U.S. Navy conveys deed of ownership of Kaho'olawe to the State of Hawai'i. The Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission is established to manage activities on the island.
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The island of Kaho'olawe and the waters two miles from the shoreline are designated as the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve, owned by the State of Hawai'i. KIRC manages Kaho'olawe in trust for a future Native Hawaiian sovereign entity.
Access to the Reserve (the island and the 2 miles of ocean surrounding Kaho'olawe) is restricted because of the continued danger of unexploded ordnance. Access to the Reserve is permitted only with authorization of KIRC for specific purposes, such as restoration, education, and culture.
Your only way ashore is through volunteer work opportunities offered throughout the year. Considered uninhabitable due to its diminutive size—a mere 44.6 square miles—and lack of fresh water, Kahoolawe became a training ground and bombing range for the U.S. military after World War II.
The way to Kaho'olaweSince the Kaho'olawe coast is not safe to dock boats of any kind, you will need to swim all the way to the island. Although there are US Army trucks on the island, you'll get around on foot most of the time.
During World War II, Kahoolawe became a bombing range for the U.S. Military.Finally in 1990, the military ceased live bombings, and today the island is protected to reestablish plant life and to preserve native Hawaiian culture.
When the Sinclairs purchased the island in 1864, they committed to maintaining Niihau's Hawaiian culture. Brothers Bruce and Keith Robinson, descendants of the Sinclairs, own the island today, and they have continued to protect the island from the pressures of the outside world.
Foremost among these was Kanaloa, one of the four a major deities in the Hawaiian pantheon, who is considered by many Page 6 to have been the god of the sea. One of the ancient names of Kaho'olawe, the name by which it is known in the chants which tell of the birth of these islands, is Kanaloa.
Non-residents are only allowed to buy property with government permits in French Polynesia and Fiji, although there are no restrictions in Hawaii. Elsewhere land can only be bought by those with personal links to the area and islands are therefore normally available only on a leasehold basis and to residents.
Generally, most locals are happy to see the tourists come and see what life means for them, especially those activities that depict a life many have never seen, learned, or experienced.
The Robinson's grandfather, Aubrey Robinson planted 10,000 trees per year during much of his ownership of the island; Robinson's afforestation efforts increased rainfall in the dry climate. The dry climate is ideal for the solar power that is used on Niihau, as they do not have electricity or running water.
No one is allowed to visit Hawaii's Forbidden Isle—the 70-square-mile island, which on a clear day can be spied from Kauai's west coast—unless they are invited by Niihau owners the Robinson family, or by one of its 70 full-time Native Hawaiian residents.
And while neighboring Maui sees roughly 2.6 million visitors per year, there are less than 1,000 tourists on Molokai per day (or 365,000 annually). To date, there are approximately 8,000 residents island-wide, 40% of which are native Hawaiians.
Molokai is known for its limited resorts and attractions, which adds to its charm as the least touristy island in Hawaii. Unlike other islands that are filled with high-rise hotels and commercialized attractions, Molokai offers a more rustic and untouched experience.