Achievements

Turtle Rescue #41 "Pupukea”
September 23rd, 2001
Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District (Three Tables), North Shore Oahu
In the aftermath of the terrorism that permeates virtually all thinking souls I must say that I have found great solace in the knowledge that saving life is still the greatest virtue of humanity. Since September 11th Deep Ecology has saved three lives. Granted they are not human, but somehow I know this matters not to the lives we saved. Today Captain\Divemaster Juan Oliphant undoubtedly saved the life of yet another North Shore Sea Turtle. Pupukea (named after the conservation district he was rescued in) was wrapped tightly with fishing line around both front fins and neck which was also ingested down his throat. Flat out, he was going to die if it were not for our efforts. Because we found him early, not only will he not die but he will live on with no injury whatsoever. This is the best kind of rescue of all. And even though some might think this does not matter in comparison to the life lost in recent times, it makes all the difference in the world to Pupukea. Furthermore it represents the most noble attribute of this thing we call "humanity", saving life. It is also worth mentioning that one participant in this rescue is of Persian descent. Thank you Said for your contribution.

Turtle Rescues #39 & 40 “Karma & Forty”
September 15th, 2001
Puaena Point & Chun’s Reef, North Shore Oahu
On this particular day we were conducting a regular dive charter. While making our routine check of a spot known for congregating turtles a customer (Jonathan) sighted Karma with fishing line trailing behind his head. I (Ken) was able to get above Karma who was swimming 10-15 feet below. After one test freedive I felt comfortable to make a move and descended from directly above. I was able to secure Karma without difficulty and a quick and effective transfer to the boat followed. It became clear that the damage by fishing line would likely require fin amputation. We turned over Karma and set out for our dives. Within five minutes of the first dive I spotted a large female at a depth of 65 feet with obvious damage to her left fin from fishing line. This rescue is probably the best example of a textbook recovery. The ease with which initial contact and ascent took place is reflective of the comfort level this turtle (“Forty”) had with my interaction. She simply did not resist. I know that we have developed trust with many individual turtles and Forty was one of them. Ascending with a 250 lb. turtle on compressed gas can be dangerous but my ascent with Forty was only slightly faster than a normal ascent. Transfer to the boat was difficult but successful. As with Karma I have little doubt that Forty will also require fin amputation. This will bring the total number of amputee turtles we have recovered to 13.

 

Turtle Rescue #37 "Tiny"
August 9, 2001
Alligator Rock, North Shore Oahu

On August 8th a supporter notified us that a young turtle was sighted with fishing line wrapped around his right front fin. This is one of those times where I knew for sure that this was no false alarm and that we would likely determine whether this turtle would live or die based on whether we got to him in time. Myself (Ken) Chris and Paul decided to conduct an early morning search the following day before work in the area he was last sighted. During the search we sighted two of our amputee turtles (not sure which ones just yet) going about their turtle business. It is always a great feeling to see these guys making it, handicapped or not, and knowing we are a direct part of their survival. We also saw a huge Spotted Eagle Ray hooked in the mouth with about one foot of trailing fishing line with a small led weight attached. There was simply no way to recover him but I believe the hook will rot out and the line will come out without further injury. Chris spotted Tiny after about an hour and half of searching and called me over. He came my way and I descended just a few feet and snagged him without incident. Being so small it was an easy swim to shore and a veterinarian is now caring him for. I am 99% sure he will unfortunately lose his right fin based on others in the same condition (his fin was amputated on Aug. 11). This will bring our amputee turtle population up to ten! We expect his release within thirty days and will continue to watch out for our new little friend.

 



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Ghost Net Recovery #10
May 29th, 2001
Hammerheads, North Shore, Oahu
This recovery was conducted because of a report and request from a State of Hawaii Marine Enforcement Officer. We thank him for the information. The net was approximately 100 feet in length and had already done a lot of damage. Who knows how much life had already been lost before the removal. The recovery took place in about 10 feet of water and lasted about 45 minutes. Thanks to Greg and Catherine for their help. We saved one Convict Tang and several crabs and lobsters.

Ghost Net Recovery #9
May 26th, 2001
Haleiwa Harbor Entrance, North Shore, Oahu
Captain Chris Lolley spotted this net as we were returning from a boat dive and we immediately conducted the recovery in 10-15 feet of water. Thanks to Harbor Master Paul's approval as this area is a dangerous place for divers. Recovery took about 30 minutes and one 7-11 Crab was saved. Once again this net had already done much damage by ripping up coral heads. Total length of the net was approximately 75 feet. Thank you to our customer Robert for his help in water and for the rest of you on the boat. Barbara, watch out for those crabs!

Turtle Rescue #36 "Claire"
March, 2001
Puaena Point, North Shore Oahu
This was perhaps the most difficult rescue I (Ken) have ever done. We had been looking for this turtle for three days it was becoming an obsession to find him. We knew line was wrapped around the fin based on the report we were given an believed the damage was not complete yet. We were right and when I spotted him I realized that he was about 250 lbs. and had full use of all fins. Not only that but he was very weary of me and wanted no part of being rescued. This one was not going to be easy. I must admit that despite the fact that I had never let go of a turtle once getting a hold I did on this one as my hold was not complete first time around. I felt the crushing reality of knowing he may live a long healthy life or quite possibly die for my mistake (and the fishing line), depending on whether I could make up for my mistake. I continued my pursuit but he was now completely aware of me and really not happy. Eventually after about 20 minutes I lulled him into a momentary lack of defense and made my move. This was done while freediving to his depth of about 20 feet. This time I did not let go and we wrestled for about 20 seconds till I could maneuver him to the surface.. This alone was exhausting. I then waited till our boat could be positioned next to me for transfer to the boat. I yelled my all to repeated direction "don't let go". Unfortunately they did let go and I had to grab a hold without taking a full breath. He then pulled me down several feet and I held on as long as I could till I could hold on no longer. When I let go this time I was truly crushed. I now felt directly responsible for him. He and I were both exhausted now but he descended and I followed above. After about another 15 minutes he rested on the bottom at about seventy feet. Although I can freedive to that depth I knew there was no way I could dive to him, wrestle, then ascend all the way up on one breath. I decided to dive down with scuba as stealthily as I could and then bring him up hopefully slowly. When your dealing with compressed air, fast ascents are not good. Fortunately this worked and the trip up was relatively easy (and slow) as we were both practically void of any energy. This time the transfer to the boat was successful. Once on the boat we removed the line that had only caused superficial damage at that point and we were able to return him to the water immediately. He was a very strong healthy male turtle who I am sure we will see more of.

If your wondering why this male turtle was named Claire, it is because I had already vowed to name the next rescued turtle after my dear friend. Thank you Claire for the inspiration, and thank you to the gang at Celestial and Paradise Cafe in Haleiwa for the help.

Turtle Recovery "Grim"
Summer 2000
Haleiwa Trench, North Shore Oahu
This was one of the most disturbing turtles found to date. Greg had found the turtle practically motionless mid-water. In retrospect it is hard to believe that this turtle survived as long as he had. He literally appeared to be a living skeleton. The reason for his malady was an internal tumor (caused by pollution) that did not allow him to pass food. I (Ken) was so bothered by this turtle I opted to sit out the second dive and spend that time with him instead. In my own way I tried my best to apologize to him for our part in his suffering. This I know was a poor consolation for death, and our ongoing goal is to expose the main source of pollution causing this growing epidemic. Agriculture, specifically the pineapples (that we in Hawaii pay far too much for) which are sprayed with untold amounts of pesticides, are suspect #1.

Turtle Rescue #20 "Antoinne"
June 2000
Waimea Bay, North Shore Oahu
Based on a report by lifeguards at Waimea Bay we conducted a search in the bay. After about an hour we found Antoinne feeding in shallow water. We were to late to save his fin however, it was amputated and Antoinne was released one month later.

Turtle Release #5 "Gonzales"
November 26th, 1999
Three Tables Beach, North Shore Oahu
Just one day after his exhausting capture Gonzales was going back home in great shape. In cases like this we know that fin loss and death was eminent and we made the difference by rescuing him early. These are clearly the most rewarding rescues of all and I wish they could all be like this. We shall be watching for Gonzales and are very confident that we will see him soon.

Turtle Rescues #11 #12 #13 "Tom", "Gonzales", "Keller"
Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25th, 1999
Puaena Point, Sharks Cove and Haleiwa Harbor, Oahu
On the previous day our instructor, Dan, sighted a turtle with line in his mouth and wrapping around his fin, while conducting a tour with a customer. He was unable to capture the turtle so we came back later that afternoon to find him. Upon our return we found him immediately and started pursuing him. We followed him for approximately a half hour and never got closer than 5 ft from him. We decided to come back the next day, Thanksgiving Day. A group of six staff members and one customer set out early and stopped by one of our turtle cleaning stations outside the harbor. I jumped in just to check things out and sure enough I spotted a medium sized turtle Tom with line choking off circulation in him right front fin. I apprehended him easily as he was quite lethargic. Once on the boat I knew his fin would be amputated. Officials said it would be two hours before they could arrive so we set out for the turtle we followed the day before. Once at Sharks Cove we dove down and saw him almost immediately. Once again a pursuit ensued with myself and Chris (our divemaster artist) shooting video. I had decided from the previous day that I might abandon my scuba gear so that I could follow him above from the surface with less drag. The day before had been very frustrating and I was hell bent to get him today. I knew at the least he would lose one fin if I didn't or quite possibly die. So after another exhausting half hour pursuit Chris dropped back and I ditched my gear and continued pursuit on the surface watching him 40 ft below. About 15 minutes later I saw him coming up and positioned myself above. Sure enough, after 45 minutes I grabbed hold of him, on his surface for breath, which he sorely needed. A tremendous relief came over me. I named him "Gonzales" as in Speedy. Once back in the harbor we turned over the turtles. Shortly after, a large turtle with tumors and fishing line swam by the dock. I jumped in and got him. Unfortunately he was blind in one eye and nearly so in the other (thus his name "Keller" i.e. Helen Keller), sadly we believe he will not make it. All in all, it was an amazingly up and down day. Our biggest hope is that by our efforts, others will become more aware and help us change things for the better.

Turtle Release #4 "Atlantis"
November 23rd, 1999
Alligator Rock, North Shore Oahu
One and a half months after his rescue we were putting "Atlantis" back into his home, 4 pounds and 3 ounces lighter (the size of the tumor that was removed). The veterinarian had to cut through major blood vessels in a tricky surgery, but the procedure was successful. This was truly one of the most gratifying releases because the removal the monstrous tumor brought back the beauty of this majestic creature. With neighbors and supporters lined up on the beach, Atlantis made his crawly back into the ocean and we watched him swim away with great pride. Some days are better than others.

Turtle Recovery "Sheryl"
November 22cd, 1999
Haleiwa Harbor, North Shore Oahu
Unfortunately not all our encounters with the turtles end up happy. On this day we received a call about a beached turtle. When we arrived we found a very lethargic, emaciated turtle with multiple tumors. He was young and obviously in a very bad state. He had been there so long that he was partially buried in the sand. We turned him over to authorities knowing that they might not be able to do anything, but we hoped for the best. Postscript; Sadly Sheryl was put down.

Long-lining Banned
November 21st, 1999
Honolulu, Oahu Hawaii
In a surprise move a federal court judge banned long-line fishing in a massive area of the Northwest Hawaiian Atolls. This ban shocked even the most optimistic of environmentalists. The reason for it was the threat to four species of endangered turtles that live in Hawaii. The Hawksbill, Leatherback, Loggerhead and Green Sea Turtle. At least one news station used footage of our various turtle rescues to support the story and the fact is that awareness has been heightened so much as a result of our efforts that the climate had become right for this decision. Truly our impact was reaching even further.

Save Shark's Cove Task Force Meeting #3
November 10th, 1999
Waimea Valley, North Shore Oahu
So here we were at the third of five scheduled meetings with virtually nothing accomplished in regards to the rules changes we were meant to decide on. Would this be the meeting to change that? Indeed it was. Finally we were going to talk about the issues. First was netting. Everybody agreed as I had hoped, that netting had no place in a so called "conservation district" and we agreed that it should be banned. Second was spear fishing and once again we all agreed that this also had no place in the area. We voted to ban it. Third, and most certainly the biggest question mark, was pole and line fishing. Everybody knowing the amount of turtles we had already saved from discarded fishing line definitely had an impact and only one real opponent made his objection. His reason was valid that many retired and otherwise low-income people use that area to subsidize their dinner plates. After just having witnessed thousands of fish removed from a Waimea Bay netter I was sympathetic to his statement. But the bottom line was that the North Shore had not one marine sanctuary and every inch of coastline was currently available for fishing. Based on this reality I felt we must set this one small area aside, for the future. In our plan to ban fishing however we proposed that the boundaries be changed slightly so that fishing could continue in one area of Shark's Cove but not within the MLCD itself. That way they would at least have one area left to fish while keeping the rules in the MLCD strict and easier to enforce. This proposition seemed to be unanimously accepted as reasonable but decision on this issue was delayed for further debate. Progress had been made and the next meeting we were to discuss expansion of the MLCD< this I was looking forward to.

Animal Planet "Wild Rescues Show"
Nov. 7th, 1999 #1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel Shop
Due to all the turtle rescues we had done we had already been slotted for the national TV. Show "Real TV" and now it was time for Animal Planet. The opportunity to tell the story for the turtles is one we will continue to tell as a long as the problem exists, we owe that to the turtles and all the other marine life that suffers due to our ignorance and indifference. To reach the national realm is to reach millions and we made the most of our experiences by communicating clearly how bad the problem is. Thanks to Animal Planet for getting the story out.

Commercial Netting in Waimea Bay #2
October 31st and November 1-2
Commercial netting occurred at Waimea Bay.
The total catch for these nettings is unknown but at least 14,000 lbs. of Akule were taken in one netting while people were swimming and snorkeling and pole and line fishermen watched from shore some fifty yards away. The only laws broken thus far are the operation of a motorboat in the bay, according to Alton Miyasaka of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). The powerboats were used to surround the school of fish, which were located by a spotter plane flying above. Because of the huge amount of feedback I have received from Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians about the declines in fish around the North Shore I have taken it upon myself to document any activities in the bay that may be contributing to this perceived decline. Netting is obviously one of these activities. Legal or not I am convinced that the vast majority of North shore residents are opposed to commercial netting close to shore especially around the Waimea Bay and Shark's Cove area. Most people I have talked to are shocked to learn that netting is indeed legal in these areas. I personally have video taped two commercial nettings at Waimea Bay over the last two months and have done so as a means of collecting information that will allow the people of the North Shore to make intelligent decisions about the fate of their home. As a result of these videos I have received threats of violence against myself my business and even my family. I would to state now for the record that the actions I have taken are mine and mine alone. Any threat towards my mother or my wife is among the most cowardly and despicable terrorist tactics that would do shame to any family involved. I have spoken with my family and we agree that terrorism of any sort is unacceptable and they accept my active decision to continue documenting what I see fit to document. Rest assured that I will indeed do so and these threats have only strengthened my resolve to do what my conscious dictates. I will not back down no matter how real these threats may be and I hereby point to those who might consider violence to think very, very hard about this. Dead or alive I guarantee that it would be the very worst thing you could possibly do. Having said that I would like to get beyond the disgrace of violence and invite those who oppose me to meet with me face to face and talk with respect about our views. Perhaps we do not disagree about everything. In fact I believe we have a common enemy, the big Asian and US fishing fleets that are literally stripping away all the fish in the oceans. Regardless of that I will continue to do what I believe is in the best interest of all those who love the North Shore and the generations to come. To me that is what Hawaii is all about. Special note. A rare appearance of a Tiger Shark in Waimea Bay the day after the last netting occurred. Lifeguards actually had to call out all swimmers from the water. I wonder if this might possibly be some sort of sign that we on the North Shore should be looking at?

Save Shark's Cove Task Force Meeting #2
October 13th, 1999
Waimea Valley, North Shore Oahu
Into this meeting I went with articles showing the problems in California and globally due to lack of marine protection. I also handed out our proposal to eliminate spearing, fishing, and netting in the MLCD and expand the area to over triple its current size while enveloping Waimea Bay. The meeting however was more about things we had no say in and I expressed my dissatisfaction more than once. I also urged that we move with more speed in order to prevent failure in our charge to address the issues of rules changes. I left this meeting highly frustrated but the agenda I had pushed for the next meeting seemed to be in place and perhaps we were now ready to accomplish something.

Turtle Rescue #10 "Atlantis"
October 5, 1999
Alligator Rock, North Shore Oahu
On one of Oahu's beautiful stretch of beach came ashore a large mature male sea turtle that we first sighted in September, although residents had come to know this turtle for many months, as he would come ashore at dusk almost daily. This is not common behavior and was easily explained by the immense tumor attached to his head. This tumor in fact was bigger than his head! We had planned to turn the turtle over to authorities that could remove the tumor but these same authorities would close before Atlantis would come ashore. The decision was made to keep the turtle overnight in a pen, and then turn him over for veterinary help. This we did on October 6th and one and a half months later we happily released Atlantis.

Save Shark's Cove Task Force Meeting #1
Sept. 8th, 1999
Waimea Valley, North Shore Oahu
Being the type of person who likes to get things done this meeting was less than satisfying. It was pretty much limited to what our charge was and the time frame of all things involved and I was beginning to think I was becoming part of the system I resent for its ineffectiveness. The crux of it was that there would be a planned five meetings over five months and after that we as a task force would make recommendations regarding any rules changes (see Save Shark's Cove #1 ) to the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). From that a series of processes would occur that would likely take another year and a half. Bureaucracy in action! Our goal was to not only change the rules for the better but to expand the conservation area (MLCD) to more than triple its current size. Although we didn't accomplish much in my eyes there was some opportunity to meet our adversaries and find some common ground, so this was good. The agenda had been set for the next meeting and my hope was that this would allow for more productive movement. I was wrong.

Turtle Release #2 #3 "Haloti", "Dan"
Sept. 8th, 1999
Ali'i Beach Park, North Shore Oahu
Some days are indeed better than others and this was one of the good ones. After one month in captivity and fins being amputated on each turtle, Haloti and Dan were going home. Of course there is an overwhelming amount of concern for these guys because if anything happens to the other front fin they will most certainly die, but they do at least have a chance to make it. We knew that our first turtle rescue, "Chance", was alive at least ten months after losing his fin, so our hopes are not unrealistic. The releases went as planned on a beautiful sunny day with calm conditions. Both turtles swam away quite gracefully, albeit handicapped. The very popular weekly television program here in Hawaii called "Hawaiian Moving Company" was there to capture the day and produced a great story to educate more people about the plight of marine life in Hawaii. We had our boat go down for about two months after the release so we have not seen them since but we are confident that we will soon.

 

 

 

Commercial Netting in Waimea Bay #1
August 1999
Waimea Bay, North Shore Oahu
On this day we were out on the boat for some exploratory diving on the North Shore while on route we spotted netters in Waimea Bay. I had made a commitment to document all that I saw here so I along with Joe jumped into the water to film the netting from below. Doing this is no small endeavor as you are sure to make enemies in the worst way by doing so. This to us was all the more reason to do so, it is threats of violence that has prevented women, black people, and all oppressed to obtain justice throughout history and our situation was no different. We are committed to going all the way even if it means potential violence against us. I proceeded to film the sadness of an entire school being wiped out of Waimea Bay. Hopefully this will move others to stand up and oppose such events in the future. We shall see..

Turtle Rescue #9 "Bumpy"
Aug. 17th, 1999
Puaena Point, North Shore Oahu
While conducting a dive tour with customers I spotted another turtle with fishing line wrapped around him. I was able to capture him with little difficulty as this turtle also had multiple tumors and was somewhat lethargic. Fortunately the line had not done any damage yet so we spared him the even greater indignity of fin loss. But his tumors are thus far untreatable here in Hawaii. So on the counsel of National Marine Fisheries we reluctantly let him go. The sad reality is that we can only do so much sometimes and still others we can do nothing at all. Cases like Bumpy are definitely bittersweet experiences. At the least however we continue to document these encounters with the intent of reducing these types of realities.

Save Shark's Cove Task Force Appointment Meeting
Aug. 11th, 1999
Sunset Beach Elementary School, North Shore Oahu
Previous to this meeting we had made many attempts to solicit help and feedback from other Oahu dive operations to protect Shark's Cove. With only two exceptions nobody wanted to know. The resentment I feel about the blatant apathy that the majority of operations here show is substantial. I repeat what I believe is our obligation as businesses that derive our incomes from the ocean; if there are problems out there; we are compelled to do something about it. In the case of Shark's Cove virtually none will say the area is O.K. most all agree the area has gone from bad to worse over the years and who should know better than the people like ourselves who use the area. Despite this the dive operators got together on a hastily arranged meeting two hours before task force delegates were to be chosen. Almost exclusively the interest was in preventing any loss of access to one of the dive operator's biggest cash cows. Preservation and conservation were not priorities. It was on this day that I decided that I would separate myself from this group that reflected capitalism and greed at the expense of the environment they operate in. We had sincerely tried to work with these operators and concluded that their interests lie elsewhere. This I am sure will change with time. So I ran as a conservation delegate and won. The commercial divers put up their status quo delegate who has played unimpressive lip service and disguises the real agenda, "keep our unimpeded access in tact!"

Turtle Rescue # 8 "Kenny"
August 10, 1999
Waimea Bay, North Shore Oahu, Hawaii
This was an incredible day even by our standards. In the morning we spread the message of concern for the marine environment on Hawaii's #1 morning news program. Then we released Kainoa after having one fin amputated and one month in captivity. Now, on another boat dive charter we found our eight turtle in just 38 days! I am quite sure that no company has ever commanded the states attention and effected so much education through the media as we had done. All boasting aside we as a staff had done an incredible job. To me the turtles were messengers, and we were obligated to tell their story. So tell their story we did. People from all over the state called or came into the shop to thank us for what we had done, but all the thanks we needed was in knowing the bottom line. The bottom line was that we had physically saved many lives, and that feeling is unsurpassable in its joy. This time we received a call from one of our supporting North Shore Lifeguards who had sighted a turtle with hooks and line on his neck. We responded immediately, much to the liking of our customers and found Kenny the turtle after about a one hour search. I was able to free dive down about 8 ft and grab hold of Kenny on my second attempt. I was much nearer to the crowded shores of Waimea.

Turtle Release #1 "Kainoa"
August 10th, 1999
West Waimea Point, North Shore Oahu
After over one month in captivity and rehabilitation, Kainoa was to be released. Minus his left fin which sadly had to be amputated. For us however, this was a very good day. Earlier in the morning, Joe and myself were featured speakers on Hawaii's #1 morning news show. We had several minutes of unimpeded airtime where the story of these turtles could be spread to tens of thousands of Hawaii residents.

After having put up a bit of a battle, George Balaas (Hawaii's top turtle expert) agreed to let Kainoa free right where we found him on the North Shore. This meant a lot to us because we knew the interaction between turtles among their own species is much like the relationships that we as people develop for our friends and family, and our home for that matter. Seeing Kainoa was moving for us as well because he was in such bad shape when we found him. As soon as he heard the ocean however, all the life in him exposed itself. In about knee-deep water we let him out of his plastic box and off he went. We feel confident that we will see him again soon, and in the mean time we continue to pursue further protection of his home..

Turtle Rescue #7 "Zoe"
August 8, 1999
Puanea Point, North Shore Oahu, Hawaii
Only one day after finding Haloti we found Zoe. This turtle was also found while conducting a boat dive charter, with 5 customers on board. Zoe was a happy story because we were able to remedy her problem and release her right away. She was a beautiful healthy turtle aside from a large ulua hook which had hooked here completely through her small mouth. There was also fishing line coming off the hook and into her mouth which could be very dangerous. As it turned out however it was not. After about a half hour the hook and line was removed and Zoe was back home in the water. Always a good feeling. Of special interest is the fact that Joe, our instructor, had just been cleared to dive after his recompression chamber visit one month earlier. (see "Turtle Rescue #4 Kainoa") Kainoa the turtle gets released August 10, 1999 West Waimea Point, North Shore Oahu, Hawaii After over one month in captivity and rehabilitation, Kainoa was to be released. Minus his left fin which sadly had to be amputated. For us however, this was a very good day. Earlier in the morning, Joe and myself were featured speakers on Hawaii's #1 morning news show. We had several minutes of unimpeded air time where the story of these turtles was able to be spread to tens of thousands of Hawaii residents. After having put up a bit of a battle, George Balaas (Hawaii's top turtle expert) agreed to let Kainoa free right where we found him on the North Shore. This meant a lot to us because we knew the interaction between turtles among their own species is much like the relationships that we as people develop for our friends and family, and our home for that matter. Seeing Kainoa was moving for us as well because he was in such bad shape when we found him. As soon as he heard the ocean however, all the life in him exposed itself. In about knee deep water we let him out of his plastic box and off he went. We feel confident that we will see him again soon, and in the mean time we continue to pursue further protection of his home.

Turtle Rescue #6 "Haloti"
August 7, 1999
Puaena Point, North Shore Oahu, Hawaii
As we routinely find marine problems on our paid tours we invariably find that our customers genuinely appreciate our efforts. Often times it is the kids that really support us. I think many in the younger generations intelligently and intuitively know just how serious the problems are that we are creating for them. A few days earlier a young boy named Zach had seen us bring "Dan" into the harbor and it moved him. He then brought in a ball of fishing line and weights he had just recovered at Waimea Bay. Due to our latest report of an injured turtle in the area we were on the search the next day and I invited Zach and his family to come along and observe. Sure enough we found our sixth turtle, Haloti at a turtle cleaning station that we frequent regularly. As I approached Haloti he literally swam into my hands and I almost effortlessly brought him to the surface. Haloti was in terrible shape. Fishing line had wrapped around his right fin cutting off all

circulation of blood. His fin was literally rotting off of his body. Bones were exposed and the flesh was a sickly grayish color. Line had also wrapped around his other fin and had just started cutting into his flesh. I have no doubt whatsoever that Haloti was dead had we not helped him. I did not know at the time if he would make it anyway. Needless to say we turned him over to a vet and thankfully he made it, after that all too common fin amputation. We have shared these types of experiences with dozens of customers but today was special. I can only say that the impact this experience had on Zach was obviously profound and I believe he will end up working to save life as well as a result of his experience with us. One of the perks we get I guess. I asked Zach what he wanted to do on camera earlier that day and he replied: " I want to come work for #1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel. As far as I am concerned Zach, the job is yours for the taking.

Turtle Rescue #5 "Dan"
August 3, 1999
Three Tables, North Shore Oahu, Hawaii
Still on our search for the original turtle that Lauran had told us about we finally found him! Once again on a dive tour with customers our guide/instructor, Dan found the turtle swimming with the use of only one fin. He brought the divers back to the boat. Joe and myself pursued with mask, snorkel and fins. After spotting him about 35-40 ft below we decided I would free dive down and bring him up. After taking deep breaths I descended. Because he was weak and had small tumors around his eyes he seemed oblivious to my approach. I grabbed onto his shell and brought him up without incident. From there, Joe and myself towed him to the boat. Fishing line was indeed all around him and trailing behind. The line had cut once again down to the bone. Swelling, infection, and rotting flesh at the wound created the all too familiar stench. Line wrapped around his neck had only just started to cut into him. It was obvious he needed treatment so we brought him back and turned him over to George Balaas and a turtle rehabilitation center here on Oahu. This being the fifth turtle we had found in only 31 days. I was becoming more dissatisfied with Hawaii's pitiful lack of ecological consciousness. We knew that there were countless more turtles and other marine life dying from the discarded waste of careless fishermen and we vowed to continue searching, and more important documenting. On this day I stated for the media "I guarantee we find more turtles.: Four days later we had turtle #6 (Haloti). Within two weeks we found #7 (Zoe), #8 (Kenny) and 9 (Bumpy).

 

Save Sharks Cove # 4
July 27, 1999
North Shore Neighborhood Board Meeting
With tremendous effort on behalf of the so many supporters in the community we managed to make this the most attended Neighborhood Meeting in 1999, by far. The Haleiwa Surf Center was completely packed and people spilled out of the building. This meeting was covered by two local news stations, one with a live feed broadcast. Passions were exposed on both sides and the apathy of norm was absent for now. On this night threats were made against #1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel for essentially initiating this grassroots movement. These threats entailed throwing a firebomb into our shop. This threat displays the mentality of many of those who oppose conservation for selfish reasons. As a company with unflinching commitment, these types of intimidation methods only serve to strengthen our resolve to protect the marine environment. The result of the meeting was that a task force were to be formed at a meeting one month later. Good or bad, the process was now officially reaching governmental levels. I personally was asked by our State Senator if I would be willing to serve on the task force and my response was "only if I know that it is legit. My main concern was that this task force make the strong recommendations necessary to affect real change for the better. We shall see..

Ghost Net Recovery #5
July 25th, 1999
Maile Point, West Side Oahu
We returned with a smaller dive team, but with the same results. After two postponements by the other divers we went forward with this overdue recovery. Approximately 200 feet of net recovered with one crab released from the net to live another day. On both dives recovering this net we sighted Hammerhead Sharks on our ascent. In a way we like to think it was their way of giving consent and thanks to our efforts.

Dead Turtle Recovery "Salem"
July 25th, 1999
Kahana Bay, East Side Oahu
Having removed the ghost net in the morning we were off to conduct a beach clean up (which we do regularly) at Kahana Bay. Within an hour I spotted a seemingly lifeless turtle in the rocky shallows. Upon closer inspection it became clear the turtle was indeed dead. Not only did this turtle have tumors all over his body, but also fishing line wrapped around both front fins, and his mouth. His body was still warm so I knew he had not been dead long. My frustration was heightened once again. This turtle epitomized on the injustices humanity thrusts on the marine environment. All there was left to do was to bag up this latest victim and work that much harder to change the realities of today.

Save Sharks Cove Cleanup
July 24th, 1999
Sharks Cove, North Shore Oahu
With the big neighborhood board meeting in three days, a Sharks Cove Cleanup was in order, although we clean up the cove almost daily in summer. Direct Action to us means removing fishing line when we see it. Unfortunately there is no lack of discarded fishing line at Sharks Cove. Three teams of 4-5 divers conducted one dive each on this day and unwrapped line from approximately 100 coral heads. This line as we very well know ends up wrapping around other marine life such as turtles, dolphins, and anything else that swims. We also removed a large outboard motor, which had been dumped.

Turtle Rescue # 4 "Kainoa"
July 10th, 1999
West Point of Waimea Bay, North Shore Oahu
I spotted a turtle with a limp left fin. As I approached I realized that he had a hook through his neck (the same hook from the long line) and fishing line wrapped around his fin like a tourniquet. He was very lethargic and allowed me to grab him quite early, but once I started to bring him to the surface he struggled and shot up, bringing me with him. Once we were at the surface I did not want to pull the hook in his neck so I let him go. Moments later I was able to restrain him in way that would not cause further harm. As I Lifted Kainoa onto the boat. I felt a terrible pain. Ken put me on Oxygen and before I knew it, I was in a medivac chopper on my way to the recompression chamber. After an eight hour chamber dive. I was informed that I had to remain topside for one month. Kainoa's fin was amputated and he was released on the North Shore one month later.

Hook Barb Sabotage
July 9th, 1999
West Point Waimea Bay, North Shore Oahu
Fed up with the fact that we had just found our second turtle in less than a week with hooks and line, we decided to stand watch over the long line contraption, which had nearly killed the turtle "Joey" earlier in the day. This contraption was left completely unattended and had over twenty hooks still on it and was definitely still a threat to marine life. Joe and myself moored the boat directly adjacent to the long-line and intended to watch it through the night assuring no other turtles or otherwise would be needlessly killed. During the night we decided that one way or another the long-line would be removed but in the meantime the barbs on the hooks had to be removed. By doing this we took certain risks of retaliation. For us however this did not matter. The price we would have paid by knowing that another turtle might die was unacceptable. So we cut the barbs and the long-line was rendered useless. The next day we found "Kainoa" who had a large hook from this long-line embedded deep in his neck. Since he was a big turtle he was able to break free, smaller turtles would not be so lucky. Two days later, and three news stories later, the long-line contraption mysteriously disappeared. However it may have vanished it has not reappeared. We will make sure of that.

Turtle Rescue #3 "Joey"
July 9th, 1999
West Point of Waimea Bay, North Shore Oahu
I was leading a tour with certified divers at the dive site behind my house "Joe's Backyard" when I saw a turtle off in the distance. At first I was excited because I enjoy seeing turtles, but, as I approached, realized that the turtle was in trouble. The turtle had been hooked by a make shift long line through his front fin. His body was limp in the water and he appeared to be dead. Just as I reached out to grab him the turtle came to life and bean struggling to reach the surface. The line was holding him underwater so he was unable to breath and slowly dying. The hook that was through his fin began to tear his flesh during the struggle. So in a cloud of brown blood, I cut the turtle free. Once he was free, I realized that the excess line could snag on the reef and possibly drown the turtle so; Ken and I chased him for about a half hour until Ken was able to capture him. Once on the boat, we removed the hook and set him free. Without question we had saved this turtle from drowning and gave him a second chance, one of the best feelings possible.

Turtle Rescue #2 "Lefty"
July 3, 1999
Haleiwa Trench, North Shore Oahu
In looking back, its amazing just how one statement can snowball into a tremendous sequence of events. On July 2nd a friend, Lauran, came to the shop and said: "There's a turtle at Haleiwa Trench with fishing line wrapped all around him. He's in bad shape. With that we were on a mission to find this turtle. The next morning we have a team of four divers and the search was on. About twenty five minutes into the dive Lauran found a large turtle resting underneath a ledge. He had line wrapped tightly around his right fin. Lauran proceeded to flush him out as I positioned myself to grab hold of him. When I did he resisted but we eventually made the 70ft ascent to the surface. Holding onto this big turtle was no easy task but we managed to get him onto the boat and remove the line which was literally cutting down to the bone. Just as with "Chance" the bad fin was double the size of the normal one. Emanating from the deep wound, swelling, and apparent infection was the stench of rotting flesh. Despite the horrendous wound I knew from my experience with Chance that he could survive. Even though the loss of his fin was almost inevitable. With this in mind we let him go. We believe that we sighted Lefty about three weeks later. We will continue to watch for him. Lefty however was not the turtle Lauran had sighted the previous day. The search would continue. It took only six days before we found turtle #3.

Baby Dolphin Wrapped with Fishing Line
July 1, 1999
Waimea Bay, North Shore Oahu, HI
While conducting a boat dive charter we came across our resident pod of Spinner Dolphins. On this day they seemed receptive so we allowed our customers to snorkel around the boat while the dolphins made passes. One of our customers caught very dearly on video a baby dolphin with his mother. The baby undeniably had fishing line wrapped around his tail fluke and was dragging this somewhat weighted line 10-20 ft behind him. We were unable to do anything that day and we have searched for him several times since. The unpleasant reality is that either that line broke free or he has since died. I have watched the video clip several times and I still get frustrated with the fact that we were able to do nothing but share reality to others in the hope that we can change it.

Save Sharks Cove #3
June 22, 1999
North Shore Neighborhood Board Monthly Meeting
After my last statement the wheels indeed were turning to change the status of Sharks cove. DLNR, a Senator and a relatively apathetic community were now involved. DLNR came to this meeting with the proposal to change the rules at Sharks Cove, which would prohibit the taking of marine life and create the North Shore's first ever-true marine sanctuary. This proposal as popular as it would be with the majority of North Shore residents was met with a very vocal minority of fishermen whose primary interest was access, not conservation. Either way, public awareness was heavily increased and dozens of residents were now participating in the meeting, which is typically a very sleepy affair. The decision was made to allow full public input at the following Neighborhood Board Meeting. It was made clear to me from a very credible source that if only 10-15% opposition was voiced that DLNR would drop the rule changes and the highly, insufficient status quo would continue. The official "Save Sharks Cove" campaign was born at this time and it has become our highest priority as a dive operation to assure Sharks Cove becomes our first Sanctuary, and if we are successful, significantly expanded. The stage was set for one of the biggest North Shore Neighborhood Board Meetings ever in July.

"Chance Sighted!!!" Ten Months Later
June 1999,
Three Tables, North Shore Oahu, Hawaii

What a thrill it was to see the turtle we have rescued 10 months earlier. To know that we literally saved his life is a feeling more precious than anything money can buy. Chance had indeed lost his fin but despite the odds, he was making it. I was able to free dive down to him several times and he showed no fear at all. I really believe deep down he knows who I am and is grateful. Either way it has been an honor to help him. I hope we see him many times over the years.

 

Ghost Net Recovery #4
June 12, 1999
Maile Point, West Side Oahu
Acting in information given to me by a friend and customer we found out that a ghost net was sighted in the summer of 1998 by other divers. This net was in 180-200 feet of water and was reportedly at least 500 feet long. After having contacted the principal diver who knew of the net I requested we go retrieve it. This was in December 1998 and it was clear he was not interested in "others getting the credit" Even though he had known about this net for at least 5 months. With some coercion we set up a joint team of divers, three from #1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel, two from his team. All of us were trained decompression divers and qualified to do the potentially dangerous net recovery. Despite our differences in motivation the dive went extremely well and approximately 200-250 feet of net were recovered on a dive of just over 60 minutes to 185 feet. The job was not done however and plans were made for the team to dive again. See Ghost Net Recovery #5.

Save Sharks Cove #2
March 1999
North Shore Neighborhood Board Monthly Meeting
Once again my point at this meeting was to expose the total lack of marine life protection on the North Shore. Of the 50 miles of coastline we have, literally not one inch is protected. As a dive operation we believe it is our highest priority to change that, and it was with that message I spoke once again. The reality is that on the entire island of Oahu, roughly three miles of coastline is protected. This is fairly typical throughout the state and it is a broader goal of ours to expose that, so that changes are made. As a result primarily from our statement a State Senator (Bunda) and his aid got directly involved in a new push to compel the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to open up rules changes, which could prohibit the taking of marine life at Sharks Cove. Indeed they did and the wheels began to turn.

Save Sharks Cove # 1
February 1999
North Shore Neighborhood Board Monthly Meeting
Being based on the North Shore we dive at a spot called Sharks Cove on a regular basis. This spot was voted one of the top 12 shore dives in the world by the readers of Rodale's Scuba Diving magazine in 1996. Despite this, the area is not protected. Although the state made it a "Marine Life Conservation District" (MLCD) in 1983. It also allowed exceptions to the normal rules so that spear fishing, pole fishing and even netting are allowed in the area. This MLCD is one of many "feel good" conservation areas throughout the state that do virtually nothing to protect our marine resources. At a typical meeting with 10-15 residents attending I stated what a "disgrace" I felt the area was. I also stated that it was an "embarrassment" to the visitors of the world who could see our obviously backwards conservation policies.

Ghost Net Recovery # 3
February 1999
Chinaman's Hat, East Side Oahu
On a tip from Michael, a customer and Sea Shepherd supporter we were off to remove our next ghost net. This net was in only 8 foot of water but had already ripped up dozens of coral heads. With great effort we were able to lift the massive ball of net and debris onto kayaks and paddle it to shore. This process took over two hours. In removing this net we had to use tremendous care not to further damage the reef. Sometimes however it is virtually impossible not do some damage.

Ken visits local High School
January 1999
Kahuku High School, Oahu
In an effort to raise the younger generation's awareness. I took an opportunity to address teenagers at a local high school. I have done this many times and look forward to sharing more of my experiences in the future. Kids and young adults always give me hope. Self-interest and they generally are very eager to know what's happening in the oceans so much less clouds their eyes.

 

Paul Watson Visits #1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel
January 1999
#1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel Shop
Having developed respect and a friendship with each other, it was #1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel's honor to host one of the founding fathers of Greenpeace and the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Paul Watson for two nights. Undoubtedly Paul is a legend among legends in the environmental movement. #1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel also set up a lecture by Paul at the University of Hawaii, Public Radio interview and an address to teenagers at the shop regarding his experiences. This address was in turn televised on one of Hawaii's favorite locally produced television shows, the "Hawaiian Moving Company".

Ghost Net Recovery #2
December 26, 1998
Electric Beach, West Side Oahu
The day after Christmas 1998 will stand out in my mind as one of the most aggravating and most gratifying days I have ever had. This net had been abandoned at one of Oahu's most popular shore dives and sighted by our instructor, Dan Morse. #1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel staff found the net which spanned over 100 ft wrapped over countless coral heads and entangling two Goatfish, two scrawled Filefish, a Moorish Idol, Spiny Lobster, Crab and a Spiny Puffer fish. All but one fish could be saved and the entire process was documented on video and still photography. It took six divers over an hour to remove this net, which had done substantial damage to coral. The ignorance and blatant disregard for human and marine life that the individuals responsible for this net exhibit is in my mind indefensible. In the Hawaiian culture this type of disregard would be a clear threat to the society as a whole and Hawaiians of past were killed for less.

Sea Shepherd Crew
September-December 1998
Neah Bay, Washington State
In the fall of 1998 I was able to live out a dream to crew with the man who is the father of Direct Action and a legend among legends in the ecological movement, Paul Watson. Our goal in Washington was to stop the first killing of a whale by the US in several decades. Even though the Makah Indians had vowed to kill a whale that season, they did not. We had succeeded. But not far long as Watson states "Victories are temporary, and all defeats permanent". In May 1999 the Makah got their whale. A young female that had more than likely interacted with humans in San Ignacio Lagoon in Mexico each winter. She clearly had no reason to fear her killers, who killed her in an eleven-minute period by shooting several .50 caliber bullets into her body. Our current mural is dedicated to the memory of this whale.

 

Net Sculpture
October 1998
#1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel Shop
Growing frustration with the amount of marine debris we were able to easily collect on our regular beach cleanups, we decided to put this debris to good use. Instead of simply throwing it away, we created a frame to build on. This "Net Sculpture" continues to grow and serves once again to remind us of the ever-increasing problems our oceans are encountering. This monument to human waste has become a landmark in itself and people now stop to take pictures and look in awe at how much we have collected in such a short period of time. Our hope is in doing this we can raise awareness enough to get policies changed to decrease the problem and eventually eliminate it.

Turtle Rescue #1 "Chance"
August 1998
Atlantis, North Shore Oahu
On a tour with customers we came across a resting turtle that clearly had monofilament fishing line wrapped around his left flipper and neck. While in the water I tried to remove this line while Chance started swimming away. In doing this I realized the line was impossible to remove in water and I let go for fear that I might do more damage by holding on. Having done that I got a terrible sinking feeling that I was watching a dead turtle swim away and that I had blown my "chance" to help. I immediately followed Chance who was now very cautious and not allowing me to get close. I literally followed him very calmly for about 10 minutes keeping a faster than normal pace. Eventually I got my opportunity and lunged forward and secured one of his back flippers, than the other. From there I took the now heavily resisting turtle into my arms and ascended to the surface. Once there I swam to the boat and lifted him up. Upon inspection we realized the horrendous damage that discarded monofilament line could have on marine life. The line around his flipper was literally cutting down all the way to the bone. The flipper was virtually useless and swollen to easily double the size of the normal one. At that point we knew that Chance would have definitely died by the line around his neck which would have invariably choked him. It took us approximately 15 minutes to cut free all the line. We decided to let Chance go that day even though we had fears for his safety. In retrospect we would have turned him over for veterinary care. Happily however we found Chance ten months later doing well aside from the fact that his flipper had indeed been lost. It is with great joy that I have sighted him two other times and I will continue to look out form him

"Direct Action Policy"
May 1998
Inspired by the one of the founding fathers of Greenpeace and the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Our Direct Action Policy is attributed to Environmental Legend, Paul Watson. While most in the ecology movement talk, Paul acts. The Sea Shepherds have saved more marine life directly than any other organization, hands down. Direct Action is the reason why, and it is what truly sets our dive operation apart from all others. The bottom line is when we are in a position to remove marine hazards or save life, without jeopardizing customer safety; we do it, with no hesitation.

Ghost Net Mural # 1
May 1998
#1 Scuba Diving Hawaii Scuba Diving Tours Dive Travel Shop
As an educational tool we took our 40 ft storage container and turned it into the canvass for our Ghost Net Mural. Reminding people of the damage that abandoned nets pose to all marine life. To date, October 1999, we have collected over 5 tons of debris.

Ghost Net Recovery #1
February 1998
Makua Beach, West Side Oahu
While conducting a tour of Makua dive site with customers, we found an approximately 100-150 ft long lay net which was recently abandoned. The net was in an area frequented daily by Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins and also home to Green Sea Turtles and countless reef fish. This net had anchored itself, as they typically do, by wrapping around coral heads. In this process many coral heads are ripped off the reef, destroying homes to many marine species. This job was too dangerous to conduct with customers. So the decision was made to return the following day. Upon returning the next day we released two crabs that had become entangled. I never like to leave these nets for fear that more life will be needlessly lost so I was glad that nothing had apparently died in the last 20 hours. Chris Barboza, Senior Instructor and myself would do the net removal while two safety divers observed. Darrel and Pete documented and observed while Chris and I went through the arduous task of removal. We nearly needed a second tank, as we were both very low on air by the time we had managed to walk this ghost net the 150 yards to shore along the bottom. We actually balled up the net as best we could, removed our fins, put the weight of the net on our backs and walked it in. Very slowly, I might add. After completing the removal I realized just how angry I felt that people simply abandoned nets. But at the same time, it felt good to know that we had made a difference. In real terms we had saved life, whether it was dolphins, turtles, reef fish, coral heads, etc. We undoubtedly had saved life. Little did we know that this was the beginning our formal "Direct Action Policy"

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