Another inspiring essay from our third Kaʻū Wildlife Scholarship winner for 2023, Adam Dierking:
Our third and final 2023 Kaʻū Wildlife Scholarship winner, Adam Dierking. Congratulations Adam!
When I envision the district of Kaʻū, many sights, feelings, and emotions come to mind. The earthy dust caked my throat as I stuck my head out the window on the way to Manukā. At Waikapuna, the soothing sun rays hit my skin as I looked across the horizon. I remember when I first took the plunge off South Point Cliff. The clear water below seemed so inviting. As I descended, I felt like I was on top of the world. I hit the water with a mighty splash that sent my family above into a boisterous cheer. The mixture of adrenaline, fear, and risk creates a particular sensation. My love for this place.
As the saying goes, Kaʻū is my home away from home. It’s no secret your home offers comfort and security. A place where you can be yourself, connect with family and friends, and learn and discover.
I have been camping on the Kaʻū side since I was five. Punalu’u, Kāwā, Honu’apu, Waikapuna, Kamilo, Manukā, and Ka Lae, are some locations where we have camped, but my favorite is Ka’alu’alu. In the occurrence that a week where everybody is free presents itself, my family, along with family friends, is always making the thirty to forty-minute long drive. Factor in gravel roads and gates; it may as well be an hour. Although packing the truck is monotonous, and the money spent miles of driving out there accumulates with every trip, it is worth it every time. Camping has allowed me to grow much closer with my family. Whether I was sharing stories amongst the warm smoldering embers of a campfire or exploring the reefs with my sisters, there was always a bond to be strengthened and a way to do it in Kaʻū.
I was recently in Waikōloa with my friends, leisurely swimming around in Anaeho’omalu Bay. We spotted a green sea turtle basking in the sand, presumably tired from its time in the water. It was an alluring sight; however, as time passed, a small group of tourists arrived. I watched as they impaled their umbrella into the sand, made beach chairs, and set a cooler on the sand five feet away from the turtle. This would cause the turtle to shuffle back into the sea, never to be seen again. Despite not knowing them personally, witnessing this produced a feeling of resentment toward those people.
This experience made me realize that not everybody carries the same respect and reverence toward native wildlife. In this instance, the green sea turtle is one of the most prevalent creatures found in Kaʻū. Green sea turtles are easily recognizable by the greenish tint of their shell. They are renowned for their impressive migrations across tropical and subtropical waters. These turtles are crucial in marine ecosystems as herbivores because they eat seagrass. Sadly, they face harmful adversities such as water pollution and poaching. Something that we can do to help the problem would be to simply make more efforts to educate those who aren’t aware of the problem at hand.
This shows us how important it is to take care of the delicate life in Kaʻū. Just like my family enjoys the beauty of this place, we all need to be kind to the animals that live here. If we do things to help, we can make sure Kaʻū stays amazing for a long time. It’s a special spot where we make memories, feel love, and make strong bonds.
