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HAWAI’I SERVICE TRIP PROGRAM (H.S.T.P.)
UPCOMING TRIPS
Do you love Hawai¹i¹s great outdoors and want to
help conserve the environment? H.S.T.P. has 4 service trips planned
for Summer 2001.
June 21-28: Hawai¹i Volcanoes National Park - Big
Island: Jackson Bauer
July 1-8: Kalaupapa National Historic Park - Moloka¹i:
John Cummings
July 14-21: Lana¹i Island Scott Rowland
August 18-25: Koke¹e, Kaua¹i Interested? Contact
Sherine Boomla at 739-3936.
*STUDENTS!*
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!
Through the generous donation of a High School Hiker supporter,
two (2) high school students will have the
opportunity to go *FREE* on one of the HSTP Service Trips
listed above.
Requirements:
1. Must be a Hawai¹i High School Student
2. If chosen, the student agrees to submit a short article on
his/her experience to the HSH Newsletter.
3. Plus HSTP requirements.
Marines host Ecology Camp 2001
Aloha no! To the 24th year of High School Hikers Annual Ecology
Camp. This year our great adventure takes us to Marine Corp Base
Hawai¹i - Kaneohe (MCBH) on Mokapu Peninsula held February
17, 18 and 19, 2001.
Approximately 100 students from 8 schools, 30 advisors and
numerous resource people came together to work, learn and have
fun! After checking-in at the H-3 Main Gate and an orientation
at the Marine Enlisted Club, our convoy made its way through
the streets of Mokapu Peninsula. Here we came upon a blinking
red light where we had to cross an active runway!?!
Once we completed the invasion of Hale Koa beach, we settled
down to lunch and gathered for our respective study groups. Yours
truly was assigned to play host to our Geology Tour led by Curtis
Manchester. Our driver, Gordon, is a Wildlife Specialist (?)
for the State and a former Kaneohe Marine in DOD. Whom we were
lucky to have because our first line of duty was to be debriefed
by the Kaneohe DOD at Ulupa¹u Crater.
Then we were off to the green olivine sands below Ulupa¹u
Crater. There we hooked up with Dr. Alan Ziegler, a famous Avian
(bird) Paleontologist, and his group. Here on the beach were
piles of flotsam and jetsam (ocean debre). I felt compelled to
clean up, but I did not have a single garbage bag on me. We learned
that Ulupa¹u was formed much like Diamond Head, but more
eroded. Dr. Ziegler passed out nails and little specimen jars
to the members of his group. We helped search for bird bones
within the exposed sandy layers of the fossilized cliff. At one
point our groups separated."Manny" (Curtis) took us
to the farthest head where embedded in the limestone were hundreds
of oyster shells. On the way back we found a cowry shell and
opihi.
With Dave from DOD we hiked up to our vehicle and drove over
to Battery Pennsylvania. Our group hiked amongst the boobie bird
filled kiawe trees and man-made nests. Our high school students
weren¹t keen about getting bird terd on themselves. Hey!
Thats good luck. Hiking up to the top of Battery Pennsylvania
we were greeted to an awesome view of the ocean and a bird island
sanctuary off shore. We stood around a massive concrete hole
about 30 feet across covered over in green fencing. Our marine
host described how the guns from the U.S.S. Arizona were placed
in this hole to use as a defense against enemy attack. Fortunately,
these guns were fired only once, on VJ Day and then dismantled.
The power of these guns were so strong it cracked the thick concrete
walls three stories down into the battery. The builders of the
battery failed to account for the "kick" of the guns
on a battle ship as opposed to on land.
As we enjoyed the view of the islet off-shore, Gordon described
how the iwa bird would make the boobie birds give up their catch.
They do this by "bird bombing" or scaring the booby.
Thats why "iwa" means thief. Gordon then took us to
Pu'u Hawai'i Loa, known on base as Kansas Hill or Radio Hill.
Here we climbed a building with a 360 degree view of all Mokapu
and the windward side. TOTALLY AWESOME!
[picure of Geology Study Group atop Battery Pennsylvania]
Next, we headed to Pyramid Rock or Kuau where a large hill
of a¹a lava dominated the landscape. We made our way down
amongst the summer cottages and along a rocky shoreline where
we came to a shelf of eroded coral. Manny passed around a magnifying
glass to show us the details of a piece of coral while the rest
of us explored the tide pools of baby manini and o'opu.
Back at camp we rushed to prepare for dinner at 3:45pm!?!?!
I just had lunch an hour ago. At Mess Hall Andersen, there were
lines of men and boys waiting to pick-up their meals. Some things
started to run out before we got there. My meatloaf wasn't bad.
Poor John. His pork chop was hard! Thats the military on a budget.
At least the potato bar and ice cream bar was a big hit.
Afterwards, we strolled over to Boondocker (a theater/hall)
where we were entertained by three slide shows. First one by
Chuck "Doc" Burrows, our Ecology Camp chair and Hui
Lama advisor. Dr. Diane Drigot, our host and main contact at
MCB Kaneohe, presented some slides of the base. And Aulani Wilhelm,
a former Hui Lama member, showed a beautiful slide show of the
Northwest Hawai¹ian Islands.
[picture of olivine beach at Ulupa'u Crater strewn with flotsam
and jetsam]
[picture of Na Pohaku 'O Hauwahine group, waist deep in mud,
picture of (Natalie Borello?) fish printing ]
In between, John Cummings (Farrington advisor) and Jenga Viernes
(Hui Lama graduate) had everyone playing spectator volleyball
and making "A" in the singing contest. At camp, we
mingled for awhile before lights out. I was asleep at 1 a.m.
About 4:30 a.m. a distant roar of an engine started up. 4:48
a.m. That plane took off with a loud roar and boom which rattled
all the car alarms on in the parking lot. If that didn¹t
wake up the entire camp, I don¹t know what will. I got up
and prepped breakfast. About 6:45a.m. the second plane took off.
Our sleepy heads slowly emerged from their tents.
It was a nice overcast day when we gathered together for our
service project groups. One group stayed on base and the other
headed out to Kawai Nui Marsh. I was assigned to the chain-saw
gang working along the highway. We hacked, sawed and pulled away
piles of haole koa and vines. At one point we paid a visit to
the Na Pohaku O Hauwahine group. They were split into small groups
of planters, trail builders, stair builders and brush clearing
in the marsh. This last group was up to their waist in thick
black mud. Anyone want a hug!
Sunday dinner was very quiet with lots of food for everyone.
At Boondocker, we were treated to a puppet show by Puppets on
the Path. And later a dance and snacks. Back at camp, a bonfire
greeted us where we toasted marshmallows and made smores. Because
dinner was so early most of our members were hungry for ramen
and hot dogs. A couple schools had their own barbecues cooking.
Too bad the star gazing was canceled due to clouds. It was nice
visiting with new friends, talking story and eating until 2 a.m.
Thank God! Brunch wasn't until 10 a.m. We slept until the planes
roared out about 7 a.m. Then it was time to pack up, eat brunch,
take one last photo and say our sad "goodbyes."
Thank you to Chuck Burrows, Bob Keane, Dr. Diane Drigot, Dick
Mills, Pauline Kawamata, Mike NaHo'opi'i, all the advisors and
kokua for working so hard on this campout. A special thank you
to Farrington advisors: Nylen Takahashi, Darryl Nishimoto and
Gilbert Tagaban for staying back at camp the entire weekend!
And big mahalos! to Chad Hashimoto (kokua) and Connie Matthews
(Leilehua) for helping us with all the packing, loading, unloading,
taking down tents and dumping stuff. Especially Chad for watching
our truck load of snacks while we ate dinner. I felt so bad!
It was a most successful camp. Good job everyone!!!!!
[picture of flock of boobie birds in a kiawe tree]
High School Hikers to Celebrate 30th
Year
Thirty years ago during the Spring of 1971, a group of Sierra
Club, Hawai¹i Chapter members got together with
a handful of our teachers and advisors to start the program,
High School Hikers, as we all know today.
Watch for a special edition newsletter coming in Fall 2001.
A Big Maui Mahalo to Moanalua High School Science Club
The Hawai`i Nature Center in `Ïao Valley, Maui would
like to extend a big MAHALO to the Moanalua High
School Science Club. During Spring Break, the students and advisors
spent two days working on service projects.
[2 pictures of Moanalua Science Club doing trail work on Maui]
The first project involved blazing a new trail through a grove
of coffee trees. This new trail will be incorporated into the
Center¹s rainforest nature walk and will be used by visiting
tourists and cruise ship passengers.
The second project was a vine eradication project, which included
removing passiflora vines from a grove of mämaki trees.
Everyone worked really hard and was rewarded at the end of each
working day with a cold, refreshing dip in `Ïao Stream.
The students also had the opportunity to visit the Maui Ocean
Center, took a train ride on the Sugar Cane Train in Lahaina,
drove the winding road to Häna, spent a night in the cabins
at Wai`änapanapa State Park, and enjoyed a day at the beach
in Kïhei.
Mahalo nui loa to all students: Aja, Tiare, Ashlee, Nicole,
Alex, Andy, Anthony, Bubba, James, Jeremy, Ka`eo, and Ray. And
an even bigger MAHALO to the hard working advisors and kökua:
Erron Yoshioka, Mark Lee, Frank Raymond, and Meredith Okano.
You all did a great job
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