Hawaiian Inter-Island Ferry Makes Maiden Voyage

[Rage for Order]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070826/ap_on_re_us/hawaii_superferry

Loaded with people paying a discount fare of just $5, the $95 million Hawaii Superferry made its maiden run Sunday with a rushed launch for a three-hour voyage to Maui — the first passenger ferry service between the islands.

Legal problems threatened to beach the giant catamaran like one of the whales that environmentalists fear it will run over, so the company moved up the debut by two days.

Before Sunday, the only way to travel among the Hawaiian Islands was with highly competitive local airlines now engaged in a fare war. Superferry sold out its first voyage in 30 minutes Saturday, offering $5 one-way fares for passengers and the same for cars. More than 400 of those aboard got right back on the Alakai for the voyage back to Honolulu.

Superferry Chief Executive John Garibaldi, who mingled among passengers, said one reason for the service was to avoid a repeat of the effect of the nation's grounded airplanes after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Then, island residents and tourists dependent on air travel were stranded for several days.


more at the link

[Rage for Order]

1. More on the environmental challenges

from the article:

The launch, originally set for Tuesday with fares 10 times that much, was moved up after the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday that the state should have required an environmental review before the Superferry started service. Three environmental groups have sued, concerned that the vessel could collide with humpback whales, spread invasive species and create long traffic delays.

A dozen protesters greeted the hundreds of enthusiastic passengers after the ferry docked at Maui's port. Among the protesters on Maui was Joyclynn Costa of Haiku, who held a sign, "Respect our home." She said the company didn't consult with Maui residents about the service, which she said will pollute island waters.

The environmentalists' attorney, Isaac Hall, said he will seek an injunction Monday to prevent the Superferry from doing business until environmental studies are completed. Environmental reviews are typically required of projects that use state money and land, such as harbors, and they can take months or even years to complete.

Superferry supporters say it is being treated unfairly because other harbor users like cruise ships didn't have to go through extensive environmental reviews. "These standards should apply to all players, not just the newest, the smallest and the most popular," said David Cole, the chairman, president and CEO of Maui Land & Pineapple Co., which invested $1 million in the ferry.

[Cha]

2. Thanks for this, Rage for Order..

my son lives on Kauai and some of them are thinking it's going to be an easy way to gets drugs camouflaged through the Islands. :( Drug trafficking made easier..

I'll have to tell him about the environmental aspect, thanks.

[Yupster]

4. I just came back from Kauai

and the locals hated the ferry coming.

There were a few main complaints.

One was traffic. The island only has one road going around it and it doesn't even go all the way around. It's kind of like a capital letter C. To get from the north to south you have to pass through Lihue where the airport is and traffic really piles up there. The paper talked about 1200 more cars coming in with the ferry.

There was also worry about crime. Not much point in stealing a car today since there's no where to go with it. Once the ferry's working you could steal a car and be off the island in an hour, with the car and any other loot.

There was worry about the amount of whales which would be killed or maimed by the ferry. There ws also worry that their bird populations may be wiped out by an introduced predator like the mongoose which lives on some of the other Hawaiin Islands.

Kauai was absolutely beautiful, but it's an island which needs to make some decisions soon. Either it must limit its number of cars or extend its roads soon and that will mean cutting down millions of trees.

BTW, as an aside, baby albatross chicks are starving to death because their stomachs are full of bic lighters and other such floating flotsum. If you smoke, stop using disposable lighters. They end up in places you don't want them to be.

[Cha]

6. Awww Yupster...thanks for those

many valid reasons why the ol' ferry is not a good thing.
I forgot he mentioned "TRAFFIC"! I lived there from '92 to '98 so I know about that "C" and I'm going back in 3 years so I'm avidly interested in all things Kauai!~

How long were you there for? Did you get to Salt Pond and Hanapepe..those are my old stomping grounds.

Thank the Universe for the Environmentalists and for your heads up on the baby albatross chicks!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. Part of the reason for the traffic is that the car rental companies don't want

any competition for the tourist dollar. They have their wish. If you want to get around on Kauai, you have to drive.

I've been to Kauai, and it seems to me that encouraging greater use of mopeds by both locals and visitors would help solve the traffic problem. The road around the island doesn't have any major hills, and the weather is almost always nice, so why not? Oh, yes, and a bus system would be simple to implement, too, since there's just one main road. Have several buses running the route in both directions so that one arrives every fifteen minutes.

I bet a lot of locals and tourists alike would go for it.

[knitter4democracy]

9. They should do what Mackinac Island did.

Get rid of cars.

They have three ferry companies from the lower penninsula and the upper penninsula, and you can come over, bring luggage, even bring your bike or a dog (on a leash and licensed), but no cars are allowed on the island. It was lovely, and we found ourselves really liking all the bikes and horses.

When we reach Peak Oil, people will be contacting the businesses up there to figure out how to keep afloat, and the island will be just fine.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. Actually, the ferry is to Maui, not Kauai

:-)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. A ferry is more environmentally disruptive than jet aircraft?

I've taken the flight from Oahu to Kauai--it lasts all of 20 minutes. It seems ridiculous to waste petroleum on such a short distance.

[Yupster]

5. Depends on how many whales

the ferry kills.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. How many whales do ferries kill in other places?

Does Alaska have a big problem with whales being killed by its inter-coastal ferries?

[MissB]

10. I've never heard of it being a problem.

But then again, I suppose there could be a couple right away but then they'd learn to stay away. Whales aren't stupid, I'd guess.

[Cha]

12. Here's an article from The Honolulu

Advertiser..
snip~
"The push for a full-scale environmental review has come largely from Neighbor Island residents, who say the potential impacts of interisland ferry service include traffic congestion around ports, the rapid spread of invasive species, ferry collisions with humpback whales, and pressure on local fishing, surfing and camping sites when people take their vehicles to other islands."

And that's just touching the surface..I have a local Kauaian right here by my computer who really wants this SUPERFERRY STOPPED!

More..
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070828/NEWS01/708280353/1001/NEWS01

[Liberal In Texas]

13. Since nobody else is posting a picture of the thing...

There.