Raising Islands--Hawai'i science and environment

Climate change impact predictions have long been based on bestcase scenarios, but that’s not where we are headed.
We are headed for catastrophe. At this point the question iswhen.
What kind of catastrophe? Like, the only way to get into O’ahuby air would be by seaplane. Legislators arriving at the State Capitol by boat.Coastal highways impassable. Harbor facilities underwater. Coastal communitieson all islands awash. And the economy...

 When water flows down a gradual stream over a generally flatbottom, it’s clear and transparent, but when it hits a steep slope like rapidsand waterfalls, it turns white and frothy.
Still wet, but very different.
Similarly, newly-erupted molten volcanic rock flows smooth and sinuous aspāhoehoe lava, and then sometimes changes to an entirely different look,broken-up, chunky, rough ‘a’ā lava....

 Sea levels around Hawai’i are unusually low, and have beenfor some months.
Experts aren’t sure why. They are pretty sure they’llcome back to normal, and higher. But because they’re not sure precisely why,they also can’t be sure when.
My canoe paddling clan in recent month has noticed that lowtides have seemed really low. Like, mud flats where there’s normally water. Others may be seeing reefs where there's normally water. And seeing beaches bigger than they were last year....

 The Nature Conservancy has attracted gray-backed terns back to Palmyra Atoll after they were lost to the island, likely due to rat predation.
(Image: Gray-backed tern chick. Credit: The Nature Conservancy.)
Researchers used wooden decoys and recorded bird calls to try to convince the terns--and seven other seabird species--to land and to nest on Palmyra. A single gray-backed tern was raised on this island this season, the first in recent memory....