Lisianski Island
Encyclopedia
Lisianski Island is one of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
, with a land area of 384.425 acres (155.571 ha) and a maximum elevation of 40 feet (12.2 m) above sea level. Honolulu is 905 nmi (1,676.1 km; 1,041.5 mi) away, to the southeast. Linked to Lisianski are the extensive Neva Shoals. Access to the island is limited by helicopter or by boat to a narrow sandy inlet on the southeastern side of the island.
The volcanic island is undergoing the slow process of erosion
, and features a depression
between two tall sand dunes, that is thought to once have been a lagoon
like the one on Laysan
, its nearest neighbor. For this reason, the island's selected Hawaiian name, Papa‘āpoho, means "island with a depression". Over three-quarters of the Bonin Petrel
s that nest in Hawaii
nest here. Recent discovery of subfossils on the island indicate that Laysan Duck
populations occurred on the island, possibly as a result of the former lagoon.
The Island is named after Yuri Feodorovich Lisyansky, an officer in the Imperial Russian Navy
. Lisianski was the commanding officer of the sloop-of-war
Neva, an exploratory ship which ran aground on the island in 1805. Lisianski reported the Island to be of little interest, except insofar as its surrounding reef
s and shoal
s posed a threat to passing vessels.
King Kamehameha IV
claimed the island for the Hawaiian Kingdom on May 10, 1857. In 1890, the North Pacific Phosphate and Fertilizer Company acquired a twenty-year lease on the Island from the Kingdom of Hawaii
.
In 1909, Lisianski became part of the new Hawaiian Islands Bird Reservation established by U.S. President
Theodore Roosevelt
. Prior to this, there had been concern about the poaching
of birds on the island.
Neva Shoals is a shallow reef
covering 979 square kilometres (378 sq mi), more than half the size of Oahu
, directly southeast of the island. Neva Shoals was named by Lisiansky, after his ship Neva. The reef has been described by divers as a "coral garden" http://hawaiireef.noaa.gov/about/lisianski.html because of the great variety of coral. 24 types of coral were identified at the reefs surrounding Lisianski.
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands or the Leeward Islands are the small islands and atolls in the Hawaiian island chain located northwest of the islands of Kauai and Niihau. They are administered by the U.S. state of Hawaii except Midway Atoll, which has temporary residential facilities and is...
, with a land area of 384.425 acres (155.571 ha) and a maximum elevation of 40 feet (12.2 m) above sea level. Honolulu is 905 nmi (1,676.1 km; 1,041.5 mi) away, to the southeast. Linked to Lisianski are the extensive Neva Shoals. Access to the island is limited by helicopter or by boat to a narrow sandy inlet on the southeastern side of the island.
The volcanic island is undergoing the slow process of erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
, and features a depression
Depression (geology)
A depression in geology is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions may be formed by various mechanisms.Structural or tectonic related:...
between two tall sand dunes, that is thought to once have been a lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
like the one on Laysan
Laysan
Laysan , located northwest of Honolulu at N25° 42' 14" W171° 44' 04", is one of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It comprises one land mass of , about 1 by 1.5 miles in size . It is an atoll of sorts, although the land completely surrounds a shallow central lake some above sea level that has...
, its nearest neighbor. For this reason, the island's selected Hawaiian name, Papa‘āpoho, means "island with a depression". Over three-quarters of the Bonin Petrel
Bonin Petrel
The Bonin Petrel, Pterodroma hypoleuca, is a seabird in the family Procellariidae. It is a small gadfly petrel that lives in the waters of the north west Pacific and nests on islands south of Japan and in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands...
s that nest in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
nest here. Recent discovery of subfossils on the island indicate that Laysan Duck
Laysan Duck
The Laysan Duck , also known as the Laysan Teal because of its small size, is an endangered dabbling duck endemic to the Hawaiian Islands...
populations occurred on the island, possibly as a result of the former lagoon.
The Island is named after Yuri Feodorovich Lisyansky, an officer in the Imperial Russian Navy
Imperial Russian Navy
The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist fleets prior to the February Revolution.-First Romanovs:Under Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, construction of the first three-masted ship, actually built within Russia, was completed in 1636. It was built in Balakhna by Danish shipbuilders from Holstein...
. Lisianski was the commanding officer of the sloop-of-war
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
Neva, an exploratory ship which ran aground on the island in 1805. Lisianski reported the Island to be of little interest, except insofar as its surrounding reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
s and shoal
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
s posed a threat to passing vessels.
King Kamehameha IV
Kamehameha IV
Kamehameha IV, born Alexander Iolani Liholiho Keawenui , reigned as the fourth king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 11, 1855 to November 30, 1863.-Early life:...
claimed the island for the Hawaiian Kingdom on May 10, 1857. In 1890, the North Pacific Phosphate and Fertilizer Company acquired a twenty-year lease on the Island from the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
.
In 1909, Lisianski became part of the new Hawaiian Islands Bird Reservation established by U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. Prior to this, there had been concern about the poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
of birds on the island.
Neva Shoals
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
covering 979 square kilometres (378 sq mi), more than half the size of Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, directly southeast of the island. Neva Shoals was named by Lisiansky, after his ship Neva. The reef has been described by divers as a "coral garden" http://hawaiireef.noaa.gov/about/lisianski.html because of the great variety of coral. 24 types of coral were identified at the reefs surrounding Lisianski.