As many kama'aina are aware, Save Honolua recently gained a huge victory when the State of Hawaii budgeted $20 million to protect 280 acres of land around Honolua Bay. As the state performs its due diligence, however,  the group is still actively campaigning in fundraising efforts to help protect "The Bay."

Given that Honolua is one of the most culturally and historically important areas on Maui, and given that it's also the site of our Ka'anapali snorkeling tours, the Trilogy Blue'Aina program was more than happy to assist in raising funds for the effort. Trilogy partnered with Goodfellow Brothers who donated $1,000 as the corporate sponsor, and Three's Bar and Grill who generously provided all of the food for the sail.

With the first north swell of the season sending waves into Honolua Bay, the cleanup team instead made the decision to head south towards the reef at Olowalu. Even though we weren't surrounded by the beauty of Honolua, the spirit of Honolua still evident in all of the supporters who cherish.

Before we set sail for Honolua, however, out Blue'Aina volunteers spent 30 minutes cleaning the area around Lahaina Harbor. Hundreds of cigarette butts and plastic waste were once again collected from the harbor, and it's a constant reminder to all in attendance of the importance of protecting our shorelines.

Once on the water, the 50 volunteers who joined in the sail were treated to snorkeling at gorgeous Olowalu. These turtle-laden waters can be some of the clearest on the island, and the day of the cleanup was no exception. While the reef itself was thankfully free of debris, our Blue'Aina troupe (and most importantly, their children), are brought face to face with the animals and corals we are working so hard to protect.

With burgers provided by Three's Bar and Grill and just enough breeze to sail, Tamara Paltin from Save Honolua gave an informative talk about the vital need for protecting this cultural resource. During the talk about Honolua Valley, we deployed our manta trawl which is being used in an ongoing study about microplastics research.

There is no doubting that Honolua Bay is one of the most culturally-rich places on the island, and the Blue'Aina team is humbled and proud to have been able to support it.