Time to begin discussing Puna lava viewing site

[MarkD]

Item 1: T-H today reports unprecedented 30-day closure as of Saturday. “The previous closure record was set in 2013...16 days.”

http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2018...usinesses/

(Closure) “has so far cost Hawaii Island more than $12.3 million in visitor spending — park visitors last year spent $455,000 each day at Big Island businesses.”

Item 2: Fissure 8 is now erupting in a fairly predictable fashion, spewing in a channelized flow toward the ocean.

Item 3: The evacuation is winding down, turning more into a re-settlement process. This opens the possibility for restricted viewing.

- - - -

Draft proposals:

1. Identify one or two properties near Pahoa or Nanawale (not Leilani) as a viewing site. Site must be amenable to building small observation tower/platform, so tourists can glimpse the fountaining.

Given the site will be distant from the fissure (1 1/2 - 3 miles??), promote night-time viewing (dusk to 10 p.m.)

2. Tourists come to site only by bus, from tour businesses that contract with the County (special permitting). No private vehicles allowed. Staff on site ensure tourists don't wander off into the bush to try to get a closer view. (Ideally property is fenced.)

3. Program begins slow, so as to not interfere with CD activities and local traffic requirements.

4. If Fissure 8 continues a predictable flow week after week and CD activities continue to slow, ramp up the viewing operations, possibly to another site closer to the fountain (with higher viewing fees).

[Punatic007]

This is too serious and tragic of an event given so many have lost homes or are living on edge in their homes or in shelters. No, this does not need to be entertainment for anyone or any tourist. The Big Island is replete with amazing tourist locations other than lower Puna.

[MarkD]

How many weeks, months or years would have to pass until such "entertainment" might be considered acceptable?

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Hot air balloons, tethered to the ground.
Less infrastructure - - not dependent on a newly built road, no tall tower required, location not as critical because a hot air balloon can rise several hundred feet in the air (tethered) for a great view from almost anywhere in Pahoa or surrounding area.

If the state interferes:

Maku'u Market Hawaiian Homeland Hot Air Balloon Lava Viewing Tours

$100 For 12 minute balloon ride
$2 For Parking

I alternate between thinking of the planet as home — dear and familiar stone hearth and garden — and as a hard land of exile in which we are all sojourners. Today I favor the latter view. The word “sojourner”... invokes a nomadic people’s sense of vagrancy, a praying people’s knowledge of estrangement, a thinking people’s intuition of sharp loss: “For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.” - Annie Dillard

[punaticbychoice]

Probably take a while for County and State to figure out who gets what.
Don't hold your breath, they'll muff this too.
After all, they can just raise taxes.
Not too creative about anything to boost the "real economy", after all,
we don't have one, and they don't want one anyway.
Upsets the political feedback loop.
Might make too many non-government employees who vote independently.[][]

[AaronM]

Wow Mark. People are still living in shelters, tents and vehicles and you think the County should spend time and money figuring out how to pander to the tourism industry?

Thanks for nothing pal.

[kalakoa]

the County should spend time and money figuring out how to pander to the tourism industry?

You do realize that tourism is the only industry we have, and that because tourism revenue is "imported", it's a net gain to our economy -- raising taxes (again) just reshuffles distribution without creating any new money.

$100 For 12 minute balloon ride

Excellent idea. If the Maku'u prototype goes well, maybe build another one closer to the lava, and charge double.

HPD has set the "lava viewing surcharge" at $500 (for those unlucky enough to be ticketed), so $100-200 is a bargain.

For that matter ... maybe set up a "designated trespass area" where tourists can see the lava and get ticketed -- if they pay their fine at the police station before leaving the island, they get a collectible "certificate of lava trespass" suitable for framing.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

"certificate of lava trespass"

And for those less bold, immediately outside the "designated trespass area" t-shirts may be purchased:

"My friends were fined for looking at the lava
But I got this t-shirt instead"

I alternate between thinking of the planet as home — dear and familiar stone hearth and garden — and as a hard land of exile in which we are all sojourners. Today I favor the latter view. The word “sojourner”... invokes a nomadic people’s sense of vagrancy, a praying people’s knowledge of estrangement, a thinking people’s intuition of sharp loss: “For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.” - Annie Dillard

[glinda]

Does anyone remember we have a summit caldera rumbling.. and evidence that such rumbles could be heralding way bigger changes?

And the years of discussion of how there really isn't enough infrastructure to evacuate people in any sort of incident that would see the current eruption increase appreciable?

Even though the people of Puna are willing to take the risk of living with an active volcano I imagine it's fair to assume many tourists would rather not get caught up in our drama. At least that's what the statistics suggest.

And besides, I kind of imagine Pahoa and the surrounding community is a sanctuary of neighborly love and concern that is special and protective of those walking around in shock that is best not overrun by rubbernecking tourists.

[alaskyn66]

Why not just lift the TFR, and let the chopper parade begin.