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aloha all,
how'zit shane, this is brad, eddie's former boss! hope you and your dad are well. from the posts i've read, sounds like shane is doing his best to find solutions to all of the questions and concerns being brought up. i've been fishing with shane's father, and if shane knows half as much about navigating the harbor on a huge swell-filled day, maneuvering through the swimmers and surfers to get to the boat ramp, he'll do just fine. i would recommend that anyone who hasn't experience the lava from the ocean take this tour. it is THE greatest experience i have ever had in hawai'i, without question. i think it is important for tourists to see why we all love the aina so, and there is no greater way to witness this, than from the sea. i wish you much luck shane, and continue taking the high road in your discussions and comments with the general public. eco-tourism is the way to go in hawai'i, and although it is not always "perfect," and you'll never please everyone, i do believe that seeing the lava and the island from the ocean is a powerful thing. everyone should witness this as i feel their respect for the aina could only grow....
aloha
Posts: 100
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I think that's how this thread got started, isn't it? Living together in harmony?
The boat ramp area was utilized by surfers as there is very little boat traffic (at least when I was there), then the smaller kids also paddle around the ramp. I personally would hestitate to leave some landing craft moored at the site to proceed on a trip on a larger cruiser (since the signs/books tell you to lock your cars) out of sight for hours. Now you want to him hire a guard to watch it, too?
It IS a publicly owned area, & not officially labeled as a swimming area (which includes surfing), so if someone is caught swimming on the approach to the ramp, the liability is with the swimmer, I think, not the boat-launcher (going in or coming out of the water). Those waves, currents and eddies probably make precise control of any craft difficult (my experience is on inland lakes, we have no tides or large waves to overcome).
Do you want to do away with the boat ramp altogether? Its too rough to be a beach! I saw plenty of tributes along that oceanside drive for deceased surfers from their loved ones - the danger is always there for that sport!
Some would enjoy seeing the shoreline without having to get wet or paddle a kayak (as we age, we don't look as svelte and aren't as agile/athletic as we were).
I was shocked at the prices for 1/2 day of fishing in Kona or the other rides.
I liked the reasonable costs at Puna (of everything) but I realize there is less "control", too. "At their own risk" really means what it says!
Whiners who complain when their back hurts after a night on the bullride at the bar don't get much sympathy from me, either! Duh!
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Shane, It is easy to see both sides here.
This is just a rambling thought from someone who doesn't have a trailered boat right now, and doesn't like to swim at boat ramps at this stage of my life (OF), but who has in many other states (it happens at a lot of them, but not at heavily used ones with ramp personnel..& ramp fees for trailering...)
I do not know the commercial load currently on the ramp, but by your own admission, you pay somewhere around $5,000 for the commercial use of the ramp for both of your boats for the year.
That is not enough to pay for much more than the general maintenance of the grounds, far less than commercial rental of a building, and far less than the cost of a lifeguard.
The county is currently spending tens to hundreds of years of your boat taxes (i.e. hundreds of thousand dollars) on the facilities at the boat ramp....unless there are hundreds of commercial users to offset this cost & pay for staffing, the monies to maintain a safe operation may just have to be part of your cost of business. If there are other commercial operators you deal with, perhaps you could form a collition to pay for safety personnel at the ramp, if not, this may need to be part of your cost of doing business in a safe & friendly way (I do not know the rate that you will charge for the larger boat, but upping it $10 a person (maybe a 10% increase) should provide you with the daily increase to pay for one to two trained safety officers for the ramp passage....Just a thought)
IDEA:I do know that in the 2 years we have lived here, the county Parks & Rec dept. has yet to have all of their Lifeguard & Water Safety Officer positions filled, and that they have even had to limit some of their activities because of the general lack of trained, available WSO personel (Sparky pool was closed over the last year & this eased the shortage a bit, but it is open again....) Perhaps you (or the boater colalition) could even look at offering 'WSO' Scholarships to increase the trained employee pool...This may make going to the county for the position a little easier...
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Ahh, but a Safety Personnel Officer could turn into a ramp-nazi! NO swimming, even if you fall in while launching your boat! Off to da pooky wid ya, wet one!
We all need to keep our aloha on this one!
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Hope eveyone had a great wet day out there.
First of nice to hear from some of our guests holahan! Great bunch of people in here raising valid concers.
As for the guard at the ramp that was a county decision made with any of our presence involved. For the whole water safety/lifeguard situation I do think it can be a positive program with proper handling. The States solution is to shut down and ticket, Im far from that or would have brought the boat down monthes ago.
A Fund will be created when we can come to an agreement that allows us to begin regular service again. It sounds so super ferryist but people were talking about a 34 ft boat here not a 50 or 60 ft. I see this fund getting pumped back into Pohoiki either through County or Private Trust? Any suggestions?
Shane Turpin
Lava Ocean Adventures
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I guess the subject was discussed at length at tonight's (November 14) meeting in Pahoa.
I originally thought that the meeting was called to get ideas on making the area safer for the general public. It then turned into a battle royal with discussion about how we are going to make it safer so a commercial operation can save a bunch of time and gas money to make more money (roughly about $3600 per trip) and throw in $200 a month to mitigate the problems. Oh yeah, I forgot about the fish. If you give fish to all the people that going like give you licking, then you better start commercial fishing again. You going need plenty fish. This is a win-lose situation and the result is that somebody is going to get hurt. Maybe an innocent swimmer. Maybe twenty four tourists. Maybe a tour operator. But you should have gotten a clear message tonight. Good idea. Wrong place. So sorry. Most of us natives have been wishing that Pele will take a rest after an unbelievable 24 year run, but guys like you wish that she keeps on going so you can make more money. Auwe. Look in the mirror. You going see one self-serving capitalist that don't really care for the beauty around him, only the money that the beauty can bring. I'm not going to wish you luck like so many others. I'm going to wish that you develop some common sense.
When they cut all the trees out down on the corner in Phiki it's upsetting. The last time I when down there and saw all the showers and parkink spaces I was sick and pissed. Can't park in under the trees no more. Where's the parking meters?
Tour boats? expansion of the ramp? a pier? a resturant, gas station(at uncle's house), a hotel, how about a seaplane?
what lystpo said, ecco (I agree)
Sorry about the typos it's late.
If you want to see the lava flow you should at least respect Pele to walk out like you would going to a church. After all you are watching the "birth of earth". It's an exceptional experience to stand on the beach where the lava is flowing into the shore break. Being in a boat bopin up and down off shore what 100ft? or up in a helicopter at 500ft? what's that the lazy person's way to get to the flow?
Don't drag tutu out there it's hot and dangerous, don't bring little babies or kids or dogs. Take a camera, don't leave any film wrapers. Pigs! can't believe the trash people leave out there. That's it, it's late a hui huo
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I'm lazy. I like to ride a boat to view the whales at Lahaina instead of swimming out to them.
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"Maybe an innocent swimmer."?????
Someone swimming where "No Swimming" signs are posted -- innocent?
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