Traveling Archives

Updates Around Arnott’s Lodge

September 25, 2020 By Sarah Garcia

Aloha friends!

We hope all of you are staying safe and healthy. These are challenging times for everyone. I think we all have our sights set on that future when things will begin to feel safe and secure again.

In preparation for that time, we here at Arnott’s Lodge have been busily beautifying, renovating, and repairing our home. We hope that when the time comes that guests can begin to move about freely again we can provide the safe, clean, secure place that we’ve always provided, but as bright and beautiful as we can make it.

Douglass Arnott, owner of Arnott’s Lodge, showing our new upgraded WIFI

Our staff have worked hard to improve and perfect our surroundings in the recent months. We’ve renovated our outside stairwell, replaced carpeting in several rooms, touched up tile, and spruced up shelving. We’ve corrected concrete cracks, power-washed, scrubbed, and re-arranged. We’ve fixed fencing and re-painted walls. We’ve looked through the lodge and found the things that could use a little love and given them our undivided attention. We think the result of all of this effort is a place with even more character and charm for our guests: a shining gem in Hilo.

Mindy helps keep Arnott’s clean and vibrant.

Andras spent several weeks sanding and re-finishing all of our wooden tables and benches, as well as finishing our gorgeous new mango-wood counter at our reception area after Leo helped us install it.

Andras sanding and refinishing all of our wooden furniture.

Leo, Doug and Glory assess our new mangowood counter.

Jasmine deep-cleaned and showed some love to all of our tour vehicles.

Ed, Donna, Jasmine, Siobhan, Lauren, and Sarah have been working to add some painted charm to many areas of the lodge.

Ed paints the wall of our men’s dormitory.

Jasmine painted so many beautiful signs.

Siobhan adding charm and flair to the women’s dormitory.

Lauren with her Hawaiian compass at our front desk.

Mike has helped in every area to brighten our walls and appliances where they need it.

Mike helped paint so many areas of the lodge.

Mike hangs bananas grown at Arnott’s Lodge.

Donna and Bear have contributed to the island by organizing trash cleanups at local beach parks.

David and Traven have assisted us in creating new and improved manuals for our tour guides so that we can continue to provide the best tours possible.

As you can see, we’ve been busy! We will always be improving and planning and creating here at Arnott’s Lodge. This pandemic was unexpected and unwelcome but we will use this time to look towards a better future and as always, do the best we can.

Wherever you’re from and wherever you’re headed:
We look forward to seeing you soon on your next visit to Hilo!

Hurricane Season in Hawaii

September 10, 2018 By Sarah Garcia

Guess what time of year it is! That’s right, it’s hurricane season in Hawaii!

Every year from the beginning of June to the end of November, Hawaii has its eyes on the Pacific Ocean from Mexico to Japan, watching for weather disturbances. The Central Pacific Basin, in which Hawaii squarely sits, is monitored constantly by NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.) Our busiest month for hurricanes is usually August, followed by September.

Let’s be real: Hawaii is in a blessed spot. Hurricanes rarely strike us directly, and there are some good scientific reasons for this. First, Hawaii is a small target in a big ocean. The Pacific is the largest and deepest ocean on the planet: it covers about 63 million square miles and contains more than half of the free water on earth. Hawaii is not a large landmass, so right off the bat, a hurricane would have to move just right in order to hit it. Second, Hawaii is protected by the cooler water of the Central Pacific. Hurricanes thrive in warmer waters, so they’re usually generated near the Mexican and Central American coastlines in the shallower water during the summer and early autumn months. As they’re pushed across the Pacific ocean towards the west by prevailing trade winds, they hit the cooler deeper water of the Central Pacific. (Click here to read more about “upwelling” and the process by which ocean temperatures change.) Once they hit that cooler water, these hurricanes become vulnerable to winds coming from other directions that can tear the storm apart. Why? Because the hurricane no longer has access to all of that easy evaporated water it had over warmer ocean waters. The evaporating water is its fuel. This is another reason why hurricanes tend to fall apart quickly once they make landfall. (NatGeo.)

An image of Hurricane Iselle in 2014, with Hurricane Julio just behind. Iselle was the first named storm to directly hit Hawaii since Hurricane Iniki in 1992.

If a hurricane follows a more southerly path, there’s a better chance of it reaching the islands. For example, Hurricane Iniki came from the south of the islands and swung northward just after it passed beneath us. It was able to keep feeding off of the warmer equatorial waters and maintain its strength.

The path of Hurricane Iniki.

Most of the time, the cooler waters brought down from Alaska into the Central Pacific kills or weakens any storm that attempts to approach from due east. It’s a fact that “Virtually every system approaching Hawaii from the east since 1950 tracking at least as far north as the latitude of the Big Island of Hawaii eventually weakened to a tropical storm or depression by the time it reached the islands.” (Weather.com.) However, in an El Nino year, the chance of a hurricane tracking within 100 miles of the islands increases by 13%. This is due to El Nino’s effect on ocean water temperatures. Both of Hawaii’s most recent destructive hurricanes (Iniki and Iselle) happened during El Nino years.

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Looking at this image, it seems like a lot of hurricanes! But these are the tracks of the storms passing within 200 miles of Hawaii.

Tropical Storms and Hurricanes passing within 75 miles of Hawaii since 1950

This image, on the other hand, shows just how few storms actually come very close to us.

Back to reason number 3 why hurricanes rarely hit us directly: wind shear (or hurricane poison, as you could think of it) is usually stronger near the Hawaiian Islands. Wind shear is the rapid change in wind speed and/or direction over a short distance, and the wind shear around Hawaii is usually what takes hurricanes apart. It has also been posited that Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, the two giant volcanoes dominating the landscape of the Big Island, have an effect on wind circulation when storms attempt to make landfall here. Although they won’t have much effect from a distance, any storm that hits the Big Island directly will probably die a swift death.

It’s probable that due to climate change and the warming of the oceans, Hawaii will begin to see an increased number of storms. One current prediction is an increase of 15% per decade (Forbes.)

However, data is still being collected and only time will tell exactly how many heavy storms Hawaii could see in the future.
Don’t let this slow you down if you’re thinking of visiting! Hawaii is a wonderful place full of beauty and aloha, and big storms are still so rare here that the usual response of locals to dire weather predictions is humorous jokes. The key to hurricane preparedness is to stay informed and pay attention to the NHC.

By S. Garcia

Hawaiian Terrestrial Life

September 10, 2018 By Sarah Garcia

Sitting outside on the lanai, enjoying a cool drink and relaxing sea breeze, listening to the crashing waves in the distance…and then you hear it. This small, two-tone animal call. Most visitors to the Island think it is a small bird….but what bird is awake at night? It is actually a tiny, invasive frog endemic to Puerto Rico; the Coqui Frog. They are only one of the many species that somehow managed to find their way to one of the most remote islands in the world.

The size of an adult coqui frog

As you travel around this beautiful island of Hawai’i, the diversity of plants and animals across the island is absolutely amazing! However, there is a darkness to that beauty. Much of what is seen across the island did not originate here, nor does it belong. Hawai‘i is considered to be the most remote island chain on the planet. We are farther from any major landmass than any other island. That said, it is extremely difficult for any organism to get here, and once here, it is just as difficult to leave.

The Endemic and Native Life of Hawai‘i Island (The Good)

Hawai‘i is home to only two endemic mammals, the Hawaiian Hoary Bat (ʻōpeʻapeʻa), and the Hawaiian Monk Seal (ʻIlio-holo-i-ka-uaua). When we say endemic, we are referring to the fact that these particular species of animals are found here in Hawai‘i, and nowhere else on the planet.. All other mammals found on the island (yes, including the infamous homo sapien), are considered to be non-native, and even invasive!

One of two resident monk seal pups born on the Big Island in 2018! This pup’s name is Manu’iwa.

The Hawaiian Hoary Bat

** Both of these animals are on the US Fish & Wildlife Service Endangered Species list! They made it into this list because they compete with other organisms for the limited food and space on the island.

Fun Fact! The Hawaiian Hoary Bat is the Hawai‘i State land mammal!

Of course, there are many other endemic creatures on Island! Many of which are avian. These include the Hawaiian Owl (Pueo), Hawaiian Hawk (‘Io), a few different Honeycreepers: ‘Apapane, ‘Amakihi, and ‘I’iwi (Scarlet Honeycreeper), Hawaiian Goose (Nēnē)…etc.

The Hawaiian Shorteared Owl: the Pueo (Asio flammeus sandwichensus)

The Hawaiian Hawk: ‘Io (Buteo solitarius)

The ‘I’iwi (left) also looks very similar to the ‘Apapane (right) with one major difference being the beak!

‘Apapane, is also the bird the street our lodge is located on was named after! 😀

Fun Fact! The Nēnē, although a descendant of the Canada Goose, is the Hawai‘i State Bird!

The nene or Hawaiian Goose (Branta sandvicensis)

The Invasive Life of Hawai‘i Island (The Bad)

Some of the most noticeable creatures around the island, aside from the noisy Coqui, as mentioned above, tend to be the most invasive. These creatures are ones that were introduced to the island, both intentionally and unintentionally.

The Gold Dust Day Gecko: a brightly colored invasive gecko hailing originally from Madagascar. These little fellows are ubiquitous at the Lodge.

These creatures that find their way here come via the 3-W’s; Wind, Wings, and Waves. While they are frowned upon, as invasive species, those that are surviving on island are the “lucky ones”! It is said that 1 species, every 35,000 years, makes it to island and survives. The rest either perish en route, or shortly after arrival.

These species tend to be more commonly spotted, as compared to natives. This is because before these invasive creatures found their way to island, the native and endemic lived peacefully, without predation! Once invasive organisms arrived, they began to prey on the natives, which had never had the need to evolve and protect themselves and their young, taking down their populations in great amounts. For example, the mongoose, which were introduced in order to hunt the ever growing rat population. Unfortunately, it turned out that rats are nocturnal, and mongoose are diurnal. *Fail* Additionally, mongoose are opportunistic feeders known to prey on native bird populations that nest on the ground, rather than in trees, as well as nesting turtle eggs. *Double Fail*

A mongoose in Hawaii (Herpestes javanicus)

Another big invasive species that has caused extreme damage to unsuspecting native birds and land animals is the feral cat population. These cats were originally introduced to the islands by early Europeans, and without any major predator, their population has exponentially increased. In addition to their hunting habits, they also host a potentially lethal parasite (Toxoplasma gondii) that contaminates terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments! Of course, we can take up an entirely new post about that later.

Feral cats on the island of Oahu.

Intentional introduction / intentionally brought to the Island: Mongoose, Cat, Wild Pig.

Unintentional introduction: Gold Dust Day Gecko, Coqui, Fire Ants.

(And the not-so Ugly)

Of course, not ALL introduced organisms are invasive. There are many that, while introduced and can become particularly annoying, peacefully coexist with the natives. These include Japanese White-eye, House Sparrow, Myna, Saffron Finch, Spotted Dove, Kalij Pheasant….and many more.

The relative harm posed by these introduced organisms is the subject of many discussions among conservationists. If you visit Hawaii, you can expect to see most of the animals listed here and many more! Hawaii is a known repository of non-native life.

Blog by B. Fuemmeler

Marine Life in Hawaii

June 23, 2018 By Sarah Garcia

When you hear “Hawai‘i”, what do you first think of? Sunshine, the beach, and the ocean, right?
Many travelers coming to the islands often look forward to jumping into our warm waters, whether to surf and swim, or snorkel and dive! Just as the views from above the surface of the water are beautiful, the life and landscape under the water is just as breathtaking! To the untrained eye, everything under the water tends to look the same, with little to no diversity…however when you take an even closer look, you begin to realize life under the water is more than just a few rocks, fish, and turtles! There is an amazingly complex, and delicate ecosystem, just waiting to be fully understood.

Here in Hawai‘i, we have amazing reef systems that are home to a wide variety of fish, such as our tongue-twister state fish: humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa (reef triggerfish, wedge-tail triggerfish, rectangular triggerfish; Rhinecanthus rectangulus) Photo by Keoki Stender

Over the years, Climate Change has been something that has been getting more and more press, as the arctic sea ice has shrunk to all new lows, and coral reefs across the planet have begun to “bleach” and die. The idea of warming may not be something we, as humans, can physically detect with our own senses, but the coral and other marine organisms can; even if it is only a couple of degrees difference! One of the main sources of climate change, on the large scale, is increased levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions. While it is difficult to stop all CO2 emissions, there is something that EVERYONE can do, on a small scale, to help the reefs. In addition to reducing the amount of driving we do and the plastics we use, another major help to the marine ecosystem includes using REEF SAFE Sunscreen! According to a study in 2015, up to 14,000 tons of sunscreen ends up in the ocean, annually! That is a lot of chemicals for very sensitive organisms to come in contact with! These chemicals, once in the water column, are so small that they are able to be siphoned or absorbed into marine life, poisoning them as concentrations increase.

How to recognize dying coral reef: Coral Bleaching is one of the biggest tell-tale signs of a dying reef. While you are snorkeling, if the reef has a lot of life floating around it, with many colors all over, it is safe to say that it is a pretty healthy reef.

These photos were taken at three different times just 8 months apart near American Samoa.

If the coral is starting to turn bleach white, or some will become super bright neon colors, there is something that is causing the coral to release all of its polyps and is dying. It is still possible for the coral to recover if we act now!

However, once the coral has begun to grown any sort of algae, it has died, and at this point it is unlikely to ever recover.

>> Staff recommendation by B: Watch the film “Chasing Coral”…a Netflix Original Documentary

What has Hawai‘i done? Effective January 1, 2021, Hawai‘i has signed a bill into law, banning the sale of all sunscreens that are believed to have reef harming chemicals, such as Oxybenzone and Octinoxate.

What can you do? Avoid sunscreens that include chemicals, such as Oxybenzone and Octinoxate! Whether you are along a coastline, or landlocked, these chemicals can find their way into our coastal waters, and eventually harm our marine organisms! Instead, choose a non-aerosol mineral sunscreens that only contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

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Here are a list of some sunscreens that are reef safe!

Badger Unscented Sunscreen Cream
Raw Elements Certified Natural Sunscreen
Stream2Sea Mineral Sunblock
Mama Kuleana Waterproof Reef-safe Sunscreen
Kokua Sun Care Hawaiian Natural Zinc Sunscreen
Manda Organic Sun Paste

What ELSE can you do to help our coral reef and marine life? Avoid single use plastics! Use reusable containers, bags, and utensils! Tell your restaurant server “NO straw please!”

ALSO, be careful where you are stepping when getting into and out of the water, as well as while you are in the water! Avoid grabbing hold to delicate coral. Avoid stepping on loose rocks, as there may be many little creatures hiding under them!

Illustration by Toni Reyna

Author: B. Fuemmeler

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