of the ethos that drew Novak and his husband to Hawai‘i, first as loyal guests of the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, then as island residents, and ultimately, for Novak, as a Resort employee. “I work with amazing people in a place I love,” he says. “My husband and I were married here. We were fortunate to be guests here. When you receive so much aloha, you’ve got to give it back. When you live on an island, you have to take care of the natural resources. The people are as important as the natural resources. We take care of the land, we take care of the water, we take care of each other.”

—S.G.S.

icole Hollis’s Hualālai home is understandably in tune with the splendors all around it. The San Francisco–based designer understands refined island living, having created gorgeous yet grounded interiors for residential and hospitality clients in Hawai‘i, and she knows what she likes—and what she loves. Frequent work travel to the Big Island over the years had Hollis and her husband and business partner, Lewis Heathcote, “falling in love with the culture and beauty of the Kona Coast,” she says. So strong was their affinity to the place, in 2019 they bought a three-bedroom condo villa on Hualālai’s Waiulu Street and started renovations, working with the contractor Dowbuilt to take the 20-year-old structure down to the studs. Now complete, the 2,800-square-foot modern retreat is a seamless mix of finishes and textures, with local flair, that the couple enjoy with their two children when the family is in Hawai‘i for work or play or both. Comfortably elegant and inviting, the home “has only increased our love of Hawai‘i,” says Hollis. “With every visit, it becomes harder to leave.”

A WARM WELCOME

In the entry foyer and entry hall (opposite and left, respectively), texture and warmth and pops of color usher the homeowners and their guests inside. The striking Le Lampade pendant light, made with hand-woven organic material, hangs above a Moroccan rug sourced by Hollis. A cold-rolled-steel peg rack from March provides a place to hang hats and whatnot, and the Tribe suar wood bench from Blaxsand affords a spot to set down shopping bags or take off shoes. The vibrant hue and lively texture of a commissioned painting by multimedia artist Bosco Sodi catch the eye, as do the stools, also by Sodi; the Lorentz console table, designed by Hollis for McGuire; and the Lantern table lamp, by Apparatus. These artful elements set the tone for the great room (previous spread), where Blaise Rosenthal’s charcoal and acrylic on canvas Everything Reminds You of Something (2016) takes center stage among such distinctive pieces as a Navone sectional from RH, with indigo throw pillows from New York’s Les Ateliers Courbet; a custom oak beam coffee table by Marlieke van Rossum; French rattan seating from Los Angeles–based Orange; and a ceramic side table by Psultan.

DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN

RAREFIED REPASTS

Style and substance are main ingredients in the kitchen and in the great room’s dining area. A hutch, procured by KailuaKona–based Jeanne Marie Imports and placed in the kitchen, imparts a vintage touch, while Richard Serra’s Weight VI (2013), mounted on the wall behind a custom ebonized oak dining table and benches designed by Hollis, brings contemporary gravity to the communal meal space. The dining room chairs are vintage—found by Hollis during a trip to Los Angeles—and boast cushions in a charcoal basketweave linen upholstery by Houlès Paris via Sloan Miyasato. From the cedar hip ceiling hangs a Planck light sculpture of oak and hand-blown glass by the French artist Jérôme Pereira. Back in the open-concept kitchen, craftsmanship continues with an eye toward function. Sleek appliances by Sub-Zero and Wolf mingle with a custom kitchen island, Blanco sink, Dornbracht plumbing fixtures, Concreteworks countertops, Sun Valley Bronze hardware, and cypress cabinets with a distinctive wirebrushed finish.

“Creating such a personal, warm, and comfortable home on the Kona Coast has only increased our love of Hawai‘i.”

—NICOLE HOLLIS, interior designer and homeowner

work of art

SUITE DREAMS

The home’s three bedrooms frame Hawaiʻi’s boundless beauty and celebrate the closeness of Hualālai’s lush landscape. In the primary suite (opposite), sliding glass doors open onto a lānai, where a basketwork lounge chair designed in the 1950s by the Italian architect Franco Albini provides a quiet spot to take in the view. Back inside, a James Perse bed wrapped in white linen is a soothing centerpiece. At the bed’s foot is Inoda + Sveje’s Tangāli teak bench, which rests on the area’s custom jute rug by Mark Nelson Designs. Rounding out the space are custom pendant lights by the New York–based artist Rogan Gregory, oxidized-steel-wrapped nightstands with a blackened oak finish by the New Hampshire–based furniture maker Tod Von Mertens, a Psultan ceramic stool, and a Desalto table with a lava-stone-paste finish that evokes the Kona Coast’s dramatic lava rock fields. Such attention to detail also permeates the guest rooms, with one including a custom Croft House bed, Lorentz end table, and John Wigmore table lamps; the other, a pair of Amber Interiors’ Penny beds, Allied Maker’s Concentric 10” sconce, and Coqui Coqui wall hangings by Woven Husk.

TOP AND BOTTOM: DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN; RIGHT: ETHAN TWEEDIE

With the day’s main meal now on the menu, Hualālai Canoe Club rounds out a delectable dining experience.

BY SHEILA GIBSON STOODLEY

Savoring Every Moment

Tempting entrées at Hualālai Canoe Club include (clockwise from top) mahi-mahi, free-range chicken, and steak and fries.

When the time comes for the day’s last meal,

those desiring a truly memorable dining experience don’t need to look for floor shows, although Hawai‘i has them, or theater, lovely as it is, because the islands boast two perennial attractions with arguably more appeal than even the best human entertainers: the sun and the sea. Fortunately, Hualālai Club Members can enjoy both when they eat dinner at the open-air, oceanview Hualālai Canoe Club—an end-of-day repast that simply did not exist here until recently.

In addition to breathtaking views, Hualālai Canoe Club serves up such Member favorites as steak and fries (below left) and ahi nacho salad (below right).

The sun sets at the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., depending on the time of year. Hualālai Canoe Club—a Members-only restaurant that overlooks Uluweuweu Bay and the Alaka‘i Nalu ocean activity center—provides peerless views of Mother Nature’s splendor from virtually every table. And from now on, the restaurant, which has traditionally been a lunch spot, serves dinner from Wednesday to Sunday. Members can savor their evening meal—from fajitas and sushi to portobello mushroom ravioli and other tempting entrées—as the sun dips below the ocean horizon. The food plus the setting equals a full sensory experience. “Hearing the waves is a major draw,” says Hualālai Club’s assistant general manager, Alessandro Cartumini. “Being able to hear the ocean is something special. You can’t just see the ocean; you’ve got to be able to hear it. There’s something about it that’s incomparable in restaurant settings.”

One of the Resort’s most beloved restaurants, Hualālai Canoe Club isn’t new. It opened more than 20 years ago, when Hualālai Resort had 163 Hualālai Club Members. (It now has 366.) The restaurant kept dinner off the menu because of the establishment’s location on a residential street. The stewards of Hualālai Canoe Club simply felt that it was best to close for the day at 6 p.m., so that’s what they did.

Change arrived after October 2021 when Hualālai Club’s previous general manager and Shelley Smith, director of food and beverage, tasked themselves with finding ways to improve the Member experience. That led them to wonder whether it was possible to expand Hualālai Canoe Club’s offerings to include dinner. Ultimately, it was decided that the day’s final meal would be a marvelous addition to the Member experience, and in November 2022, Hualālai Canoe Club began dinner service. Members were able to try the new

“Hearing the waves is a major draw. Being able to hear the ocean is something special.”

HUALĀLAI CLUB ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER ALESSANDRO CARTUMINI

Hualālai Canoe Club infinity-edge pool and restaurant

WHAT’S NEW AT THE HUALĀLAI GRILLE

> In January, Hualālai Grille—a steak house open to both Members and nonmembers of Hualālai Resort—introduced a revamped menu that is a cut above what was already a mouthwatering list of dishes.

A standout from the menu is a 10-ounce cut of Iberico pork secreto, a Spanish ham prized by gourmets. The pork, according to Hualālai executive sous-chef James Ebreo, is “a cut on the outside of the front of the shoulder that has a lot of flavor.”

Other dishes sure to please include a Kona kanpachi filet with capers, Meyer lemon, and brown butter that is prepared in front of the diners, and the Japanese A5 Wagyu rib eye, which Ebreo says has proven “very popular” despite being priced by the ounce. Sides of brussels sprouts and spicy fried rice (with Kona Cold lobster) have also been added to the Hualālai Grille menu. In addition to the new offerings are some old favorites, including one sauce selection that initially had been rotated out. “We removed the blue cheese fondue,” Ebreo says, “but we had to add it back due to numerous requests from guests.” —S.G.S.

Brussels sprouts

Kona kanpachi filet

concept every night between 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Smith knew that she had a hit on her hands when Members spontaneously offered thank-yous and complimented the menu. “To receive that much positive feedback confirmed that we were providing our Members with a wonderful new private oceanfront dining experience,” she says. “They embraced it wholeheartedly.”

In creating the first dinner menu for Hualālai Canoe Club and, by extension, setting the tone for all the restaurant’s future dinners, James Ebreo aimed for a menu that was “a little classy, but with classic comfort food.” The executive sous-chef held over the Asian burger and the daily fresh-catch taco from the lunch menu, as well as the ever-popular sushi choices. Alongside them he offered entrées of pan-roasted free-range chicken with piri-piri sauce and a warm quinoa salad, and tandoori

spice-rubbed mahi-mahi with saffron basmati rice and kachumber (a salad dish from India that typically features cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes). The wine list expanded accordingly, though Ebreo notes that Members also like to bring their own bottles, and Hualālai Canoe Club does not charge a corkage fee.

In mid-March, Ebreo was well into the process of updating Hualālai Canoe Club’s dinner menu for summer. He wasn’t ready to reveal specifics about new dishes, but he made it clear that the bestreceived debut on the inaugural dinner menu—the fajitas—had made the cut. To Ebreo, it was no surprise that the fajitas had outperformed every other Hualālai Canoe Club entrée, old and new. “Steak, chicken, or shrimp—three nights a week, you can order a different fajita,” he says. “Homeowners like it when they get a choice.”

“Steak, chicken, or shrimp—three nights a week, you can order a different fajita. Homeowners like it when they get a choice.”

EXECUTIVE SOUS-CHEF JAMES EBREO

the Worth

Wait

A yearslong commitment to marine conservation is having a positive impact on the fish—and the future—at

BY GINA DECAPRIO VERCESI

Kaʻūpūlehu.

On any given day at Hualālai Resort, members of the natural resources team can be found taking water samples from tide pools along the shoreline, teaching guests about the wonders of the property’s various ecosystems, and harvesting shrimp from the aquaculture tanks located in the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai’s herb garden. Leading the way in this work—including ongoing efforts to revitalize beloved fi shing grounds, which are now showing signs of improvement—is the resort’s director of natural resources, David Chai.

Throughout his 27-year career at Hualālai, Chai has had a hand in everything from restoring the property’s traditional anchialine ponds to creating a robust program of marine life experiences, all while imparting the significance of mālama i ka ‘āina—caring for and living in harmony with the land. “We love sharing with guests how important conservation is to us, so they, too, can feel aloha for our land and sea,” says Chai.

One of the many ways Chai shows mālama is by serving on the Ka‘ūpūlehu Marine Life Advisory Committee (KMLAC), a multigenerational community group made up of area businesses, residents, private landowners, and families with ancestral ties to the area.

KAIKEA NAKACHI, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

David Chai (opposite) and his natural resources team share their knowledge of the coral reefs, local fish species, and more with Hualālai’s guests and Members, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices.

the shoreline to a depth of 120 feet. The rest period, which has become known colloquially as “ Try Wait,” took effect in 2016.

While the decision to establish a decade-long fi shing moratorium in Ka‘ūpū lehu didn’t come easily— the pause means that many local children will grow up without having the chance to fi sh the reef—it has roots in native Hawaiian culture. Traditionally, kapu periods were set at certain times during the year, especially during spawning, to regulate fi shing and safeguard marine resources for future use. Additionally, because many important fi sh consumed as food require several years to reach peak reproductive age, a 10-year rest period offers the best chance for at least one generation of fi sh to rebound, laying the foundation for a more sustainable future.

So far, that’s exactly what’s happening. An assessment released by TNC in 2020 showed that total fi sh biomass within the reserve area had increased by 173 percent during the rest period’s fi rst four years. More specifically, TNC also saw a 256 percent increase in highly prized food fi sh and a 612 percent increase in prime spawners—large fi sh that produce exponentially more off spring to help replenish future generations. These numbers suggest that, as anticipated,

when nature is given time to rest, recovery can happen quickly.

Try Wait is clearly having a significant, positive impact on Ka‘ūpū lehu fi sh populations, and while these early results are encouraging, there is still work to be done. Drawing from a combination of elder knowledge, biological data, and input from both scientists and the community, KMLAC recently created a draft of their fi sheries management plan, which will guide fi shing practices in the reserve when the rest period expires in 2026. In the coming months, the committee will work to fi ne-tune the plan before presenting it to both the Division of Aquatic Resources and the Department of Land and Natural Resources for approval. When that happens, Try Wait will o cially become Pau Wait, or No Longer Wait.

“I truly hope that our effort here at Ka‘ūpū lehu will continue to be successful and serve as an example for all of Hawai‘i’s communities,” says Chai. “I have great hope that all of Hawai‘i can fi nd sustainable ways to ensure that our own and future generations will be able to enjoy abundant and healthy reefs.”

A 10-year rest period offers the best chance for at least one generation of fish to rebound, laying the foundation for a more sustainable future.

KAʻAIʻ Ō HELO MCAFEE-TORCO JOINS THE HUALĀLAI ʻOHANA AS THE RESORT’S NEW CULTURAL MANAGER.

BY NICOLA CHILTON

› Looking for a new job was the last thing on Ka‘ai‘ōhelo McAfeeTorco’s mind last fall when she visited the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai at Ka‘ūpūlehu for the first time. But destiny called, and while wandering the grounds, she found herself falling in love with the place. Two days later, she saw that the property was looking for a cultural manager, and she decided to apply. “It felt like the place really chose me,” she says.

With her deep love and respect for Hawaiian culture, language, and music, McAfee-Torco is the perfect fit to continue the legacy of the Resort’s Ka‘ūpūlehu Cultural Center. First established in 1996 with a goal of creating a comfortable, encouraging, and welcoming setting in which to share Hawaiian culture, the center has since grown into a space where visitors can feel the true spirit of aloha through a wide range of experiences and activities, all of which are offered free of charge.

We spoke with McAfee-Torco in March to learn more about her and what she has in store for Hualālai’s Members, guests, and employees.

Seated among the lush gardens at the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, Ka‘ai‘ōhelo McAfee-Torco demonstrates the art of lauhala—the weaving of leaves from the hala tree.

a dream come true

Where does your passion for sharing Hawaiian culture and language come from?

› My parents didn’t grow up learning about Hawaiian culture, and they wanted to make sure their children had the opportunity. I was enrolled in a Hawaiian-language immersion school and developed a love of Hawaiian music as a member of the Hawai‘i Youth Opera Chorus and the Kamehameha Schools Concert Glee Club. I continued learning by spending time with masters of traditional practices at Honolulu’s Bishop Museum, and I connected with Hawai‘i’s voyaging traditions by participating in a sailing expedition on board the canoe Hōkūle‘a for three months.

My parents’ desire for us to embrace our culture and history became a part of me. My family are my fi rst teachers, but I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have many great teachers along the way. It’s truly a dream for me to come to work and talk about Hawaiian language and culture all day.

What is your vision for the Ka‘ūpūlehu Cultural Center’s role in connecting Members, guests, and employees with the culture of Hawai‘i?

› Hawaiian culture can be found everywhere on our property, and it goes far beyond the four walls of our center. If you’re playing golf, you should know that the land you’re golfi ng on has a rich history. One of my goals is to perpetuate Hawaiian culture across the whole Resort, whether through our food, the music we play, or the language we use.

How do you convince guests to get up off their sun loungers and come for an educational experience while on vacation?

› If I have to convince someone, then maybe it’s not

“My parents’ desire for us to embrace our culture and history became a part of me. My family are my first teachers, but I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have many great teachers along the way.”

—KAʻAIʻ Ō HELO MCAFEE-TORCO

McAfee-Torco

(left, with Allison Tan) teaches lei making and much more to the Resort’s Members and guests.

McAfee-Torco (shown in the herb garden at the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai) sees every stay as a fresh experience: “There’s something new to learn every time you come to us.”

(Kaulumāhiehie Amaral) is a well-known solo hula dancer throughout the entire Kona coast and incredible with lei making, and Micah De Aguiar is a professional musician and lover of Hawaiian history. You’ll always hear unique stories here, because each lesson is tied to one of us, the teachers we’ve learned from, and the local communities we are part of. We all pass on knowledge and teachings from our kūpuna, our elders, so that it’s not forgotten.

What kind of programs are you looking to add?

› We have different months dedicated to different themes. January is Mu‘umu‘u Month in Hawai‘i, and we’ve been able to introduce Hawaiian fashion and design into our history talks. I’d also love to see more music throughout the entire property. Our music plays such an important role in preserving Hawaiian language and history through song. Maybe one day you’ll hear the whole staff singing. It would be such a powerful gift to welcome people or send them off with chanting and song.

Is the center more than a one-shot experience?

› There’s something new to learn every time you come to us. When people say to me, “I’ve already been, I don’t have to do that again,” I challenge them. If they made a bracelet last time, I ask if they want to try making a water bottle cover or a bracelet with a different pattern. Even if it’s your twentieth visit to the Resort, there’s always something new to learn. You’re gaining additional knowledge from the previous lesson and experiencing it with us.

What do you hope visitors take away?

› I think many guests come to us with a certain expectation, but they leave with something completely different. We had one guest who came to make a lei, and when she left, she told us she felt as if she had a new family member. The connection she made with the Aunty who taught her was so strong. I also want to think about what our guests can leave this place. When I visit places, I want to leave them better than I fi nd them, and I’d like visitors to think about not only what they can take away, but also what they can give to Hawai‘i. What can they contribute? That question about how we can leave places better than we found them is very important. It helps us all become better travelers who care for and respect the places we visit.

“When I visit places, I want to leave them better than I find them, and I’d like visitors to think about not only what they can take away, but also what they can give to Hawai‘i.”

—KAʻAIʻ Ō HELO MCAFEE-TORCO

JOSHUA FLETCHER

Prime steaks, island fresh ingredients, hand - crafted cocktails, and extensive world renowned wines

Hualälai

www.hualalairesort.com

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