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atoll
Midway
Atoll
(Pihemanu)
 Midway,
the best known of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), is a circular-shaped
atoll with three small islets (Sand, Eastern, and Spit) on the southern
end of a lagoon. While its land area is small, about 1,535 acres, the
atoll has approximately 85,929 acres of reef area.
Captain
N.C. Brooks of the Gambia sailed to the atoll in 1859. After Brooks,
the United States annexed it as the first insular possession to be
claimed outside the U.S. continent. Early visitors included the
castaway crews of several large sailing vessels, such as the
American-built bark Carrollton. Survivors built low huts on the
treeless island and awaited rescue by (infrequent) passing vessels.
Other people made their way to Midway during the late 1800's promarily
to collect feathers and eggs.
The United States
recognized the strategic importance of Midway as early as 1870, when
efforts were begun to clear a southern channel into the
calm lagoon. It was clear that Midway’s geographical position as
a “stepping tone across the Pacific” made the island a critical
link in cable communications (1903) and as an early transpacific Panamerican
seaplane stop (1935). Work began on the military facility at Midway in
March 1940.
During World War II, Midway served as an important naval air station
and submarine refit base. The atoll was attacked twice, first on
December 7th 1941, and again during the pivotal Battle of Midway,
June 4th-6th
1942. A successful American intelligence operation tipped the US
forces to the planned attack, and a small US task force was able
to surprise
and defeat the Japanese invasion fleet bound for the atoll. Many
interpret this battle as the watershed moment in the tide of
the Pacific War.
Though the major carrier-based actions took place to the north,
a fierce air
battle was waged over Midway and Eastern Islands themselves. The
atoll was designated as the National Memorial to the Battle of
Midway in 2000.
 During the
Cold War Era Midway served as the staging point for defensive air patrols
along the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. With the increasing use
of satellite observation, such patrols became unnecessary, and in 1996
the once strategic naval base was turned over to the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service to be managed as Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.
A massive U.S. Navy clean up prior to their departure removed tons
of debris, leaky fuel tanks, and lead paint, as well as rats. Today
a fulltime Refuge staff administers a small visitor program, cares
for its wildlife, restores native plant life, and protects historic
resources. The wreck of the Macaw, a 250-foot submarine rescue vessel
lost in 1944, marks the site of one such historic wartime event in
Midway's waters.
 Nearly
two million birds of 19 species nest on Midway. The atoll has the largest
Laysan albatross colony in the world. Other birds include black-footed
albatross, red-tailed tropicbirds, white terns, black and brown noddies,
shearwaters, and Bonin petrels. One of the rarest visitors is the endangered
short-tailed albatross.
Three-fourths
of Midway's plant species were introductions. These include weeds,
ornamental shrubs, exotic vegetables, and trees such as coconut palms
and ironwood. Major efforts are underway to control alien species and
restore native habitats.
 The
waters abound with dolphins, monk seals, and green sea turtles. More
than 250 species of fish live in its waters, including hapu`upu`u (the
Hawaiian grouper usually caught at depths exceeding 150 ft in the MHI,
but often seen at diving depths at Midway), ulua (jack), kumu (goatfish),
and sharks. Beyond the reefs are pelagic fishes such as tuna and marlin.
Despite
100 years of human impact, the reef at Midway is rich and diverse.
Sixteen species of stony coral have been reported, and scientists believe
there may be many more. Marine habitats, including spurs, grooves,
and sand channels, are home to several algaes, seagrass meadows, urchins,
bi-valve clams, sponges and more. Two species of seagrasses are found
at Midway, one of which is a Hawaiian endemic, and the second species
is one not previously recorded from the Hawaiian Islands.
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