NOAA research ship docks in Hilo: Okeanos Explorer to host events throughout week

Researchers hope to increase their knowledge about the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument by conducting six expeditions to one of the world’s largest protected areas.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is spending the year conducting deep ocean mapping of Papahanaumokuakea and the Johnston Atoll, located in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, to better understand the largely unexplored areas.

The NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is conducting high-resolution multibeam mapping of the seafloor as part of “Beyond the Blue: Illuminating the Pacific,” a collaborative science and research campaign to better understand the deep waters of the region.

According to NOAA, more data needs to be collected from the deep ocean so the best decisions are made to ensure the vitality of the ocean and the thousands of species supported by both monuments.

While most scientists remain on shore by using remote technology, a team of four currently is sailing on the Okeanos Explorer to collect data from the Johnston Atoll.

The team on board — Shannon Hoy, Anna Coulson, Mark Durbin and Caitlin Ruby — just finished conducting 24-hour-a-day exploratory seafloor mapping operations of the atoll’s deep waters for 20 days before traveling to Hilo this past Saturday. The ship will be docked in Hilo all week.

While docked, Ocean Exploration is partnering with NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and Mokupapapa Discovery Center to host a variety of private and public events.

The public is invited to attend “Pilina Kai Lipo: Connecting to the Deep Ocean,” a two-day event designed to engage the local community with the deep ocean, which will be held this Tuesday and Wednesday at the discovery center.

“Pilina Kai Lipo” will highlight the efforts being made to further the understanding of the Papahanaumokuakea region, which encompasses 583,000 square miles of reefs, atolls and sea.

The event is free and will feature educational and interactive activities, opportunities to meet the ocean explorers, and videos and highlights of deep-ocean exploration throughout both days.

Justin Umholtz, an education associate with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation for Papahanaumokuakea, is based at the discovery center and is excited to “bring the place to the people,” because the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Hawaiian archipelago is rarely visited.

“We’re going to have extra exhibits set up and booths that will be catered toward educating keiki and adults, residents and visitors,” Umholtz said. “This will be a great way for people to engage with the unique and special nature of Papahanaumokuakea, which holds so much ecological and cultural significance.”

Local artist Patrick Ching also will be teaching drawing classes from about 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on both mornings, which will be free and open to all, as well as painting classes on both afternoons that require preregistration.

Throughout the week, NOAA Ocean Exploration and partners will host other activities to engage the local Hilo community about the deep ocean — a remote realm that is intertwined with marine resources and a vast cultural significance.

Members of the Keaukaha community as well as students and educators from local high schools and middle schools have been invited to tour Okeanos Explorer this week while it’s docked in Hilo.

There also will be a panel discussion with NOAA ocean explorers for students at the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Hawaii Community College.

According to NOAA, the week in Hilo is meant to celebrate Papahanaumokuakea, uplift the next generation of marine stewards, and educate the community about deep sea exploration.

At the end of the week, the Okeanos Explorer will travel 970 miles away from Hilo to map the ocean floor of the Johnston Atoll on more time.

More information about the free, two-day event at Mokupapapa Discovery Center can be found at oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/news/oer-updates/2024/hilo-event.html.

Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.