Nicholas School Students Visit Hawaii's Marine National Monument

Jan. 13 - 25, 2008

Join us as we spend 10 fascinating days studying marine conservation in the remote, restricted Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument of the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and 3 days learning about environmental issues on Oahu. Through our students’ blogs, photos and videos, we’ll bring this remarkable, rarely visited corner of the world to you.

See what we've been up to...

Day Fourteen (1/26/08) - Reflections on Midway Atoll — by aread — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

Now that our adventure is over, we can start to reflect on our experiences and thank the people who made this class possible.

Day Thirteen (1/25/08) - Hit the Road Jack! — by salharthi — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

When we first arrived on Midway all we heard was the sound of albatross 'applause,' but now we can hear individual albatross sounds and can picture the movements that accompany them. Today, our last day on Midway, we were treated to a snorkeling trip at 'Site 172' where we saw three species of large jacks, known in Hawaii as Ulua. Overall, we are grateful to have had the opportunity to study wildlife management and conservation in such a unique setting.

Day Thirteen (1/25/08) - Mapping our adventures at Midway - Part II — by djohnston — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

We're wrapping stuff up here at Midway Atoll. I've revised the map to include the locations of all of our activities...

Day Twelve (1/24/08) - Chicks Gone Wild: Spring Break on Midway Atoll — by aread — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

Albatross chicks are everywhere as the weather breaks and we work to remove invasive ironwood trees with our friends from the USFWS Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.

Day Twelve (1/24/08) - Let the sun shine in! — by djohnston — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

After a few days of strong winds and periodic downpours, Midway Atoll has emerged into sunlight. If you are interested in seeing the remarkable weather pattern that has affected this portion of our trip, read on...

Day Eleven (1/23/08) - Holy Moli: Life and Death on Midway — by leahmedley — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

Although the rain continued on Midway, our day was filled with the emotion and inspiration that can only be found here. Tragedy befalls the albatross, but they endure, and we are inspired as Moli, the Laysan albatross, finally pushes out of his egg, which we have been watching since Day Eight.

Day Eleven (1/23/08) - Mapping Our Adventures at Midway — by djohnston — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

Click on this entry for a map that illustrates some of the highlights of our adventures out here at Midway.

Day Eleven (1/23/08) - Republic of the Birds — by elinden — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

I’ve been to a number of places where wild animals are trusting of humans, but perhaps none so unlikely as Midway Atoll. After more than a century of abuse at the hands of man -- first being slaughtered for their feathers by hunters, then being paved over by Seabees, then shelled by the Japanese during World War II, and finally Osterized by the engines of the planes of the U.S. Strategic Air Command during the Cold War -- the albatross and other birds don’t seem to bear a grudge. Maybe that’s because they’ve won.

Day Ten (1/22/08) Exploring the Remote and Rugged Eastern Island — by jbounds — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

After a rainy start, we headed to Sand Island's rugged neighbor, Eastern Island, where we saw many rare seabirds who amazed and intrigued us. We are looking for help in naming our hatching albatross chick. Any suggestions?

Day Nine (1/21/08) - More on Debris: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility — by sarahrider — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

My heart is breaking as I survey the amount of marine debris piling up on Midway. Please post your thoughts: What do you think should be done to decrease the amount of marine debris that is put into the ocean each year? How do you recommend cleaning up the massive quantities of garbage that have been circulating in the Pacific Ocean for decades?

Day Eight (1/20/08) - Banding Laysan Albatross — by eliaherman — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

After a lazy morning, we spent the early afternoon learning about the wonders of and surprising threats to the three species of albatross on Midway. Then, after practicing banding, we biked to Charlie Barracks where we put steel bands on Laysan albatross. In addition, we were lucky enough to view some fuzzy black-footed albatross chicks. (We have discovered a Laysan albatross with a pipped, or cracked, egg outside our living quarters, and will keep a close eye on it as it will likely hatch in 12 to 24 hours.)

Day Seven (1/19/08) - Swimming Among the Coral Brings up Conservation Questions — by stuartbrown — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

As we snorkeled on the north side of Midway atoll, we saw a huge difference in the amount of coral and the size of the fish compared to what we observed on our previous snorkeling experience in Hanauma Bay. This raised questions for us about how to let people appreciate a site and still preserve it.

Day Seven (1/19/08) - Conservation Inspiration on Midway — by djohnston — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

John Klavitter of the USFWS and his collaborators are running some amazing conservation programs for seabirds on Midway. Their successes are inspirational and provide hope for anyone working to conserve small populations of endangered animals.

Day Six (1/18/08) - Paradise is Trashed: What Can We Do to Change This? — by staciekoslovsky — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

After a morning in the lagoon watching spinner dolphins, we combed two restricted beaches to pick up trash - plastics, light bulbs, toothbrushes - to help minimize its impact on the wildlife. It is stunning to find such a hugh amount of litter so many miles from civilization!

Day Five (1/17/08) – Getting Oriented to the Middle of Nowhere — by laurawallach — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

We learned about the military and historical significance of Midway and how such a tiny speck in the ocean plays a huge role in preserving threatened bird species.

Day Four (1/16/08) - Touchdown at Midway, Home of the Birds — by staciekoslovsky — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:50 PM

Even arriving on Midway in darkness, we were overwhelmed by the expanse of albatrosses and the hints of the amazing sites we could expect to see in the light of the next day.

Day Three (1/15/08) - New Perspectives at the Fish Auction — by bethpike — last modified Nov 13, 2008 03:48 PM

A very early morning trip to a fishmarket exposed us to different and sometimes conflicting perspectives on sustainable fishing.

Day Two (1/14/08) - Exploring Hawaii's Wonders — by salharthi — last modified Nov 12, 2008 08:57 AM

A day of snorkeling, sampling local food favorites and learning about the concept of wilderness set the stage for further discoveries on Midway.

Day One (1/13/08) - Oahu: Paradise Lost? — by aread — last modified Nov 12, 2008 08:57 AM

Our first day, with trips to Diamond Head and Kaena Point and a lecture on monk seals, focused on ecological threats to the local ecosystem and the surprising survival of some species.