Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-03
WHY HONOLULU ISCLEAN;
SHARKS KEPT OUT. by CURRENTS
Captain J. r. MacaLhay Explains Forces of Nature Which
Prevent Port from Earning the Title of "BIaCk Hole of
0ahu-How Sewage Is Swept Out to Sea

! Were 1t not for the existence OF
! four separate and distinct currents
of water operating continuously with
! in the harbor, Honolulu would be one
| OF the sickliest ports in the world.
! The vast amount Of sewage and ref
| use which enters the harbor each
| day would circulate without an out
let, breeding disease without end
With the above paragraph Captain
EsJ.sR. Macaulay begins his report on
the currents and tides in the harboF
which he has made to the Harbor
Commissioners.
The noted authority on the physical
geography of the sea declares that the
only reason that Honolulu harbor is
not full Of sharks at all times is be-
cause Of an undercurrent which is so
foul that it would mean death to
even the seaVenger of the seas TO
feed in it. Ill IT, -.
Captain Macaulay's report is likely
to prove of interest to all those in
rerested in shipping and the study of
currents and tides and contains as
well large amount of information
for the layman. 1t is as follows:
BY CAPT. j. R. MACAULAY.
Not many years ago movement
was made to change the outlet of
Nuuanu stream into Kalihi Bay; but
wise and kind. providence still
watches over us, and the outlet was
not changed because of the lack of
money. How fortunate for us that it
happened so, otherwise we would to-
day have as. a harbor dead sea, in
which no living thing could enter and
live for any length of time, a place
to keep away from, and if once seen
ito be remembered only, not as the
Black Hole of Calcutta, but as the
Black Hole Of Oahu. =
A study of the physical geography
of the sea will cause you to wonder
at the perfect system of circulation
continuously in motion to keep the
sea clean and healthy as a human
icing. It is just SO with our harbor;
there must be perfect system of
circulation kept up, If not, sickness
and death is the result.
/ might state that we should con-
slider ourselves specially favored in
the location of our harbors on the
south side of Oahu, so being placed
at right angles from the diurnaI Tota-I
ton of the earth, which rotation af-
fects considerably all straits or har.
bors facing East or West, causing
violent currents to form at their en-,
trance.
To the apparent absence of such
rotation is due the easy and SLOW
current entering Honolulu. also Pearl
Harbor. To explain briefly the cur.
rent entering Honolulu harbor and
the same applies to Kalihi and Pearl
Harbor, willstake up the currents
FIRST CURRENT-The main ar.
terry or stream of motion causing a
current, is Nuuanu stream flowing
continuously through the harbor on
its outward course toward the ocean,
and as it proceeds, carries with It, ac-
cording to it's momentum, portion
of water attracted toward it by trac
tion, or / may say friction, and 1t also
carries all sorts of ffotsam that comes
within its reach and deposits the con-
tents far out into the sea, to be taken
up by other currents afterward. After
performing its short-liVed usefulness,
it fuses with the larger streams Of
the ocean Nuuanu stream is sur
face current only, being much lighter
than the surface water in the harbor.
SECOND CURRENT-This ! will
call the sunder current" If We ex
6cept the tides and the partial cur.
rents or the sea, such as those that
may be created by the wind, We may
lay it down as a rule that all the
currents of the ocean owe their orr
gin to the difference in specific gray
ity between sea water at one place
and sea water at another, for. whers
ever there is such a. difference.