Kauai News & Information

By Rob Perez

The Hawaii Superferry, which hasn’t sailed to Kaua’i since harbor protesters blocked its arrival in August, intends to resume trips there only if the community signals it wants the service restored, the company’s new chief executive said yesterday.
“We’re going to do what is right for each community,” said retired Navy Adm. Thomas Fargo, who took over Superferry’s top job last week.
The Superferry also will raise its $39 one-way fare between Honolulu and Maui to $49 on June 6. Fargo, in a telephone interview with The Advertiser, said the price is still “hugely competitive.”
Starting Friday, the Superferry will add a second roundtrip to Maui, four days a week, but it has no timeline for returning to Kaua’i, Fargo said.
If the Superferry were to get some kind of signal from the community, especially from leadership, that service is desired, the carrier would respond to the request, Fargo said.
Asked what would constitute a signal from the community, Fargo said: “There’ll be a momentum or view by the community that they would like Superferry service.” He added that he wasn’t sure how that view would be communicated.
At least one Kaua’i politician suggested that the company is still unwelcomed by many people on that island.
Sen. Gary Hooser, D-7th (Kaua’i, Ni’ihau), said the percentage of Kaua’i residents opposed to the Superferry probably hasn’t changed much and likely won’t change much until the company shows it is reliable and forthright with the community.
“The Hawaii Superferry needs to prove itself in terms of reliability, service and community commitment first, and they haven’t done that on Maui,” Hooser said. “It’s proven to be unreliable.”
Hooser also said he was unaware of the Superferry doing any significant outreach to community groups on Kaua’i over the past few months, something that will be key to repairing relations and gaining support.
Lori Abe, a spokeswoman for the Superferry, said the company is continuing to talk with community members on Kaua’i.
The company got off to a shaky start last year, dealing with legal challenges, protests, stormy seas, canceled voyages and problems with its $85 million catamaran and docking facilities. Its first voyage to Kaua’i last August was greeted by protesters on surfboards and in kayaks who blocked the entrance to Nawiliwili Harbor.
shakedown period ends
Fargo indicated that Superferry isn’t profitable now, but he said he wasn’t aware of any company that would be profitable at this early stage of its operations.
Asked if the recent change in management — Fargo replaced John Garibaldi as president and chief executive — was an indication that Superferry investors were unhappy with where the company was at this point, Fargo said the carrier had gone through an expected shakedown period and was now entering the operational phase, for which his expertise with complex maritime operations would be beneficial.
Garibaldi became vice chairman and remains as a board member.
Fargo said he would like to see the company ultimately attract a balance of cargo, passenger and vehicle business so it will become profitable.
He said the current trends are positive, with growth in passenger and vehicle traffic.
On the first weekend of his tenure, Fargo said, Superferry had 2,000 passengers on its Friday, Saturday and Sunday O’ahu-Maui trips, roughly double the previous weekend’s count. He also said the company has seen an increase in business since Aloha Airlines closed its passenger service March 31 and more recently halted interisland cargo operations, forcing customers to temporarily seek alternative ways to move their products. Aloha’s cargo service resumed after another company reached agreement to buy the business.
The turmoil in the interisland market hasn’t altered Superferry’s strategy.
“We’re going to be a success by establishing a scheduled, reliable ferry service for residents, visitors and businesses in Hawai’i,” Fargo said.

Residents who keep cabins at Kokee State Park on Kauai will be able to stay there for at least another 20 years under a bill approved by lawmakers. That meanings most of the cabins won’t open to the public. The measure attempts to end a fight between the cabin dwellers and the state. Officials wanted to force them to give up their exclusive use of cabins built on public land now that their leases are running out. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources says only about 20 unoccupied lots in Kauai’s mountainous interior will be put up for auction. People occupying 93 currently leased lots will be able to negotiate new leases for at least 20 years with the state at fair market value.

By Howard Discus

The neighbor island home sales reports from April are starting to come in. The number of sales were almost 20% less than at the same time last year. The median price fell only 7% but that means than half of the homes went for less than 400 grand. Condos also slowed but a shift of sales to Waikoloa drove up the median price. The Hawaii Information Service also issued April figures for Kauai — only 19 homes sold and 14 condos, in both cases a drop of more than half from last year. The median home price was 620 thousand, down only 15% from a year ago. The condo median fell almost 40% as sales slumped in the upscale Koloa developments. Still to come, probably later this week, stats from the Realtors Association of Maui.
Other Business Headlines: Delta Air Lines hikes to a 110-dollar roundtrip fuel surcharge on flights between Honolulu and LAX. This puts maximum coach fares to the West Coast over 14-hundred dollars

By Howard Dicus

Aloha and ATA went away at the beginning of April, so these figures are the first to show an entire month of damage to the state’s tourism industry.
Arrivals fell below 600,000, a decline from year-ago levels of 11 percent. And it wasn’t the fault of Aloha or ATA, but Japanese arrivals plunged below 100 thousand for the first time in years.
From the mainland, Kauai got almost 2,000 extra arrivals, but the other operating counties saw major declines. Oahu domestic arrivals down by 32,000 Maui and the Big Island collectively losing 30,000. The state typically assumes 15 percent of arrivals by air are returning locals. Subtract from the grand total decline in arrivals, and you get 68,000 fewer visitors in April 2008 than April 2007. The spending loss is measured in millions.

By Robert Shikina

About 20 employees were happy and ready to get down to business last night as they returned to Aloha Airlines’ cargo operation at Honolulu Airport.
Business was slowly trickling in, and two planes were expected to leave at 11:30 last night to Kona and Kauai.
Aaron Sanchez, a driver for Armstrong Produce, pulled into the parking lot of Aloha cargo, leaning out the driver’s side window waving. “Hey, what’s up?” he said to cheers from Aloha employees. “I’m glad you guys are back.”
After unloading, he said it has been a hassle for his boss since no one could handle the volume of their produce shipments. “Now that they’re back, life will be easier for Armstrong,” he said. “Less headache for us.”
Afternoon shift employees had been working for about five hours yesterday before learning about Aloha’s return to operations. They had been asked Tuesday to show up for work yesterday without knowing whether they would be paid.
“It still didn’t even sink in yet,” said Jason Takao, overnight supervisor. “The first thing that came to my mind was I get to see my friends again.”
Takao showed up several hours early for his 9:30 p.m. shift to watch the first planes take off. “Then it will probably sink in. I have a job now,” said Takao, a 17-year employee.
Clement Balboa, a part-time employee, said he is happy for the long-term workers. “Not too many companies have these kinds of people. For some reason, this bunch of people are just amazing. They stay until the end.”
He said he was willing to stay three hours past his quitting time to finish loading the planes.
Kendra Fisher, customer service agent, said, “It’s a big relief. We all grew into a big family. It’s good to see everyone again.”

A food industry official looks to the Superferry

By Tom Finnegan

Dick Botti, president of the Hawaii Food Industry Association, said his constituents are already feeling the pressure of Aloha Airlines’ cargo service shutdown in their grocery aisles, especially on Kauai.
That is why he is pushing for a return of the Hawaii Superferry to Kauai, something executives at the company would not rule out last night.
The Superferry “stands ready to help our neighbors on Maui and Kauai,” Tom Fargo, Superferry’s new chief executive officer, said in a statement last night. “Once we’ve been made aware of what those needs are, we will do everything we can to respond.”
Without the Superferry, “everybody’s going to be affected,” Botti said, “either with shortages or with higher prices.”
Starting today, companies with direct shipping of perishable goods such as bread and milk will have to pay more to bring their goods to Kauai or do without, he said. Anything with a finite shelf life that has to be rotated on a regular basis will eventually be affected by the closure, as higher shipping prices and a lack of space squeeze the market, said Botti.
“If the (Superferry) could get out there tomorrow, that would alleviate both the problems,” he added. “This is a good test for the people of Kauai (to see) what they want.”
Botti has asked every food store on Kauai that he represents to send letters to the Kauai County Council asking for its support to bring back the Superferry, which was greeted by protests last summer. He is hoping the Council, which passed a unanimous resolution in 2006 asking the Superferry not to sail without an environmental impact statement, will revisit the issue at its next meeting.
Councilman Tim Bynum, who was not on the Council when the resolution was passed, said that despite Aloha’s shutdown, the Superferry should not return until all environmental impacts have been studied and mitigated.
“Then, I think, they will find the people of Kauai more receptive,” he said. “We have very specific concerns on Kauai that other islands may not have,” such as invasive coqui frogs and mongooses.

All new homes in Hawaii will be required to have solar water heaters installed starting in 2010 under a law approved Thursday by the Legislature.
Hawaii becomes the first state requiring the energy-saving systems in homes.
Solar water heaters typically cost home buyers about $5,000 extra on their mortgage, but island residents will save thousands of dollars over the years on their electricity bills, supporters said.
“We owe to our children and grandchildren the promise of a clean and renewable energy future,” said Rep. Hermina Morita, chairwoman of the House Energy Committee. “A solar water heater mandate in new home construction … will result in greater public benefits to everyone at large.”
Solar water heaters reduce residents’ electricity costs between 30 percent and 35 percent _ up to $150 per month for a family of four on Kauai, said Morita, D-Hanalei-Kapaa. With those kind of savings, their initial expense is usually paid off in three to four-and-a-half years.
Opponents of the measure said it would unfairly drive up costs to home buyers.
Lawmakers described a government requirement for solar water heaters as a way to protect the environment, reduce Hawaii’s heavy reliance on foreign energy sources and save money.
“There are significant and quantifiable environmental benefits, energy security benefits and economic development benefits,” said Sen. Gary Hooser, D-Kauai-Niihau. “This measure lowers the net cost of home ownership and will cost nothing in terms of the state budget to implement.”
The bill passed unanimously in the House and 23-2 in the Senate. It now goes to Gov. Linda Lingle’s desk for her review.
The bill also ends current state solar tax credits beginning in 2010 worth about $2,500 in savings on purchases of solar water heaters.
Some legislators said they weren’t comfortable with a law that takes away residents’ ability to decide for themselves what kind of water heater they want to buy.
“Our country was founded on the principles of freedom and liberty,” said Rep. Colleen Meyer, R-Laie-Kahaluu. “More and more, these dictates are coming down to the people saying, ‘You have no choice anymore. You have to do what is politically correct.’”

By Dave Stancliff

Humboldt County has a laid-back reputation, but if you compare it with Kauai, it’s the difference between the Indy 500 and a foot race. The locals go to hana (work) early in the morning and by 3 p.m. are relaxing at the beautiful beaches, parks and their homes.
The moisture-laden trade winds range from soft caresses to a pounding power that carves valleys in the soft lava rock. This paradise is being threatened by developers who are destroying the groves of coconut trees and the lush green fauna around them at a rate that has the locals writing about it in the island’s daily newspaper, The Garden Island, published since 1902. (See Kauaiworld.com)
Shirley, Nanci, Larry, and I, were quickly lulled by the island’s soothing rhythms, and we gaped like carp at every new sight. Kauai has 553 square miles of beaches, rain forests, desert, mountains and plains. We did our best to see it all in seven days.
We also tried to pick up as much of the Hawaiian language as we could, constantly practicing it’s melodious sounding words. The Hawaiian alphabet has only 12 letters — five vowels and seven consonants. It’s a streamlined approach to communicating that none of us properly mastered.
Hawaiian Pidgin words and phrases greeted us at every eatery and store. Some were easy to understand and those that spoke thick pidgin did so purposely to keep their conversations private.
You also have to take in certain voice inflections and body language to determine if a person is actually a kama’aina (longtime resident.)
Because we cooked some meals at the condo, we made sure to take advantage of the local farmer’s market — the Sunshine Markets — which offered locally-grown fruits and produce throughout the week.
Pleading numerous old injuries (and my gimpy knee), Larry and I elected to sit on our okoles (rear-ends) and didn’t snorkel at Po’ipu Beach Park, but our spouses did. Shirley reported seeing some beautiful blue fish and lots of legs as she was nearly carried away to another island with the treacherous current while sightseeing.
One thing everyone should know; Not all the beaches in Kauai have lifeguards. Signs, however, warn visitors on all beaches to be careful of the dangerous riptides and undercurrents. There’s also sharp coral rock underfoot which Shirley experienced first hand (foot?) during her snorkeling tour. Later, we watched in wonder as a giant sea turtle gracefully emerged from the surf and sunned itself on the sandy shore while disregarding the stares of the beachgoers and the local volunteers who roped off an area around it for privacy.
You must see Waimea Canyon to fully appreciate the diversity of the island’s terrain. Looking at the layers of rock surrounding Waimea Canyon can give you a geological picture of the various eruptions and the lava flows that formed them. It’s greener than Arizona’s Grand Canyon and is 10 miles long, one mile wide, and more than 3,600 feet deep. We were treated to the sight of pygmy goats navigating sheer shelves while searching for food.
Among other special sightings was the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal. We took photos of one at Po’ipu Beach Park, and another at Kealia Beach. Volunteers were again posted on these beaches and immediately cordoned off an area around the seals to keep people away as the seals napped under the sun’s sultry embrace.
More than 50 movies have been filmed on Kauai. Jurassic Park was partly filmed at Manawaiopu Falls (it was also partly filmed here in Humboldt County’s majestic redwood forests). It’s a tenuous tie-in, to be sure, but when you think about the beauty we have here — and a slower way of life compared to our southern neighbors — we can claim some similarities to the island of Kauai.
Humboldt bird watchers will find Kauai is a great place to count species. From the protected Nene (they look somewhat like geese — who are state-of-the-art beggars — to the ever-present, brilliantly festooned roosters and their families, you’ll find yourself admiring this island haven for its birds and people, too. The kama’aina are quiet and gentle, wise and warm.
Final parting shots: There is a coffee plantation, but its beans don’t rival those famous Kona beans grown on the Big Island. Kauai’s best-tasting pizza is Brick Oven Pizza (on the south shore). It has license plates from cars all over the world sent in by happy customers to prove it.
As it stands, I could go on forever about Kauai, but life moves on, so Mahalo (thank you) for reading this series of columns.

To meet the growing need for public transportation on the north shore, Kauai county officials have added three new bus routes.
Officials added a morning route departing Hanalei at 7:20 a.m., an afternoon route from Kauai Community College heading out to Hanalei at 3:21 p.m., and a late afternoon route at 5:20 p.m. from Hanalei to Lihue.
“Hopefully these changes will address the growing demand for bus service on Kauai for now,” said Janine Rapozo, executive on transportation.”
Rapozo said that the Transportation Advisory Committee are in the process of evaluating ridership on all the routes.
Ridership bus passes are $15 a month and it entitles a rider to travel anywhere on the island that the Kauai Bus goes.
Individual fares are $1.50 for adults while seniors and children ages 7 to 18 pay 75 cents for one-way travel. Children six and under ride free when accompanied by an adult.
For more information on the Kauai Bus, click on the Kauai County link.

Early yesterday morning NOAA Fisheries dispatched a team of recovery experts to follow up on reports of an abandoned monk seal pup in a remote area on Kaua’i.
Spokeswoman Wende Goo said that when the team arrived they found the pup alone on the beach and estimated that the pup is a male about one to two days old. Shortly afterwards, a female and male joined the pup. Attempts to reintroduce the pup to the female were unsuccessful as she exhibited aggressive behavior toward the pup and seemed more interested in the presence of the male. This female is the same one that abandoned a pup last year at about this time in the same location. The recovery team determined that the pup, if left alone, would have no chance of survival and made arrangements to transport it to O’ahu for captive care rehabilitation. As they have done in the past, the U.S. Coast Guard provided transportation for the animal from Kaua’i to O’ahu on a C-130 early this afternoon.
Although an extreme intervention, NOAA Fisheries considers the life of each and every monk seal precious as the population continues to decline at about 4 percent per year. It is estimated that less than 1200 Hawaiian monk seals remain.
NOAA Fisheries is assembling the best team of experts available and is relying on assistance from the Marine Mammal Center, a world leader in marine mammal care and rehabilitation with lots of experience with harbor seal neonates. The Marine Mammal Center also partnered with NOAA Fisheries on the successful rehabilitation in the captive care of monk seal twins two years ago.
“We’ve never dealt with a seal this young before and are guardedly optimistic because dealing with a neonate (newborn) is tricky business. The animal will be stressed and susceptible to disease so strict quarantine measures will be observed,” said Dr. Charles Littnan, NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program.