Hello, One of the parts of my plot is set in Hawaii and, in particular, the deep waters off the cost. I've never been there and can't afford to go now, so I went to youtube and got lots of go-pro footage, but it's not very helpful. I need something like the general layout and then specific places of interest. This is the type of information that you'd get from someone who does scuba diving or perhaps fishing off the coast, but I don't know anyone. Ideas? Personal tales? Thanks in advance, David
Did you try Google Maps/Earth? I just googled Hawaii, clicked on Maps, and zoomed in to Honolulu. Street level shows me everything like driving around. I started out in front of the Mariana Trench National Wildlife Refuge and wandered around to the Honolulu Fire Department Museum. I see from above, near the Hawaii Theatre, a lot of businesses like Luck Belly. Clicking on the icon pulls up some info into the left panel. That's across from Ethiopian Love Restaurant: Group-friendly Ethiopian place with a patio, serving spiced stews & veggies eaten with injera bread. I imagine googling those businesses can get you started. As for the waters, I googled hawaii ocean stories and found this (might be of some use): 2016 was a banner year for marine protected areas. In August, President Obama created what was at the time the world’s largest marine protected area with the expansion of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, building on an effort initially spearheaded by former president George W. Bush. The UNESCO World Heritage Centre characterized the monument as “an embodiment of the Hawaiian concept of kinship between people and the natural world.” This paradise of coral reefs and seamounts is home to over 7,000 species—one of which will be named after the 44nd president. The vibrant pink, orange and yellow fish will be named to honor Obama’s commitment to protecting nature in Hawaii and around the U.S. Just a few weeks after the announcement, the president cut the ribbon for the Atlantic’s first-ever marine monument, the Atlantic Ocean National Marine Monument located off the coast of Massachusetts. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/top-eight-ocean-stories-2016-180961485/ Also: https://www.gohawaii.com/statewide/guidebook/stories-of-hawaii/ https://www.gohawaii.com/statewide/guidebook/hawaii-beaches/ http://www.fostertravel.com/hawaiis-hokulea-canoe-tells-story-of-polynesian-voyage/ This one is about Hawaiian ocean science: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1191834/?reload=true Stories (mostly scientific) about Hawaii and the ocean surrounding it: https://dennishollier.com/ A lot of stories about Hawaii's oceans: https://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/hawaii/explore/ocean-stories.xml The story "Sewage threatens coral and human health in West Hawaiʻi" is quite a read! This might be close to what you're looking for: https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1573060267 Ocean rafting? http://www.hawaiioceanrafting.com/ Interesting story: A Washington family opens a hatchery in Hawaii to escape lethal waters. http://apps.seattletimes.com/reports/sea-change/2013/sep/11/oysters-hit-hard/ And then there's trajedy: Candlelight vigil held for Utah man who was swept into ocean in Hawaii https://www.ksl.com/?sid=42977408&nid=148