Meeting August 15th

[Isurus79]

So our next HMAC meeting will be a behind the scenes tour of HIMB aka Coconut Island. We will be meeting at dock at 2PM. I am waiting to hear back from the education coordinator on an exact amount it will cost. Either way, in order to participate you need to pay the full amount when you get there AND your membership dues must be paid in full. I also need an RSVP from whoever wants to go because the number of people who can go will be limited. First come first serve! This tour should be really cool and I'm personally pretty excited to find out what research is going on over there. See you all on Sunday, August 15th at 2PM!

[KaleoXtreme]

Do you know how long the tour will be? I really wanted to go, but I have my cousins wedding at 4:30 pm that day. Any way to make the tour earlier?

[Isurus79]

Do you know how long the tour will be? I really wanted to go, but I have my cousins wedding at 4:30 pm that day. Any way to make the tour earlier?
I'm not sure how long it will be and whether or not I can make it any earlier. I'll see what I can do!

[not_sponsored]

Just wondering, what are the dues for?

[808-340]

my family and i would be interested... 4 total!

[KaleoXtreme]

Just wondering, what are the dues for?

The annual HMAC dues of $20.

[not_sponsored]

Uhm yeah, what are they used for?

[Isurus79]

Uhm yeah, what are they used for?

They are used for promotional purposes (flyers which I have been handing out), to cover initial startup fees of HMAC as a non profit business (which cost me well over $200 out of pocket) and eventually I would like to be able to pay our speakers when we have enough size and money. I see us being big enough to fly out people for lectures 1 or 2x per year.

[not_sponsored]

Cool steve, i didnt realize you were paying out of pocket to set these things up, i should be able to make it to the next meeting

[cfrog]

We're looking at three, once the the 2 pm time is firm.

[Isurus79]

Ok here is the tally:
808-340 -4 ppl
cfrog -3 ppl
kaleo -maybe 1
me -1
n_s - maybe 2
Tooms -2
spleen -1, maybe 2

[tooms]

Mr. T and I are in for sure. I've been out there a couple times, but he's never been.

[spleen]

Count me in for 1, maybe 2 (depends on whether we can get someone to watch the kids)

[not_sponsored]

Maybe 2 for me steve, thanks

[Isurus79]

Ok, I've got you guys all marked down!

[KaleoXtreme]

:banghead: AAAAARRGH! I want to go too! I've been as a kid on field trips, but didn't (really) understand what I was looking at.

[Isurus79]

Unfortunately the people over there are really bad at getting back to me, so I'm having a tough time getting the freakin details! I'll definitely keep you posted on the time Kaleo.

[Isurus79]

Hey all,
So I've been talking with the education coordinator about this meeting since last May or June, but unfortunately he went on vacation and then immediately got sick and has been out of the office for quite a long while now, hence the uncertainty on my end for this trip. Anyway, we spoke yesterday and then again today and he said he can do the trip this weekend, but next weekend on Sunday at noon would be better. Rob Toonen will be our guide and he is going to talk to Karen Brittain (of Waikiki Aquarium, Masked Angel breeding success story fame, among others) to see if she will be around and whether or not we could see her fish breeding work.

What do you guys think? Are you absolutely married to this weekend or can we post pone the meeting by one week? Sorry for the time swaps over the past couple of months, it just seems like getting a concrete appointment in Hawaii is pretty freakin tough!! Let me know what you think. If anyone has reservations about next weekend, let me know and I will make sure we do it this weekend at noon, rather than 2PM (please take note of that time switch, it works better for the HIMB staff and happens to work well for Kaleo too).

[tooms]

Postponement is fine for me, bonus that we could get a cool guest speaker.

[808-340]

This week (8/15 @ noon) works best for me. Can't the week after. However, if the majority chooses the week after, no problem.

[not_sponsored]

either way works for me, and most likely will be just 1 for me

[KaleoXtreme]

Thanks for changing the time! I can make it this Sunday @ noon. I can also make next Sunday, if it goes that way too. :cornut:

[spleen]

This week would be easier on us but if the majority decides to postpone, that's fine too.

[Isurus79]

Actually Masaki, there is about a 50/50 split between this weekend and next. I'll let you guys know this evening or tomorrow.

[nemo1]

Wish I could go.
Have a great meeting.
Aloha,
Iggy

[Isurus79]

Ok guys, this Sunday at noon (sorry frog!) is when the boat departs for us to get to coconut island. This means we all need to get there a bit early cause the boat leaves on the dot. Please let me know if this does not work for u otherwise I'll assume u will be coming. See u all then!

[808-340]

we'll be there... anything we need to know as far as things to bring or not to bring... besides the $20 membership fee?

[mouscacha]

Say hi to my cousin for me, 808-340! He's the maintenance man for the island.

[808-340]

shoots! what's his name?

[Isurus79]

It will also be $5 per head for HIMB. Other than that, nothing to bring! Don't forget to arrive before noon, not after because the boat will have left!

[KaleoXtreme]

shoots! what's his name?

Just say: Excuse me, are you the maintenance man? Your cousin Mr. Moustrap said wassup. LOL!

[cfrog]

Catch you next month!

[Isurus79]

Catch you next month!

Definitely! I'm hoping to wrangle a good fish breeding lecture for next month...

[not_sponsored]

Thanks for organizing this steve! Had a ton of fun, the lecture was amazing with a ton of interesting information, guide was great, the island had a lot more things going on than I had imagined. I know tooms was taking a bunch of pics, hopefully she can post em up.

[mouscacha]

n_s, you didn't bring your camera?

[not_sponsored]

nah, I didn't want to have to worry about it while on the boat or traversing the floating platforms, I need to get one of those waterproof P&S cameras

[Isurus79]

N_S,
That was definitely an amazing trip! I forgot my camera in the car (grrrr), but your right about Tooms taking lots of pics.

[mouscacha]

nah! Wasn't a problem! I brought the 7d on the boat =P

[not_sponsored]

Ah so you upgraded, nice! I didn't really know what to expect since it was my first time there, if I were to go again I would probably bring my camera.

[mouscacha]

No, it was a rental from lighthaus =P If I dropped it in the water, I'd have had to pay...

Definitely need one that's waterproof though. We went kayaking around the island. THAT was fun!!!

[808-340]

steve, my family and i had fun there too! thanks again for organizing it!

[808-340]

Here’s a couple of shots my daughter took…
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/808-340/12x12x12/P1010374.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/808-340/12x12x12/P1010378.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/808-340/12x12x12/P1010376.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/808-340/12x12x12/P1010371.jpg

[KaleoXtreme]

Wow, some nice shots! I wish I could've made it! :banghead: I hate being sick! Hopefully there will be another HIMB tour.

[spleen]

darn it, wish we hadn't missed it. Bad planning on my part. :(

[tooms]

Those are some great pics! They came out better than mine! I love my waterproof (down to 30 feet, anyway) point and shoot, but the quality can be hit or miss.

I posted a link to the web album. Please browse and comment on the pics if you remember anything from the tour that you want to share.

The best part of the tour was that it made me feel like we are all in this together: the scientists, the hobbyists, the fishermen. We all have to do our part to protect the ocean. Cheesy, but so true.

(Finally, I can go to bed. See Steve? I told you I would get the pics to you tonight! :D )

[Isurus79]

Dean,
Those are some great pics! I think the theme of the day was definitely top predators. Ulua, sharks and opakapaka. Oh my!!

steve, my family and i had fun there too! thanks again for organizing it!
No problem! I'll see about making next month as interesting as this month!

fishermen. We all have to do our part to protect the ocean. Chee
(Finally, I can go to bed. See Steve? I told you I would get the pics to you tonight! :D )

NIce! Now I gotta check 'em out.