08-20-2009, 09:29 AM
Yes, I was not talking about any place where recent lava flow already destroyed the coral. The Native Hawaiian viewpoint may well be as you say and I will not speak for it although I would listen to it.
When it comes to tourism, snorkeling is now a bigger draw than swimming. Without coral the snorkeling is poor or useless, so definitely something to consider. Destroying any coral reef would be wrong and I would think illegal. The County cannot do just whatever it wants, as the DLNR would have its say.
But in reality it is not likely to happen.
Look at the situation in Kawaihae harbor, where the existing harbor needs assistance with keeping it dredged, but it has gotten so bad that boats can't launch there and fisherman from North Kohala are having to go to Puako to get in the water.
Our government isn't keeping the facilities we already have in functioning order, so I don't expect to see new projects, especially when they all require an EIS before beginning. Which I am fairly sure would be an issue if they were to make a passable road out to Champagne Cove over the path of the current 4WD track. (I think Carey has discussed that before.)
When it comes to tourism, snorkeling is now a bigger draw than swimming. Without coral the snorkeling is poor or useless, so definitely something to consider. Destroying any coral reef would be wrong and I would think illegal. The County cannot do just whatever it wants, as the DLNR would have its say.
But in reality it is not likely to happen.
Look at the situation in Kawaihae harbor, where the existing harbor needs assistance with keeping it dredged, but it has gotten so bad that boats can't launch there and fisherman from North Kohala are having to go to Puako to get in the water.
Our government isn't keeping the facilities we already have in functioning order, so I don't expect to see new projects, especially when they all require an EIS before beginning. Which I am fairly sure would be an issue if they were to make a passable road out to Champagne Cove over the path of the current 4WD track. (I think Carey has discussed that before.)