Biologist Account: Heather:
"I was thrilled to be making my first trip to the islet. For the past 5 years I had been trying to join a trip to Manana, but it never worked out. This day, the weather was questionable for boating. We had a photographer with a deadline though, so we pressed on. We launched the boat in Kailua and experienced big surf as soon as we reached Flat Island. It was a rough ride across the bay and I was hanging on the boat's railing for dear life. We did pass through several schools of flying fish on the way, which is aways fun. It took us almost an hour to get to Manana, but the landiing area was fairly protected and we were able to swim in without mishap. As we prepared for our trek to the back side of the islet, we noticed 2 Monk seals (one a juvenille from this year) hauled out on the beach. We quietly packed our gear and were on our way. Walking on the islet is incredibly tricky since it is riddled with seabird burrows. You have to walk slowly and carfully to avoid crushing the young chicks living underground. To avoid these burrows we walked along the crater rim, which I realized on our return was undercut in many places and a bit sketchy. Of course I had to take a peak over the edge and contemplate a 500 ft fall to the ocean. I bit my lip and walked on. The views along the hike were amazing. Near the summit we were visited by a curious Red-tailed tropicbird that hovered just over our heads. Boobies also circled the islet while Shearwaters criss-crossed the crater floor. We set out our ant cards and surveyed the seabirds for signs of ant trauma. Walking down to the tide pools was steep and the crumbling terrain made it a bit treacherous. We paused to enjoy the view and headed back to the landing area."