1 Hotel Hanalei Bay to host free Ocean screening for World Ocean Day
A free World Ocean Day screening in Hanalei will pair National Geographic's Ocean with local voices tackling reefs, cesspools and shoreline health.
Hanalei Bay's reef, runoff and shoreline concerns will frame a free World Ocean Day screening at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, where local stewards will tie National Geographic's Ocean to the conditions Kaua‘i residents see every day.
The public event is set for Monday, June 8, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Fort Alexander, also listed as Pu‘u Poa. Complimentary tickets must be reserved, and the hotel is directing guests to use the free parking provided for the screening.
The evening is built around more than a movie. Food and beverages will be sold, with proceeds going to Fish Pono and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, turning the gathering into a fundraiser as well as an educational event. The film explores the ocean's role in planetary health, the threats it faces and its ability to recover, a message that lands close to home in Hanalei, where reef health, erosion and water quality are tied together.
Before the screening, the hotel will host a talk story with Dr. Alan Friedlander, Maka‘ala Kaaumoana and Presley Wann. Friedlander is a researcher at UH Mānoa's Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology and chief scientist with National Geographic Society Pristine Seas, and the hotel describes him as a contributor to Ocean with David Attenborough and a longtime explorer with Pristine Seas expeditions.
His scientific background gives added weight to the film's theme. A UH study co-authored by Friedlander found remote ocean wilderness areas can sustain fish populations up to three times better than some of the best marine reserves and managed fisheries.
The local panelists bring the discussion back to Kaua‘i. Fish Pono, launched in 2023 by local ocean lovers, scientists, water enthusiasts and fishers, focuses on herbivore fish populations and healthy coral reefs. A 2025 UH announcement said the campaign aims to stem coral degradation caused by coastal pollution and ocean warming by protecting fishes that help corals survive.
Kaaumoana's role is similarly grounded in daily stewardship. Hawaii Sea Grant says the Hanalei Watershed Hui monitors water quality and works with residents and authorities to replace aging cesspools in the Hanalei River watershed. Wann leads Hui Maka‘ainana o Makana, which helps steward Ha‘ena State Park and its cultural and natural resources.
World Ocean Day calls for collective action for a healthy ocean and stable climate, and Kaua‘i has another islandwide observance set for June 7 at Nūkolii Beach. In Hanalei, the hotel screening will give residents a free public venue, local expertise and a direct reminder that ocean protection on Kaua‘i starts with the watershed, the reef and the people responsible for both.
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