Update July 23 2010

Aloha!

I have uploaded a new version of the schedule, and will also be e-mailing it out as usual. Thanks for all the help. Please keep signing up and volunteering.

Mark and Sal are currently of out the office. Sal returns on Monday and Mark returns in August.

I hope the tours went well this week.

The Intern- Sarah

Coconut Island News

Past issues of the Coconut Island News are now linked to the blog. Scroll down to the right of this column to view them. If you want to see any of the 2009 issues in a higher resolution send me your email address. If anyone would like to write an article for the newsletter or has an idea for an article please add your comment to this blog. Ruth Canham

CEP Tour and Boat Update July 16, 2010

Aloha All!

Mahalo for all of your help this week. And a special thanks to Sarah for helping out in the office and in the field.

We have a group of teachers coming out Saturday for a workshop and Nicole is conducting two tours this family Sunday.

Please check the calendar and sign up for tours if you are available.

We all really appreciate your help.

Sal

Puffer Die Off

Aloha,

Our folks out at the Marine Mammal Research Program started noting an unusual number of dead Stripebelly puffers (Arothron hispidus) recently.

Dr. Thierry M. Work a Wildlife Disease Specialist at the National Wildlife Health Center has been looking at fresh specimens to see if a link can be found.

We are interested in the range of the possible die offs. Right now, I know that we have seen dead puffers from K-Bay to Kailua Bay. If you have additional observations, please comment below.

Mahalo,

Mark

CEP Tour and Boat Update July 9, 2010

Welcome to the Friday update. Mark leaves for vacation soon, so I am trying my hand at the blog.
Thanks for all of your help this week and for those who have volunteered for next week.
We have a school group coming from Tacoma on Thursday and we could use one more guide.
Aloha and have a great weekend! Sal

New Edition Spring 2010 Coconut Island News

Check out the newest edition of Coconut Island News via our blog link to the right.

Remember - if you want to see the images in full beautiful resolution - load the page, then hit the DOWNLOAD button at the top of the page.

If you would like a printed version mailed to you. Let us know.

Aloha,

Mark

Eyes of the Reef Training

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS HUMPBACK WHALE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY IS PROUD TO HELP SPONSOR AN EYES OF THE REEF NETWORK TRAINING
You can make a difference in preserving our Ocean Resources by joining the Eyes of the Reef Network!

Calling all Ocean Users!
Date: Thursday, July 15, 2010
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Sanctuary Conference Room in Hawaii Kai
(6600 Kalaniana’ole Hwy. Suite 301, for directions see http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/about/offices.html#Oahu )

Register now! Space is limited!

Please RSVP by July 12 to oceantraining@gmail.com.

YOU CAN HELP!

Participation is simple: attend a training workshop and use your eyes! Attend this workshop to learn how to identify and report coral bleaching, coral disease, Crown-of-Thorns Sea Stars and marine invasive species. Whether you are a recreational ocean user, recreational or commercial fisherman, tourism operator, researcher or student, you can help us learn more about when and where these events occur by keeping an eye out for signs of change when visiting the reef.

Thursday Night Talk at Hanauma Bay

Thursday July 8,

Legends of Maui’s Fish Hook, Hiiaka and Pele, and more!

Kamuela Yim, Teacher, Anuenue Immersion School

Kamuela Yim was a student of Dr. Puakea Nogelmeier, Professor with the University of Hawaii’s Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language. Mr. Yim is an avid student of Hawaiian folklore, myths and tales.

As always, these events begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday evening in the theatre at the Hanauma Bay Education Center. Events are free and open to the public, with no charge for parking after 5:30 p.m. We hope to see you on Thursday evening! These programs are supported and funded by the City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation.

For more information on UH Sea Grant Hanauma Bay Education Program events and activities, navigate to the “Calendar of Events” located atwww.hanaumabayeducation.org.

Sincerely,

Shawn Carrier, Outreach Education Specialist

CEP Tour and Boat Schedule Update 07-02-10

Aloha!

Thanks to all for a great week. We had Sanyo Girls School at the start of the week. The Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (CMORE) came out mid-week, did a plankton tow and used more microscopes in the lab than we have ever used before. Our established volunteers led tours, while new volunteers diligently shadowed. MANY THANKS to all.

Sharon, Lulu and Katie met to brainstorm some new ideas on how to sign up. We are not quite there yet, but - from now on, when you view the calendars, we will have the number of spots for volunteers numbered. Hopefully, down the line you will be able to sign up on line.

New volunteers - if you want to practice, I will be available Wednesday morning. I know it all seems daunting, but in real life, a tour goes fast and is much simpler than you have seen me do it. Let me know if you would like to see a "short basic tour" on Wednesday, or wish to come and practice.

All, take a look at the calendar for opportunities.

Check out the new blog entries "The hat has heat - and why don't they understand me . . ." and Plankton of the week - Is that cousin Ed?

Mahalo,

Mark

The hat has heat - and why don't they understand me . . .

Read an older article recently that, despite its age, reminded me of how I will, somewhat brilliantly (I think) explain some concept, and then later discover that the person did not even vaguely understand what I was saying - and I am sure I return this favor to others.

To put it simply - information has to fit reasonably with what and how we know, or it tends to be left by the wayside.

For a very basic example, see the following article on Teaching for Conceptual Change or, "the Hat has Heat" from the Exploratorium.

Aloha,

Mark

Plankton of the week - Is that cousin Ed?

Sea squirts start out life as a small fish-like tadpole stage, with a nerve cord very much like our spinal cord. Because of this (and some other characteristics) they are distinctly related to the the bony vertebrates: fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians - and mammals (that's us).

But the sea squirts have succeeded evolutionarily by diverging from the vertebrate plan in a very dramatic fashion. The adult stages have body plans more similar to a typical invertebrate than any vertebrate relative. Glued to the bottom, they simply filter water - no eyes, no fins, legs, or jaws.

We often see the sea squirt larva in our plankton tows (similar to the image at the top). We often see adult sea squirts in our algae labs (the image below).

Evolution is all about survival - it is not about increasing complexity, or going anywhere. What works survives, simple or complex. Millions of years of natural selection has produced a wondrous range of effective survivors in every environment - from all sorts of source organisms.