Pearl and Hermes Atoll Other names: Holoikauaua Geography: An oval reef with several internal reefs and seven sandbar/islands Distance from Honolulu: 1,210 miles Highest point: 10 feet, sometimes awash Type of island: Atoll Acreage dry land: 80 acres Coral reef within 13.8 miles: 193,834 acres History: Discovered in 1822 when the whaling ships Pearl and Hermes went aground. The whalers built another boat out of the lumber from the wrecks and sailed it to Honolulu. A century later, pearl oysters were found, and a brief industry developed, with Filipino divers collecting tons of shell that were sold to button manufacturers on the Mainland. The pearl oyster population never recovered. Biology notes: Laysan finches were translocated here in the 1960s and continue to survive. |
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