Reliable schedule essential for ferry

One of the biggest stories of the year has been the Hawaii Superferry. It has sailed some rough legal seas, through no fault of its own, having done what the state said it had to do.
While caught in a legal crossfire, Superferry officials made a serious public relations blunder when it ran trips to Maui and tried to sail to Kauai with $5 fares – an obvious effort to drum up public support when the matter would be decided in the court.
In July 2005, the state won an early legal victory over those challenging the Department of Transportation’s waiver of an environmental assessment for $40 million in ferry-related improvements. Second Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza ruled Maui environmental groups lacked legal standing to challenge the Superferry’s interisland service. But on Aug. 23 the Hawaii Supreme Court reversed Cardoza, ruling the state was wrong to grant the waiver, and an environmental assessment was required.
It took a special session act of the Legislature to get the ferry under way. It hasn’t been an auspicious start. The rescheduled start was delayed when harbor swells put a landing barge out of service. The ferry has yet to make a run to Kauai, making it look as if protesters on the Garden Isle have more power than they should have.
Two weeks after they began service to Kahului, ferry operators canceled four trips and cited rough seas, something that is all too normal this time of year.
The Hawaii Superferry can be a valuable social and economic link between the islands, but it needs to provide reliable, regular service – summer or winter, rough seas or calm.

Permits required to set off fireworks on Kauai

Officials with the Kaua'i Fire Department are reminding residents and visitors that a permit from the fire department is required to set off firecrackers on New Year's eve.
The hours that firecrackers may be ignited are from 9 pm Dec. 31 to 1 am on Jan.1, and may only be done on private property.
Applications are available at KFD headquarters located at the Li¯hu'e Civic Center, Mo¯'ikeha Building, Suite 295. The office is open weekdays, 8 am to 4 pm.
The cost of a fireworks permit is $25, and it can be used to purchase up to 5,000 non-aerial individual firecracker units.
Only licensed pyro-technicians with proper permits are authorized to ignite aerial fireworks.
There is no limit on the number of permits an individual can obtain to buy firecrackers; however, applicants must be at least 18 years old to be issued a permit.
For more information, please contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at 241-6511.

Salt Pond in Trouble

Kauai salt-makers lobby for help to preserve a tradition
Garden Isle salt-makers say development surrounding salt patches in Hanapepe threatens the quality and quantity of their product -- and a Hawaiian tradition.
Hanapepe is home to the state's only natural salt ponds still used to make sea salt in the same fashion as ancient Hawaiians.
But salt-maker Kuulei Santos says an area between a nearby parking lot and beach was filled with old asphalt, disrupting the drainage of water to the beds.
"There's so much development going on around here that it's affecting the salt," said Santos, who is carrying on a family salt-making tradition.
Other problems include development at the neighboring Port Allen airport, erosion of Kaalani Road running alongside the ponds and mud flowing downhill from the cane fields during the rainy season.
Though listed on the State Historic Preservation Register, there are no physical structures protecting the low-lying area from the activity around it.
The salt is made from water that travels underground into wells about 4 feet deep. The salt makers transfer the water into beds made from black clay. The beds are about 4 feet by 3 feet and sun-baked. When the water crystallizes it forms salt.
State Rep. Roland Sagum (D, Niihau-Poipu-Kokee) met this week with more than two dozen residents concerned with the state of the ponds. He brought leaders of the House Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs Committee with him so they could learn about the issue.
Last year Sagum proposed an unsuccessful resolution to convene a group of interested parties to look into ways to protect the area's resources.
The measure didn't materialize, but Sagum is interested in reviving it next year.
Many in attendance said they wanted action, not talk.
But the legislators stressed that a committee would have to start the slow process of identifying the problems as well as the solutions -- and more importantly, documenting and legitimizing the anecdotal evidence.
"I hate to say this, but it's going to take some time," said committee Vice Chairman Pono Chong (D, Maunawili-Kaneohe). "You have to educate 76 people in the Legislature to get it done."

Hawaii helicopter crash victims sue

A lawsuit filed by a New Hampshire couple seriously injured in a fatal Kauai helicopter crash claims the aircraft's owner and parts manufacturer used faulty designs and substandard materials.
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Judy L. Barton, 51, of Newport, N.H., is paralyzed from the waist down following the March 11 crash. Her husband, Douglas W. Barton, 60, suffered a broken arm.
Another passenger, Michael Gershon, 60, of Walnut Creek, Calif., died in the accident.
Nearing the end of a sightseeing tour, the helicopter lost its tail rotor and entered into a tight spin, crashing into a YMCA camp, according to a preliminary report the National Transportation Safety Board.
Federal Aviation Administration records show the helicopter was built by McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems in 1987 and was owned by Smoky Mountain Helicopters Inc., doing business as Inter-Island Helicopters.
The suit seeks unspecified damages. None of the parties could be reached for comment.

Farm plants seed for diversifying crops

Tony Lydgate's roots run as deep in Kauai soil as the 200 species of plants and trees that flourish at Steelgrass Farm, the beautiful organic garden in Wailua where he lives and works.
Steelgrass Chocolate Farm Tour» Place: Steelgrass Farm, Wailua Homesteads, Kauai. Directions given at the time of booking.
For 20 years, Lydgate lived in Northern California, where he enjoyed a career as a designer of furniture, sculpture and architectural interiors.
However, he yearned to settle on Kauai, but it wasn't until 1998 that circumstances enabled him to do that and to help his children, Emily and Will, acquire the lush 8-acre parcel that has become Steelgrass Farm.
Although the property is owned by his children, it's clear that Lydgate is not "simply a hired hand" as he modestly claims. He played a major role in transforming the parcel, which at the outset was "a bad kind of jungle," he said, teeming with invasive introduced species such as lantana, christmasberry, albizia and African tulip.
Armed with chain saws, shovels and pickaxes, Lydgate, Emily, Will and some friends removed most of the existing vegetation a little at a time, every day, over two years.
"We then had this marvelous blank canvas," said Lydgate, "and when it came time to plant, we were guided by three principles. First, we wanted to supply some of our own food, so we planted a lot of fruits and vegetables. Second, we also wanted to feed our spirits, so we envisioned a lovely, tranquil environment. Third, we wanted our plantings to be useful for decorations, medicines, crafts and construction. Our goal was to create a landscape that was sustainable, edible and meditative."
THE FOCUS of this oasis is bamboo, vanilla and cacao, all of which, they believe, hold great commercial promise. It will take a few more years for those precious plantings to reach a level of maturity suitable for retailing, so the farm's main "product" now is public education -- promoting the potential of diversified, sustainable agriculture on Kauai.
"We've shared our knowledge, both successes and failures, by giving informal tours to our neighbors ever since we purchased the property," said Lydgate. "We've also held a few chocolate workshops, which featured demonstrations by a professional chocolatier from San Francisco."
Those activities evolved into the twice-weekly, 2 1/2-hour Steelgrass Chocolate Farm Tour: Chocolate from Branch to Bar, which launched in August. Hawaii is the only state in the nation where the cacao tree grows. As the tour's name suggests, it covers the spectrum of chocolate production, from growing the cacao trees to sampling the world's favorite confection, which has been touted for its health benefits as an antioxidant, mood enhancer and mild stimulant.
"We do blind tastings of 10 fine dark chocolates, including Valrhona (France), Amedei (Italy) and Dagoba (United States)," said Lydgate. "Everybody gets a pencil and paper to record their impressions of each one."
You'll also pick up fascinating tidbits about dozens of other tropical species. For example, you'll learn that steelgrass is a nickname for bamboo, a member of the grass family that's as strong as steel and widely used in construction in Asia and South America. The Lydgates recognize many other practical uses for it, including furniture, flooring, artwork and the making of musical instruments.
You'll discover there's only a one-day window to hand-pollinate the delicate vanilla flowers, which yield the fragrant bean pods that sell for between $5 and $10 each and are second only to saffron as the most expensive spice in the world.
You'll savor star fruit, strawberry guavas and Kau oranges; crush and sniff the aromatic leaves of allspice and Kaffir lime, both popular in cooking; and peel long thin strips from papyrus stalks, which the ancient Egyptians combined to make paper.
"I love the opportunity I have to share Kauai's agricultural richness with visitors and our hopes for its future," said Lydgate, who sees himself as a modern-day John the Baptist and Johnny Appleseed.
"The idea is to get people to plant a few cacao trees, vanilla plants and bamboo in their yards. Over time we'd have a lot of small farmers, which would provide protection against storm damage and mono-crop disease vulnerability."
Obviously pleased, Lydgate notes that more than 1,500 cacao seedlings from Steelgrass Farm have been planted on Kauai in the past year.
"In the future," he said, "we hope to establish a Kauai Cacao Cooperative and create a new industry here. "The Steelgrass Chocolate Farm Tour is the story of how our family realized a longtime dream about creating an environment to feed the spirit as well as the body. We hope the people who come here leave with renewed enthusiasm for doing the same in their own lives."

Harbor security zone loosened

By Chris Hamilton

The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday morning said it is lifting the Kahului Harbor fixed security zone that was put in place when Hawaii Superferry relaunched service to Maui.
Federal and state officials put the zone in place to “deter and, if necessary, respond to acts of unlawful demonstration,” according to a statement issued Tuesday by Coast Guard Port Capt. Vince Atkins.
But the Coast Guard also had said it was intended to be temporary, while enforcement officials gauged public response and would likely end soon after the large public protests against the Superferry were completed on Saturday.
“I would say this decision is a testament to the work of our county and state law enforcement partners as well as the good will and patience of the people in the community,” said Lt. John Titchen of the Coast Guard in Honolulu. “The Coast Guard recognizes that the temporary security zone prevents people from accessing the harbor for recreational reasons. And we wanted to find a more reasonable way to ensure public safety.”
Hawaii Superferry President and Chief Executive Officer John Garibaldi said he was pleased with the Coast Guard’s decision and agreed with Titchen’s reasoning.
The Alakai, a 350-foot, high-speed catamaran, will still have a 100-yard moving security zone encircling it. Those Coast Guard-enforced zones are standard for large passenger vessels.
“That is so fabulous,” said Karen Chun of Save Kahului Harbor, one of the groups to organize protests against the ferry operations. “We told them from the beginning they didn’t need to do it, and I’m thankful that they finally recognized it.”
The temporary security zone had encompassed nearly all the harbor for more than two hours every day as well as a two-mile-wide corridor into the ocean.
The fixed zone will remain on the books until Jan. 31 but will not be enforced, Titchen said. If new security problems were to pop up in the interim, the Coast Guard could have the federal zone reinstated and extended for an undetermined period of time.
“The Coast Guard is not letting its guard down,” Titchen said.
State and federal officials were reacting to the active protests held at Kauai’s Nawiliwili Harbor when the Superferry initially began service on Aug. 26 – before a Maui court restraining order blocked operations. Surfers, paddlers and swimmers in the water blocked the entrance channel to Nawiliwili, and were able to prevent the Alakai from docking on Kauai on Aug. 27. The next day, Hawaii Superferry suspended its operations to Maui and Kauai while dealing with a lengthy hearing in 2nd Circuit Court on a motion for a permanent injunction to block the ferry until an environmental assessment is completed.
After 2nd Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza granted the injunction, Gov. Linda Lingle called a special session of the Legislature, which approved a bill to allow the Superferry to run while an environmental impact statement is prepared.
“I think the predominant mood in most of the demonstrations was the frustration with the abuse of power,” Chun said. “They just went overboard for a private business and inconvenienced all of Maui for this business.”
Closing the harbor wound up having the unintended residual effect of stirring up a new wave of opposition against ferry, demonstrators said. Surfers, paddlers and fishermen who otherwise had no objections to the Alakai’s daily Oahu-Maui trips, said the harbor closing brought them out.
The shoreline and waters off Hoaloha Park were the only areas open to paddlers and swimmers while the fixed security zone was in place.
During a protest rally Saturday, two surfers allegedly cut a floating line to mark the security zone. It was the only illegal act reported during the otherwise loud but peaceful demonstration.
Superferry revived daily service to Maui on Thursday but has not yet scheduled a renewal of service to Kauai.

Grand tradition in gingerbread

For 30 years, Julia Espino McCullen has made gifts of gingerbread houses every Christmas Eve

By Betty Shimabukuro

Sure, Santa comes on Christmas Eve, but first, Grandma comes calling with gingerbread. So begins the annual tradition for Julia Espino McCullen, her kids, grandkids and great-grands.
Every year she bakes sheets of gingerbread in her Makiki home, packs them in boxes, then boards an airplane for Kauai bearing the walls and roofs of several gingerbread houses.
At the annual family gathering in Princeville on the 25th, the kids will decorate the minihomes and fill their real homes with ginger-scented holiday cheer.
McCullen's story was among the best submitted in our search for family stories that combine food with the traditions of the holidays. Many readers wrote of dishes made year after year, without which the holidays just wouldn't be the same.
Because we all know, food isn't just sustenance, it carries meaning and memories.
"Decorating gingerbread houses is a family Christmas tradition started 33 years ago when Isaac, grandchild No. 1, was 1-going-on-2-years-old," McCullen wrote. "As the family grew to nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, so did the number of gingerbread houses, and always an extra one or two for visiting friends."
On Dec. 22 each year, McCullen prepares two to three batches of dough from a 1974 Good Housekeeping recipe. The next day she rolls out the dough and bakes it, then packs the pieces into deep Liberty House gift boxes saved from before Macy's came to town. Early on the 24th she hand-carries the boxes aboard a flight to Kauai. "On Christmas Eve, when everyone is asleep, I assemble each house for each family to decorate on Christmas Day."
The decorating is a lively, competitive affair that gives the family a sense of belonging, McCullen's daughter, Donna Lei Kirkpatrick, says. "When the whole family partakes, there's a feeling of, 'This is right. This is what we are.'"

Celebrant Sprinkles Spirituality on Weddings and Funerals In Hawaii

Julie Wirtz recently returned to Kauai full-time carrying the titles of Wedding Officiant and Funeral Celebrant as she helps people by performing weddings and funerals with a spirituality that is universal in nature. For several years, she divided her time between Seattle and Kauai.
“I think people feel a spiritual connection to the natural fertile beauty of Hawaii. It’s a far cry from the busy city life they may have left behind on the mainland, so it offers more opportunity for reflection and getting in tune with their true raw feelings and what’s important in life,” Wirtz explained. “When couples choose to marry in the solitude of a quiet beach or silent forest, it’s reminiscent of a desert island, where they are removed from everything, except what is in front of them -- each other.”
In Hawaii, a legal marriage ceremony doesn’t require any witnesses, so Wirtz often conducts small intimate wedding ceremonies on a beach, in a garden, or near a waterfall. Wirtz is open to any adventurous idea.
“Kauai is such a popular destination wedding spot, most of the weddings I perform are for visitors, who are combining their wedding and their honeymoon adventure all in one. I also perform marriages for Hawaii residents who wish for something warmer and more memorable than a courthouse marriage. The ceremonies I conduct allow the couple to focus on their personal values and their own level of spirituality. Many of the weddings I conduct have a spiritual connection to nature, rather than traditional religious themes,” Wirtz explained.
“I help couples customize and personalize a wedding ceremony. One of my recent weddings had all the plans of a spiritual journey, including an eight-mile hike to the base of a waterfall. At the last minute, weather complications changed the plans and we instead chose to hike along a ridge where we could see distant waterfalls across the valley, with the mountain hidden behind the mist. Nature sometimes throws a curve ball as it did for another couple that had traveled from California to get married at sunset on a remote beach, but a sudden heavy rainstorm changed that. Instead, the couple was married in a nearby cave. This goes to show that it’s not the location, but the feelings being celebrated that are important.”
Farewells can be especially moving in Hawaii, as Wirtz recognizes opportunities to do something special.
“We do things such as throw a lei into the ocean, symbolic of the love we feel for the person, and watch it go out to sea. The tides coming in and going out have a refreshing quality as they wash away the footprints of the past, while also bringing in treasures for the future,” Wirtz said.
“One of my hopes is to remove my parents' ashes from their little boxes on the mainland and scatter them here where they wanted to be forever. For my dad, I want to hike his ashes into the Kalalau Valley, which is a 17-mile hike he attempted over and over in his last years, but never made it. For my mom, I'd scatter her ashes over the ocean during a full moon, when the moonlight shimmers on the water in the way she loved. I'm not sure if I'll make it into a ceremony or just write a little something to send around to family and friends to let them know that when they look down the valley, that's where my dad's spirit resides, and to be reminded of my mom when they see the moonlight shimmering on the ocean. I might do this on the anniversaries of their deaths since those dates are one day apart.”
Wirtz conducted many funerals on the mainland for frequent visitors to Hawaii, as their families wanted to honor loved ones and incorporate the Aloha Spirit.
“One couple had been married in Hawaii, and for them it was such a strong spiritual ceremony which emphasized their everlasting connection to each other, that when the wife died, the husband wanted to include the same style of Hawaiian spirituality into the funeral service,” Wirtz explained. “Another funeral was for a woman whose wish it was to have her friends and family witness her cremation and then scatter her ashes on the Big Island. We created a spiritual ceremony at the time of her cremation, acknowledging the transformation from her calm warm beauty in life to the moment of incineration of her body into the ashes that would be carried by her brother to the Big Island to become part of the calm warm beauty of the landscape there.”
Wirtz became a Certified Funeral Celebrant through training with the In-Sight Institute after attending funerals that were nothing more than a worship service with little mention of the deceased, offering no positive way for the family to process the grief or handle the loss.
“I serve families who choose to have a non-religious service, but wish to incorporate the personal spiritual values of the deceased. In this way, the ceremony can speak to everyone in attendance, regardless of their spiritual path or religion,” Wirtz said. “My goal as a funeral celebrant is to help those suffering a loss to gradually transform their grief into healthy memories and also demonstrate ways to perpetuate their loved one's values and passions into their every day lives. In this way, they carry the spirit of their loved one in their hearts always, and the grief is a little more bearable.”
Wirtz caters to the growing slice of the population who are forging their own personal spiritual path and often do not belong to a church.
“The clients who seek me out are generally free thinkers with very strong ethical and spiritual values. Families contact me as a Celebrant to make the funeral service into a celebration of their loved one’s life, allowing the life to become a positive inspiration to others,” Wirtz added. “Being so close to the ancient cultural ways of old Hawaii, it’s easy to visualize the advancement of humanity as we go forth, while keeping us grounded in timeless but basic needs and pleasures.”

Dollars and Cents of Superferry Delay

By Leland Kim

It was day two for the Hawaii Superferry Friday as it ramped up its long stalled service to Maui.
182 passengers and 60 vehicles made their way to Maui, and 124 passengers and 35 vehicles made the return trip to Oahu. The weekend numbers stand at about 200 passengers per trip.
Superferry executives say they plan to keep the one trip per day schedule for the time being.
As the giant catamaran is back out on the water, just how much did the months of delays cost the company?
As most of us know, the Alakai was supposed to start service over the summer. But with numerous court challenges and other hurdles, it was pushed back to this week. So are Hawaii Superferry's investors confident the ship can survive in Hawaiian waters?
The Alakai heads back to Honolulu Harbor after its second day of service to Maui. Superferry CEO John Garibaldi and members of the oversight task force team observe the activities. A law that allowed the ship to resume service during an environmental review process required the team be put in place.
"This is a step in the right direction," said Jeff Mira, a member of the task force representing Kauai businesses. "Not saying that it's right or wrong, but I think it's a step in the right direction."
State officials say Superferry executives have been cooperative all along.
"We have conditions imposed on the Superferry, and even before the conditions, they agreed to abide by certain restrictions and limitations on their operations," said Mike Formby, harbors deputy director for the Department of Transportation.
Setbacks also included a nearly four-month long delay. During that time the Superferry lost more than half a million dollars a week, or at least $7 million. Factor in lost revenue, and we're talking about tens of millions of dollars.
"It has been very damaging to the company," said Superferry CEO John Garibaldi. "But I think as we've always said, we look at Hawaii Superferry from a long-term perspective with Hawaii. We think this is an excellent opportunity."
And so do Superferry investors, especially after the recent Maui court victory.
"That gave a level of confidence to our investors, that they should remain committed," said Garibaldi.
Committed to stay in Hawaii for the long run.
Garibaldi also says the long-term goal still is to expand service to Kauai and the Big Island.

Rough Waters, Calm Protestors Greet Superferry

By Leland Kim

Quiet protests but rough seas for the Superferry's re-launch to Maui. The Alakai left Honolulu Harbor at about 6:45 am Thursday with 200 passengers and 70 cars.
That's far less than its capacity, but Thursday's Superferry story is about the scope and tone of protests on the Valley Isle.
As you may remember when the Superferry first tried to begin service back in late August, it was met with violent protests on Kauai and lawsuits on Maui.
A special session of the legislature cleared the way for it to sail after many months of legal, political and technical delays.
The Superferry's trip back to Maui was almost a non-event. No angry protests, no human blockade, and no one arrested. Still, folks came out to make their opinions heard, through hand-made signs.
On Oahu, passengers prepared to make a pre-dawn voyage on this, the second and long-delayed sailing of the Hawaii Superferry.
"I'm looking for a great trip to Maui," said Ray Kayser, a Superferry passenger who lives in Makiki. "I think this is great for Hawaii and I'm real happy about it."
The sun peeks from the horizon, as the Alakai pushes off Honolulu Harbor.
Rough waters rock the ship, making some seasick.
By mid-morning, the Superferry arrives at Kahului Harbor, to the passengers' delight.
"I honestly really enjoyed the ride, especially seeing the islands from the sea," said Ben Brookins, a Superferry passenger who is visiting from Oregon. "It was a lot of fun."
"Yeah, I look at plane tickets but I've never done a ferry before so I thought it would be fun and it was," said Tammy Chang, a Superferry passenger also from Oregon. "I plan on doing this on the way back as well."
But a different mood just outside Kahului Harbor. About a hundred protestors came out to make their voices heard.
They did it without shouting or even chanting. They let their signs speak for them.
Some protestors say their concerns go beyond the Superferry.
"It's gotten to this point here where you don't just blanket approve everybody because it's done in the past, we have to start thinking about future concerns," said David Vitarelli, a Superferry protestor who lives in Haiku, Maui.
And they hope other shipping companies will be held to higher standards.
"I think we need more caution and if anything I would say, that's an argument for tightening the environmental laws, and making them apply to more people not exempting the Superferry," said Robin Knox, another Maui Superferry protestor.
Still some passengers hope people keep an open mind.
"Just give it a chance," said Thomas Hulihee, a Supeferry passenger who lives in Manoa, Oahu. "Give it a chance before you condemn something, look at all the opportunities."
Opportunities for growth in an debate that still divides the state.
Superferry executives still won't say when service to Kauai will resume. They want to focus on Maui for the time being, to make sure things go smoothly there.
As for the other side, protestors are planning a rally at Kahului Harbor Saturday morning at nine.

Playa Del Carmen

Around Island Kauai Report on Storm Situation

By Ron Wiley

Well we may be out of the worst of it, of course Tuesday beginning at 5:00 PM, we had power outages all over the island, KIUC was working all morning long and all night long. State and County road crews working all day and all night into the morning hours and still working Wednesday.
Wednesday morning, Hanalei bridge was closed, it's now opened. We have Maluhia Road, Tree Tunnel as it's known, Tunnel Tree has been closed since Tuesday night and it remains closed. Maluhia the Tunnel Tree is one of the only two exits out of Poipu and Koloa to Kaumualii Highway and there was a traffic crash right there at the intersection Wednesday morning.
Detours are moving slowly but smoothly and this is the longest time in recent memory we had that road closed.
Electric power at the Historic County Building was not restored in time for the regularly scheduled Kauai Council Meeting. Ron Kouchi, council member, called to say the very important agenda items will be addressed at the next council meeting on December 19.
I spoke with Department of Education Bill Arakaki, our district superintendent, he told us all schools remain open and reassured parents that the schools all have power and remain a safe place for the students. School buses will be running on their usual schedule.
There's a bit of problem at Wilcox Elementary in Lihue. They don't have phone service. Parents who need to communicate with their students will have to go to the school, however, they're safe, everything is alright there.
Again, it still turned into a beautiful day, we have some of those breezes going right now. We have blue skies and white puffy clouds that look like chickens.

Foes ready for Hawaii Superferry return

By Mark Niesse

Protesters and police are preparing for a possible confrontation when the Hawaii Superferry returns to Maui this week, with some protesters talking about blocking its path, clogging traffic and facing arrest if necessary.
Inspired by successful protests in the water that stopped the ferry from docking at Kauai in August, some opponents say they may risk a clash with a heavy police force that is trying to close off most of the Maui harbor when the ferry approaches.
"All hell is going to break loose because they're angering the fishermen, the surfers, the paddlers and the small boat people," said Karen Chun, a member of the group Save Kahului Harbor. "The Superferry has misjudged Maui because we have been holding our fire."
It's unclear how many protesters are determined to pursue illegal, nonviolent actions when the 350-foot passenger and vehicle catamaran makes its initial run to Maui on Thursday.
Mainstream environmental groups and authorities are urging demonstrators to stay within designated protest areas, and a so-called "unified command" of law enforcement agencies is ready to enforce 10-year sentences and $32,500 in fines for those who violate harbor security zones.
So far, there has been less tension on Maui than on Kauai, where the Superferry still hasn't announced a return date while it tries to appease the community. More than 30 Maui residents protested Saturday in Wailuku by holding signs saying "Abuse of Power" and
"Cuz, No Take Superferry."
"We're hoping we don't have any illegal protesting or attempts to stop the ferry," said Mike Formby, deputy director of harbors for the state Department of Transportation. "We don't really equate what happened on Kauai with what we expect on Maui."
But some Maui ferry opponents say civil disobedience may be necessary to stop the ferry from ruining their pristine environment and small-town way of life. They're also concerned that it will collide with endangered whales, bring traffic jams and spread invasive species.
"People got to do what they've got to do," said Steven Hookano, a taro farmer from Maui's east side. "Everything's up in the air, and people are going to react differently."
Superferry opponents have exhausted most of their legal options.
After the Hawaii Supreme Court and a lower court ruled that the Superferry would need to complete an environmental study before it could run, the state Legislature passed a law Oct. 31 overriding the courts to put the boat back in the water.
A column published in the national magazine Surferspath.com called on protesters to "make the proper arrangements" and decide when it's "a good day to die" before risking illegal protests.
"If people are considering blocking the ferry, then they need to consider the consequences," said Jim Albertini, one of the piece's writers. He served more than a year in prison himself for a 1984 water protest against a nuclear warship docking on the Big Island. "It's a charged atmosphere, and people will be taking direct action," he said.
Peaceful demonstrations involving sign-waving and speeches are planned on Maui when the Superferry lands Thursday and again on the following Saturday.
"We will do all we can to ask people to please stay within lawful activities," said Irene Bowie, executive director for Maui Tomorrow. "If things go beyond that, we would certainly know and expect the police department to do what they have to do to ensure everyone's safety."
Law enforcement agencies won't talk about tactics, personnel or vessels they plan to deploy, but they have been coordinating efforts to make sure this protest doesn't catch them off-guard like the one on Kauai did.
It's unknown how they would safely arrest people in the water and whether they'll be armed with tasers, clubs or tear gas.
Everyone says they hope it doesn't come to that.
"We have confidence in the community of Maui that they will be civil and respectful of everyone's safety and everyone's rights," said Terry O'Halloran, director of business development for the Superferry.
The new security zone around the ferry and Maui's Kahului Harbor will be strictly enforced until fears over protest actions subside, said Coast Guard spokesman Lt. John Titchen.
Residents should be aware that this security zone is a temporary measure, and the harbor will be reopened after the Superferry establishes itself, he said.
Even some of the most extreme ferry opponents are telling demonstrators not to risk long prison sentences because they believe the Superferry will go out of business anyway.
"I've seen a mixture happen. Some people are peaceful with candlelight vigils and sign-waving, and you will also see people who are more aggressive," said John Tyler, a life guard and author of boycottsuperferry.org.

Kauai officials issue high-surf, jellyfish influx alerts

Citing potentially hazardous ocean conditions, officials with Kaua'i Ocean Safety Bureau are recommending that novice swimmers and surfers avoid getting in the water or even walking on wet sand or on the North Shore today, from Hanalei Pavilion to Ke'e Beach.
According to Ocean Safety Bureau supervisor Kalani Vierra, surf with faces as high as 30 feet have been reported on the North Shore.
Beachgoers should swim or snorkel today at other guarded beaches around the island.
OSB officials also report that several box jellyfish were found along Kaua'i's south shoreline at Po'ipu Beach today.
Signs have been posted alerting the presence of the jellyfish and officials are recommending that beachgoers stay out of the water at Po'ipu Beach.

Island hop on that first Hawaii trip: A Kauai regret

By Chris Baldwin

While planning my first Hawaii trip, I received tons of advice from people who'd been there before. Mention you're going to Hawaii and you get more unsolicited opinions than Hillary in a Iowa coffee shop.
Much of the counsel centered on whether to island hop or not. The opinions pretty much came out about 50/50 for and against.
Well, now that I'm 10 days into the trip, I say you want to hop like Paris Hilton used to for Las Vegas nightclub cameras. Maui - which is the island most people who aren't hopping spend their time - is nice. But limiting yourself to Maui really cuts down on the adventure.
I've been to the small wonders Lanai, checked out the underrated Big Island and my only regret is I didn't get to see even more. Especially missed is Kauai's reputed lush jungle scenery and its bigger-than-Lanai, smaller-than-Maui unique vibe.
The argument against island hopping is that staying in one spot allows you to see a lot more - not to mention relax more with less travel stress. You could spend 10 days on Maui alone and never come close to running out of golf courses to play and beaches to discover.
But there's too much more you're missing. Think about it this way. Even if you're coming to Hawaii from the West Coast, it's a good six-hour flight to get here. That's a trip across the country. And if you're traveling in from the East Coast - well, you're on an odyssey.
How many times can you realistically make it back, considering modern workplace schedules these days? See as much as you can - in as many different places as you can.
The flights between most islands are easy. From Maui to Lanai, it's a mere 45-minute ferry ride (though mere goes out the window when the sea's a mad drunk). And the long-awaited Superferry finally starts running this week between the Big Island and Maui.
Hop on. You won't regret it.

High Wind Warning for Kauai, Honolulu and Maui Counties

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for Kauai, Honolulu and Maui counties until 6:00 PM Wednesday.
Strong southwest winds to affect portions of the state Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday.
A vigorous storm system passing to the north will drive a cold front across the islands Tuesday and Wednesday. Strong and possibly damaging southwest winds are expected ahead of and during the frontal passage.
High wind warning in effect until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
Strong southwest winds of 25 to 40 mph with localized gusts over 60 mph will arrive on Kauai this afternoon and evening Oahu tonight and Maui County early Wednesday.
The winds will be strong enough to blow around unsecured objects like garbage cans, lawn furniture and holiday decorations. Some damage to trees can also be expected and scattered power outages are possible. Make sure you have flashlights in the event of a power failure.
A high wind warning means a hazardous high wind event is expected or occurring. Sustained wind speeds of at least 40 mph or gusts of 58 mph or more can lead to property damage.

Kauai beach-goers warned of man-of-war problem

Officials with the Kaua'i County Ocean Safety Bureau reported that a number of Portuguese man-of-war washed up on Kaua'i's southwestern beaches Friday.
Beaches affected by the influx of the stinging creatures included those at Poipu, Salt Pond and Kekaha.
Signs were posted alerting beach-goers of the presence of the creatures.
Officials recommend that residents and visitors stay out of the water at the affected beaches.