IN SERVICE OF THE SEA · On this episode, longtime Mālama Maunalua volunteer and science educator Ralph Dykes joins from Maunalua, Oʻahu where he has spent over 15 years helping restore the native marine ecosystem. A consistent presence who kayaks every day, Ralph reflects on what it means to care for a place over time and why that kind of steady, local effort matters. He shares stories from his life shaped by service, including growing up after Pearl Harbor, serving in the Navy, and teaching science for decades before dedicating his retirement to mālama ʻāina (caring for the land). This conversation, recorded from the shoreline of Paikō Beach, is a grounded look at quiet leadership and what being in service of the sea means for Hawaiʻi.
Episode Highlights
01:05 – Meet Ralph Dykes - science educator and Mālama Maunalua volunteer
03:01 – Life before the classroom... and what came after
03:41 – From Navy ships to Honolulu shores
05:35 – Teaching science, coaching students, and lessons that stuck
09:52 – Restoring an ecosystem, one kayak trip at a time
13:34 – Volunteering: why community matters more than ever
17:05 – What keeps Ralph inspired after all these years
18:23 – Advice for the next generation
To learn more about Mālama Maunalua or volunteer, please visit: https://malamamaunalua.org/
Photo Credit: Alex Awo
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Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik
