Extra Help

We've got a lot going on as usual around here.  We've had a couple of sick Laysan ducks, so we're keeping busy looking for any other sick or dead ones to keep the botulism from spreading.  We've got extra help this week with the crew that's going to Kure Atoll for the summer.  Next week, they'll be swapping out with the crew that's been there over the winter.  The Kahana will take them over after they drop some fuel and supplies off here.  The visitor group that is here right now is having a good time, even with cloudy and windy weather.  One of the visitors was stationed here in the early 70's and we're hearing a lot of good stories from him.  Another couple of ladies have been here 10 times over the years so we're hearing a lot of interesting things from them, too.  It's nice that we get visitors here for a full week so we can actually get a chance to get to know them.

The ballfield seep was getting really overgrown with algae, so our volunteers, RJ, Jennifer, Peter, and Laura Marie hopped in and are about half done cleaning in the picture.

Our greenhouse is looking good.  We've got quite a few species of native plants being propagated for outplanting.

This plant is a native Ilima (Sida Fallax) that we've got growing in the greenhouse.  It's from a cutting of our 1 native plant that is left on the island.  We're trying to get a few more plants growing before the original one dies.

 We do our duck surveys at sunrise every week.  It's getting earlier all the time, and is extra nice when the weather is good.

 You can see how the native naupaka catches the sand and forms dunes.  When the tsunami came last year, the areas with the most naupaka were affected the least.

The Kure crew is helping me check for dead ducks on Eastern Island today.  Thanks Liat, Matt, Eryn, and Julia.