Though I did not have the opportunity to return home over break, I chose to explore the 
ecological aspects of my favorite beach access back home. The reason this exploration isn’t very Phenological is that Hawai’i is unique in which the seasons are characterized by the size of the surf, rather than the changing of leaves.
Pokole access at Lanikai Beach has been my favorite beach since I was a child. To start the exploration of this site, I must first explain to you its namesake. Pokole means short in Hawaiian. This is due to the access’s small and short nature in comparison to the main stretch of beach in Lanikai. The word to Pokole to me has special significance due to what it tells you about the land, and how humans have changed it. The sea level has risen immensely over the past 50 years in Lanikai. My teachers would show us pictures of Lanikai, you used to be able to walk from Kailua Bay all the way down to Wailea point at the end of Lanikai. Now the shoreline of the beach is lined with seawalls, to protect the homes built perhaps too close to the water’s edge. The longest stretch of beach in Lanikai is just over a quarter mile long. Pokole access separates two stretches of the seawall, and the access is only a mere 15 ft in width. Lanikai is the modern term for once was called Ka’oaho beach. Though Lanikai means heavenly ocean, which is very fitting for the beautiful landscape, Ka’ohao has a deeper personal connection to the land use. Ka’ohao means to tie-together, or to join. The use of the land in present-day deeply ties together native Hawaiian culture with the modern present. The beaches in Lanikai are home to my paddling team, and the best traditional Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling team in the state. Paddling is the state sport, and it asks as a vessel to teach and propagate Hawaiian culture. I learned most about native Hawaiian culture, history, and language through paddling, as do many people in Hawai’i. 
The beach is characterized primarily by its beautiful view onto the Nā Mokulua islands, Moku Nui to the left and the smaller Moku Iki to the right. The Nā Mokulua islands are volcanic cones and made of lava rock – Pahoehoe and ʻAʻā. Pahoehoe forming long ropey masses, and Aʻā as the sharp, jagged rock. The islands are 0.75 miles out to sea from Pokole access. The islands are a bird sanctuary and act as a protected nesting ground for the Great Frigatebird. An incredible bird with a wingspan of over seven feet, that my team often saw from our canoe. Similarly, Ruddy Turnstones can be seen wading off the coast of the Mokes. My favorite aspect about the wildlife found on Nā Mokulua is the presence of Llio Holo I Ka Uaua, or the Native Hawaiian Monk Seal. A mother and her pups are often seen basking in the sun on the beach of Moku Nui.
From the islands to the shoreline, sand and coral reef stretches between the two. The sand is made of crushed coral and shells. The sand at Ka’ohao is unique, as it is so finely ground and soft. Lanikai beach is consistently ranked as one of the best beaches in the world, many people attribute this ranking to the beautiful white, soft and powdered sugar sand. Often seen in the water between the islands and the shore are Green Sea Turtle, commonly called their Hawaiian name of Honu.
On the shoreline, the main shrubs and large bushes lining the fences and seawalls are Naupaka Kahakai. Naupaka acts as a natural wind block, protecting the shoreline, and Ka’ohao specifically from the tradewinds that blow against the shores daily.
It’s hard to not draw comparisons between my sight in Centennial Woods in Burlington, and the beach I grew up at. The primary comparison I find myself making is the lack of a phenological change evident back home in Hawai’i Nei, and the immense phenological changes happening at my site in Burlington. It was easy for me to describe the current appearance of Pokole access, even without visiting the beach as they are limited. The main phenological changes seen in Hawai’i are the blooming seasons of different flora. For example, the Plumeria tree seen in the foreground on the right of the image is not currently in bloom, as Plumeria trees are in full bloom during May and June, right in time to make lei for graduation. In contrast, there’s no way I could make phenological assessments at my site in Centennial Woods due to my inexperience with phenological changes and an ever-growing knowledge base of the Vermont ecosystem.
I would like to attribute image credit to Myra Kohn and Kailua Sailboards and Kayaks.
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