The whaling ships Pearl & Hermes were traveling together with their holds full of sperm whale oil when they both ran aground on an unnamed reef in 1922. The archeologists dive on the site and begin mapping and documentation of the artifacts littered across the reef, which include some finely made copper pipes and spigots as well as a trypot half buried in the rubble.
The Churchill ran aground on the reef at French Frigate Shoals early in 1937 under controversial circumstances. The wreck site contains a chaotic mass of wire rigging, a large anchor sheltering reef fishes, and other artifacts.
The archeologists discover the wreck of a 19th century whaler at Kure Atoll, the Gledstanes. The shipwreck is an exciting find, with anchors and other metal ship parts tucked up into the pockets and narrow canyons just outside of the reef crest.
A team of maritime archeologists is working in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument as part of a NOAA expedition. Come along with us as we dive to 115' in the clear waters of Midway Atoll to document a WWII era fighter plane called a Corsair.
Much of the beauty of Papahanaumokuakea is in the underwater realm. Come explore with us as the educators snorkel and freedive at Necker, Nihoa, and French Frigate Shoals. Expedition participant Expedition participant Hank (Legario Eharis) plays slack key guitar as a musical backdrop.
We arrive at Nihoa, a rock pinnacle that rises up out of the middle of deep ocean. In centuries past small communities of Hawaiians lived on this remote scrap of basalt, growing taro on small terraces and fishing in the productive waters surrounding the island. After asking permission to come ashore, in the Hawaiian way, we thread our way through a chaos of sea birds to the ridge high above.
Educators and cultural advisors from island nations across the tropical Pacific board the NOAA Ship Hi'ialakai for an expedition to the Papahanaumokuakea National Marine Monument. The experience is designed to foster a cultural exchange of conservation practices. This is day one on board the NOAA ship, and there is a lot to learn.