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quote:
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.
good observation. It truly looks like LavaOcean is only thinking how to save money, and or make more money by moving his operation to the boat harbor from Hilo.
I totally spaced out the meeting. I would have liked to have gone to it. It appears a couple of fishermen called "BS" on Shane and his ideas to run his banana boat out of Pohoiki. I would have liked to have gone not to harp on Shane but tto truly get a better understanding where he is coming from. I wanna give him the benefit of the doubt, but it's hard here..
Handle every situation like a dog,If you can't eat it or hump it,piss on it and walk away...
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Support the 'Jack Herer Initiative'NOW!!
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HiloHaole's quote:
"Someone swimming where "No Swimming" signs are posted -- innocent?"
The signs that say "no swimming" refer to the immediate area around the boat ramp as Andrew Ford, enforcement officer DLNR,stated last night. That means that anyone swimming in the area past the boat ramp is innocent. But what's the big deal about being innocent? Does it matter if you're dead and innocent or dead and guilty? Drunk drivers kill innocent people all the time. Did it matter if they were guilty of not wearing their seat belts or if they were legally buckled in? I don't get your logic. If you're in favor of lava ocean running their tours at Pohoiki, just say it. Don't hide behind non-sensible reasoning.
hilohaole, yes but the whale's would perfer it if you sawm. After all if they were comming to visit you, don't you think they'd bring they're one ice cooler?
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shane i did not hear one person at the meeting in favor of your business.greed is what you are all about.you were hopping lifeguards were the answer to your problems,wrong.you bring in a boat much to big to be operated safely here,you are concerned about kids swimming in an area marked no swimming,human waste from your boat being dumped 3 miles offshore where fishermen catch fish for us to eat.how can this be good for us.bull----.you think us locals are stupid.go home boy.your not wanted here.you dont care about pohoiki,you dont care about the keiki,all you care about is putting money in your pocket.spend some time in the water with us on a rough day so you can know the feeling that your 24 passengers are going to experience the day your boat flips.we know the feeling,we have seen it happen.those 24 people dont know any better they are relying on your wisdom and experience or the lack there of based on your idiotic comments.bottom line MONEY IN YOUR POCKET AT ALL COST peoples safety mean nothing to you.i say nothing here that i wouldnt say to your face,both of them.because you are a TWO FACED person.your not doing us any favors.you know who i am and i dont hide.right is right and wrong is wrong.and you are wrong.if my name doesnt show up on my posting let me know and post a reply I WILL GLADLY respond who i am.
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i can see someone got up on the wrong side of the bed
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not the wrong side of the bed.we are talking about ocean safety.peoples lives. this is an already dangerous situation.the ocean does not discriminate.
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Well from all appearances, I was beating around the bush. This guy Lloyd says it plain and clear. This is not about profiteering. This is about being pro-active about a potentially dangerous situation. Human lives versus monetary profits. I don't think he got up on the wrong side of the bed. I think that he made his bed and can comfortably sleep in it. Can the same be said for lavaocean? Speaking of lava and ocean. Was Shane here when we lost 300 homes and 10 classic surf breaks and beaches and coconut groves? It impacted me to the nth degree and I don't take kindly to the oxymoron--lava ocean. My heart still weeps at the sight of the lava filling in Kaimu bay in October 1990. Don't fool around with Mother Nature. Respect her. Otherwise she going take care of matters in her own terms. And we all suffer for the greed of a few. The lady in the audience last night that got cut off. She was saying something simple: sometimes you just gotta listen. Don't turn a deaf ear to the voices of the natives. They have intrinstic knowledge of this place. Listen and maybe you can learn. Otherwise, you going learn the hard way. Peace.
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Aloha all,
I trust that those who attended Thursday's meeting enjoyed it. I want to re-state what I said for those who did not, and hope that there is support to relocate the ramp elsewhere.
I have been involved in boating activities since I was 10 years old, and here in Hawaii since 1982. I have been a State Boating Enforcement Officer since 1992, first with the now-defunct Marine Patrol, and now with DOCARE. I just want you all to know that I speak from a standpoint of experience.
When the Pohoiki Ramp was built there was no Hawaiian Beaches, Nanawale Estates, Leilani Estates, Ainaloa Subdivision, or HPP as we know them today. There were no Radon, Force, Boston Whaler, or 30'+ outboard powered tour boats, or outboard motors above 75 horsepower in existance. The only boats in common use back then that would have been available were small skiffs, runabouts, and canoes. Pohoiki Ramp was and is entirely adequate for those type boats. MY, HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED!!! We now see the normal use as a 24'+ fishing boat with two 100+ horsepower motors that displace 2500+ lbs. Pohoiki Ramp is not safe nor adequate for this type of use. Ask some of the folks who have been boating in East Hawaii for 10 plus years how many accidents they know of and how many boats have been lost at Pohoiki.
1. Pohoiki is statistically the MOST DANGEROUS ramp in the state, and probably one of the most dangerous in the country. This is WITHOUT any swimming in the mix.
2. The county has obviously decided to promote the area as a beach park. People that go to the park are going to be attracted to the ramp as the easiest access to the water, especially for keiki.
3. The beach park with a boat ramp located in the best/most convenient swimming access is a major conflict and a accident waiting to happen.
4. With the rapid growth of the Puna Area and the limited number of accessible ocean recreational areas, the number of boats and park users is going to continue to increase as well.
5. The DLNR Boating division has no rules in place to limit the number or size of vessels that use their facilities, and the likelihood of them implementing or changing existing rules is practically nil. I speak from long experience working with these folks. Unfortunately, as I stated with all due respect to Lava Ocean and Mr. Turpin, even though folks (and not only Mr. Turpin, id don't want to pick on any one individual here)may be in compliance with all existing laws and have all the needed permits and licenses that does not mean they are operating safely,responsibly, or that they have FULL KNOWLEDGE of the hazards inherent with operating out of a place like Pohoiki.
6. THE RAMP NEEDS TO BE RE-LOCATED!!!!!!
There are areas nearby where this could be done, but things need to begin asap as this would be a long project to get accomplished. If you are in agreement please contact Rep. Faye Hanohano and Councilwoman Emily Naole to get this underway. Hopefully the money that the DLNR Boating division wants to waste on ramp improvements could be diverted to ramp re-location instead.
Please feel free to contact me if you have constructive comments at andrew.e.ford@hawaii.gov
Mahalo, Andy Ford
Seems like it would be easier ti limit the size and numbers and types of boats as opposed to moving the problem to someone elses area.
Limit the use of the shoreline to non comercial, only private. Like you say, one of the roughest ramps, cause we are on da bottom side. Not like other side, smooth like glass Mauna Kea Beach, 8)
There are a lot of accidents waiting to happen, my question is Why are the county and state agancies waiting?
The band-aid mentality of we'll fix when it breaks? Or someone dies.
