By Kay Cooper, ODA North Hawai’i Island Volunteer Coordinator

I couldn't be prouder of the incredible volunteer support and extraordinary work and sweat that poured into this recent heavy undertaking of the cleanup at Pololū Valley.

Sixteen ODA Hawai’i volunteers rallied together to tackle a massive removal of marine debris in a very popular hiking spot, Pololū Valley, on Sunday, December 8, 2024. It’s located on the Northern end of the Big Island of Hawai’i.

All volunteers met at Off The Grid, a lovely family-owned farm stand with incredible food, to talk about the plan and where to park vehicles. The parking at Pololū Valley is extremely limited and very tight. Most tourists fill the few parking spaces there quickly and have to start parking down along the side of the road and walk to the trail head. Thanks to our amazing, long-time volunteers, Marjorie and her husband Mark, we were able to secure parking up front right by the trail head and also near Off The Grid! Nani, from Off The Grid, graciously allowed volunteers to park in her yard which is located right next door. 

Here's another epic photo of this area:

We all started to park our vehicles, then piled into a couple of trucks that our volunteers brought: I was in my car with my son Carl Cooper (9 years old), Jeff Jones, and Tony White. Marjorie and Mark also drove their vehicle to the trail head. Once everyone piled out of the vehicles, we all began to gather our large rubbish bags, cutting tools, gloves, water bottles, electrolyte packs, sunscreen, hats, and hiking poles. Before we began down the trail head to the valley below, Lindsey, 'Auli'i, and Kamelei Matsurmura from Hawaii Wildlife Foundation (HWF), led everyone in a beautiful Pule (a chant or prayer for Blessing in the Hawaiian Culture) overlooking the valley. 

Here's a video to give you the "big picture":

Then we were all off! Down the trail we went, heading into the valley of Pololū where our volunteers had previously made two trips to haul out what they could of the washed-up debris! This is truly no easy task. The hiking trail itself is just under one mile with a 344-foot elevation gain! Many switchbacks take you winding on this trail with several precarious, yet beautiful spots, to stop and look at the water below you (no wall or fence at the edge, keeping you ever vigilant as you hike). Once we got to the bottom, we immediately saw Tony White on a literal island of fishing nets, ropes, thick lines, hooks, and buoys in the middle of the brackish water channel at the base of the valley.

There is quite a distance from the shoreline and the spot where the nets were originally.  Therefore, this could only have washed up with extremely high tides or a bad storm. The enormous pile of rubbish was truly daunting. We split up and around 10 volunteers started to tackle the island of rubbish, while the others walked along the nearly 900 yards of beach to the northern end where they started to work on the remaining rubbish found from the two previous cleanups here. 

Sarah Milisen (ODA Hawai’i Island Chapter Leader) brought the best tools we’ve used yet, Cuisinart bread knives! These truly were essential for slicing into the types of thick netting and large ropes that have been piled up and twisted into each other. The work began sawing away to make smaller piles of rubbish that other volunteers would start to stuff into our bags. Once a bag was full, someone would load it onto their backs and hike it back up the trail, to the parking lot, where they were emptied, then down again they would go to return for more. Tony White was the first volunteer to make this trek with a roughly 60-pound rubbish bag! He also made this climb an impressive four times with each one of his bags getting heavier and heavier, beating the previous record holder, Pippa Swannell, of an equally impressive three times!

More and more volunteers were loading heaving bags on their backs, draping netting and heavy ropes around their necks, making their way up the trail to empty bags and returning again.  So many tourists, hikers, and families would stop to thank us, take pictures, watch, and ask for help as our volunteers were working. It was truly magical and humbling, to see these incredible people just out to explore Pololū Valley, offer to take loads up themselves! From adults hauling a full, heavy bag; to small netting made into a net backpack; to young children wrapping their arms around all they could carry and going up this steep trail as well! We all had such an overwhelming sense of pride and respect seeing our community come together like this to make such a difference! 

Our volunteers removed an estimated 2,250 POUNDS OF RUBBISH!! From 9am to noon, our volunteers worked tirelessly to remove as much rubbish as possible so our wildlife and oceans would not be affected. What an effort! Sadly (yet incredibly), only around 50% of the debris there was removed. We will be returning for another grand effort!

Once we all made it back to the trail head, the abandoned fishing gear had all been piled in the parking lot and photos were taken while everyone rehydrated and prepared to load it all into the trucks. An unbelievable moment happened where an 'Io (Hawaiian Hawk) started to soar overhead! This truly is a rare sight and felt like a blessing from the Hawaiian Island, thanking us for our efforts. The hawk hung around for some time as everyone stopped what they were doing to watch it and take photos! 

Tony backed his truck up to the giant pile of rubbish and we all began to load. Once his truck was full, off he went, and Jeff Jones then backed his truck up and we were able to fit the rest. So many people continued to thank us for what we were there doing and the staff at the Pololū Valley check-in station were also taking photos and thanking us for our effort. I could not be prouder to be a part of truly such a selfless, inspiring, and caring nonprofit organization. Mahalo to our incredible volunteers: Carl Cooper, Tait and Amy Duus, Mark England, Jeff Jones, Lindsey Kramer (HWF), 'Auli'i Mahuna (HWF), Ben and Joyce Lee, Kamelei Matsurmura (HWF), Sarah and Jeff Milisen, Pippa Swannell, Tony White, and Marjorie Zensen!

Our next Pololū Valley Cleanup with be Sunday, January 5, 2025! RSVP please, as we have to get an exact headcount of who will be coming and give out information on where to park. Be on the lookout for the flyer soon with information or email us now to reserve your spot!