Off the edge of the ancient lava flow on Hawaii's biggest island, the sea meets the Pacific. This remains to be one of the island's most vibrant, not to mention abundant, reefs. It thrives in the midst of climate change.
Nearly four years since half of the marine life was killed by coral bleaching, a team of researchers is looking into another possible massive death among corals in Hawaii. They are predicting another round of coral bleaching due to the Pacific heat. Sadly, this might be one of the worst coral bleachings the region may able to see.
Although this remote shoreline is far from the impact of a growing community and industry nearby, it still shows early signs of what can be considered as a catastrophic season for the beautiful coral formations in Hawaii.
"In 2015, the experts were able to keep a record of the highest temperatures of the ocean waters ever recorded in the history of Hawaii," said Jamison Gove, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oceanographer. "What is truly alarming is that we have predicted it to get worse when we were keeping track of it back in 2015. Now, it is finally happening."
Using all the high technology equipment to monitor the status of the Hawaii's reefs, the researchers were able to detect the early signs of coral bleaching in Papa Bay and its neighboring reefs due to the temperature soaring its highest ever recorded in the months of June and July. In some parts of August, the temperature of the water has been considered the hottest ever recorded in the Hawaiian islands.
Forecasters are expecting the high temperature waters of the Pacific to continue influencing the waters of Hawaii in October. "The temperature of the waters has been warming for a long time," Gove said. "In truth, the problem is not how hot the oceans are. It is how long they stay hot."
Gove noted that the hot temperature of the waters is not the same throughout. Currents, wind patterns, and terrestrial features of the island all contribute to the hot spots in the waters of Hawaii.
"The two giant volcanoes in the island make it impossible for the trade winds to come in and cool the waters. Papa Bay sits at the west coast of the island where wind is scarce that's why it is the hottest part of the island," Gove said. "Coral bleaching in the area may be considered normal yet severe."
What is truly devastating is not the coral bleaching or the warming of the waters that cause it. Rather, it is on the fact that people can't do anything to reverse it. "It is heartbreaking to see the corals die."
