Pohoiki Brouhaha

[Sam Son]

.    It was standing room only at the Pahoa Community Center for the Pohoiki Boat Ramp Draft Pre-Design Report Presentation held earlier this month, where a bevy of Oahu guys dressed in leisure wear showed up to discuss replacing the Puna landing smothered by lava four years ago.

     Things started out inauspiciously enough with emcee John K. railing against fake news by delivering, yes, fake news.  And it didn't get much more coherent.  We did learn the Limtiaco Consulting Group is not laboring on this project alone.  They have also sub-contracted AECOS, Inc., Cultural Studies Hawaii, Sea Engineering, Inc., J. Uno & Associates, Dudek, and Geolabs, Inc. to help them move a pile of rocks.

     Next up was a DLNR dinosaur who regaled the audience with folksy tales of growing up in Hilo and assured us all how much the state bureaucrats really do care about the little people of Puna.  And he was on an airplane out of here two hours later.

     Then the hired ocean engineer got up to present the facts about the Puna Coast his research had uncovered, but he looked way too much like my tenth-grade biology teacher for me to pay any attention to.  And apparently I wasn't alone, since his presentation was later critiqued as being "elementary-school reporting."  But what amazing conclusions did this marine specialist give us?  "It's a very dynamic coastline," "It's really energetic," and "The waves are big!"  These insights seemed to be major revelations to the Honolulu hodads.

     Using this expertise, the consultant has come up with three alternatives for reopening the boat ramp.  First, just scoop out a channel.  Second, scoop out a bigger channel.  And third, build a couple of jetties and scoop out in between them.  Every option has its drawbacks.  Experts and fisherman both agree that a dredged canal built without any type of reinforcement would just get filled in again, possibly within days.  And constructing jetties would cost up to $62 million and take a millennium to get the permits and financing.  So what did the consultant decide would be the best option?  He didn't have a clue.  Which is why the meeting was held in the first place.  To find out what the local community recommended so he could blame any failure on them.

     Despite it being a room chock-full of angry Hawaiians, I have to say this was one of the easiest audiences I've ever seen.  It was like an exercise in confidence building.  Every opinion was the right one!

     "Carry forth with dredging Pohoiki."  Thunderous approval.

     "Let's not rush the plan."  Cacophonous clapping.

     "Why not at least stabilize the test dredge?"  A stupefying din.     

     "Scrape the whole beach."  Roaring agreement.

     "As Pohoiki goes, oh, no trench, no dredge."   Tumultuous applause!

     It looked like so much fun I almost got in line to speak myself, but, sadly, the meeting was cut short before I could make my statements.  I can only imagine how it would have gone:  "Mayor Mitch never learned how to swim."  (The rafters shake.)  "Governor Ige talks just like Rocky the Flying Squirrel on the Bullwinkle Show."  (The concrete foundation cracks.)  "Matty K-K registered a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig as an emotional support pet."  (The louvers blow out!)

     So what do I think is going to happen at Pohoiki now?  Unless the consultant starts obeying state environmental laws and considering alternate locations, absolutely nothing.

                                            Cowabunga, Dudes!

[kalakoa]

So what do I think is going to happen at Pohoiki now?  ... absolutely nothing.

Realize this is the ideal outcome for Oahu. Better they spend that money on rail.

[randomq]

Wouldn't it make more sense to cut a channel into the flow adjacent to the beach, rather than dredge the sand?

[Obie]

It will go away on it's own if we wait long enough or if it worked like it did in the 1960 Kapaho eruption people came and hauled it all away for gardens and landscaping.

The black sand beach in front of Uncle Robert's used to be wide enough to lay on and sunbathe and swim in the water 25 years ago.

Try that now !

Maybe just bring in a herd on D10's and push it out into the ocean and speed up mother nature.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

    in the 1960 Kapaho eruption people came and hauled it all away for gardens and landscaping.

Good idea.  But if the county followed that route they would only hire one worker to collect $5 per pail, and make a profit clearing a channel.  Instead of paying multiple consultants, contractors, inspectors, project managers inflated contract awards.

[MyManao]

Unless the consultant starts obeying state environmental laws and considering alternate locations, absolutely nothing..

I hope you're right. I like that beach.

I always thought Pohoiki was too small for the amount of use dependent upon it. After the loss of Kaimu and Kalapana (1990) mixing recreation with the boating industry was already a stretch. And then, as the population grew that place had to bare an untenable load of incompatible activities for such a small place.

When the lava took that place out it was like wow, finally, now state guys can figure out a new, and viable, plan for boating in Puna. And right then it was obvious that with a little vision the waters off that side of the island could become a major contributor to the fishing industry in the state. But no, no one I've heard has brought that vision to the table. It seems the fishing guys would rather go back to the way it was, and the state, as usual, would like to study the thing to death..

As far as I can tell the answer lies in constructing a harbor, similar to Honokohau in Kona, in Kaimu. It is the one place on that stretch of coast that is already, in many ways, set up for that kind of improvement. There is a good state highway to it, a solid electrical infrastructure, and the state owns all the land that filled in Kaimu Bay.

This would not just create a boat ramp, which I would hope is the very first thing done, but also build a place for harboring boats, and creating a boat service center, with fueling, an ice house, secure parking, and all the other things the guys that fish need to make it a serious endeavor with a sustainable profit margin. Sheesh, let Suisan put a buyer there and transport the fish to town themselves. This would give the industry a chance not just to survive, but also grow. And it could be a major boon to Puna, both in jobs and growth of the community.

But, hey, I probably stepped on so many toes just saying as much that they'll be making voodoo dolls of me before the day is done. Anyways.. that's what I would suggest if it was mine to do.. but it ain't.. thankfully.

[Ccat]

I couldn’t go to this, so thanks for this report.

I think Puna needs a boat launch ramp with swimming area NOW! SOMEHOW!

I am also getting fed up. They have spent WAY too much money on doing nothing already.


Arruuugghhhh!!!

Ccat

[kalakoa]

it could be a major boon to Puna, both in jobs and growth of the community

This is exactly why it must never be allowed to happen. Puna is simply not allowed to have any kind of "jobs and growth" beyond a shopping center or similar venture that extracts wealth.

People will label this a "snarky attitude problem" but it's the truth.

[My 2 cents]

And that is the snark reality.

[TomK]

it could be a major boon to Puna, both in jobs and growth of the community


People will label this a "snarky attitude problem" but it's the truth.

Snarky isn't the right description. Overly cynical is better.