Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea

04/16/2026

Join us for our April Earth Day Community Work day as we help our fragile reefs by reducing coral-killing erosion!

We’ll be removing invasive weeds from our Native Hawaiian Plant Coastal Restoration Project area, replacing bamboo fencing and signage, maintaining paths and rope borders, planting native coastal plants, removing rubbish, and much more!

➡️ 8:30-10:30am at our project site at Kapo’o (Sharks Cove).

Gloves and tools provided (but you can bring your own!). Wear covered shoes, long sleeves, and bring sun protection and water.

Healthy coral reefs are habitats for marine life, provide food for us, protect our shorelines from impacts, cause waves to barrel, and so much more! Come help us make a difference!

✅ Please pre-register by visiting the link in our bio.

Heads up for 2026! Mark your calendar!
🌱Apr. 18
🌱May. 16
🌱Jun. 20

04/03/2026

We’re having a super fun time here at the with for the FARM
FUND DAY Flood Relief Fundraiser for our Community!

Stop by and see us if you’re here!!

Mahalo nui to Jack, Kim, and the amazing Kōkua Hawai’i Foundation ‘ohana for putting on such an awesome event!

04/01/2026

Today marked a very special and historic day at Kapoʻo with the installation of a new lifeguard tower—Tower 28.

Mahalo to Chief Lager, Assistant Chief Lerner, District Captain Marcal, Public Information Officer Latronic, and the entire North Shore Ocean Safety team. Mahalo also to Councilmember Matt Weyer, the Ocean Safety Commission, DOCARE, , and for their support, and to Palakiko for a beautiful blessing and reminder of how special this place truly is.

All of us at Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea are grateful to see this important step forward in ocean safety on the North Shore. Kapoʻo, within the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District, is one of the most heavily used and hazardous areas, with big waves, sharp rocks, strong currents, and constantly shifting conditions. A dedicated lifeguard presence here will play a critical role in prevention, increasing both safety and awareness.

The Kapoʻo Tide Pools and Cove are a fragile, shallow-water habitat supporting diverse marine life protected under MLCD regulations. During high surf and low visibility, visitors often can’t see where they’re stepping, making trampling a real concern for corals, urchins, and other invertebrates. Even unintentional impacts can accumulate over time.

We look forward to working alongside Ocean Safety to support education and share simple, effective messaging that helps visitors stay safe while protecting this unique place. Lifeguards are in a powerful position to make a difference through timely, preventative outreach.
We’re excited for continued collaboration, increased awareness, and safer experiences for both people and our ocean.

Mahalo to everyone who made today possible! 🤙🏽

Kaleo

03/23/2026

Aloha kākou 💛

Today we spent time at the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District, connecting with our community and assessing the impacts from the recent floods.

What we’re seeing across the North Shore is heavy. Homes are damaged and unlivable, cars are completely submerged and lost, and debris from mauka to makai made its way into the ocean. Right now, all of our waters are brown, and we remain under both brown water advisories and a boil water advisory for drinking water across the North Shore.

Folks have been asking so we’ll give it to you straight…if you’re not from here, please hold off on visiting. It’s not safe, and it’s not the time. We spoke to visitors who thought trying to snorkel in the Kapo’o tidepools was a good idea today - in brown, polluted, muddy water with trash floating inside. It’s just not smart or pono. Our community is focused on caring for each other, cleaning up, and beginning to heal.

We also want to send so much aloha to our North Shore community—you are incredible. In moments like this, it’s clear how strong and connected we are. Special shoutout to one of our North Shore lifeguards who has been going above and beyond in Waialua, physically rescuing people from their homes. From the west side to the east side, as we all continue to recover, let’s lean on one another and keep showing up the way we always do.

If you’re looking for ways to help or need support, please check out . They are helping coordinate donations, supplies, and assistance for those impacted.

You can also find supplies or drop off donations at:

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Today, we focused our efforts within the Pūpūkea MLCD and removed about 75 pounds of debris from the shoreline. There is still much more, especially in the ocean, and as it continues to wash back in, we’ll be organizing future cleanups and will keep you posted.

Mahalo to everyone who has shown up, checked in, and continues to care for one another. Please stay safe 🤍

03/19/2026

Due to to another round of wet weather, our work day scheduled for this weekend has been postponed. We’ll let you all know when the next one will be!

Our Native Hawaiian Plant Coastal Restoration Project is an effort to help reduce coral-killing erosion. When the ground is saturated and muddy, we can actually add to the erosion problem so it’s best we stay off of the area until it’s a bit drier.

Mahalo to everyone who comes out and helps! We appreciate you very much! Our April Earth Day work day is scheduled for Saturday, 18 so be sure to save the date and join us! The link to register is in our bio. 🤙🏽

03/19/2026

Hā’uke’uke’ula’ula, the Red Pencil Urchin (Heterocentrotus mammillatus) uses its thick, blunt spines to wedge itself into rock, slowly carving out space over time. It grazes algae, helping keep surfaces open for other life to grow. In that way, it’s constantly shaping the reef…subtly, but persistently.

In Hawaiʻi, species like hā‘uke‘uke are part of a much larger relationship. They were known, observed, and at times gathered, but always within a broader understanding of balance. Their presence can tell you something about a place…about what’s growing, what’s changing, and how the reef is functioning.

It’s a reminder that not everything important is obvious. Some of the most influential parts of an ecosystem are the ones that move slowly, stay hidden, and do their work over long periods of time.

03/17/2026

3/21 UPDATE: The for Haleʻiwa to Sunset Beach on Oʻahu has been canceled.
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A has been issued at Haleʻiwa to Sunset Beach on Oʻahu. The Hawaii State Department of Health advises beach users to stay out of waters when the water appears brown or murky, especially following storms or heavy rain.

For more information: https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/ #!/event/1996/details/view

03/15/2026

SAVE THE DATE!

We know it’s early, but save the date for our OCEAN DAY celebration happening on Saturday, June 6th in to celebrate World Ocean Day!

This fun, educational event is free and open to the public. Visit with ocean-based agencies and organizations, participate in activities, there’s an art contest for keiki, beautiful entertainment, and more! Stay tuned for more information as we move closer to June!
plasticfreehawaii

03/11/2026

We had a super fun time at the 3rd Annual Pilina Kanaloa Ocean Advocacy Day at the Capitol!

Pilina Kanaloa is a fun and inspiring day bringing together ocean advocates, community groups, and lawmakers to connect, share knowledge, and highlight the importance of protecting Hawaiʻi’s marine ecosystems.

We are always honored to participate alongside many of our partners and agencies working hard to ensure abundant marine resources now, and for future generations.

Mahalo to for all the hard work making this event happen 🩵

03/07/2026

Urgent warning! We see these often at Kapo’o and are very concerned about their safety.

US safety regulators have warned snorkellers to stop using OUSPT full-face snorkel masks after reports of breathing problems that could…

03/02/2026

Mahalo NUI to everyone who joined us yesterday for our February Native Hawaiian Plant Coastal Restoration Project Community Work Day!! We’re so grateful for everyone who showed up to help care for this special shoreline! 🫶

A very special mahalo to Kahuku High & Intermediate School teacher Lisa Hyatt and her incredible students for spending their weekend giving back to the ʻāina. Your hard work and positive energy made a huge impact!

Together we:
🌱 Planted 30 native Hawaiian coastal planta including ʻAhuʻawa, Pōhinahina, Naupaka, ʻAʻaliʻi, Mauʻuʻakiʻaki, ʻIlima, Nanea, and ‘Ūlei
🌱 Removed 450 lbs of invasive weeds
🌱 Collected 25 lbs of trash

Why this work matters:
Native Hawaiian coastal plants grow deep, resilient root systems that hold the shoreline in place, reducing erosion and preventing sediment from washing into the ocean. Excess sediment can smother coral reefs and contribute to coral loss. So, when we care for the land, we are directly protecting our reefs. These plants also act like natural nets, catching trash before it reaches the sea.

This is what mālama ʻāina looks like…taking responsibility for the places that take care of us. The work was hands-on, impactful, and made a real difference.

We’re so grateful to our returning volunteers and always love welcoming new hands into the work. Whether you’re a student, a family, or a community member looking to give back, spending a morning restoring our shoreline is a powerful way to connect and help keep our reefs healthy for future generations.

🌊 Join us for our next community workday! Register through the link in our bio.