Here are some of the hazards that may become part of our trip. (But I hope not)
#1 - Oahu is at 21 deg. Latitude. It receives sunlight more directly than any where on the mainland. Sunblock of at least SPF 15 is recomended. Lotion types are usually used when walking/hiking and gel types, such as Bullfrog, when going in the water. It is strongly suggested to wear a t-shirt while snorkling and try to avod the sun between 11 am and 2 pm.
#2 - Water Hazards - The surf is the most hazardous water hazard. Although its more calm in the summer and on the leeward side, we are on the windward side, high surf can be found anywhere at anytime. More people drown in Hawai'i than anywhere else in the country.
#3 - Ocean Critters - The odds are overwhelming that we will have trouble from any of these but we have some information in case we happen accross any of them.
A) Sharks - Most are essentially harmles white tipped reef sharks. An occasional hammerhead or tiger shark may also be seen. In the past 25 years there have only been a handful of documented shark attacks off Oahu, mostly tigers attacking surfers. In general don't go worrying about sharks and if you do come upon one, the books suggest swimming away slowly.
B) Portuguese Man-of-War - Related to the jelly fish they are small but they pack a painful sting. Fortunately, they are not common to most beaches, howeve, when they do come ashore they do so in large numbers. If you see them on the beach don't go in the water.
C) Box Jellyfish - Oahu is the only island in the chain where jelly fish can be a problem. Nine or ten days after the full moon box jelly fish approach the shoreline, especially on leeward beaches. I don't think we will be there during shis time frame.
D) The Rest... Shoes will go along way to protecting us against the likes of Sea Urchins, Coral and Sea Anemones.
#4 - Bugs - Guess what...NO myriad of hideous bugs! The worst bugs are centipedes, but, you will probably never see one. There are cane spiders, which are not poisonous, although they think they are. Bees and wasps are more common on the leeward sides of the island. Mosquitoes, it is indicated that if you turn on the overhead fan in your room at night it will help keep them away, but they do recommend a good repellent containing DEET. Regarding cockroaches...there is good news and bad news...the bad news some are bigger than your thumb and they fly...the good news is you probably won't see any. One of there predators is the gecko, which makes a surprisingly loud chirp at night. There are no snakes in Hawai'i (other than some reporters). There is some concern that the brown tree snake might have made it onto the island from Guam, and although they are harmless to humans, if we see one we are instructed to kill it and call the pest hot line.
More later....
Today's word in Hawaiian is Akamai (ah-kah-MY) means wise or shrewd.
No comments:
Post a Comment