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Partnerships in Maritime Heritage

Lāna`i residents being introduced to the field work on the north shore. (J Coney/NOAA ONMS)

A number of different programs and agencies played a part in the 2009 survey, a collaboration which makes unique learning experiences like the Return to Shipwreck Beach project possible. 

Local students learning measured sketching and trilateration techniques from archaeology graduates. (J Coney/NOAA ONMS)

The Return to Shipwreck Beach project created an opportunity for perspectives on coastal and marine resources to be shared between NOAA staff, University of Hawai`i students, and children from Lāna`i High & Elementary School.  The research team hosted group visits at the work site over a period of two days.  Half of the in-water dive team stayed ashore each day in order to share their experiences with the island residents.  Visits began with a review of the maps and historical documents and basic survey tools at Federation Camp, and then the divers accompanied the Lāna`i students and their escorts on the hike to the wreck site. 

Gaining a feel for site recording techniques with some hands-on practice. (J Coney/NOAA ONMS)

There, the high school students pitched in with slates and survey tapes, conducting some of the baseline trilateration measurements on the scattered wooden components on the rocky coast.  These measured sketches will be part of the terrestrial component of the site study.  The project members all enjoyed the time with the local students, and all of those folks who stopped by to talk story and share tales of the north shore.  Our thanks to Albert, Jodie, Desmond, Kevin, Kimi, Shelly, Sumika, Hiro, Frank, Mali, Adam, Vincent, Don, Sophia, Chris, Keo, and Bonnie! 

Partners

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS)
Pacific Islands Region
The Pacific Islands Region comprises three special areas that protect ocean denizens and ecosystems (Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary), as well as our unique island cultural and maritime heritage.  Dr. Hans Van Tilburg, maritime heritage coordinator for the Pacific Islands Region office, supports resource inventory efforts in these sites, and assists state and federal partners in heritage preservation work as well. 

NOAA ONMS Maritime Heritage Program
NOAA’s Maritime Heritage Program is committed to preserving historical, cultural and archaeological resources within the National Marine Sanctuaries. The Maritime Heritage Program's mission is to protect, promote and explore our maritime heritage through a national program embracing heritage resources in our evolving coastal, marine and Great Lakes stewardship.  Surveys in the Pacific Islands Region are supported by the Maritime Heritage Program. 

NOAA ONMS
Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary lies within the shallow warm waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands and constitutes one of the world's most important humpback whale habitats. Through education, research, and resource protection activities, the sanctuary strives to protect humpback whales and their habitat in Hawai`i. The north shore, and indeed the whole of the coastline of the island of Lāna`i, is encompassed by the waters of the sanctuary. 

University of Hawai`i Marine Option Program (MOP)
MOP provides a unique hands-on opportunity for university students to gain experience in a wide variety of marine-related sciences.  MOP is open to students in all fields and provides a clearinghouse for marine-oriented education and employment opportunities as well as a chance for students to network with professionals and fellow students who are involved with the ocean.  Between 1996 and 2001 MOP supported a graduate certificate program in maritime archaeology, conducting maritime field surveys throughout the islands.  The 2001 survey at Lāna`i’s Shipwreck Beach was one of the many field projects.  Staff from both the MOP program at Mānoa and at Hilo participated in the 2009 project.  MOP students in the heritage resource survey earned university credit (IS-400).  

Lāna`i Culture & Heritage Center

Lāna`i Culture & Heritage Center, repository for project information. (J McWhorter/NOAA ONMS)

The Lāna`i Culture & Heritage Center, a non-profit community-based charitable organization, seeks to inspire people to be informed, thoughtful and active stewards of Lāna`i's heritage by preserving, interpreting and celebrating its natural history, Hawaiian traditions, diverse heritage and cultures, and ranching and plantation era histories.  The Center provided project planning support, and much of the information about the island of Lāna`i, the historical context for the survey area.  The Center serves as one of the repositories for final project data. 

Lāna`i High & Elementary School
Lāna`i High & Elementary School, located in Lāna`i City, serves grades PK-12 in the Hawai`i Department of Education district.  Vice Principal Martha Evans is the lead for the Conservation, Preservation, and Restoration team (CPR) at the school, and coordinated local student participation in the shore side survey work.  Before departing the island, the school made the cafeteria available for a final public presentation by the 2009 project participants.  This was a chance for the public to learn about the results of the survey project. 

Other on-island programs and individuals
Many other people contributed to a successful project this year.  The Lāna`i Archaeological Committee reviewed project plans; Alu Like Inc. and the Coalition for a Drug Free Lāna`i supported project logistical needs on-island; Lāna`i Waialua Plantation assisted with transportation, water, project planning and logistics.  Many thanks as well to Kepa Maly, Clive Cabiles, Keo Kaneakua, Joelle and Alton Aoki, Alberta de Jetley, Albert Morita, and Don and Sophia Dickensheet. 

NOAA’s Preserve America Initiative Grant Program

Main site plan on display at Lāna`i High & Elementary School during the public presentation, July 19. (J Kuwabara/NOAA ONMS)

The Return to Shipwreck Beach: a coastal resources awareness project was made possible by a generous grant from the Preserve America Initiative Grant (PAIG) Program.  In communities across America, NOAA is preserving the nation’s heritage by: promoting the benefits of preservation; fostering the recognition of historic properties; encouraging public-private partnerships; improving federal stewardship; and supporting preservation and economic development through heritage tourism.  The PAIG program initiates minigrants within NOAA to develop our heritage assets. 

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, was created to assist the federally managed National Marine Sanctuary Program with education and outreach programs designed to preserve, protect and promote meaningful opportunities for public interaction with the nation's marine sanctuaries.

O`ahu Participants

Hans Van Tilburg	principal investigator
Jeff Kuwabara	water safety/ beach master
John Coney	photographer
Linda Harrington	cook
Sabina Van Tilburg	survey assistant
Tom Horn	student graduate anthropology
Alysia Curdt	student graduate maritime archaeology
Annie Dowling	student graduate marine biology
Kaitlyn Gaab	student graduate marine biology
Jenny McWhorter	student graduate geography
Gavin Key	student graduate marine biology
Rick Rogers	site consultant; visitor
Don Froning	site consultant; visitor

Lāna`i Participants
Albert, Jodie, Desmond, Kevin, Kimi, Shelly, Sumika, Hiro, Frank, Mali, Adam, Vincent, Don, Sophia, Chris, Keo, and Bonnie