Island Images

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BLADE RUNNER

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Donald Appling of the Honolulu Fencers Club competed in the open epee event of the 2004 Hawaii Open Fencing Classic yesterday at Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. At 89, he said he is the oldest three-weapon fencer in the United States. The event continues today from 9 a.m.

20-YEAR EFFORT CULMINATES IN FUN

RONEN ZILBERMAN / RZILBERMAN@STARBULLETIN.COM Neighborhood kids enjoyed the new Smith/Beretania Park yesterday before a blessing by the Rev. David Kaupu of Kaumakapili Church, marking the official opening after more than 20 years in the making.

ON THE LOOKOUT

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count site leaders Toni Todino and Crystal Malone kept a lookout for humpback whales at Diamond Head yesterday. Volunteers collected data from 63 sites on the shores of Oahu, Kauai, the Big Island and Kahoolawe as part of the annual tally of humpback whale sightings. The average overall count for the four islands was four whales. The whales migrate 3,000 miles from Alaska to Hawaii from October to May to mate, birth and nurse their calves in waters off the islands. Ocean Counts take place on the last Saturday of January, February and March.