As the next Blue‘Aina sail quickly approaches, we look back at our June underwater reef cleanup to take a moment and thank our generous sponsors. Thanks to our Corporate Sponsor Maui Resort Rentals a donation was made to non-profit Surfrider Foundation Maui: the non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches for all people.

It was a beautiful sunny day as our 60 volunteers boarded Trilogy IV. As we made our way to the snorkel spot we enjoyed delicious food from food sponsor and partner, Mala Ocean Tavern. Fun fact: Mala was voted best oceanfront dining on Maui in 2019, and they are a sister restaurant to Down the Hatch and Breakwall Shave Ice! Situated directly on the water overlooking Lana’i, Mala makes for the perfect sunset spot. In total these restaurants have sponsored 3 Blue’Aina cleanups and we are thankful for their continued generous support!

Our snorkel spot for the day was Cliff House, which is located in Kapalua and so named for the building located on the cliff side overlooking the bay. Originally built in 1940 it was a facility for the managers of the historic Honolua Plantation. Cliff House is now owned by Montage Kapalua Bay and has been renovated into a historic private events venue.

Cliff House is the common nickname for Namalu Bay and is frequented by fishermen, cliff jumpers, and snorkelers. Our Blue’Aina volunteers typically find fishing line, hooks, lead weighs, single-use plastics, and hair ties, amongst other random things. On this particular Blue’Aina however, our volunteers found only a small amount of trash. After an hour in the water we got back onto the boat, dried off, and heard from our Sponsors.

Maui Resort Rentals specializes in marketing and managing privately owned luxury condos and residences in the premier West Maui, Kaanapali, and Kapalua markets. Inspired by the Maui lifestyle, Maui Resort Rentals has been helping vacationers make Maui a reality for over 50 years and has a strong presence within the Maui community.

“The only thing better than calling Maui home is the privilege of sharing it.” – Maui Resort Rentals

They make it a priority to invest back into the local organizations and individuals, supporting the entire West Maui Little League and the Maui Waena STEM works club: A free after-school program that includes various STEM-related opportunities, including media production, CAD, engineering, and robotics. The students work together on projects and compete in many local and national events. Maui Resort Rentals also supports Maui local Coconut Willie. Known for his big wave surfing and endless supply of local coconuts, Willie is Maui Resort Rentals go to supplier. This was Maui Resort Rentals first year joining Trilogy’s Blue’Aina campaign and we are grateful for their generous support and donation to Surfrider Foundation Maui Chapter.

From beach cleanups to advocating at the County level, Surfrider Maui is constantly working to ensure a healthy future for Maui coastlines. Their current programs include Rise Above Plastics, protecting coastal areas, Ocean Friendly Restaurants, Blue Water Task Force, Butts off the beach, and Ocean Friendly Gardens.

The Blue Water Task Force is one of their most recent campaigns. It is part of a national water quality testing program which began in March 2017. Volunteers collect water samples from 18 different sites between Pe’ahi and Waihe’e Beach Park on Maui. The samples are then taken to the Marine Biology Department at the University of Hawai’i Maui College for testing. The data is published on the Surfrider website as soon as possible with the goal of ensuring the public is aware of bacteria levels and can then make informed decisions regarding water entry. Especially after heavy rains, it’s important to make sure the water is free from bacteria before jumping in. If the water looks ‘dirty’ or has a weird smell don’t get in it- no matter how good the waves are. Check the Surfrider website for recent water quality updates. 

Another one of Surfrider’s popular campaigns is Ocean Friendly Restaurants (OFR). The criteria to be an OFR is: no plastic straws, no polystyrene, only reusable tableware on site, no plastic bags, and proper recycling techniques are followed. To date Hawaii has 90 certified OFR. (Check out the website to find one close to you.) Surfrider is always looking for more green minded volunteers to help out with any of their campaigns. They also host a number of events, including surf movie nights, concerts, monthly beach cleanups nights, and monthly community volunteer meetings.

While Blue’Aina took the months of July and August off during “busy season” on Maui, we are excited to be back running cleanups beginning September 1st. Hope to see you out on the water!

Written by Magen Schifiliti ~ Conservation & Education Director at Trilogy

EDITED BY BRITTANY FRISKICS