An Oasis at Kamole
Aerial image of Kamole (pc: Steven Gnam NOAA/PMDP 2018)
A Treasure of Biodiversity at Kamole
July 14th, 2022
On the fringes of everyone’s reality lies a desert island.
There, an albatross spreads its feet wide and approaches for a turbulent landing, leaving expansive wings flared wide for several uncertain moments after touchdown, as though it canʻt believe it pulled it off.
Above, by some legerdemain of physics, or perhaps through the nefarious auspices of some dark force, the predatory ʻIwa sails ahead without movement of its rakish wings.
The boobies flap by- sometimes solitary, sometimes in pairs or trios- eyes turned forward in each of their blue, grimly determined faces.
A treasure trove of sea shells and white sands ring the island, notable for the ubiquity of endangered seals resting on it. A wrasse saturated in blues and greens is adorned variously with red markings and avails itself of the final few wet inches before sea becomes sea shore.
Patrolling deeper waters, an Ulua swaggers over its reef. Is it a hundred pounder? Probably.
Kamole is an exclamation of abundance untamed. It declares that every part deserves a counterpart. It lays bare both suffering’s narrow focus and the infinite breadth of creation.
Kamole is the multitude of life and death itself; and it’s a true place.
Two boats sit on the outskirts of shore at Kamole (pc: James Morioka PMDP)
Meet the Author
Derek Levault