Soft Coral Arch revives childhood memories
Rather than a hard skeleton, these soft coral types have inside their liquid stalks tiny calcium carbonate sticks and stones that help them stand up. Read more
Ocean Watch
Coral reefs in Palau are national treasures
Palau’s corals are getting attention for their ability to thrive in warm, acidic water, factors that are killing corals in other parts of the world. Read more
Breathing gets bubbly while crabs are on land
Crabs that spend part of their lives in the water, and part out, can blow bubbles. This foaming-at-the-mouth might look like the crab is in distress, and sometimes it is, but in healthy crabs, mouth bubbling comes from the crab breathing air instead of water. Read more
Clinger crabs are members of wind drift community
Clinger crabs are about the size of a quarter and come in shades of blue or brown, depending on which object they’ve chosen to call home. Read more
Midway beach becomes wall-to-wall sea turtles
During my albatross work at Midway two years ago, I watched several 200-or-so-pound turtles dig their front fins into the sand and lurch up the beach, one laborious step at a time. I felt exhausted just watching. Read more
Good deed brings rare glimpse of sea horse
The sea horse is a Hawaii native. The smooth sea horse’s scientific name is Hippocampus kuda. Read more
Green turtles’ numbers are growing at Midway
Midway is famous for hosting the largest albatross colony in the world, but it’s also become a place to admire sea turtles. Read more
Distinct isle anemones stow their okole at aquarium
In light of all the time I spend snorkeling and reading about marine life, you might think that the aquarium wouldn’t hold any surprises for me. But wait, what’s this? On exhibit is an anemone, called Mann’s anemone, found only in Hawaii that I didn’t know existed. Read more
Isles host 20 species of native spider crab
Year-end highlights or summaries aren’t my favorite reading material because the articles mostly contain facts about things I already know. Read more
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Isolated Midway still has creature comforts
When I mentioned that Craig and I were going to work at Midway counting albatrosses over the holidays, the questions people asked made me realize that few people know anything about the place. Read more
Laysan albatross joins birds visiting isles for the holidays
Here on Oahu, the holidays are for the birds — shorebirds and seabirds, that is. In November, we plover lovers added to our list of thanks the first-ever-seen white (called leucistic) kolea, spotted foraging at Heeia Pier. Read more
White terns enjoy growth with the help of humans
For the second year in a row, Honolulu’s white terns (the official name for what we once called fairy terns or angel terns) are having a banner year. Read more
It’s the time for ‘wedgies’ to be leaving their burrows
Happening right now with wedge-tailed shearwaters on Oahu, moms, dads and fledgling chicks are leaving their underground hideaways to ride the wind above the waves. Read more
Rare white plover adopts boat harbor as winter home
Forget a white Christmas. We bird lovers are dreaming of a white kolea. Read more
Minuscule ‘water bears’ are uncanny survivors
Water bears have survived temperatures as high as 300 degrees Fahrenheit and as low as minus 456 degrees. The animals have also lived through vacuums, intense radiationand zero oxygen. Read more
Bleaching isn’t always death knell for corals
Some corals are adapting to higher water temperatures and doing just fine. Perhaps, as human and wildlife suffering escalates worldwide, our species will evolve to become less selfish. Read more
Spiral float is unique to 1 species of cuttlefish
I’m home from Australia after several outstanding voyages to the outer reefs of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Read more
Sea snakes seen sunning amid Great Barrier Reef
I know I’ll never convince people who fear snakes that they’re fun snorkeling companions. But even those with phobias might appreciate seeing, from the deck of a boat, a rare marine animal in its natural element. Read more
Underwater ‘banquets’ are a feast for the eyes
Although Orpheus is also a national park with its own charming beaches, birds and reefs, we missed our giant clams. Read more
Coral-eating starfish have their place in healthy reefs
On our sailboat, Honu, no wind means using the boat’s loud, hot motor to go somewhere, something we sailors resist. Read more
Colorful ocean plant also reeks of dead fish
Blooms of sea sawdust during periods of calm seas are common inside the Great Barrier Reef. People here accept the colorful alga mats and their pungent odor as part of life on Australia’s tropical coast. Read more
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