Happy New Year!!! (The buoy is doing better)

Well, a lot of people are wondering why the buoy isnʻt webcasting this yearʻs whale songs yet. She was working and looking great a week and a half ago. Well, the ocean has taken a toll on some of the electronics and things that were working became intermittent or quit working as we tested. The testing is important because itʻs really hard to fix things out in the ocean, and itʻs not easy to bring her in. We have been giving her a lot of TLC, and we are grateful for the launch crew who has been standing by faithfully. We wanted her in the water by Christmas. We worked some late nights through the holidays, and I got a cold...and that is slowing the launch date right now. Pictured in this post are Shelly Stevens, our anchorwoman, with the line that will tether the buoy, me testing the electronics, the audio section of the buoy being repaired on my kitchen table on Christmas day, Pualani Cabral and Samual David with the buoy, parts, etc.

Expect her to be working very early in the New Year. And please take good care of your precious selves and our precious planet. Aloha, Dan

Happy Holidays! (The buoy is almost ready)

We have been working through the holidays to get Hōkūmoanalani back in the ocean.  We had some unexpected issues with the audio and radio components of the system.  As of last night, I think all issues are resolved except putting it all back together.  I am trying to restrain myself from working too much on Christmas day, but some progress is being made.  I hope we will have her back in the ocean as early as this weekend, after a little more testing.  It's tough to service her in the ocean, so we hope to have everything working well enough to last the whole season.

Thanks to every one who has helped refurbish her.  She's looking good!  Pictured here are Pualani Trisha Cabral, who has put major time into the project this year, and Shawn Ardoin, our artist.  Shawn has added a playful touch to Hōkūmoanalani this year.  Shawn's art is featured in galleries in Hana and Paia, Maui, Honolulu, and Tahiti.  Thank you Trisha and Shawn, and special thanks to Samuel David, who did a lot of heavy lifting, electrical wiring and painting this year, and is pictured in my last post.  Samuel's CD of whale music is just being released.  He and his partner Amber are donating some money from each CD sold to The Whalesong Project. 

Much aloha to all of our friends out there,

Dan