Kauai News & Information

By Kathleen Merryman

The vog cloaked all of Hawaii as we flew in to visit our grandchildren and their parents.
The cloud of volcanic smog was born in the 4,000 tons of sulphur dioxide that Madam Pele has been blowing out of one old and one new vent on the Kilauea Volcano every day lately. When you’re the goddess who’s still summoning the lava to enlarge paradise in the midst of an ocean, you’re allowed a spate of heavy breathing. Vog’s a fact of life on the Big Island, where Pele’s been increasing the acreage around Kilauea for 20-some years.
Generally, the island keeps its atmosphere to itself. But in the middle of May, the trade winds died for a few days, and suddenly, vog was veiling Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu and Kauai.
It made the front page of the Honolulu Advertiser, in a story about what sulphur dioxide diluted with soft sea air will do to crops, the water supply, tourism and lungs.
It was the vocabulary lesson on Northwest Airlines Flight 219 on May 17, as locals explained the haze to tourists puzzled by the lack of clarity in Honolulu.
“Vog,” we said, pointing our rental car north on Kauai, the Garden Island where our granddaughter Eden and grandson Devon are sprouting like peppers.
Kauai, the sweetest of the islands, is dancing a hula in geologic time. In flames, she rose from the ocean and formed herself to catch the winds and the rains in a crater that remains the wettest place on Earth. The eldest of her sisters, she is relaxing now, and sinking. Under her mantle of soil, she is the patient island, welcoming the newly married, embracing families, and putting up with tourists.
On her slow dance downward, she is also the island of loss.
In Old Kapaa Town and at the beaches, a young man with starter dreadlocks and heartbreaking, vulnerable blue eyes smiled out of posters.
“We miss you, son,” his parents had written. “Please call us.”
The parents had come to Kauai to find the boy who had fallen out of touch. As our week passed peacefully, with grandchildren laughing in their happy family, the people tacking up the pictures grew desperate. They had to return to the mainland.
Please, they begged their boy in a second round of posters, contact them at a certain restaurant, a certain address.
Young people come to Kauai to live not just on, but with, the island, said my stepdaughter Amy the gardener and her husband, Derek, the adventure guide. Both of them had done exactly that.
But some of those young people forget that Kauai is an island in motion. Three of Amy and Derek’s friends – a couple and their infant – were washed away in a flood. An acquaintance of theirs, a baker, slipped on the black rocks of the Napali Coast, with fatal results. From time to time, young people walk out by themselves and never return.
For all her gentleness, Kauai demands toughness and resourcefulness of her people. We tourists can holo holo from beach to beach in fleets of rental cars, dropping cash as if we would never need it again. But for residents, expenses are high, and opportunities are limited.
Derek, our adventure guide, had reached as high as he was going to get looking after ziplining and kayaking tourists. Even with two part-time jobs, it was not enough on an island of star-high rents and $5 gallons of milk.
He looked into the vog, and found the change his family needed.
This summer, he will take a job managing a new adventure ranch just up the highway from where Pele is at work now, puffing out vog. The family will move to the corner of the Big Island of Hawaii with favorable winds and clear skies.
They will move to the young island where creation looks disconcertingly like destruction.
Aloha, Pele, to you and your vog.
Mahalo, Kauai. Mahalo.

As part of the continuing green movement, consumers are showing an increased interest in agriculturally-focused real estate developments, creating an experience where they can set down roots, grow and thrive–literally and figuratively. As a key example, Kealanani is a sustainable, integrated residential community situated on 2,021 acres overlooking the northeastern shoreline of Kauai, where homeowners are required to farm a portion of their land. More than 20 buyers from the U.S. and Canada have purchased at Kealanani since sales began in November.
The rise in agri-real estate is a result of the recent popularity in agri-tourism both in Hawaii and on the mainland. In recent years, travelers have sought out vacation destinations where they can visit a working farm and participate in agricultural and horticultural activities. Now, buyers want to make this a part of everyday life, whether it is starting their own tea operation or growing cacao trees. Hawaii is leading the way.
Valerie Van Balen, a Kauai local, purchased a lot at Kealanani to contribute to the island’s local food supply. She plans on growing tropical flowers and fruits including mangos and avocados. Andrew Lambden from Ontario, Canada bought four acres at Kealanani because it is “the prettiest place on earth.” Owners Kate and Dean Sullivan wanted a home that encouraged their two young sons to spend time outdoors.
“We are seeing a growing interest from buyers who want to live a more sustainable lifestyle,” says Paul Kyno, co-developer of Kealanani. “Kealanani’s purpose is to preserve Kauai’s rural heritage where homeowners can enjoy natural goodness from their own land in a beautiful and vast agrarian and equestrian community.”
Kealanani residents have access to the 14-acre Rodeo Arena Park, nine valleys, waterfalls, Kapa’a’s Stream and a 12-mile looped trail for hiking, biking and horseback riding. It will connect to a 2.5-mile pedestrian/equestrian path along the beach leading into the nearby town of Kapa’a. Other examples of agri-communities in Hawaii include Ka’anapali Coffee Farm on Maui, where each lot is a working coffee farm and on the Big Island, Waiki’i Ranch dedicates 20% of its land to an agricultural easement for recreational purposes.

It will be another voggy day today across most of the state, the National Weather Service said in its forecast.
Light south to southeast winds and Hazy conditions will continue today, forecasters said.
The development of sea breezes over most islands this afternoon will result in cloudy skies and showers, especially over interior and upslope areas.
A few of these showers may be locally heavy on Kauai, Oahu and Molokai.
Light trade winds are expected across most of the state by Friday with light to moderate trade winds returning this weekend.
Here’s a closer look at what’s heading our way during the next few days:
Today: Scattered showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Widespread haze. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Northeast wind at 5 mph becoming southwest. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tonight: Scattered showers, mainly before midnight. Widespread haze. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. North wind between 3 and 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday: Isolated showers after noon. Partly cloudy, with a high near 83. East wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Friday Night: Isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. East wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Saturday: Isolated showers after noon. Partly cloudy, with a high near 85. East wind around 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Two Hawaii beaches made the top 10 beaches list for 2008.
Hanalei Beach on the north shore of Kauai came in at number 2 while Hamoa Beach on the eastern end of Maui south of Hana came in at number 7.
The best beach this year is Caladesi Island on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida near Tampa Bay.
The list is compiled annually by Florida International University professor Stephen P. Leatherman, commonly known as Dr. Beach.

Here is this years list.

1. Caladesi Island, Fla.
2. Hanalei Beach, Hawaii.
3. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Fla.
4. Coopers Beach, Southampton, N.Y.
5. Coronado Beach, San Diego.
6. Main Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.
7. Hamoa Beach, Hawaii.
8. Cape Hatteras, N.C.
9. Cape Florida State Park, Miami.
10. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.

By Deborah Ward

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) began construction of sewer improvements at Waimea State Recreation Pier on Kaua‘i yesterday.
As part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s ongoing capital improvement program to upgrade existing state park and small boat harbor facilities, DLNR’s Division of State Parks is closing the large capacity cesspool which services the comfort station at the pier. Construction will also begin to install a sewage lift station and force main to connect with the County of Kaua‘i sewer system.
Project contractor TOMCO Corporation will excavate the open field area on the pier property and do excavation and trenching of La‘au Road for the sewer line connection.
“Waimea State Recreation Pier will remain open to the public, and the comfort station will remain open until the time of the sewer hook-up,” said Laura H. Thielen, DLNR chairperson. “We appreciate the public’s understanding as we move forward on this very important improvement project.”
The connection to the County system is expected to take an hour or two, but DLNR will have portable toilets on hand in case the connection takes a full day. This is scheduled to occur somewhere in the first half of July.
Construction activity will occur in the open field area adjacent to the comfort station, and temporary protection barriers will be used for the public’s safety. There will be some inconvenience to users of La‘au Road, however appropriate traffic control measures will be implemented.
Project completion is expected by mid-October 2008. Project cost is approximately $290,000.
Waimea State Recreational Pier is located on La‘au Road off Pokole or Moana roads from Kaumuali‘i Highway (Hwy. 50) in Waimea town, west Kaua‘i. It is open daily during daylight hours. It features ocean pier fishing and picnicking, pole fishing and crabbing. Restrooms, picnic areas, trash cans and drinking water are provided.
Waimea became an important port with Captain Cook’s visit in 1778. The original wharf was built in 1865 to compete with Koloa landing as a port of call for whaling ships.
Historically significant, the old Waimea landing first sported a pier with winches for shifting cargo from railcars to lighters out to the awaiting cargo ships anchored off-shore. Products exported from west Kaua‘i at the time were raw sugar, cattle, goats, oranges, taro, sweet potatoes, yams and rice.

An agreement between Kauai officials and Kauai’s most popular guidebook will put beach safety bookmarks in all new copies of the “Ultimate Kauai Guide,” county officials announced.
The bookmarks are part of the county’s efforts to reduce drownings on the Garden Isle.
For the past few years, the county’s Water Safety Task Force has been working to educate tourists about the dangers of Kauai’s beaches. They created Web sites, put banners up at the airport, took out full-page ads in the “Kauai Drive Guide” and made presentations to hotels and activities desks.
Kauai Fire Department Chief Robert Westerman is credited with the idea to put the bookmarks in the guidebooks. The Kauai Water Safety Task Force will get the bookmarks in all new copies of the book, county officials said.
“It’s another way to get the word out especially to visitors about the need to be careful when enjoying our beautiful beaches,” Westerman said.

All four Hawaii counties will see zero economic growth in 2008, reflecting the slowing state and national economy, according to a new report.
The effects of fewer visitors to the islands, the failure of Aloha Airlines and ATA, the departure of two interisland cruise ships and the overall slowing of economic activity will contribute to the lack of growth in Honolulu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii counties, according to the forecast by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization.
“We basically doubled the size of the drop in expected visitor arrivals statewide because of the loss of Aloha and ATA,” said University of Hawaii economist Carl Bonham, who co-authored the report with UH colleague Byron Gangnes and Hawaii Pacific University Professor Leroy Laney.
Statewide, passenger arrivals are forecast to decline 3.9 percent and visitor days — the number of arrivals multiplied by length of stay — are expected to fall 3.4 percent.
The Neighbor Islands are expected to be hit the hardest because cruise passengers made up most of the growth in the past, Bonham said. Although the ships’ departure will also affect Honolulu, it will be more pronounced on the smaller islands, he said.
Visitor arrivals are projected to fall on all islands, in particular on Kauai, which is forecast to see an 11 percent drop. However, visitor days are expected to decline by just 3.3 percent. Tourism on the Garden Isle is projected to remain flat in 2009, but begin to rise in 2010, with 4.3 percent growth projected.
The disparity between arrivals and visitor days can be attributed to the loss of the two cruise ships, since much of Kauai’s strong visitor industry performance in the past couple of years was driven by cruise passengers, Bonham said.
“Cruise visitors spend more than most people think — their daily spending, they’re shopping, they’re spending a fair amount of money on food,” he said. “The impact is certainly there.”
The Big Island of Hawaii is forecast to see arrivals go down by 9.1 percent, while visitor days are projected to decline by 5.6 percent. Visitor arrivals are also expected to rebound in 2010.
Maui County, which includes Lanai and Molokai, is projected to see a 6.5 percent drop in visitor arrivals and a 4 percent decline in visitor days. The county is expected to see a small gain next year, 1.6 percent, followed by another 2 percent growth in 2010. Visitor days will also rise slightly, but stay below their 2006 peak.
Honolulu County, which covers all of Oahu, is forecast to see a 4 percent overall decline in arrivals — including a 6 percent decline from the U.S. and Japan markets — and a 2.6 percent decline in visitor days. The report forecasts continued weakness for Oahu’s tourism market for several years, and projects that the number of visitor days in 2010 will be below their 2005 peak.
Oahu took the brunt of the loss during the last downturn, in late 2001 and 2002 after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, when the number of visitors from Japan fell sharply. The other counties fared better because their visitor base was from the Mainland, a market that rebounded fairly quickly, Bonham said.
“It is hard to get a real useful benchmark for downturns out of the post [Sept. 11] period,” Bonham said. “It was unique in a variety of ways — you had a very sharp downturn in visitors right at the same time you were experiencing an acceleration in construction activity.”
Although construction is slowing, a number of military and government projects are expected to keep the sector fairly healthy, he said.

Hilo Hattie, one of the largest retailers of Hawaiian fashions, souvenirs and gifts, has been sold to a California-based owner of a chain of hair salons.
TOC Inc. purchased the 45-year-old privately owned company for an undisclosed amount, the company said Friday.
“I have the utmost confidence in TOC Inc’s ability to successfully grow the company,” Jim Romig, founder and chairman of Hilo Hattie, said in a statement. “Ted Nelson, a principal of TOC Inc., has over a decade of experience in doing business in Hawaii and currently owns the Hawaii region of Fantastic Sams hair salons.”
Nelson is a principal in FS Hawaii Inc., which owns 18 Fantastic Sams hair salons on Oahu.
“Hilo Hattie is a strong retail company with an incredible history in Hawaii. We are truly committed to building and expanding its brand,” Nelson said.
Romig started the business in 1963 on Kauai as Kaluna Hawaii Sportswear and began manufacturing aloha shirts and other Hawaiian-themed apparel on Oahu two years later. The company was renamed Hilo Hattie in 1979, after the death of the original Hilo Hattie, entertainer Clarissa Haili.
The company today has seven stores on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island and two in Southern California. Hilo Hattie also is planning to open a new 20,000 square-foot flagship store at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center in Waikiki.
Employees were told of the sale on Friday afternoon. All retail stores and offices will continue to operate as usual, the company said.

Airports on Kauai and the Big Island will received almost $6 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Lihue Airport on Kauai will get $5.7 million in federal funding for improvements to its terminal building.
Hilo International on the Big Island will receive $189,000 to install a noise-monitoring system.
The grants are a part of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program, which provides money for planning, development and noise-compatibility projects at public airports.