5 Maui Bars Team Up for the Turtles

Five Maui bars are teaming up with the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund to support the recovery of the Hawaiian Hawksbill sea turtle.

With only about a dozen known to nest on Maui and about 100 nesting statewide, the Hawaiian hawksbill is so rare that many lifelong residents have never seen one. The turtles are known to nest on some of Maui’s most popular beaches and have been encountered by snorkelers in Maui waters on occasion.

To help in the recovery of this critically endangered species proceeds from a featured Naked Turtle Rum cocktail will be donated to the Hawai’i Wildlife Fund between Nov. 1, 2017 and the end of the year. Maui bars participating the fund raising effort include the South Shore Tiki Lounge in Kīhei, Wailuku’s Wai Bar, Flatbread Company in Pāʻia, Beach Bums BBQ & Grill in Māʻalaea, and Down the Hatch in Lahaina.

Cocktails include:

South Shore Tiki Lounge, Kīhei
Naked Runner – A play on the rum runner with Naked Turtle Rum rum, banana liqueur, fresh pineapple and a float of blackberry liqueur and grenadine.

Wai Bar, Wailuku
Honu Hemingway – Naked Turtle, Luxardo Cherry Liqueur, fresh squeezed lime and simple syrup

Flatbread Company, Pāʻia
Seasonally Fresh Fruit Mojito

Beach Bums Bar & Grill, Māʻalaea
Turtle Town Breeze – Naked Turtle Rum with coconut, pineapple and a dash of cranberry.

Down the Hatch, Lahaina
Save Squirt – Naked Turtle Rum, Lilikoi puree, pog juice, shaken frothy, topped off with champagne.

“We are thrilled to join these great local businesses in their efforts to help us protect one of our rarest sea turtles. When Alma (of South Shore Tiki Lounge) approached us with this idea we were delighted with the initiative and grateful for the chance to help raise funds and awareness at the same time,” said Hannah Bernard, HWF Executive Director.

Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of Hawaiʻi’s native wildlife through research, education and advocacy. HWF Team is made up of educators, conservationists, researchers, naturalists, communities, volunteers and donors devoted to the protection of Hawaiʻi’s fragile marine ecosystem and inhabitants.

A hawksbill hatchling on the beach, photo by Mika Joiner. PC: via Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund

One of the few resident hawksbill sea turtles found around Maui, Hope, foraging on a coral reef habitat. Photo by Curtis Geary via Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund

Down the Hatch Save Squirt

Wai Bar Honu Hemingway

South Shore Tiki Lounge Naked Runner

Beach Bums Turtle Town Breeze

Flatbread Mojito