The Gardner Pinnacles (Hawaiian: Pūhāhonu) are two barren rock outcrops surrounded by a reef and located in the Hawaiian Islands at Coordinates: 24°59′56″N 167°59′58″W / 24.99889°N 167.99944°W / 24.99889; -167.99944, 511 nautical miles (946 km; 588 mi) northwest of Honolulu and 108 miles (94 nmi; 174 km) French Frigate Shoals. The total area of the two small islets—remnants of an ancient volcano—is 5.939 acres (24,030 m2). Its highest peak has a commanding height of 170 feet (52 m). The surrounding reef has an area in excess of 600,000 acres (2,400 km2; 940 sq mi).
Gardner Pinnacles was first discovered on June 2, 1820 by the American whaler Maro commanded by Captain Joseph Allen.
The Gardner Pinnacles are home to some species of fish not found anywhere else in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and have more species of coral than two rocky neighbors to the south, Necker Island and Nihoa. Numerous insects live on the island, and a researcher claims to have found two new species of spiders here.
Since this is part of a wildlife refuge, Gardner Pinnacles is off limits to even the military, who made an unauthorized entrance once to blow off the tip of the outcrop to create an emergency helicopter landing spot. In the Hawaiian Archipelago, adjacent islands/reefs are French Frigate Shoals to the southeast, and Maro Reef to the northwest.
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“We should spend less time ranking children and more time helping them to identify their natural competencies and gifts and cultivate these. There are hundreds and hundreds of ways to succeed and many, many different abilities that will help you get there.”
—Howard Gardner (20th century)