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No safe access
Suggestion for Harry Kim:
Kehena Beach Safe Access Elevator
* Feasibility Study
* Engineering Study
* EIS and related
* Winning contractor with lowest bid submits proposal for an all steel elevator, which will constantly rust next to ocean, requiring regular maintenance schedule and never ending parts replacement
* Construction project
* Two permanent County jobs upon completion, one worker at the top, one worker at the bottom
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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never ending parts replacement
Parts to be ordered from mainland as needed, requiring extensive elevator downtime.
Will also need ADA-compliant restrooms, along with a large water tank (and regularly scheduled water deliveries) for the flush toilets.
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Byron at Aloha Fitness told me he was in deep trouble there. The waves were too big and crashing into the rocks looked suicidal. He fought to get closer to shore, and he was running out of strength. This from a very strong swimmer too. All of a sudden, he saw a possible opening in the wave action, and made a beeline for shore. He got out of the water, crawled up the beach, and just laid there for what seemed like an hour, happy to be alive.
I understand that Shipman Beach can be very dangerous also. I've been there, but didn't go into the water.
Jon in Keaau/HPP
Jon in Keaau/HPP
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Shipman Beach can be very dangerous also.
Shipman is relatively safe of the Pahoa side of the bay. It’s protected by a line of rocks that breakup larger waves. It is rather shallow however, depending on high & low tides.
People who prefer swimming in deeper water do so on the Hilo side of the bay, but that’s where it opens directly into the ocean. The waves can surge in, then currents carry swimmers out. That’s what causes the drownings at Shipman Beach.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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If we're talking dangerous beaches now, be sure to add Waipio Valley beach into the mix. Big Island is a wild and rugged place.
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Puna needs another Ahalanui Park-type swimming site built. This is an exceedingly difficult thing for the county and state to do. They rarely build things of this nature; the last notable project was Oahu's Ko Olina lagoons and that was privately developed.
Government agencies need a site to do one of these projects, in baby steps.
There is a perfect location: Onekahakaha in Hilo. This park is one of the 3 primary ocean rec sites in Hilo. (Everything inside the breakwater is of dubious value due to poor water quality, excepting canoe paddling.) Richardsons is by far our best swimming site. 4 miles (Carlsmith) is passable, but subject to brackish water.
Onekahakaha is well developed, but essentially just a giant keiki pond/lagoon. Probably spanning 2 acres, the area is seldom deeper than 3 feet (tide dependent)--poor for adult swimming.
Notably, the site has been modified with giant boulders placed on the natural rock barrier. It is a very safe; the usual liability issues in creating a new swimming site ought to be non existent here. Complications are minimal.
Pick one corner of the pond, (maybe on the breakwater side) dig it out to 8 foot depth, say 60 by 125 feet and there you go. Both keiki and adults now have ocean water to recreate.
Going through the mechanics of permit application and devising a construction plan will give the county and state confidence and experience to eventually proceed with something in Puna--hopefully.
Even if the latter does not materialize, the project is of big value to East Hawaii. Richardsons is intensely crowded now....
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Ah, I live right there . Where are all of these people going to park ?
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A perennial problem, I agree. But of the 3 parks, isn't Onekahakaha the largest, with some room to expand parking?
I just Google-Earthed the park, it has a lot of room, though construction in a coastal zone would likely be an impediment.
No easy answers here--East Hawaii Island ought to have adequate coastal recreation. We do not--not remotely.
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Mahalo Nui Loa for the 3 new warning signs posted at the head of the trail to Kehena. Perhaps it will give pause especially to those unfamiliar with the dynamic nature of the waters even on apparently calm days. Not as cool as Elysian's original sign but still appreciated.
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Can't help but wonder why the county has never posted an official warning sign at Kehena top of trail.
https://hioceansafety.com/understanding-...ing-signs/
