Ridge to Reef Rendezvous Features Keiki Fishing Tournament

Photo by Ananda Stone

Maui residents and visitors can take part in National Make a Difference Day by attending the free, family friendly West Maui Ridge to Reef Rendezvous on Oct. 28 2017.

The event will be held at Kahekili Beach Park in Kāʻanapali and will feature food, prizes, music and Maui’s first-ever haunted reef to explore just in time for Halloween.

The Ridge to Reef Rendezvous begins at 8 a.m. with a keiki catch and release fishing tournament. The main event will start at 9 a.m. The first 50 first-time attendees will receive a free t-shirt. Those who participate in the scavenger hunt will be entered to win fabulous prizes donated by Maui businesses. Lunch will be provided by the Westin Nanea Ocean Villas, Maui Grill Kā’anapali, and CJ’s Deli & Diner.

The theme of this year’s event is ocean optimism, as noted by the West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative Watershed Coordinator Tova Callender. “Dire environmental headlines dominating the news cycle can leave a helpless feeling, so it’s good to connect with all the things that are going well, especially here on Maui. We invite the community to come chat with a fun bunch of people taking hopeful actions on land and in the ocean and maybe discover new ways to get involved,” said Callender.

Organizers have also scheduled two additional free public events leading up to the gathering. The first is a science night hosted by Koholā Brewery (for those 21 and older) on Wednesday Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m.

The second event is a special screening of the award-winning documentary film Chasing Coral sponsored by Oceanology’s Whale Center of Hawai‘i on Friday Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. at Whalers Village. The screening will be followed by a panel hosted by coral reef researchers.

For more information on the Ridge to Reef Rendezvous and the associated events, visit Facebook, email [email protected] or call (808) 283-1631.