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Hawaii Senators want state to explore interisland ferry system
HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii senators are asking the state to explore whether it's time to take another swing at creating a statewide interisland ferry system.
The Senate passed a pair of resolutions Thursday asking the state Department of Transportation to study the feasibility of building a ferry system inspired by Washington state.
Sen. Michelle Kidani says she wants to encourage cheaper options for interisland travel. She says her constituents are still asking why the state discontinued the Superferry six years ago.
The Superferry ran from 2007 to 2009 but was shut down after a judge ruled that it was unconstitutional to run the ferry without a full environmental review. It held up to 900 passengers and more than 200 vehicles.
Kidani says she envisions a smaller ferry to carry passengers, not cars.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/28767...rry-system
Not sure why they would want to explore Washington's protected-waters ferry system. Those boats would get sunk here.
Better run the numbers now while the cost of oil is down.
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Neva happen. Da water is our sacred aina. No moah ferry talk it upsets the gods.
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Virgin America starts SFO to OGG and HNL November 3rd .... a ferry and lower cost local turboprop service will compliment those new options in my book.
Remember the $29.00 inter island and $129.00 SNL fares? or the ATA/Southwest 10 trips for a 1000 coupon books?
More travel options always a good thing - just do the epa stuff first this time..is my 2 cents
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The Superferry ran from 2007 to 2009 but was shut down after a judge ruled that it was unconstitutional to run the ferry without a full environmental review.
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The irony is that all over the world, new ships are launched daily, with no "environmental reviews" and they are free to travel the world.
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Not to be off topic but....I remember $9.00 one way fares from Hilo to Honolulu on Aloha. I bought 20 of them.[8D] Getting back to topic....It will never happen. After the Superferry fiasco....no company in their right mind would invest in Hawaii inter-island ocean transport.
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Not sure who her constituents are but they don't seem to know much about the Super Ferry. For all the overblown outrage, the Super Ferry was private enterprise, no state funds were involved. It fell apart after Governor Lingle exempted it from EIS, then decided just before leaving office that was unconstitutional (bizarre stuff going on back then). The Super Ferry fell apart because the business men behind it figured on $20 per barrel oil forever. When oil went up to $100 per barrel, that sank the whole business.
Add to this the recent news that Maui wants to take money out of their economic development fund to subsidize the Moloka'i ferry:
http://www.kitv.com/news/maui-county-cou...y/32264248
Are there enough people that would support inter-island ferry if it means it needs a new state tax to subsidize it, because there are very few ferry systems that are profitable.
"Aloha also means goodbye. Aloha!"
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
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oil was not 20.00 per barrel while the ferry was running. it was around 40 at minimum. To say their plan was based on a quick dip in cheap fuel is disingenuous.
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we could use some sort of reasonably priced ferry system, that's for sure. it seems so unwise in more ways than one to be reliant solely on commercial air travel for interisland passenger transport. if we can rocket people at thousands of feet back and forth between islands, surely surface transport between islands can be more than viable.
in addition to the obvious practicalities of an alternative, i would immensely enjoy it. as a young kid i remember traveling via interisland ferry (Oahu - Maui) in the mid 70's. what a blast. ocean spray, salt air, magnificent scenery... we need a ferry again.
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The water between Maui and The Big Island of Hawai'i ,the Alenuiha'ha channel, has sometimes been referred to as one of the most dangerous channel crossing in the world.
Bordered on the Maui side by the 3000m tall Haleakala volcano and on the Hawai'i side by the massive 4100m shield volcano Mauna Kea, north eastern trade winds that get funneled thought the channel blow gusts of up to five times more velocity than the surrounding waters.
In the mid-70's I was crossing this channel in a hydrofoil out of Honolulu heading for Hilo. The seas were so rough that the foils which we were riding on got knocked down which killed the engine. We were bobbing around in very turbulent water for several minutes while the captain tried to get the engine started again. The channel is no joke. Maybe a large heavy ferry could make the crossing, but it would seldom be a pleasurable journey with people sunning themselves on deck chairs.
Anyone else make this crossing in a boat?
-Veritas odium parit”(Terence 195–159 BC))-"Truth begets hatred".
-Veritas odium parit”(Terence 195–159 BC))-"Truth begets hatred".
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It will never happen, there are too many people here who want to stop any and all progress.
A very vocal minority who are successfully imposing their ignorant luddite views on everyone else.
