The Gardner Pinnacles & Maro Reef
one of the forbidden Hawaii'an Islands
by Wolfgang Schippke, DC3MF
My special Thank to Mr.Ted Brattstrom (NH6YK) for his pictures and
informations
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The Gardner Pinnacles seen from plain (North is left, East on the top)
The Gardner Pinnacles is a group
of two larger and a smaller rock, rising from the sea abruptely. The Gardner
Rocks are located on a mean position of 25N00'55" and 167W59'52",
about 460 miles northwest of the Hawaii Main Island Group. The largest
rock is the South Rock. South Rock is about 1.5 cables from North to south
and abou 0.6 cables wide. The Rock consists of two seperate rocks, connected
by sandy and coral. The main top is in the north and rises to an elevation
of about 58 meters, the southern pinnacle is about 12 meter hight. Northwest
Rock, 0.5 cables northwest is small and 32 meters high. The Southwest Rock
is a small platform, 2 to 4 meters high and about 0.5 cables offshore the
southern end of the South Rock.
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The Gardner Pinacles seen from West
The Gardner Pinnacles lie on a common
underwater platform 18 meters deep. The rocks are formed by exploded lava,
about 2000 years ago. The vegetaition consists only by some kinds of moose
and low grass. The only inhabitans are nesting sea-birds, and the rocks
are covered by a large layer of guano, never mind out here.
The Gardner Pinnacles were discovered on the 2nd of August 1820, by
Captain Joseph Allen with the brigg 'Maro'. Unknown is if the France Navigator
La Pérouse see the rocks on his voyage in 1786. La Pérouse
wrote of a group of steep-sided rocks far offshore Frenche Frigate Shoals,
but did not reports more. The firts claimb of the rocks was made in 1903
by a British Scientific Expedition.
200 Miles further northwest of the Gardner Pinaacles
lies the Maro Reef (25N25, 170W35), a steep-sided corral
reef, drying all the times and only visible on strong breakers. It is reported
that in the south area of the reef, some coral heads are visible all the
time and about 3 ft high over high tide. The Maro Reef was discovered also
by Captain Jospeh Allen.
Islands and Reefs:
South Island, Northwest Island, Southwest Rock, Maro Reef
Literature:
/1/ John Eliot "Hawaii's FarFlug Wildlife Paradise", in Nat.Geo.,
May 1978
The Gardner Pinnacles are a resicted area under the
owenership of the Hawaii'an Fish and Wildlife Service. Any stay and landing
needs a special permit by the Hawaii'an Government, the US Office for Nature
Reserve and of the Hawaii'an Fish and Wildlife Service. Since 1978 the
reefs are absolutely closed for public visits. (updated:
May 08.1997)