Photo by Joseph C. Justice, Jr.

Watch our video tour of the island: “Kauai Counter Cockwise“

– Carl Bidleman

At 7:30 tonight, I’ll be settling down in front of the other screen in my life (the bigger one that’s not the laptop, desktop, dashboard or smartphone screen) to watch episode 2 of OpenRoad with Doug McConnell.  Tonight it’s Hawaii. If you missed it, you can see it on the little screen here and  find out here when KQED will be broadcasting again. And even via a screen, Hawaii has a nurturing and calming effect on me.  This episode is also special for me because we’re featuring an adventure to Midway with the Oceanic Society.  (In the spirit of full disclosure, I am an Oceanic Society board member.)  Birgit Winning is the Director and she’s doing a fantastic job keeping the organizations’s good work going during very tough economic times. The Oceanic Society’s expeditions are an ubelieveably engagin way to see and engage the natural world.  Check out the menu of expeditions here. Here’s a little more info Birgit asked me to pass along.

Annually, the Society offers expert guided natural history expeditions which include wildlife observations, historical excursions, bird watching, one snorkeling lagoon boat trip, and select beach snorkeling. A tour  to Eastern Island, uninhabited and crowded with seabirds, including several seabird species not found on Sand Island, is included.   Participants can also assist staff with habitat restoration, historic preservation  or wildlife monitoring and service tasks. Although seabirds nest on Midway on a year-round basis, November through July is peak albatross season. April and May offers warmer weather and water temperatures. Protection of the island’s unique resources requires that visitors stay on specially designated trails. Most beaches are restricted for monk seal pupping (the best beach is shared with humans), and visitors will follow strict guidelines set forth by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Midway is still  wonderfully limited to only 16 visitors the entire atoll at one time. Midway Atoll is accessible via a 4 ½ -hour flight from Honolulu.  Oceanic Society has a wildlife calendar to help you plan your trip.  Contact:  Menglund@oceanicsociety.org or visit www.oceanicsociety.org.

SEE OUR COMPLETE VIDEO AND STORY ABOUT WAIPIO VALLEY AND IT’S FAMOUS TREE HOUSE.