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The Traveler on the Big Island of Hawaii

April 7, 2006

Turtles, Tourists, Signage, and The Man

The City of Refuge is situated along a tiny bay, its shallow waters formed by a lava shelf sheltering it from the roiling deep waters just beyond.

The relative calm of this bay make it a favorite resting spot for sea turtles, many times pulling ashore out of the water to warm themselves in the sun.

This presents a perfect opportunity for the curious human to observe and admire these exotic creatures at a safe and respectful distance.

Since my last visit here in 2003 it has apparently become necessary to post signs along the shore of the bay that, in essence, inform the visitor of the following:

1. This is a natural resting spot and habitat for sea turtles
2. They will often come ashore to rest and warm themselves
3. They will go back into the water when they are good and ready, thank you
   -And-
4. Leave them the hell alone

The need for this sign brings to mind a horrifying image of some white-legged Yahoo - whose typical contact with nature is scrapping the ice off the windshield of his Chevy Suburban - coming up and harassing the poor defenseless creature by throwing it back in the water; or, worse yet, “posing” it on the beach to get a better angle to snap a photo with the disposable camera he bought at Walmart.

But then, I’m just guessing. It could just as easily be a Birkenstock wearing, pony-tailed, ex-hippie tree-hugger thinking he is saving the poor beached turtle by gently setting it free in the water when the poor thing just wanted to take a nap.

It doesn’t matter, the point is that some folks are more clueless than others (we’re all clueless more than we’d care to admit), and it crosses any imaginable human divide.

But wait, there is even more signage to direct the visiting tourist at the City of Refuge:

There is a very small patch of sandy beach, sandwiched between two outcropping of lava rock, where most of the turtle and human-turtle activity takes place.

Years ago, this tiny beach and the shallow, calm waters beyond, was used for snorkeling. Long since forbidden, it was still possible on our initial visit in the early nineties. I did, in fact, make my first attempt at snorkeling right here in this tiny bay.

That it didn’t go well shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to those acquainted with the author. I am out of my element in the water, much like a just-caught trout flapping on the banks of an alpine lake, gasping for air, complete with a hook-like contraption sticking out of my mouth. (*See note below)

Come to think of it, I suspect the Park Rangers had one glimpse of my unfortunate attempt at snorkeling and from that moment on, decided to never let that happen again.

In any case, it has been generally off limits for such activity for some time.

Now there is a sign posting along the beachlet stating that over the course of years and the hundreds of thousands of foot-falls that stomp along the beach, erosion has started to silt-up the small bay, threatening the habitat of the turtles and all the living things in these shallow waters. To help slow this erosion, it is asked that you refrain from walking down on the tiny little beach.

About twenty feet beyond the sign, down on the tiny little beach, are two women and one man, probably in their mid to late sixties, stomping around, kicking up sand, and doing their part to insure that erosion does indeed have a chance.

I can only assume, or more correctly stated, infer from circumstantial evidence, that these adults could read. Perhaps the sign did not apply to them, but of that, I saw no evidence.

Sometimes law enforcement requires more than a sign.

To the right of the beach, up on the lava shelf, no more than thirty feet away from the sand-kickers, stands a Park Ranger. Idly watching the erosive merry-making he chats with someone who, I was able to deduce, grew up on Oahu. They lament on how much things have changed on the islands since the time of their youths.

Back when people paid attention to signs…

***Note: I have since successfully snorkeled, in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Tobago. It was tentative, but I did it and I’m glad I did.

I claim blindness very little in my normal life, the few things being night driving, catching a ball, water sports – let’s just make that “sports” – and, recently, trying to read without reading glasses (over the contacts). That one hurts. ***

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