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| A sign made by middle schoolers urges visitors to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach to "Let the Honu Rest." Green sea turtles are basking on the beach and swimming in nearshore waters while endangered hawksbill turtle eggs are in three nests by the lifeguard stand under watch by Hawai'i Hawksbill Sea Turtle Recovery Project, Malama Pono Punalu'u and the lifeguards. Photo by Jennifer Johansen |
THE WATCH IS ON AT PUNALU'U BLACK SAND BEACH FOR THE HATCHING OF HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLES. Hawai'i Hawksbill Sea Turtle Recovery Project representatives, county lifeguards and Malama Pono Punalu'u organization led by Guy Enriques are guarding three nests of the endangered hawksbills. The last time that hawksbills nested at Punalu'u was five years ago. The nests are once again near the lifeguard stand.
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| Guy Enriques of Malama Pono Punalu'u installs signs made by middle school students to protect Punalu'u black sand and the honu. Three hawksbill nests are currently guarded by County of Hawai'i lifeguards, Turtle Project and Malama Pono Punalu'u. Photo by Jennifer Johansen |
Hawksbill turtles live out at sea and come in to shore to make nests and lay eggs that they cover with sand. The hatchlings climb out of the sand and scurry out to the ocean where many are eaten by fish and a few make it to adulthood. On land in the sand, the eggs, unless guarded, are often eaten by the mongoose, stray cats and other animals.
Kaʻū High & Pahala Elementary middle school students assisted, by teacher Jennifer Johansen, built signs for the protection of Punalu'u Black Sand Beach and its natural resources. They were installed in July and one of them says, "Let the Honu Rest."
Punalu'u is the subject of a Request for Proposals from the Hawai'i Tourism Authority that noted Punalu'u needs protection of the place and education for visitors. HTA proposes to fund a stewardship program. See more in last Wednesday's Ka'u News Briefs or see and download the application and Request for Proposals at visit hvcb.org. Proposals are due by 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 18 to IHVB Destination Manager Rachel Kaiama at rkaiama@hvcb.org. For more info, call (808) 294-1737 or email rkaiama@hvcb.org.
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| The start of the Fourth annual 'Ohia Lehua Runs in Volcano last Saturday. On Monday the race director reported that 300 people ran in the Half-Marathon and 5K events. Photo Courtesy of Hawai'i Sports Photography/Mickey Brown |
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| Billy Barnett won the Half-Marathon in Volcano's Ohia Lehua Runs last Saturday. Photos Courtesy of Hawai'i Sports Photography/MickeyBrown |
Billy Barnett won the men's Half-Marathon and Summer Corke won the Women's. Lyman Perry took first in the Men's 5K and Tessa Miller took first in the Women's. See the list of all top winners and times in last Saturday's Kaʻū News Briefs at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023_07_29_archive.html.
See all the times for the Half-Marathon and 5K at https://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-72105?lc=en.
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| David Collier (3rd place), Patrick Stover (2nd place), Bethany Ann Pratt (2nd place), Summer Corke (1st place), Jaime Meaden (3rd place). |
Race Director Keely McGhee said," We can't say enough wonderful things about all of the runners who came out again this year. There was such a phenomenal vibe, people just being so happy to experience all that Volcano running is. And being a part of the Experience Volcano Festival is just the icing on the cake. Thank you to everyone that made the day possible, especially The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences who has been our host venue for the past four years."
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.
Five thousand in the mail, 2,500 on the street.
See the July edition of The Kaʻū Calendar Newspaper
www.kaucalendar.com
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