O’ahu Writers Retreat at Mokule’ia

04/06/2026

Curious about what the week looks like? Here it is in a grid.

03/27/2026

How I wish we could still rent "Hawaiian jeeps" on O‘ahu! Oh, well. If you would like to coordinate with others on a ride out to the Camp, please feel free to post here.

03/25/2026

Writers doing what we do--listen to stories. Counting the days till we gather again in the lodge at Camp Mokule‘ia.

03/25/2026

THE SHOW WILL GO ON! My update on the flood damage at the Camp and the green light the retreat has gotten from the director, Darrell Whitaker:

Friends:
We write to you with heavy hearts as well as abiding relief—and a lightness inspired by the Hawaiian word ‘ohana. The heavy heart, of course, is for all the damage that has rained (literally) upon Hawai‘i Nei and, especially, the North Shore.

The relief? Camp Mokule‘ia reports that its main buildings are unscathed. The executive director writes, “The Writer’s Retreat can definitely happen. No water went into the lodge or dining hall so no damage to either of those buildings. Please let your people know that we are good to go on our end to host your group.” (The Camp is hard at work repairing some sinkholes in the campfield.)

Finally, the inspiration: Thousands of people from across the island showed up last Sunday to help dig Waialua out. The mayor of Honolulu himself was wowed by the spirit of ‘ohana—which narrowly means “family” and “community” and more generally refers to a commitment to care for, lift up, and support one another. (The word comes from the Hawaiian word ‘oha, referring to the taro plant, our “older brother.” Just as taro roots grow together and nourish life, families and communities thrive by staying connected, sustaining one another, and making a place for everyone.)

The floods in Hawai‘i are just one example of uncertainty and strife across the globe the world. We are so lucky to have a retreat awaiting us—a safe space where we can gather, create, support each other, and do our important work. And we feel more committed than ever to nourishing our smaller ‘ohana of creative people, while also joining the larger Waialua community in imagination and resilience.

See you April 20!

03/23/2026

Aloha friends and writing ‘ohana. I am writing to report that the storms have passed, the flood waters are subsiding, and the Waialua/Mokulēʻia community is moving into recovery mode. Camp Mokulēʻia, thankfully, was mostly spared sustaining only damage to trees and a lava rock wall in the *first* storm. (See photo taken Sunday 3/22)

Meanwhile, THE WRITERS RETREAT IS ON. The Waialua moku needs our support, our creativity, and our positive energy, and that is what we will bring!

Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts, which will be needed for people who live in this special place--for months to come. See a heartbreaking *and* heartwarming report below.

Please post any questions here. If you have registered, look forward to emails soon.

--Connie

From KHON2 news on 3/23:
"Despite the devastation, the North Shore community quickly came together.

By Sunday, hundreds — possibly thousands — of volunteers lined up to help families clear mud and debris from their homes from Hale‘iwa to Mokulēʻia.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of my community,” said organizer Sean Quinlan. “All I see is people helping people.”

Organizers say the need remains urgent. Volunteers are being asked to bring pressure washers, shop vacuums, mops, squeegees, cleaning supplies and dry food. Clothing donations are not needed at this time.

Donation drop-offs are being accepted at the Waialua Community Association and the Haleiwa Distillery at the Old Sugar Mill.

Community leaders also warn recovery will take time — with many homes requiring plumbers, carpenters and electricians once cleanup is complete.

(Thank you to Vicki Romaguera for checking on the Camp and sending photos.)

03/11/2026

I'm really touched that Taylor Ann Ono of Mid-Week, a supplement of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, published such a sensitive story about the writers retreat last week. Check it out:

This full replica of our printed product provides you the newspaper as you know and love it from the convenience of the web.

03/04/2026

Remember, if you want to just dip a toe in, you can come Saturday only...

01/28/2026

One of our retreaters (2025 and 2026), Ammi Midstokke, has put together what looks like an amazing retreat opportunity, in Idaho. We have chatted quite a bit about retreats, and I consider this a kind of sister to our retreat. Check it out, and spread the word in your community!

SELKIRK MOUNTAIN WRITING RETREAT where stories become catalysts of change October 5th - 11th, 2026This is a retreat for all writers. For dreamers of sentences, for hopers of ideas, for the subtle storytellers and the powerful prose slingers. This is a retreat for would-be, wanna-be, have-been, still...

01/23/2026

We have had a strong showing of early registrants, so I invite you all to use the Comments here to introduce yourselves to each other, ask questions, seek a ride out to the Camp, etc. Can't wait to see you!

01/20/2026

Two weeks left! Early Bird pricing ends January 31 🌺

We work hard to keep this retreat as accessible as possible, and if you’ve been thinking about joining us, now is the moment to register before prices go up.

We’re grateful to see people choosing to invest in their creativity, writing, and growth — and we’d love to have you with us on the North Shore this April.

✨ Incredible faculty + a special lei-making workshop with Kumu Herman Tachera

Retreat Dates: April 20–26, 2026

Register at oahuwritersretreat.com

01/17/2026

Tamara Leiokanoe Moan is a poet and a painter who does both beautifully. At the retreat, she leads a "book art" workshop allowing word people to experiment with watercolor, paper, ribbons, stamps, and, yes, text. Here she is on January 15 reading her piece "Settlers in a New Land" at Manoa Library, along with other readers/writers from Bamboo Ridge, issue #128. (BTW, she wrote her essay at the O‘ahu Writers Retreat two years ago.)