Kaua'i - Hawaii - page 1039

Pacific theater. Midway later became a staging point for Cold War air patrols and
an underwater listening post to spy on Soviet submarines.
By 1996 the military transferred jurisdiction to the USFWS. Before leaving, it
conducted an extensive clean-up program to remove debris, environmental con-
taminants, rats and non-native plants. Midway was then developed for tourism:
barracks became hotel rooms, the mess hall a cafeteria and a beachfront restaur-
ant and bar were added. A gym, movie theater, bowling alley and library were part
of the original military facility. On Sand and Eastern Islands, various military struc-
tures have been designated National Historical Landmarks.
The ecological highlight at Midway is the more than two million seabirds that
nest here, including the world's largest colony of Laysan albatross, which are so
thick between November and July that they virtually blanket the ground. Midway's
coral reefs are unusually rich and are frequented by Hawaiian monk seals and
green sea turtles.
Visiting, Volunteering & Learning More
All tourist facilities on Midway Islands are managed by the US Fish & Wildlife Ser-
vice (USFWS; www.fws.gov/midway ) , which issues permits only to organized groups.
Check the website for a current list of tour operators and book your trip as far in
advance as possible. You can also apply for long-term volunteer opportunities at
Tern Island Field Station ( www.fws.gov/hawaiianislands/getinvolved.html ) .
If you can't make the trip to the NWHI in person, you can virtually visit
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument ( www.papahanaumokuakea.gov ) and
Midway Atoll's Sand Island ( www.fws.gov/midway/tour.html ) online, or drop by Hilo's
Mokupapapa Discovery Center ( Click here ) on the Big Island. Another excellent
website is run by the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Multi-Agency Education
Project ( www.hawaiianatolls.org ) . Or read Pamela Frierson's first-hand reports inThe
Last Atoll:Exploring Hawaiʻi's Endangered Ecosystems.