We started the day off with a great coral zonation lab at Crystal Cove, a protected wildlife area that we are very lucky to see. Kumu set out 6 quadrats on the corals at different depths. We identified coral types and counted the number of each type to see how depths affects coral type.
It’s a tough climb down a steep hill, but worth it.
Ivan has mastered his giant stride entry over the rocks. Uncle Dennis only has to give a small shove 🙂
Josie free dives to ID corals
Jake is a great eel-spotter and found this big guy. Can you see him hiding in there?
We always try to leave the beach cleaner than how we found it by picking up trash – no matter how big!
Pu’ukohola Heaiu
Ranger George taught us a lot about Hawaiian history.
the heaiu temple
We ended the evening on Mauna Kea (white mountain) to stargaze. Since it was night and I was not allowed to use a flash, I only have pictures of the teacher “scouting excursion”. We discovered the bus would NEVER make it all the way to the top. Interesting side note: there is a plan for a 14th telescope to be built starting Wednesday. It will be the largest telescope in the world. There are a lot of protests going on and people were awake at sunrise and laying in the middle of the road to stop the trucks going up to the top. See the news info here.
Hawaiian snow!
Stopping the convoy of construction vehicles (ABC news photo)
Protestors. Flying the state flag upside down represents how some feel about being illegally annexed as a state by the US. (ABC news photo)