If you’re beyond tired of spending time immersed in diver soup and you’re looking for a completely different kind of scuba diving adventure, then a trip to far-flung Howland Island might be exactly what you’re looking for. Geographically part of the Phoenix Islands and grouped statistically with the United States Minor Outlying Islands, this little piece of paradise is completely uninhabited saved for birds and other marine animals. While getting to Howland Island is a challenge not to be undertaken lightly, this atoll is surrounded by spectacular reefs that really are second to none in terms of biodiversity.
Amelia Earhart’s Paradise Lost
If you’ve heard of Howland Island in the past, perhaps that is because this island’s claim to fame is that it is the one Amelia Earhart was searching for when she and her plane were lost to history in 1937. An airstrip constructed specifically to accommodate her plane was never used; it eventually crumbled. In addition, there are no harbors or docks. The only infrastructure this island claims is a boat landing area along the west coast and a day beacon that is slowly crumbling away.
Howland Island is located about 1,700 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu and about 37 nautical miles from Baker Island, which is also an uninhabited National Wildlife Refuge and which is also part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. Public entry is allowed only by special permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service; most visitors are scientists or educators. Amateur radio operators sometimes visit Howland and Baker Islands, and the US Coast Guard does visit occasionally as well.
Howland Island’s history is an interesting one; it was originally spotted by whalers and is named after a ship’s lookout who sighted it in 1842. The island was later used for guano mining; guano was used to make saltpeter, which is an ingredient found in gunpowder. It was even the subject of a heated lawsuit between two guano mining companies.
A colony was set up in 1935 in an effort to establish a US presence in the Line Islands. Named Itascatown in honor of the US Coast Guard Cutter Itasca, which brought the colonists to the island and helped maintain food and water supplies, the settlement was eventually abandoned after a December, 1941 Japanese air attack killed some of the colonists; this occurred the day after the Pearl Harbor attack and much of the infrastructure built was severely damaged. In 1943, a battalion of US Marines occupied the island, which bore the name Howland Naval Air Station until May of 1944 when the island was abandoned for good .
Today, this little island belongs completely to the animals that call it home. Topside, you’ll encounter a variety of rare sea birds; below the surface, you’ll find an astonishing array of colorful reef fish and macro life all enjoying life along reefs covered in spectacular coral, sponges, and anemones. Sharks are encountered with frequency, as are rays and sea turtles; the turtles nest here and on Baker Island. The coral reef’s profile is steep and provides an amazing view out into the deep blue distance that is the remote Pacific Ocean.
If you hope to dive Howland Island, you can either undertake an expedition on your own or go along with researchers. While the lack of any kind of accommodations, fresh water, food, or scuba diving infrastructure might seem daunting, a well-provisioned expedition will provide all these things and handle the permit process for access. If you’re looking for a completely unique adventure that is as far off the beaten path as one can feasibly travel, then a trip to Howland Island is certain to satisfy.