Noted Miami, Florida Author and Historian Cesar Becerra was at Basically Books on Friday November 15, 2024 for the 100th anniversary event to discuss his book, The Kaimiloa Project, about one of the last great Pacific voyages of exploration. The ship left Hilo bound for the south seas on November 15, 1924. The SS Kaimiloa traveled the South Seas carrying Medford Ross Kellum. Principal and key research was conducted two years ago at The Bishop Museum as the Kaimiloa, funded by Medford and Elizabeth Ross Kellum brought along 6 scientists from the Bishop including noted ethnologist Kenneth Emory, and noted horticulturalist Gerrit P.Wilder. "Leaving Hilo a hundred Years ago was a mad dash race resembling today's modern day reality shows" begins Becerra who is still at work on two more books concerning the life of the ship's owner Medford Kellum "they left Honolulu on the 9th but still had nearly a week.of last minute work on the hi tech (for its time) lab for the Bishop scientists who were sent ahead to Hilo by steamer to rejoin the ship." Hilo was also the first place Becerra noticed the seeds of some drama that would follow the journey. Join Cesar as he reveals the epic story of this epic adventure around the world.
