Molokai PONO

The word pono is described as meaning to be respectful and to behave in a righteous manner.

Respect your Host

Molokai graciously welcomes us to their island for this race. We have been working closely with the Molokai community in making this year’s Na Wahine O Ke Kai race a reality.  We respect the need to be sensitive and considerate to the challenges they face concerning the limited air travel with only one carrier going in/out of Moloka‘i operated by Mokulele Air. Molokai residents rely on the limited seats for traveling to and from Oahu/Molokai especially for medical purposes so in order for us to avoid causing a negative impact on residents and their lifestyle, we encourage participants to travel by shuttle/escort boat, if at all possible, via Maui or Oahu to lighten the demand of air travel needed for this race.  Negatively impacting the residents on flights could be detrimental to our race occurring in the future. 

While on Molokai, please treat the community with the same respect and aloha they are showing us.  We are visitors to their aina during the days leading up to the race; let’s leave behind a memory of respect, thankfulness and aloha.

No Excessive Fishing from Escort Boats

The Moloka‘i Community has expressed concern over the amount of fish caught in the waters off Moloka‘i by race escort boats. We are aware that you are not in control over the actions of your escort boats. Please discuss this matter with Boat Captains directly and ask that they be courteous to the local fisherman. Take only what you can eat and please be respectful to the concerns of our Molokai hosts.

Single Use Plastics

We encourage our paddlers and escort boats to race “single use plastic free” out of respect for our environment.  Please discuss options for your crew and escort boat captain about the best way to accomplish having enough water with you during the race to refill your hydration packs.  As individuals, we alone cannot reverse the past 70 years of plastic pollution. Each of us, however, can help evoke change by echoing the need for solutions through our everyday choices and actions.