WEST MAUI – To celebrate the milestone tenth Ridge to Reef Rendezvous, organizing partners are hosting a series of presentations leading up to the event, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Kahekili Beach Park in North Kaanapali.

Additional opportunities associated with the event include a K-12 student art contest and social media messaging challenge, and a ridge to reef cleanup at Mala Wharf with Maui Diving-Scuba & Snorkel Center, followed by a special reef-themed beer release party at Kohola Brewery.

The evening lecture series in October will feature presentations on three consecutive Wednesdays at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary in Kihei (726 South Kihei Road), starting Oct. 2 (“A Voyage to Papahanaumokuakea: Seals, Turtles, Wonder, and Heartbreak” by Ekolu Lindsey), and followed on Oct. 9 (“Eyes of the Reef: Preparing for Bleachapalooza” by Darla White) and Oct. 16 (“The Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area: Insights from 10 Years of Science and Management” by Dr. Ivor Williams). The fourth presentation will be a Science Night at Kohola Brewery in Lahaina (910 Honoapiilani Highway) on Oct. 23: “Turf Algae: The Lager of Limu in a Sea of IPAs” by Donna Brown.

All Maui K-12 students are invited to enter the Ridge2Reef K-12 art contest and social media messaging challenge; finalists’ entries will be displayed at the Ridge to Reef Rendezvous, and all event attendees will have the chance to vote for the grade-group winners and a grand prize winner.

Details about these events and opportunities can be found at www.westmauikumuwai.org (news and events) and at www.facebook.com/WestMauiKumuwai.

On Sunday, Oct. 20, Kohola Brewery and Maui DivingScuba & Snorkel Center are teaming up with the West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative, and they will be coordinating a special cleanup at Mala Wharf in Lahaina (with both underwater and land-based components), to be followed by a party at Kohola Brewery celebrating the special release of a new beer, “Reef Geeks Hazy IPA,” in support of watershed stewardship efforts on Maui.

Advance registration is required; e-mail havefun@mauidiving.com or call (808) 667-0633 to register.