Kona Coffee: Hawaiian Kona Beans Are Among The Best In The World.

Hawai'i's coral reefs are very unique.
The nearest land mass is more than 2,000 miles away.
This isolation has great benefits for reef conservation and marine life.





Over 25% of all the marine species in Hawai'i are endemic to Hawai'i.
They do not exist anywhere else in the world!






When visiting Hawaii, enjoy an ecological visit to the reefs!
An experience you will never forget.

But it was not always this way. In fact, coffee did not exist in Kona prior to the nineteenth century.

❏ So, how did it get to the island? Coffee arrived in Honolulu around 1813 as an ornamental tree imported by King Kamehameha's Spanish interpreter and physician Don Francisco de Paula Y Marin.
❏ Around 1828, the missionary Samuel Ruggles brought coffee plant cuttings from Brazil.
❏ However, it took several years for coffee to grow and develop in Kona as another profitable agricultural crop able to compete with sugar.
❏ At first, coffee was cultivated in large plantations by Japanese workers. As a result of the world coffee market crash in 1899, the plantation owners had to lease out their land to their own workers.
❏ Due to economic limitations, the workers would lease between 5 to 12 acres maximum. They worked the land as a family concern producing high quality coffee crops that began to earn acceptance in the coffee world.
❏ The farms remained small and are a trademark of Kona coffee farms. The workers' ethnic mix became more international: mainland workers, Filipinos, Brazilians, Japanese, and Europeans.
❏ Overall, there are less than 700 Kona coffee farms.

Kona coffee grows only in the Kona Districts.
A 22 miles long and 2 miles wide area described as "Kona."


❀ This area is on the slopes of Mount Hualalai in the North and Mauna Loa in the South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii.

❀ The total Kona coffee acreage is less than 2300 acres with over two million pounds of coffee production each year.

❀ This is not very much coffee, by worldwide standards. Precisely because of its scarcity and incredible quality, Kona coffee is one of the most sought after and delicious cups available.

❀ The coffee flower is white and the spectacle of "Kona snow" on coffee trees throughout Kona during blooming time, February to March, is absolutely beautiful.

❀ Green berries begin to appear on the trees around April and it takes several months before they start turning red or become "cherries."

❀ Red berries are handpicked. It takes several rotations over many weeks to pick all fruit from a tree. Hand picking is a very time consuming and labor intensive activity that is essential to ensuring the high quality of Kona coffee.

❀ Handpicking takes place from August to January.

❀ Each tree yields about 20 pounds of coffee cherries. It takes 7 pounds of cherry to make a pound of coffee.

❍ The classification is according to the seed type. Type I is two beans per cherry, flat on one side, oval on the other. Type II beans means there is only one round bean per cherry.
❍ There are additional grades for these type of beans based on size, moisture content, size, appearance of the beans, purity of the bean type, and other specific grading requirements.
❍ The grades of Type 1 Kona coffee are Kona Extra Fancy; Kona Fancy; Kona Number 1, and Kona Prime. The grades of Type 2 Kona coffee are Peaberry Number 1 and Peaberry Prime.

❍ It offers a complex balance of rich aroma, agreeable acidity, satisfying medium-full body and an intriguing flavor that is very appealing and satisfying to the tongue.
❍ Kona Blends are a blend of Kona and Colombian or Brazilian blends.
❍ By blending the right quantity of Kona beans with other top quality specialty coffee varietals, the result is a full rich taste, full bodied and balanced blend that is consistently a great value and delicious.

"Kona Coffee grows
in the Kona District of the Island of Hawaii (the "Big Island")





Coffee lovers appreciate the rich flavor, aroma,and smooth body ,of Kona coffee.

Hawaii trivia and facts

❏ Back in 1830, John Quincy Adams was the US President. King Kamehameha III ruled Hawaii.
❏ There were still farms in Manhattan. Less than 200 people called Chicago home.
❏ Los Angeles was famous for its mission and was a "frontier" city.
❏ It would be more than 20 years before the Gold Rush would take place outside the San Francisco Bay Area.
Amazing, isn't it?

Well, Kona coffee was already two (2) years old then!
In about ten years, coffee would become the economic and cultural foundation for what is known as the island's "sunny west side."

DATE

KONA EVENT

1813

First coffee plants and pineapples in Oahu and in the Hawaiian Islands

1819

With the passing of Kamehameha the Great in Kona Hawaii undergoes religious and cultural upheaval

1825

Coffee plants arrive in Oahu from Brazil and are planted in Manoa Valley at the estate of Boki

1828

Coffee introduced to Kona by American missionary Reverend Samuel Ruggles who took cuttings from Boki's Oahu estate and planted them in Kona as the first Kona coffee.

1837

Present Mokuaikaua Church dedicated

1841

Two coffee plantations now in Kealakekua

1849-1851

The California Gold Rush created a demand for many Hawaiian agricultural products from potatoes to oranges to molasses to Hawaii coffee.

1853

Tobacco grown commercially in Kona

1860

Hawaii's sugarcane dominated agriculture in the Islands and Hawaii coffee plantations disappeared everywhere except in Kona and Hamakua on the Big Island of Hawaii

1875

King Kalakaua negotiated the Reciprocity Treaty with the United States allowing Hawaiian products to be sold in the US without customs or duties

1880s

The Reciprocity Treaty literally led to the demise of the Hawaii coffee industry

1897

Sisal grown in Kona

1899

Kona Sugar Company incorporates and builds mill

1900

Many former Kona coffee plantations are divided into small 5 to 15 acres in size leased to first generation Japanese immigrant families who begin the era of small family farms in the Kona region.

1921

First commercial plantings of macadamia nuts in Honokaa

1952

First co-op established in Holualoa with 72 members called Kona Coffee Cooperative Association

1957

Kona Coffee crop valued at $ 6.5 million

1959

Hawaii Statehood

1970

First Annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival

2003

Kona celebrates 175 years of coffee culture

2006

Number of Kona Coffee farms exceeds 700

2009

The Kona coffee industry continues to thrive with many of the farms still just 2 to 3 acres in size with many fifth generation Kona coffee farmers.

2011

The Hawaiian Islands remain the sole US producer of commercially-grown coffee and the market for gourmet Kona coffee continues to grow.

Click here for Kona Coffee

Without a transportation system, many high altitude regions of the world with ideal coffee growing conditions would have never been developed.

❚ The coffee trade would have been limited to the lower altitudes. This would have restricted the expansion of coffee acreage, reduced the overall yield of coffee trees and prevented the cultivation of specialty, top grade Arabica beans which grow best in higher altitudes.
❚ We truly owe "burros" (donkeys) a big thank you for the many types and grades of coffees we enjoy, especially Kona coffee.
❚ The "burro" is native from the arid mountains of northern Africa. "Burros" do not require special breeding programs and training.
❚ They are natural pack animals that can transport about 125 pound load at the speed of a human stroll all day long. Their hooves do not require shoes except when the hauling is very heavy and continuous in which case shoes always make sense.
❚ A full grown donkey weighs between 400 to 500 pounds and stands between 48 to 52 inches at the shoulder.
❚ Coffee farmers used readily accessible and inexpensive materials to build the pack rig, pad, front and back straps to prevent load shifting, and the rope halter used for pack donkeys to follow the leader.

❚ Donkeys are slower learners than horses and mules but they remember their training longer. Donkeys are inquisitive animals. This makes them endearing to their owners and very helpful in the presence of unexpected situations in the fields.
❚ Horses "spook" when frightened or surprised. Donkeys do not do that which can be helpful and even a life saver. Donkeys retreat a few feet, and then spend time investigating the situation in a rather calm manner.
❚ "Burros" can be territorial animals which is an advantage in the remote areas where coffee farms are located in that they discourage wild dogs, pigs and other animals.
❚ They are very smart when it comes to avoiding injuries, heat exhaustion or dehydration. "Burros" eat greenery they find in fields. For coffee growers, "burros" are ideal animals.
❚ Donkeys do not like the taste of the coffee leaves or coffee cherries. What is the result? Donkeys do not eat or damage the coffee trees. In addition, the donkey manure fertilizes the fields organically.

Burros became very important contributors to the Kona coffee industry from the start.
This was particularly evident when traveling along the steep slopes of Hualalai Volcano

Think about it: how easy do you think it is to navigate narrow, winding, lava rock trails with bags of precious Kona coffee ready for market from high Hawaiian altitudes down to the harbors of Kealakekua or Kailua-Kona?


❀ Burros were the perfect animals to travel such treacherous terrains.

❀ They became the lifeline for coffee farmers who spend many hours alone surveying the coffee trees and plantations.

❀ Coffee farmers develop a close bond with their "burros."

❀ Donkeys are both great working animals and pets.

❀ "Burros" were replaced to a large extent by the inexpensive US Army jeeps that became available as war surplus in the late 1940's.

❀ The four-footed bean haulers were almost completely displaced from the coffee fields.

❀ Many, but not all, were released into the shrub to form wild herds that still exist in the Kaupulehu area near the Hualalai Resort and Kona Village Resort areas.

❚ They generate sound from either outgoing or incoming air with the well known " hee...haw" call. In the evenings, around the island, it is very common to hear the brays from pet donkeys communicating with each other.
❚ Some people say the donkeys' call means "hee....hawled the coffee beans yet?" Donkeys are popular pets around the island.
❚ Their sight near the coffee farms is a reminder of their valuable contribution to the Kona coffee trade and a few farmers still use the donkeys for some work around their lands.
❚ Next time you visit the big island of Hawaii, sign up for a trail ride and camping trip with donkeys. There are many operators offering this unique experience.
❚ You can experience to a great extent some of the conditions of what it was like for coffee farmers to travel around the Hawaiian slopes and lava hills taking to market their Kona beans.

❍ Let me share it with you, okay? The Estate was created in 1884 as a charitable land trust by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. She was the last direct descendant of King Kamehameha the Great.
❍ Pauahi's husband was a successful banker, Charles Reed Bishop. He purchased the West Hawaii "ahupuaa" of Kaahauloa and Honaunau and added it to the lands they already owned on the Big Island of Hawaii.
❍ The "ahupuaa" is a traditional Hawaiian term for the traditional land division, a wedge-shaped land parcel that goes from the seashore to the mountain slopes.

❍ Pauahi was very interested in education for Hawaiians. She wanted to make sure that her estate would fund education forever.
❍ Pauahi's will established the use of her lands to generate income for the creation and operation of the Kamehameha Schools. The lands cannot be sold.
❍ Income from them goes to the schools through the long term agricultural leasehold system that is still in place today.
❍ Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate (KSBE) owns close to 300,000 acres of land on the big island of Hawaii and more than half of it is used for agricultural purposes.

❍ I did not realize there was a royal connection between the Kona beans and the rich volcanic lands where the coffee plantations are located. How many farmers are there on the KSBE lands and what else do they grow besides coffee?
❍ The barista thought for a minute and said, about 600 farmers lease tracts from KSBE. These farmers produce Kona coffee on farms that average about seven acres each. There are about 1,200 acres of KSBE-owned land in Kona coffee production.
❍ The farmers also produce macadamia nuts, exotic flowers, avocados, vegetables and some fruits. The coffee farms are a rich and friendly natural habitat for many species of birds, butterflies, ants, insects and other wildlife.

❍ How many students attend KSBE schools?❍ The barista said: over 3,000 students at the main campus on Oahu but many more in the new schools added to the system financed by coffee beans primarily.
❍ The bean is definitely important to students in the Big Island. KSBE supports a college scholarship program for Hawaiian students. So, literally speaking, you can owe your future to a bean that becomes a cherry and ends up served as a cup of very fine and delicious Kona coffee.

The Hawaiian feast is a luau.
So named because of the lu'au always served.


It is also a time for "gathering people together"

The star attraction at any luau is the food and more specifically the "imu"
✺ What is an "imu"? It is basically a large pit dug in the sand. Kiawe logs are placed in the bottom of the pit. The logs are topped with river rocks. After a couple of hours, a fire is started to heat the coals and rocks. The rocks are evened out on the bottom of the pit.
✺ The pig, sweet potatoes and laulau are placed in the imu and covered with more banana leaves and ti leaves. Usually several wet burlap bags top this to add steam and keep the heat in. A tarp of some kind is then placed over everything. The pit is covered with sand and, after 6 to 8 hours of this steam-cooking, the kalua pig is ready and cooked to perfection! No wonder the taste is exquisite, this is natural cuisine at its finest.
✺The traditional luau feast is served and eaten on the floor. Mats called "Lauhala mats" are rolled out for guests to sit on. Ti leaves, ferns and native flowers are the centerpiece decorations. Typical Hawaiian foods served include poi, a staple of the Hawaiian diet made from pounded taro root; sweet potatoes, salt, dried fish or meat covered in leaves.

Luaus always have plenty of flowers, especially orchid sprays and hibiscus.
✺ Of course, what is a luau without Hawaiian music? Musical styles can range from the traditional Hawaiian slack key guitar to the Hawaiian-style reggae or other. Other luau decorations include ornamental fish-net topped with shells, sand and glass balls.
✺ Raffia hula skirts are commonly used as tropical edging for the main buffet table. Drinks, of course, should feature paper parasols and slices of pineapple. You can definitely enjoy all these Hawaiian "touches" during your visit to the islands but you can easily reproduce the Hawaiian tropical mood at home when you return to the mainland.

Luaus are a traditional way to celebrate special occasions.
✺For example, a baby's first birthday, high school or college graduations, a job promotion, weddings, a wedding anniversary, or any other special events. It is really hard to think of many types of events and decorations that are as welcoming as the Aloha! of a locally sponsored luau party!
✺ Luaus are a time for fun, singing, dancing and entertainment for all present, friends and family members. Luaus have taken place for more than 150 years so they are truly a Hawaiian tradition.
✺ Originally, Hawaiian women were not allowed to eat with the men or to eat certain delicacies. King Kamehameha II changed this practice and transformed the luau into an all family members activity.

The term 'aha 'aina' was no longer used.
The term luau became commonplace.
Favorite luau dish.
Taro plant leaves with chicken and baked in coconut milk. Name of this dish? Lu'au.

✺According to Hawaiian history nobody really knows the origin of the hula dance.
✺ However, there is a common acceptance that the original hula dance was performed by a god or a goddess, which makes hula dancing sacred to Hawaiian men and women. Hula dancing requires for the dancer to become one with the dance and with the actions, objects, or images they are imitating in their hula dance.
✺ Every movement of the body represents something and the hands are very important. Basically, the hula dancer's objective is to represent a visual of an object, animal or action portrayed through body and hand movement. Chants accompany hula dancing but the hula movements are the most important part of the dance.
✺ Hula dancing is fun to watch and a fun activity at any age! Hula dancers wear a costume that consists of leis made of flowers around the neck or even the shoulders. The grass skirt is made of tapa and called a "pau." Hula dancers also wear anklets made of whale bone or even dog teeth.


What types of hula dancing are there? Hula kahiko and hula auana.
✺ Hula hahiko is the old hula dancing style with percussion, chanting, and traditional costumes.
✺ Hula kahiko chanting tells the story in lyrics and the dance moves add style and charm.
✺ The other type of hula dancing is the hula auna which is more entertainment oriented. Hula auna dancing has music, guitars, very ornamental costumes to further enhance the dance, ukuleles and even songs.
✺Hula kaniko dancing uses body movements and the hands to tell the story and it is what most people experience nowadays.


Hula dancing remains an important part of Hawaiian culture.


When you are in Hawaii, make the time to attend a fun and memorable luau celebration!

Hawaii
Volcanoes
National
Park

❍ The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) is a volcano observatory located at Uwekahuna Bluff on the rim of Kilauea Caldera on the Island of Hawaii..
❍ This observatory monitors the following four volcanoes: Kilauea, Mauna Loa, Hualalai, and Haleakala.
❍The public cannot go into the observatory building itself. However, there is an adjacent museum open to the public called the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum.
❍This museum features many interpretive exhibitsabout volcanoes, types of lava, scientific equipment and clothing used by scientists and volcanologists.
❍ What is even more amazing is that some of the museum's windows actually provide a sheltered view of the Kilauea Caldera and Halemaumau Crater. There is even a public observation deck that provides some spectacular views of Kilauea. The experience is unforgettable!

Of course, the volcanic activity is real and unexpected eruptions or volcanic events can take place at any time unannounced.

❍ As they say in Hawaii, Pele, the goddess of fire, lightning, dance, and volcanoes puts on dramatic shows of brutal natural force and light for visitors.

❍ For example, in early 2008, the Halemaumau crater at the summit of Kilauea volcano rumbled and started shooting steam into the air. It caught everyone by surprise and the exciting volcanic activity there continues at present.

❍ It is amazing to see the ever-changing glow of very hot lave glow pulsing from the vent in the crater wall. In many ways, it is surreal to be so close to something so powerful and dangerous.

❍Day and night, the thick steam takes the shape of a plume and swirls in a hula-like dance into the sky. Halemaumau had not erupted since 1982.

❍ Since September 2008, there have been several more explosions and increased tremors. What is more significant is that the vent has grown from 90 feet across to more than twice that size until reaching more than 450 feet across in early March 2010.
...And it continues to grow...

The molten lava of this volcano fills a lava pool beneath the crater floor. No molten lava has yet spilled onto the crater floor but it will someday. This is anyone's guess.

❍The view of the steam plume is spectacular, particularly at night when the glow intensifies. Obviously, close scientific monitoring of the situation determines how much visitors can see and how close they can get to the crater rim viewing platform.

❍In fact, this area has been closed to visitors because of the obvious danger to personal life.

❍In addition, the volcano's plume has a heavy content of sulfur dioxide which is not a pleasant smell at all. Prolonged exposure to high levels of SO2 can be dangerous, especially to anyone with respiratory conditions.

❍ About 25 miles down on the coast from the park, you can visit the Kalapana lava viewing area located at the end of Highway 130 in the Puna District.
❍ What's exciting about this site is that visitors can often see molten lava bursting into the sea from about a 50 feet distance.
❍ The fiery lava makes contact with the cold waters of the Pacific and the result are huge sprays of water rising into the air with huge billowy clouds of steam. An awesome sight!

The links to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory provide up to date and accurate information about the lava flow. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is the single and only official source for current and accurate information on the volcanic eruption.
➦ http://www.lavainfo.us/
➦ http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/maps.html

Stop to cherish the memories and take it all in! What better way to do that than by having a nice Hawaiian meal accompanied by a delicious cup of 100% Kona coffee?
Once back in the mainland, to relive the moment with friends and family, have on hand fresh roast-to-order Kona Extra Fancy 'Certified' or a gourmet Kona Blend!

Gourmet Specialty Coffee Club invites you to join today!

Membership is open to anyone who loves really good coffee and sees the value in having it delivered directly each month for one low price and no shipping charges ("free shipping").

Members like the wide selection of 34 specialty coffee varietals and blends, including espresso and decaffeinated gourmet coffee, plus the more than 65 flavored coffees available.

To enroll in the OurGourmetCoffee.Com Club or to order specialty, gourmet coffee click on the link below,

www.ourgourmetcoffee.com

These flowers range from white kukui blossoms to pink cottage roses to yellow hibiscus flowers and more! They are all native Hawaiian flowers and part of the island's heritage.

Hawaii State Flower:
✾ The yellow hibiscus or "hibiscus brackenridgei," also known as the "pua aloalo," is Hawaii's official flower.
✾ Originally from Asia and the Pacific islands. Hawaiians adopted all colors of hibiscus flowers as their official territorial flower in the early 1920s. In 1988, Hawaii's adopted the yellow hibiscus as the official state flower.
✾ In the beginning, there were only five (5) hibiscus species considered native to the Hawaiian islands. With imports and hybrids developed by growers, the varieties of colors and sizes has increased greatly over the years.











Oahu
✾ The yellow ilima or "Sida fallax." This is a very popular flower used for the renown leis, a trademark of the Hawaiian islands.
✾ Each yellow ilima flower is about an inch across in size. Ilima flowers resemble a small hibiscus.
✾ Many years ago, native Hawaiians used ilima flowers for medicinal purposes, especially for children's illnesses and for pregnant women who ate the flowers until childbirth.

✾ Island attractions: Waikiki beach, a playground for Hawaiian royalty in the past, now a world hotel and tourist attraction. Pearl Harbor: a National Historical Landmark featuring five (5) historic sites memorializing the December 7, 1941 attack. North Shore: legendary surf mecca in the world. Iolani Palace: only official state residence of royalty in the US and home to Hawaii's Kingdom's last two monarchs. Capital City: Honolulu. Population: estimated 910,000.










Hawaii, the Big Island.
✾ The official flower of the Big Island is the red ohia. This is blossom of the native ohia tree. The blossoms can also be orange, yellow or white. The flowers are used quite often to make leis.
✾ From a legendary standpoing, Hawaiians believed that this flower was sacred to Pele, Hawaii's volcano goddess.

✾ Hawaii, The Big Island, is Hawaii's largest. Surface are: 4,038 square miles. It is twice the size of all other Hawaiian Islands combined. The Parker Ranch near Kamuela has about 480,000 acres of land and it is the largest contiguous land ranch in the US. Hawaii is the youngest Hawaiian island, only 800,000 years old. Hawaii was the first island discovered by Polynesians. Island attractions: the world's most active volcano, Kilauea. Two of the tallest mountains in the Pacific: Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Famous for macadamia nuts and orchids. Capital City: Hilo. Population: estimated 176,000.










Kauai
✾ The official flower of this island is not a flower.
✾ The mokihana or "Pelea anisata" is a green berry grown only on the slopes of Mount Waialelae. When strung like beads and woven with strands of maile, these hardy berries have a strong scent of anise.

✾ Kauai Highlights: Napali Coast and the towering cliffs along Kauai's North Shore. Waimea Canyon or "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific." Wailua River, one of Hawaii's only navigable rivers. Kilauea Lighthouse. Kauai Beaches: amazing beaches --Poipu on the South Shore or Hanalei Bay on the North Shore. Capital City: Lihue. Population: estimated 63,000.












Maui
✾ The official flower of Maui is the pink lokelani or "Rose damascena." This flower is also called pink cottage rose.
✾ This flower was brought to the Islands in the 1800s. The pink lokelani is beautiful and it is usually a prized prized possession in the garden because of its beauty and fragrance.
✾ The lokelani is the only non-native plant that is recognized as the official flower of a Hawaiian island

✾ Island attractions: winter whale watching in the Auau channel between Maui, Lanai and Molokai. More than 80 incredible beaches with a combined shoreline of more than 120 miles. Haleakala National Park. Haleakala Crater, 9,740 feet high. Road to Hana: one of the world's most scenic drives with more than 600 curves and 54 bridges! Main city: Lahaina, once a thriving whaling port in the mid-1800s, nowadays a lively dining, shopping, art and entertainment site. Maui resort areas: Kapalua, Kaanapali, Wailea, Makena, Hana. Capital City: Wailuku. Population: estimated 132,000.










Molokai:
✾ The official flower of Molokai is the white kukui blossom or "Aleurites Moluccana." These tiny white flowers are very popular among Island lei makers.

✾ The most "Hawaiian Isle." The island's east end is a tropical rain forest with 240 inches of rainfall a year. Molokai Ranch Wildlife Park is home to rare African and Indian animals. Kalaaupapa was once a leper colony administered by Father Damien. Main town: Kaunakakai. Population: estimated 8,000












Lanai:
✾ The official flower of Lanai is the kaunaoa or yellow and orange air plant. This is a very unusual looking ivy plant. Lei makers take the thin, light orange strands of this vine and twist them together to form leis.

✾ Lanai attractions: The island has the world's highest sea cliffs, Hawaii's longest waterfall, and the largest white sand beach in the state. Lanai is considered Hawaii's most secluded island and in the past had one of the world's largest pineapple plantations. Major City: Lanai City. Population: estimated 3,200.












Niihau
✾ The official flower of Niihau is not a flower but a shell. Niihau's designated "flower" is the "lei pupu of Ni'ihau" which lmeans the shell beads of Ni'ihau. The actual name for a Ni'ihau shell is Kahelelani.

✾ The smallest of the inhabited Hawaiian islands. No paved roads, hotels or restaurants. Nicknamed the "Forbidden Island" or "Distant Island." Approximate Area: 72 square miles. Main Town: Puuwai. Population: estimated 300.




Kahoolawe
✾ This is an uninhabited Hawaiian island.
✾ Despite its lack of population, this island has its own official flower, the hinahina or "Heliotropium anomalum." The hinahina is a silver-gray plant whose flowers and stems are used in lei making.

✾ Background: Once used as a target by the U.S. Navy and Air Force, undergoing unexploded shells cleanup. Access to the island is very limited. In fact, the only people who go to this sacred island, now that they have convinced the military to stop bombing it, are people of Hawai'ian ancestry who worship in the old Hawai'ian way. The island is an uninhabited area of 45 square miles.

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