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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Liquids Coordinator

The Ironman Triathlon World Championship is the initial and ultimate Swim – Bike – Run event.
This type of race (tri-sport) was stated in Hawai‘i and was essentially created for bragging rights by combining the 2.4-mile Waikiki Roughwater Swim, 112-miles of the Around-Oahu Bike Race, followed by the 26.2-mile run of the Honolulu Marathon.
It started on O‘ahu, but its home is now in West Hawai‘i on the Big Island.
For 13-years, I was its Director of Aid Stations (1990-2002.)  We had about 4,000 volunteers and over 30 bike and run aid stations for the 1,200 contestants.  We also had a cadre of coordinators to help oversee the operations.
Each year, I made a point of trying to add another coordinator to my list.  It was more of a challenge and game to think up new ideas for “coordinators.”
This was not only to help spread out the work load, but, more importantly, it was a way to get some of the race swag to more people (coordinators received a special race shirt, had full access to all areas of the race and were invited to special parties.)
Speaking of parties, in the early years it was like pulling teeth to get coordinators to a race planning meeting.
Then, I finally got it.
I started to have wine tasting as a part of the planning meeting.  Not only did everyone show up (early,) they all asked when the next party, errr … meeting was.
This led to my attempt to get a wine person listed as a coordinator for the race (adding coordinators was a big deal to the race (given cost, etc,) so nothing was taken for granted.)
After extensive explanation of the importance of proper hydration in the race, etc, etc, etc, ultimately, the race director agreed to add a “Liquids Coordinator” to the Aid Stations roster.
However, little did they know that these “liquids” were meant for us, not the contestants.  We had a perfect person for the job, Jack Squires, who lives in Napa Valley and managed a cork company. 
However, in offering Jack the job, little did he know I had devised an elaborate practical joke for his initiation.
I worked with the race Medical Director, Bob Laird, on “including” Jack into a series of medical meetings Bob has with his medical crew prior to the race.  They had some seminars dealing with medical concerns related to hydration, etc. 
Bob agreed to sign a letter I wrote inviting Jack to the seminars – we also included reams of medical reports and other paperwork for Jack to review prior to the meetings.
Little did Jack know that I arranged all this with Bob.
Jack diligently reviewed the paperwork prior to getting to Kona.  I recall several phone conversations with Jack after the invitation, where he questioned whether he wanted to participate, or not.
When Jack arrived, we let him in on the joke and told him there were no seminars to attend and he really had only two rules to follow in the Aid Stations Operating Manual, (1) make sure there is plenty of wine for the Aid Stations Coordinators and (2) never forget rule #1.
Of course, we snuck in our own wine into various race parties (some were “alcohol-free.”)  Carbo-loading party is Thursday night of race week – it also was the beginning of our major Aid Stations party.
We’d pre-party at Carbo; then, leave early to go to the Liquids Coordinator’s Party.  Jack did waaay good with those – lots of Napa’s finest.
As a payback to the early prank I played on Jack, over the years those parties also turned into a series of gag-gifts giving to me.
I have to admit, I was particularly fond of the blow-up doll and shark hat given to me at those parties (I still have the hat, but ditched the doll.)
I had a call from Jack a few weeks ago.  He is now vacationing on Moloka‘i.  He returns home today and I will be meeting him at the Honolulu Airport, during a long layover on his return flight.

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Brothers Continue The Legacy At Young Brothers

For much of the 1800s, sailing ships calling at Honolulu Harbor were serviced using double-hulled canoes or rowboats.
In 1900, three brothers, Jack, Edgar and William, formed Young Brothers and started doing small jobs around the Harbor.
Early in the century, there was only a narrow opening in the reef, so sailing ships anchored outside where they had room to maneuver. They then came ashore in their own boats or used launch services from the harbor.
Jack Young once reminisced about arriving in Honolulu in 1900 with a few cans of fruit, a large trunk and only twenty-five cents in cash – too little to pay to have his trunk brought ashore. So he rustled up a spare rowboat and rowed in his own gear.
In those days, there might be from five to twenty sailing ships off Sand Island. When a ship came in, the anchor line had to be run out to secure the ship; if the ship was coming to the dock, a line had to be carried to the pier.
In the early years of the company, Young Brothers used its first boat, Billy, to service the ships by carrying supplies and sailors to ships at anchor outside the harbor, as well as run lines for anchoring or docking vessels.
They also pulled boats off the reefs, conducted salvage operations and various other harbor-related activities (including harbor tours.)
The company grew over the years into an active interisland freight company.
When original brother Jack’s two sons became old enough, they joined the operation.
Jack Young Jr., joined the company as a regular employee in 1933. He soon captained various boats; in 1936 he became the permanent master of the Mamo (which in 1930 was the first all-steel tugboat in maritime history.)
Jack’s younger brother, Kenny Young, joined Young Brothers in 1946, after a stint in the Navy and graduation from Stanford.
He immediately became superintendent of Young Brothers’ freight department, a position he held until 1952. That same year, Young Brothers merged with Oahu Railway and Land Company (OR&L.)
Jack Jr. resigned from Young Brothers in 1952 (having disagreed with the merger and its resulting changes in management policies.)
However, Jack Jr. continued to broaden his maritime skills, earning a Master Maritime license and becoming a Harbor Pilot for the Territory of Hawai‘i, then Harbor Master for the State. (Jack Jr. passed away in 1994.)
Kenny remained with the company after the merger and served as manager of the land department of OR&L (1952-1961.)
When OR&L merged with Dillingham Corporation, he was manager and vice president at Dillingham until 1968.
He then moved to Kona and started his own real estate company. (Kenny passed away in 2004.)
Jack Young of the original Young Brothers is my grandfather; Jack Young Jr, my uncle; and Kenny Young, my father.
Today, the Young family legacy at Young Brothers continues; my older brother, David Young, serves as a Hawai‘i County Community Advisory Board Member for the Young Brothers Community Gift Giving program.
The image shows the Young Brothers Boathouse in 1902, in Honolulu Harbor.
I have also included some other photos and maps showing typically older images of Honolulu Harbor and Young Brothers stuff (around 1900, the early era of Young Brothers) in a folder of like name in the Photos section.

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway – Preservation Commendation

I am honored and proud to share with you some great news we just received concerning a project we are working on.
Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway will be recognized with a Preservation Commendation from Historic Hawai‘i Foundation at its 2012 Preservation Honor Awards ceremony for outstanding efforts in preservation through planning and designation of the Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway.
This award is being given to Kōloa Community Association, Mālama Koloa, Po‘ipū Beach Resort Association, HDOT Hawai’i Scenic Byways Program and Ho‘okuleana LLC.
Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway, recently designated a State Scenic Byway, is situated in the historic
Old Kōloa Town and runs down and through the Po’ipu Beach resort area on Kaua‘i’s South Shore.
This region is steeped in history and its various points of interest tell the stories of Hawaii’s people and its evolving socio-economic past.
Along this corridor are significant historic, archaeological, cultural, natural, recreational and scenic resources.
Holo Holo Kōloa gives the traveler a look at the historic and socio-economic evolution of the Hawaiian Islands.
Here many “firsts” took place that ultimately guided this transformation.  This is a corridor with many stories to tell, under the backdrop of its impressive scenic and natural beauty.
We have been assisting Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway in the State designation process, as well as preparing the Corridor Management Plan for the Scenic Byway.
This is our second Scenic Byway project.  We also prepared the Corridor Management Plan for the Royal Footsteps Along The Kona Coast.
Royal Footsteps also received a Historic Hawai‘i Foundation Preservation Commendation, as well as an APA-Hawai‘i Environment-Preservation Award and a Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Pualu Award for Culture & Heritage.

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Currency Stamped with “HAWAII” during WWII

Like most people of his generation, my father saved stuff, especially “special” stamps, currency and coins – below is a $10 bill of his that he gave to me.
According to the Federal Reserve, with the start of World War II, the US started printing specialized military currency to provide economic stability for the US dollar in occupied countries.
In Hawaiʻi, the Treasury Department replaced all US currency with special issue notes as a precautionary measure in the event of a Japanese victory.
These notes were circulated only in Hawai‘i and their brown seals and serial numbers differentiated them from notes issued on the mainland.
Overprints of the word HAWAII were made; two small overprints to the sides of the obverse of the bill between the border and both the treasury seal and Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco seal, and huge outlined HAWAII lettering dominating the reverse.
The hope was that, should there have been a Japanese invasion, the US Government could immediately declare any Hawai‘i-stamped notes worthless, due to their easy identification.
$1, $5, $10 and $20 San Francisco Reserve notes featured the seal and serial numbers that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing called the “Hawaiʻi Overprint” (from July 1942 until October 1944.)
Hawai‘i wasn’t the only place where special currency was distributed.  Similarly, special notes were issued for use by American troops during the invasion of North Africa in November 1942.
These notes were overprinted with distinctive yellow Treasury Seals to distinguish them from the regular Silver Certificates overprinted with blue seals.
Like the overprinted Hawai‘i notes, these distinctive certificates could be declared worthless if large amounts fell into enemy hands.
In addition to the Hawai‘i currency issued, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced or oversaw the private production of Allied military currency used in Italy, France, Austria, Germany and Japan during and after the war.
The Department of the Treasury redeems all genuine United States currency at face value only, and does not render opinions concerning the numismatic value of old or rare currencies.
However, numerous websites indicate premiums are being paid for these special bills.  (I am keeping mine as a reminder of my father.)

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Wind, Wings and Waves

Hawaiʻi is the world’s most-isolated, populated-place, we are about: 2,500-miles from the US mainland, Samoa & Alaska; 4,000-miles from Tokyo, New Zealand & Guam, and 5,000-miles from Australia, the Philippines & Korea.
We are surrounded by a vast ocean and sometimes naively feel isolated, separated and protected from outside threats and negative impacts.  Unfortunately, we take too much for granted.
Formation of Hawaiian Island chain started more than 70 million years ago.  Yet despite millions of years of isolation, plants, animals and insects found their way to Hawaiʻi … on Wind, Wings and Waves.
Some seeds, spores and insects arrived on the wind.  A few birds flew or were blown off course; in them or stuck to their feathers were more seeds.  Some seeds managed to float here on ocean currents or waves.  Ocean currents also carried larval forms of fish, invertebrates, algae and even our freshwater stream species.
It is estimated that one plant or animal arrived and successfully colonized every 30,000 years.  Over millions of years in isolation, these original plant and animal species changed, forming into our native species.
The first alien species arrived with Polynesians in the year 300 A.D. or so. In 1778, Hawaiʻi was placed on the world map; and so started new invasive species pathways.
It is estimated that in the last 230+ years, as many as 10,000 plants have been introduced: 343 new marine/brackish water species; Hawaiʻi went from 0 native land reptiles to 40; 0 amphibians to 6 (including coqui) and there is a new insect in Hawaiʻi every day.
The greatest threat to Hawaiʻi’s native species is invasive species.
Hawaiʻi has the dubious distinction of being called the endangered species capital of the world and unfortunately leads the nation in endangered species listings with 354 federally listed threatened or endangered listed species.
With only 0.2% of the land area of the United States, nearly 75% of the nation’s historically documented plant and bird extinctions are from Hawaiʻi.  We have more endangered species per square mile on these islands than any other place on Earth.
Impacts from invasive species are real and diverse: Tourism and agriculture-based economy; Forests’ ability to channel rainwater into our watersheds; Survival of native species found nowhere else; Health of residents and visitors; and Quality of life that makes Hawaiʻi a special place.
Today, the pathways to paradise are diverse, including: air & ship cargo; ship hulls & ballast water; hand-carry/luggage; mail & freight forwarders; forestry activities; horticulture trade; aquaculture; pet trade; botanical gardens and agriculture experiment stations (or simply on you and your clothing.)
While I was at DLNR, we formed and I co-chaired the Hawai‘i Invasive Species Council, a multi-jurisdictional agency, established to provide policy level direction, coordination, and planning among state departments, federal agencies, and international and local initiatives.
Our focus was primarily on two actions: the control and eradication of harmful invasive species infestations throughout the State; and prevention the introduction of other invasive species that may be potentially harmful.
We must continue to be vigilant in stopping new pests from coming in and eradicating those that have already made it to our shores.
We share a common goal.  Whether your concern is in having enough water, healthy reefs, diverse forests, a healthy economy or a healthy family, we all want the same thing:  To make and keep Hawaiʻi a great place to live.