November 2018 Seawords by Marine Option Program

Seaw rds The Marine Option Program Newsletter

November 2018/Photography Issue

snow could be aiding climate 6 change“...this and contributing to the melting of this ice mass at an alarming rate.”

2018 PHOTO CONTEST DON’T EAT THE PINK SNOW A NEW ALTERNATIVE TO SAMPLE COLLECTION

November 2018 Volume XXXII, Number 9

Articles Page 3: Letter from the Editor Page 4: November Surf Report Page 6: Don’t Eat the Pink Snow Page 7: Critter of the Month Page 8: If Wall-E were to Tackle the Ocean’s Garbage Problem Page 10: Ocean Art Page 11: A New Alternative to Sample Collection Page 12: Shipwreck of the Month Page 14: MOP Tours HIMB Page 16: Ocean Updates Page 18: Generation Blue Page 20: Hanauma Bay: Calendar of Events Page 21: Flashback: 2004 Page 22: MOP Calendar of Events: November Page 24: 6th Annual Photography Contest Page 26: Judge Tyler Phelps Page 28: Fauna Page 36: Topside Page 42: Under the Sea

About the Photography -Cover: Bryant Grady, UHH MOP Student & 2018 Photo Contest Winner -Table of Contents: Brooke Bembenek, UHH MOP Student -November Calendar of Events: Paula Alcoseba, UH Maui MOP Student. -Back cover: Paula Alcoseba, UH Maui MOP Student -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

loha!

Welcome to the very special 6th Annual Photo Contest issue! Open up this alluring issue to find a plethora of ocean-related articles and photographs that will blow you away! Our photo contestants have not disappointed this year with their superb photos of multi-colored critters, jaw-dropping sunrises, oozing lava and much more that you do not want to miss! I know you’re excited -- but before flipping straight to the photo contest, check out the many articles that keep you updated and educated! Explore the mysterious deep sea with the help of UHM MOP student, Kyleigh Kuball’s article, focusing on a new sample collection technology! We all grew up hearing the phrase “don’t eat the yellow snow” but have you heard about the pink snow? Kelsey Loenhorst, UHM MOP student, explains the newly found phenomena of pink snow in the Arctic. You can also catch all the details of MOP’s field trip to HIMB on page 14! We hope you enjoy this photo-filled issue of Seawords! What would you like to see more of in Seawords? Send us your thoughts! Mahalo for reading,

Jenny Johnson, Seawords Editor Seawords

Volume XXXII, Number 9, November 2018 Editor: Jenny Johnson 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.

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November Surf Report By: Alina Abramovich, UHH MOP Student

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y oh my, what an absolutely epic October that was. Surpassing all expectations, last month saw the official opening day for Pipe (and the rest of the North shore), as well as some truly breathtaking swells over on the Big Island (with Kona finally getting the bumps it has been waiting for all summer). The trend for beautifully big surf looks to continue into November, as forecast by NOAA and Surfline. November is known to be the “official” opening month for the Hawaii surf contests and winter season, and years of trend data are on our side in terms of favorable swell forecasting. Although November is often the month in which the south Pacific shuts down for the most part, the recent storms coming off of New Zealand and the WPAC suggest that the south shores may experience some larger than usual swells in the incoming weeks if the storm patterns continue. This year especially has been extra active in Pacific storm activity, with several major hurricanes coming close or into Hawaiian waters in the past few months alone. With the consistent surf throughout October, and the seemingly endless supply of NPAC and tropical Pacific storms both of forecasts past and future, we are looking at potentially one of the best November surf seasons in a while. According to the Climate Prediction Center, the Pacific is also under another El Niño watch (about 50-55% chance of Fall 2018 starting another El Niño year). If you surfers recall the last El Niño, the Hawaiian Islands were blessed with some pretty spectacular waves - so here’s hoping (weird climate fluctuations and natural consequences of an El Niño aside) that we get some noteworthy swells this November. As always, stay stoked, stay safe and in these winter swells, if in doubt, don’t go out. n

High surf at Waimea Bay. Photo by: Anthony Quintano, Flickr. OCTOBER 2018 |5

Don’t Eat the Pink Snow By: Kelsey Loenhorst, UHM MOP Student

Greenland. Photo by Stig Nygaard, Flickr.

e all are familiar with the advice to not eat the yellow snow, but what about pink snow? Researchers in Greenland have recently started finding mass amounts of reddish-pink snow on the largest ice mass in the Northern Hemisphere. While the pink snow looks almost fun and pleasing to the eyes, this snow could be aiding climate change and contributing to the melting of this ice mass at an alarming rate.

reflect the sunlight back into space. Therefore, the pink snow is lowering albedo levels on the ice mass, melting it even faster than it already is from climate change.

Alexandre Anesio, a biogeochemist from the University of Bristol, is concerned that these red algae blooms are escalating and are contributing to more melting than we expect. “In order for them to form visible blooms and increase the melting of the snow and ice, they just need the right conditions, which at a minimum involve basic The cause of the pink snow is due to red algae blooms nutrients and melting,” says Anesio. “As the climate gets happening throughout the snow; the red hue is the re- warmer, the availability of liquid water from snow and sult of a chemical reaction within the algae Chlamydo- ice becomes higher, favoring the growth of snow and ice monas nivalis and other cold-loving species (EcoWatch, algae.” Thus, as more heat is added more melt water is 2017). This discolored snow is not only happening in available; algae thrives off of this melt water causing the the Arctic, it has been found in the Alps, Himalayan ice to get darker and darker with a higher cover of algae. glaciers and Antarctica. Exactly how large a role algae plays in melting glaciers So what’s wrong with a dash of color on these ice masses? is unclear, and the scientists plan to study it more inResearchers from the journal Nature Communications depth. But the geobiologists are concerned that the deexamined 40 red snow samples, representing 16 glaciers crease in albedo may amplify the current melting status. and snowfields from four Arctic countries: Greenland, As more algae bloom, more snow thaws — and, nourNorway, Sweden and Iceland. They found that the red ished by the unfrozen water, even more of the microalgae is darkening the snow, causing it to melt faster than organisms are able to grow. These algae blooms are the its white counterpart. The researchers developed these start of a vicious cycle. n results by measuring the snows albedo, or its ability to

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

Hawaiian Grouper

(Hyporthodus quernus) Hawaiian Name: Hapu‘u/Hapu‘upu‘u Distribution: Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands Size: Can attain a length and weight of at least 3 feet and 50 lbs Diet: Large prey fishes and invertebrates Coloration: Dark brown with white spots that appear at will. Juveniles have vertical columns of white spots. Depending on the location, they can also be reddish or brownish in color. Habitat: Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, it prefers the cooler water deeper than 200 ft, but has been spotted in depths as shallow as 30 feet. IUCN Red List Status: NT - Near Threatened

he Hawaiian Islands are home to some pretty incredible endemic fishes, and one such fish is the Hawaiian grouper. The hapu‘u is also one of the more mysterious and economically significant fish - being a member of Hawai‘i’s “Deep Seven” - the seven bottomfish species that reside in Hawaiian waters. Out of all seven, the hapu‘u is the only endemic Hawaiian fish, as well as the largest of the group. Along with its seven bottom brethren, the Hawaiian grouper tends to reside in waters deeper than 200 ft, where the cooler waters and lack of light create a prefect residence for this mini-giant. The hapu‘u are inquisitive, predatory fish that hunt smaller fishes and benthic invertebrates - mainly around Midway and Kure Atolls (with very rare appearances around the other Hawaiian islands). They are also rather terrible parents as they abandon their eggs upon fertilization and leave the baby groupers to hatch solo and fend for themselves. The Hawaiian grouper’s economic significance comes from its highly sought-after meat. Clear and white, the hapu‘u’s flesh is said to taste almost as delicate as the Hawaiian deepwater snappers. Considering that the grouper is mostly caught between 300 and 900 feet of water - the allure of catching one resides not only with the high quality of its meat, but also the challenge the catch presents to fishers. The problem is that these groupers are a little too popular with the fishing crowd - causing them to be placed on IUCN’s Red List as being “Near Threatened”.

Furthermore, considering that the larger hapu‘u tend to be caught in the waters around the (protected) Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the argument for their protection is gaining ground. When purchasing a Hawaiian grouper at a fish market or at a restaurant, make sure to inquire about the source of the fish to ensure a sustainable capture. n Hawaiian grouper (Hyporthodus quernus). Photo by: Randall, J.E., 1997, Randall’s Underwater Photos.

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If Wall-E were to Tackle the Ocean’s Garbage Problem By: Courtney Kingery, UHM MOP Student

hen walking on the beach, there are four things that are typically seen: sand/ rocks, the ocean and garbage. Creating waste is hard to avoid, but where waste is disposed of can be easily monitored. Unfortunately, much of the world’s plastic waste has ended up in the ocean. Scientists at The Ocean Cleanup are on a mission to clean the ocean, one piece of plastic at a time.

Pacific Ocean. Photo by: Bill Herndon, Flickr.

Cleanups, Surfrider O‘ahu and Sustainable Coastlines, that are tackling the issue of plastics on the beach. Other organizations such as 4 Ocean, that turn recycled material from the ocean into jewelry, are starting to tackle the plastic issue on the reef. This year, a group of scientists and engineers with The Ocean Cleanup are attempting to tackle the issue of plastics in the open ocean, specifically within the GPGP.

With over 10 pubBetween Hawai‘i and lished scientific arCalifornia, there is a ticles, The Ocean large floating mass Cleanup is trying of various types to understand the of garbage known problem in order to as the the Great create a solution that Marine debris on Laysan Island. Photo by: Susan White, USFWS, Pacific Garbage will work. Boyan Slat Flickr. Patch(GPGP). The founded The Ocean GPGP has been a foCleanup at the age of cal point for the litter problem that the ocean faces and 18, an incredible feat for such a young inventor. After an inspiration to develop technology to fix this prob- spreading his mission, growing his team and receiving lem. Locally in Hawai‘i there are groups such as 808 funds, he and the 30 ships in the fleet ventured out to 8| Seawords

Marine debris accumulation locations in the North Pacific Ocean. Photo by NOAA, Wikimedia Commons. the GPGP to take surveys on the composition of the plastics that reside there. Because of this data collection, they realized that most of the mass was comprised of larger items. An aircraft was then added to the team and using intelligent sensors and scanners, took note of all the items that were larger than 10 meters in size. This was the first time that anyone has studied GPGP using an airplane, so these data were extremely useful in contributing to the goal that Slat had in mind.

avoid entrapment.

There have been many models, many computer predictions and many prototypes that led to the System 001 launch that occurred in early September of this year. This first system paves the way towards the multi-system fleet that The Ocean Cleanup aims for. Having a plan that consists of many small parts allows for deployment to occur faster since not all of the money is required to come in at once. As time goes on, more money will go Using the new information, they developed a system towards funding the project and more systems will be that will act like plastic in order to remove the plastic. deployed in order to clean up the GPGP and decrease Utilizing the energy from wind, waves and currents, the the amount of floating plastics in the ocean. floating system will travel along the surface of the waJust because the task has never been accomplished by ter accumulating plastics as it moves. The floating line those who tried doesn’t mean it is impossible. The team will be pushed by both the wind and the waves, with a at The Ocean Cleanup has been working hard for the larger weight that is connected to both ends deeper in past five years in order to make this “impossible” task, the ocean making the entire system move in the same completely possible. With the development of their direction and slower than the plastics that they are tartechnology that will utilize the power of the ocean and geting. The skirt that dangles below the surface catches imitate the movement of plastics, The Ocean Cleanup smaller pieces that tend to follow the current easier will remove 50% of the GPGP within five years of dethan the heftier items. DO NOT WORRY! The Ocean ployment. A problem that we have been trying to tackle Cleanup ensures that the skirt will not trap marine life, for the past 50 years, potentially solved by the simple but creates a downward current that creatures follow to idiom: “if you can’t beat them, join them.” n OCTOBER 2018 |9

ocean art

All Hands on Deck By: Zhi Qin Ruan, KCC Student

Dozens of ships lined up at the dock. I hurried along the dock trying to find which one was ours on board. I ran forward with my little legs while holding on to my mom’s hand. All this excitement couldn’t be possibly contained in a five-year-old’s body. As I board the ship, an ocean breeze pierced through the air and blew me off my feet. Rows of seats and tables filled the room and straight ahead was the kitchen. The enticing smell was enough to satisfy my hunger. Looking out the window, I saw the ship’s hull cutting through the ocean. I reached out towards the ocean, trying to grasp the waves as the ship kept zooming forward.

Newhaven Harbor. Photo by: Rev Stan, Flickr. Zhi’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. 10| Seawords

A New Alternative to Sample Collection By: Kyleigh Kuball, UHM MOP Student Venus purse anemone (Ceriantharia Actinoscyphia) in the deep sea. Photo by: Aquapix and Expedition to the Deep Slope, 2007, NOAA-OE, Flickr.

s different as they may seem, the deep sea and space have some similarities when it comes to exploration. Not only do we know very little about either of them, but devices used in both the open ocean and space need to withstand very unusual and difficult-to-maneuver environments while still, ideally, bringing samples back without damage. Recently, a new device has been created that is helpful for both environments. The “Rotary Actuated Dodecahedron”, also known as the R.A.D, was originally created for putting together microrobots; however it has been found to be great for collecting samples that would normally be too difficult to capture without damage, like the many delicate organisms of the deep sea (Brownell 2018). The idea behind the machine is that it was meant to handle delicate parts, putting together microrobots, but many things in the deep sea and space also require such care. The device was tested through the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute where it was used to collect samples at around 600m (Brownell 2018). This device is ideal to collect jellyfish and other soft organisms since the parts simply fold around the sample like the reverse blooming of a flower. This makes it the ideal contraption to collect samples that would normally be damaged by handling through other tactics.

In addition, this device is great for maneuvering in these difficult environments, working like that of a video game where the user simply has to operate a joystick (Brownell 2018). The device can be attached onto any Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) whether it is meant to go to space or the ocean. More research is being done to create a stronger version in which rock samples or harder substances can be collected (Brownell 2018). Another benefit of this device is that it would be inexpensive. Not only are all of the parts replaceable, they are easy to fix. If one “petal” broke on a dive, a backup could be replaced on the boat and the device could be sent out again the same day. Cheap devices are few and far between so this method would be quite useful to say the least. All in all this R.A.D. offers great promises for collecting samples in difficult environments. Collecting soft organisms can be done without sustaining damage to the sample and offers hope for capture and release (Brownell 2018). In addition, it provides a cheap alternative to many other deep sea or space devices that is also easy and quick to fix. With further developments this device will be able to collect an even wider range of samples. n

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Shipwreck of the Month: SS Yongala By: Kyleigh Kuball, UHm MOP Student

hipwrecks are full of history. Some ships are sunk on purpose to create a habitat for reef life and others accidently wind up that way. The SS Yongala is a shipwreck off the coast of Australia near Townsville. This ship sunk in 1911 during a hurricane and was not officially found until 1958. Not only a great dive spot, this ship is an artifact from its time, being a steamship as well as one of the best ships that once sailed in Australia.

encountered a cyclone on its way from Melbourne, Australia and was lost to the sea. Prior to 1958 it was a mystery as to where this ship had gone. None of the 122 passengers were ever found. The body of a racehorse that was aboard the ship and some of the cargo that was in the hull were found washed up which gave clues to the relative location of the ship but it was still too broad of an area and multiple search parties came up empty. Due to the cargo washing ashore, it was thought that a rock had breached the hull and brought the ship to the Despite the good shape of the vessel, (numerous safety bottom. checks and clearances) as well as having an extremely experienced captain, Captain William Knight, this ship However in 1943 an object was detected on the bottom

SS Yongala on a post card before the wreck. Photo by: City of PAE Librariesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Local Historical Photos, Flickr.

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SS Yongala shipwreck. Photo by: Lukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flickr, Flickr. of the ocean near Townsville by a passing Navy ship. Although reported, the war delayed exploration until 1958. Eventually a dive expedition was conducted and a safe from the ship was brought to the surface. The divers, hoping for information from the safe, opened it but found its contents destroyed, however the serial number was found and then sent to the manufacturer. It was then confirmed that this was in fact the safe that was installed on the SS Yongala. Researchers believe the ship was poorly equipped to handle a hurricane and may have run into a rock or was overpowered by the waves that berated it. Today the SS Yongala is one of the best dive sites in Australia. This steamship has now become a reef that houses many organisms. Laying on its side the topmost part of the vessel is at 18m and the bottom is at 28m. No one is allowed to enter the hull but it is a great dive for anyone interested in seeing what has become of this once powerful steamship. n SS Yongala bell at The Townsville Maritime Museum. Photo by: Orin Optiglot, Flickr, Wikimedia Commons. OCTOBER 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|13

MOP Tours HIMB

By: Jenny Johnson, Editor

Group photo of happy MOPers after the HIMB tour. Photo by: Emily Gootgeld, UHM MOP Student Coordinator.

OPers had the pleasure of touring the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) located on Coconut Island (Moku o Lo‘e) in Kāne‘ohe Bay. HIMB is a marine biological research institute that focuses on all aspects of tropical marine biology. It is a unit within the School of Ocean Earth Science (SOEST) at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

coconut trees! We also found out the original owner of the island was Princess Pauahi Bishop, who bought the island in the 1880’s to celebrate Queen Emma and her lifetime achievements. The final fun fact that Andrew threw at us was that Coconut Island is featured in the opening credits of the once-popular show, Gilligan’s Island! After the few minutes of fun facts, we began our real tour of the institute.

Our tour began on a short but beautiful boat ride over to Coconut Island. MOPers enjoyed the warm breeze and the stunning views that surrounded them. The water was a sparkling blue color and we all laughed about how badly we wanted to go for a swim. Once we had arrived at Coconut Island, our tour guide, Andrew, gave us a quick overview of the island and some nifty facts about it too. He began by pointing out the somewhat obvious reason Coconut Island got its name - it is full of

We walked with Andrew by the “Super Sucker Barge” - a barge that is used to suck up invasive algae in Kāne‘ohe Bay. Although the barge isn’t used as much anymore, it used to suck up more than 10,000 pounds of invasive algae in a day! The next stop on our tour was to see the black tip sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) and the two-year-old hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini). Researchers tag the black tips to test different kinds of shark tags and track migration patterns. The shark tags

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Moving steadily along, we walked to the Point Lab, which focuses on coral reef ecology. Researchers are working on selective breeding with super corals to combat the effects of ocean acidification. These super corals have genetic markers that make it resistant to ocean warming and acidification. After viewing the corals, my favorite part of the whole tour was up next the shark lab! Adult hammerheads swam under us as we watched in awe on the floating bridge. For most of us, this was our first time seeing adult hammerheads in person - we could not hide our excitement. Andrew explained that scientists at HIMB are studying the feeding behaviors of these hammerheads. Right by the MOPers learning about sea critters at HIMB. Photo by: Emily Gootgeld, shark lab was the interactive learning UHM MOP Student Coordinator. tables that held critters like sea urchins and sea cucumbers. After interacting are essentially a “GPS tracker” as Andrew said. These with the little sea critters and feeling their feet suction hammerheads were darker in pigment than hammers to our hands, we moved on to the last part of the tour in the wild. Andrew explained that they get more sun in - the Old Pauley Lab named after HIMB’s benefactor, the shallow water of the pond than in the wild - so they Edwin Pauley. The old Pauley lab burnt down in 1961 get a “tan.” from a fire with unknown origins. Edwin Pauley then donated $300,000 to build a new lab, which is rightfully named the New Pauley Lab. The tour of HIMB with Andrew gave all the MOP students an insight into the many research projects and opportunities that HIMB has to offer! We are all so thankful that HIMB opened its doors to us and gave us this opportunity to see what all of our futures could hold. Thank you, HIMB, and Andrew! n

View of Coconut Island (Moku o Lo‘e). Photo by: Emily Gootgeld, UHM MOP Student Coordinator. OCTOBER 2018 |15

cean updates

By: Madison Thiele, UHH 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. Hurricane Lane’s Destructive Path Hurricane Lane was one of the few hurricanes to have already gone through the Hawaiian Island chain this hurricane season. The Big Island of Hawai‘i experienced the worst of it all: flooding, landslides, and damage to homes. The Wailuku River dangerously overflowed, and since it starts all the way up in the mountains, the raging waters brought many types of debris, both natural and foreign. Within three days, Hilo side of the Big Island experienced 48 inches of rain, which equates to a whopping four feet of water. Flash floods cut off over 14 roadways, and a mudslide closed off part of Saddle Road which takes people from one side of the island to the other. Cars and buildings in the downtown Hilo area were stranded due to the flooding and could be

seen floating down the road from drone footage. Little in Downtown Hilo was safe from the harsh amount of water and destruction this hurricane brought. That didn’t stop the community from rising up and helping out, though. On September 15th, which was National Coastal Cleanup Day, many Hilo residents and students of the University of Hawai’i at Hilo made their way downtown to help clean up the mess. There was lots of debris, but not all of it was man-made pollution. There were many large, broken pieces of trees and other natural debris that needed to be cleared to make the streets and parks safe again. Seeing so many people come out and give a helping hand to their community is really a great example of spreading compassion and love around to those who need it.

ISS056 image of Hurricane Lane and its eye as it nears Hawai‘i. Photo by: Stuart Rankin, Flickr. 16| Seawords

Ceratium hircus bloom, Caloosahtchee River, Lee County, May 25, 2011. Photo by: Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, Flickr.

Hurricane Walaka and Johnston Atoll Hurricane Walaka was a category four hurricane, and her maximum sustained winds ran all the way up to 130 mph. On Monday, October 1st, the U.S. Coast Guard flew out from O‘ahu to Johnston Atoll to evacuate four U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologists who were temporarily residing and working at the wildlife refuge. In an unexpected event, Hurricane Walaka completely engulfed East Island in water - an island in French Frigate Shoals and the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

Red Tide in Florida: Is it too Late for Lake Okeechobee? Growing up on the Gulf side of Florida, I witnessed some pretty awful red tide events. I was told that they were naturally occurring events in which the sea water would change color from a bloom of toxic algae. With toxicity comes death, but I was told that this was just the circle of life and that there was nothing that humans could do. Obviously, those statements were all lies. A couple of years ago, I found out that people were making the red tide events way more harmful than what should be “naturally occurring.” The main issue comes from the large lake that is located in the center of the state, Lake Okeechobee. In 2007 during a drought, wildlife managers tried to remove the mud from the floor of the lake because it was extremely toxic and full of elevated levels of pesticides and arsenic. Later on, large amounts of rain from storms and hurricanes filled up the lake and caused it to overflow. When this happened, the Army Corps of

Engineers decided to release large amounts of the lake’s polluted water towards the east and into the Caloosahatchee River estuary in the west. This runoff altered the fragile mixture of fresh and saltwater and brought way too many nutrients with it. Ever since then, billions of gallons of water have to be pumped and are pushed away from sugar plantations, and consequently into the waterways of local rivers and beaches. Since this happened, the algal blooms have gotten worse. You’ll never forget walking down to the ocean and seeing thousands of dead fish floating in the water. Or maybe you were unlucky enough to see a dead manatee or dolphin. Even whale sharks fell victim to this past red tide algal bloom. Red tide affects local residents in almost every way. They cannot swim in this water because we could end up with respiratory problems. They cannot fish in this water or eat any type of seafood without getting sick. No tourist wants to go to a beach full of rotting marine life on the sand and along the shores. Very little has been done to fix this situation, and with every passing year, the algal blooms get worse. The only proactive thing that has been done to help fix this disgusting issue was on June 23rd, 2017. The South Florida Water Management District was granted emergency permission to back pump clean water into the lake to try to save the animals and plants in nearby areas. When do you think real change will ever come? How many more animals need to die due to our negligence? Unfortunately, this war isn’t even close to being over, but I do have hope for the future. Volunteers and workers are diving right in to clean up the blooms -- all it takes is enough people to stand up for what is right. n OCTOBER 2018 |17

Actions for the Ocean

GENERATION

BLUE By: Kayla White, UHM MOP Student

any people like to incorporate their own touch of sustainability into their daily or weekly lifestyle. Each person’s little steps are helping to make a difference, but for people looking for more ways to help reduce their carbon footprint, let’s take a look at what’s in our pantry.

Sustainable diets are ways to have lower environmental impacts while living a healthier lifestyle for you and the Earth. A lot of what goes into a more sustainable diet isn’t necessarily what you are eating, it’s where it is coming from. Production, packaging and handling of processed foods uses lots of resources, in large amounts and that’s easy to forget. The more fruits and vegetables that are incorporated in a diet, the better it is for you and for the environment. Shopping at a local farmers market is a perfect way to integrate sustainability into groceries. No factory production is needed for the produce since it’s from local sources, lowering carbon emissions from transportation, especially in Hawai‘i, where it goes from farm to truck to store, skipping the cargo jet. Vegans and vegetarians have the right idea. The production behind getting meat from the farm to your plate and the methane emissions from cows is where the damage happens. Here are some things to think about next time we go grocery shopping:

Coral. By Mathias Appel, Flickr. 18| Seawords

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.

1: 2: 3: 4:

Meatless Mondays If every American removed a serving of chicken from their weekly diet, it would save the environment from the same amount of CO2 emissions as removing 500,000 cars from roads. Phasing beef and pork out of your diet eliminates even more CO₂ emissions than removing chicken. In fact, eating one serving of beef is the equivalent of a whopping 6.61 pounds of CO₂ emissions and pork comes in at 1.72 pounds. Think of the impact this could have on a large scale!

A Thirsty Process Nearly half of the water in the United States is used to raise animals for food. By not eating a pound of meat, you save more water than if you didn’t take a shower for 6 months. Animal agriculture is responsible for 80-90% of water consumption, which is more than any other activity in the United States.

Land Use 45% of Earth’s land mass is used for raising animals for food and is responsible for 91% of Amazon deforestation. For each hamburger from an animal raised on previously rainforested land, 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed.

Daily impacts By eating vegan for a day, one person can save 30 square feet of rainforests, 20 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, 45 pounds of grain and 1,100 gallons of water.

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NOVEMBER 2018 Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Graduate Trainees

1 November

• Heavy metal(s) in Ala Wai watershed: hard rocks and runoff blues • Lucie Knor • Critter condos without A/C: Jarvis Island’s 2015 bleaching • Evan Barba

8 November

15 November

• Water quality in a changing world • Jessica Bullington • Seeds of change: seedlings and climate change • Devon DeBevoise • Cesspools and the sea: is sewage polluting the North Shore? • Lucas Ellison & Jordan Mason

29 November

• Some surf can hurt the beach – • When the ocean rises forecasts help us prepare • Kammie Tavares • Camilla Tognacchini • Marching down mangrove: • How to make light work of coral revitalizing Heʻeia Fishpond restoration • Aka Beebe • Claire Lewis • Are there pollutants on your plate? • Investigating environmental DNA • Eileen Nalley for healthy reefs in Hawai‘i • Mykle Hoban GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT Can’t make it to HANAUMA BAY SEMINARS: Science Talks or Educational Films

Thursday evenings at Hanauma Bay 6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Admission FREE Parking FREE after 4 P.M. 20| Seawords

Hanauma Bay?

Watch seminars live on YouTube, at Hanauma Talks Questions? Call #397-5840 or email hbaynews@hawaii.edu

FLASHBACK: 2004 By: Jenny Johnson, Editor

his month’s flashback looks back on a sharkfilled celebration in April, 2004. Jessica Brayton, UHM MOP Student Coordinator in 2004, didn’t want a simple birthday party - she wanted something more adventurous. This adventurous nature led her and three other MOPers to an unforgettable day of shark diving off of O‘ahu’s North Shore. Jessica and fellow MOPers, Dave McMurray, Willy Edwards and Melissa MacGarrett, UH students and crew members, took off from Haleiwa Harbor on the Kainani, one of Hawai‘i Shark Encounters Company’s tour boats. The most common sightings of sharks while in the cage were the sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus), the Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) and the gray reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos). Jessica received an awesome birthday present of being totally surrounded by many 5 to 8-foot sandbar sharks and a big 9-foot Galapagos shark, too! In the end, MOPers felt that they had a new appreciation for these important creatures within the ocean’s delicate ecosystem. Sharks may seem frightening at first but they are integral to the survival of our oceans. n

OCTOBER 2018 |21

November Photo Credit: Paula Alcoseba, UH Maui MOP Student.

Sun.

Mon.

Tues.

Wed.

Next month: December December 6 : Last day of instruction December 7: MOP graduation December 10-14: Finals week

Fish Auction Pier 38 5:00 a.m. - 8:00

Tour of Waikīk Waikīkī Aquar 5:00 p.m. - 8:00

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0 a.m.

kī Aquarium rium 0 p.m.

MOP & Community Events

Thurs.

Fri.

Sat.

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

Dolphin Quest Kahala Resort 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

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

OCTOBER 2018 |23

Letter to the Photographers Dear Seawords Readers and Photographers: Wow! What a contest this was! Congratulations to each photographer on their stunning works of art! Thank you to all who submitted their photos! You are all amazing! I would like to say a special congratulations to the winners and runner-ups of this competition! Inside the photo contest you will find an image and/or bio of each winner next to their winning photograph! A warm mahalo to our former Seawords writer and photo contest judge, Tyler Phelps! Thank you for taking the time to judge this competition and making such difficult decisions! You are awesome! Please enjoy photographs by these talented photographers:

Galen Housley, UHM Student Paula Alcoseba, UH Maui MOP Student Lindsey Rolf, UHH MOP Student Maria Angueira, UHM MOP Student

24|â&#x20AC;&#x192;Seawords

Natalia Zelaya, UHH MOP Student Brooke Bembenek, UHH MOP Student Bryant Grady, UHH MOP Student Connor Humann, UHM MOP Student

Contents:

THE PH TOGRAPHY ISSUE 26

OCTOBER 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|25

TYLER PHEL UHH MOP Alumnus

“What is photography?” Sorry I couldn’t resist. Aren’t you supposed to open I would define my niche as more of a vid with a cliché philosophical question? That seems judge-like. If there’s one thing still photography, like making sure my st I learned during my undergrad career, “fake it til you make it!” been able to shoot some incredibly sm Rx100 III. Most of the time when I am d Some of you may recognize my name as being the “dive safety guy.” To the best ing, so I don’t get a chance to practice a of my knowledge, I believe I am also one of the longest serving member of the fortunate enough to travel to Bali for a p incredible Seawords team. I’ve been part of Seawords since 2016 and have writreturned from Manado, Indonesia for so ten over 30 dive safety articles. So many memories! Including a few photography contests that I entered myself. As an alumnus, I was able to bring neut my mom is a swim referee. To hold me I’m not some defending photography champion, therefore I get to be judge now. I developed my own scoring system. I d Not at all. In fact, I’ve never won the photography contest! If memory serves me tems used by professional photography right, I believe my entries always came in as first runner up. And therein lies my egories to best fit our needs for Seaword motivation, to fix the contest and finally award myself the winner. Bwuahaha! five categories, each worth five points fo Just kidding. Photography has always been an interest of mine. Call me a pacifist if you will but I always preferred shooting with my camera rather than a spear. Only in the past few years have I really started getting into photography though. I am by no means a professional. However, I have been mentored by some internationalaward-winning photographers and videographers. Not to say I am at all that caliber! 26| Seawords

Contest Evaluation Categories

Adherence and Interpretation of th

Was the photo appropriate for this cate interpret the categories (Topside, Under photos should have adhered to the categ

LPS

deographer. I still have a lot to learn with trobes are facing the right direction! I’ve mall critters under macro with my Sony diving I’m either doing surveys or teachas much as I would like. Last year I was photography trip and not too long ago I ome more filming.

trality as your judge this year. Trust me, e as objective and consistent as possible, drew inspiration from other scoring sysy organizations and modeled these catds. The scoring system I used consisted or a maximum score of 25 points.

he Category (5 pts)

to that theme.

Color, Lighting, Exposure and Focus (5 pts) Were the colors balanced, overly saturated, or under expressed? Was lighting effectively used to capture the subject and portray the desired mood? Was the image over-exposed or under-exposed? Was the subject in focus or was distortion used tastefully as part of the image’s style? Maximum points awarded for best technique.

Originality and Uniqueness (5 pts) Was the subject unique or the moment rare to capture? Was the image original in composition or style?

Artistic Expression (5 pts) Photography is an art! Photographers that expressed their image as an artistic expression/mood earned the most points in the category.

Wow Factor (5 pts) egory it was entered in? How did they r the Sea, Fauna)? For maximum points, Max points awarded for all around impressive composition, subject and style. gory’s theme while reflecting a creativity OCTOBER 2018 |27

28| Seawords

FAUNA

OCTOBER 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|29

Interview: Galen Housley UHM Student Q A

: What is your connection to MOP?

: My connection to MOP was through Professor Alyssa Macdonald, she introduced us to the program in our biology lecture.

Q A

: How did you become interested in photography?

: I picked up photography long before I ever thought about scuba diving. I served as an honor guard in the Navy, and had the privilege of photographing ceremonies when I was called to perform in them. Photography became a passion.

Q A

: What kind of camera did you use?

: When you go to take a photo what sorts of things do you look for?

: I use a Canon G12. It’s an older digital SLR. It doesn’t do a bad job, and it’s relatively cheap to replace : To me, photography at its simplest is the art of perin case the housing floods. spective - showing the world your point of view through a camera lens. Wherever I take the camera, I go looking for fresh perspective on whatever I can find.

Q A

: What’s the story behind this photo?

: The first time I explored the wreck of the Mahi, the eagle rays enchanted us with their graceful movements, especially as the rest of the dive crew flailed and struggled to keep up with the current. Ever since that first dive, I’ve always wanted to return a little later in the morning to catch their silhouette in front of the sun. It took quite a few boat trips to find the right conditions with the right number of critters, but persistence paid off! 30| Seawords

Q A

: What is your favorite type of photo to take?

: Oddball photos; pictures of things you’d never think to take a picture of. Dynamic environments, like underneath the waves along the cliffs of Lanai lookout or blowhole. They’re challenging to photograph, but the perspective is worth it.

“It’s a treat just to see one eagle ray and this image captures the magical moment it must have been to see five of them! The silhouette nature of the rays highlights their beautiful snouts and wingspans. The chain from what must have been a mooring ball adds an ominous and mysterious nature while still showcasing the “fauna” in the shot.” -Tyler Phelps

OCTOBER 2018 |31

1st Runner-up:

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fCoral Guardian -Paula Alcoseba, UH Maui MOP Student

OCTOBER 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|33

2nd Runner-up:

hBlackside hawkfish -Paula Alcoseba, UH Maui MOP Student

fLayson Abatross -Maria Angueira, UHM MOP Student 34|â&#x20AC;&#x192;Seawords

Eyes to the skyg -Lindsey Rohlf, UHH MOP Student

fWinging it -Natalia Zelaya, UHH MOP Student OCTOBER 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|35

TOPSIDE

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OCTOBER 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|37

Interview: Natalia Zelaya UHH MOP Student Q A

: What is your connection to MOP?

: I got into MOP my first semester here at UH Hilo after my teacher had recommended it to me during class one day. I took the seminar again the following semester, and the semester after that I had an idea going for a MOP Project. For the most part however, it’s a fun way for me to get out and meet new people in the same field as me while also having fun.

Q A

: How did you become interested in photography?

truck and started to drive down as if we were going to Hamakua Coast. We took this one right turn and found ourselves traveling along the cliffs that head North. Eventually we end up making it to the Botanical Gardens. Mohala, being from O‘ahu, had never been to the gardens. She parked the truck and we walked over to an older lady who was collecting tickets when you first walk into the gardens. We started talking story with her and because Mohala was kama’aina, she said to go to the ticket desk and tell the cashier that Auntie Coco sent us over and they would hook us up. Being the broke freshmen that we were, we gladly accepted her offer and got two free tickets into the garden. For the next two hours, Mohala and I made our way around the garden, admiring all of the flora and fauna. There is this one place, right before the parrot cage, where different species of orchids grow. That is where I took my photo.

: My sophomore year of high school is when I really developed my eye for photography. I joined the Yearbook class, : When you go to take a photo what sorts of things do and although I wasn’t a designated photographer, it was actually design that prompted my interest. I loved making spreads you look for? and rearranging them in a way that was aesthetically pleasing. As a result I ended up being extremely involved in Yearbook : I don’t think I necessarily look for something in parthe rest of my high school career. ticular when I take photos. When I go somewhere, I look at my surroundings, and I can envision a particular photo in my head of what I’m looking at. I then try my best to repli: What kind of camera did you use? cate that vision when I use my camera. If I’m being honest, that “vision” comes to life about 50% of the time, but when I do get it right, I think the photo can be very impactful upon : I used my phone, Google Pixel 2, for this photo. Usulooking at it. ally I would take my camera out to go take pictures, however for this instance it was an unplanned adventure.

Q A

Q A Q A

: What’s the story behind this photo?

Q A

: What is your favorite type of photo to take?

: I would say that my favorite thing to take photos of is nature. Being here on Big Island has further developed my : It was last fall semester, the middle of the week, and it love for photography as it is a great place for nature shots. was a rare sunny afternoon as Hilo had just had nonstop rain Back home there’s not much natural environment, mainly and gray skies for the past couple weeks. Seeing the blue sky just the city and a lot of suburbs. and with nothing to do, Mohala and I decided to just cruise, adventure out, no plan no nothing. We left campus in her 38| Seawords

“I absolutely love the colors and sharpness of this photos. The distorted trees behind the orchids adds a bit of chaos that’s soothed by the serendipitous clarity of the flowers. ” -Tyler Phelps

OCTOBER 2018 |39

iLalakea sunrise -Brooke Bembenek, UHH MOP Student

2nd Runner-up:

Mākua viewsg -Connor Humann, UHM MOP Student 40| Seawords

Oozing -Bryant Grad UHH MOP Stude

gg dy, ent

1st Runner-up:

OCTOBER 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|41

Under the Sea 42|â&#x20AC;&#x192;Seawords

OCTOBER 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|43

“The high f-stop and contrast used for this photo creates a remarkable, alluring mood. The purple color is toned down tastefully and neon flare to the nudibranch’s nematocysts make it look like its on fire. This shot shows high skill and great execution that make it so special. ” -Tyler Phelps

44| Seawords

Interview: Bryant Grady UHH MOP Student Major

Q A

: What is your connection to MOP?

: Snoots and Shoots was taken off the coast of Long Beach California off of one of the several hundred wrecks that can be found there. Most of the wrecks including the one this picture was taken on are found in about 100 ft of water and are absolutely bursting with life. For this picture of a Spanish shawl, I used a snoot to focus the light beam of my strobes to only illuminate the Spanish shawl. This gave the dark backround everywhere else and created brilliant contrast in the photo!

: I am actively involved with MOP. As part of my time in the MOP program, I have taken both of the MOP classes as well as participated in many of the MOP activities/trips at UH Hilo. I have completed both QUEST and MAST. I am currently working on a MOP project with the Kona Division of Aquatic Resouces using Structure From Motion Photogrammetry Techniques to classify how reef fishes live and move around benthic habitats. In addition to this I am an active diver : When you go to take a photo what sorts of things for SeaSTARS and actively contribute through the spe- do you look for? cies ID workshops in aiding fellow students be prepared for QUEST over the past two years. : Each photo I take is different and it really comes down to the type of lens that I have on my camera. When : How did you become interested in photography? shooting wide angle I like to dive places like South Point or Honokohau Harbor where I can shoot large subjects like bait balls and tiger sharks. When I am shooting : I became interested in photography at very young macro I am less picky about sites and more picky about age. I started out on the little five dollar disposable film the background I have for my subject and types of envicameras and have worked my way to my current setup ronments at the site. Small subjects are usually easy to with a full frame DSLR. One of my favorite things about find in Hawai‘i but they can be tricky to find with someliving on the Big Island is the diversity and opportuni- thing nice behind the to use as a background to make ties for different types of photography. In one day you the picture compositionally pleasing.

Q A

can be shooting tiger sharks in kona and lava flows on Kilauea. It is a spectacular place and it keeps me out in the field looking for my next best shot.

Q A

: What is your favorite type of photo to take?

: My favorite type of photograph to take is usually of tinkers butterfly. This small fish are found in the deeper reefs around Hawaii at depths of usually 120 ft or more. However I have found them to be the most : I am currently shooting with a Canon 5D Mark photogenic fish I have yet to photograph. They come IV with either a 16-35L mm 2.8 lens or a 100L mm macstrait up to my camera and often put on a display right ro lens. in front of the lens. They don’t get scared when I turn my lights on either which makes them even easier to photograph! : What’s the story behind this photo? : What kind of camera did you use?

OCTOBER 2018 |45

1st Runner-up:

fUnder the S -Bryant Grad UHH MOP S

Part of a -Connor Hu UHM MOP S

46|â&#x20AC;&#x192;Seawords

Sea dy, Student

a podg umann, Student

2nd Runner-up: OCTOBER 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|47

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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