Hula Planet:What To Do In Hawaii

Oahu awash in garbage, MLK honored, whale watchers wanted, state bar rethinks rules, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric power slated, more Hawaii news

The humpback whale sanctuary is looking for volunteers to help it count whales on Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii islands. Associated Press. Federal scientists say more humpback whales means more collisions between Hawai‘i boaters and the giant endangered species. Associated Press. Medical waste and other trash continued to soil Leeward Coast beaches yesterday, washing ashore in spots farther down the shore from where the debris was initially found. Star-Advertiser . Twelve members of the mayor’s Landfill Site Selection Committee will meet this Thursday at Honolulu Hale to begin the process of recommending an alternative site to Waimanalo Gulch Landfill, which is scheduled to stop accepting solid municipal waste by July 31, 2012. KHON2. It's monthly bulky item pickup time but don't expect some of these items to go anywhere anytime soon -- the temporary landfill closure has led to refuse rejects. KHON2. Leeward beaches near the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill, including the lagoons at Ko Olina, remain closed Monday. Test results from ocean water samples taken Thursday show "very high" bacteria levels. Hawaii News Now. The temporary closure of the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill in Nanakuli has resulted in a bulky trash pile up in some Oahu neighborhoods. KITV4. The heavy rain is gone but all that water left behind is producing another problem more mosquitoes.

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Humpbacks are Back in Hawaii

Humpback whale making a splash off Hawaii's Kawaihae Harbor On October 20th, the StarAdvertiser reported the first humpback whale sighting of the season. Megan Haertling, spokeswoman for the Pacific Whale Foundation, said that Capt. Chris Howard, skipper of the catamaran Alii Nui, reported seeing a single young male whale at 9:35 a.m. This “single young male whale” was spotted about 2.3 miles off the west coast of Maui. I bet he’s waiting for the “single young females” to swim on over. If you’re going to Hawaii between now and May, keep your eyes peeled for humpbacks — especially if you’re going on a sailing excursion. Even though I’m almost 5,000 miles away from Hawaii, I am thrilled to hear the humpbacks are back in Hawaii. Whale watching is one of my favorite things to do when I visit the islands of Aloha. As you may recall, we had a little whale arrival prediction contest . . The winner predicted the arrival with uncanny accuracy. On October 1st, Jerry Sullivan said, “[T]he whales will show up off of Maui at 8:26 am October 20th, 2010”. Jerry’s prediction was only 69 minutes early. Wowza! Congratulations, Jerry. © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .

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Na Pali Snorkel Sail with Captain Andy’s

Capt Andy’s tagline is “Nobody has more fun!” Well, count me in as a believer. We had a blast on their Na Pali Snorkel Adventure . What made the trip so much fun? Our captain, Captain Trent, kept us entertained and laughing most of the way. Have you ever been to a comedy show and laughed so many times you lost count, but when the show was over, you couldn’t remember a single joke? That’s what it was like being on a Capt. Andy’s adventure with Captain Trent at the helm. Capt. Trent at the helm. On previous visits to Kauai , we took an afternoon Na Pali Coast sail , so we wanted to compare that experience to the morning sail plus get an idea of the quality of snorkeling off the coast. Well, we got to experience one of those objectives. I’ll explain more in a minute. Our excursion started bright and early with a 7:15am check in at the Port Allen Marina Center in Ele’ele. (See Google Map of this area .) Luckily, the check in office/shop offered free coffee to help wake us up. From the shop, we were lead to the catamaran by our captain. Once we were on board, we given a safety briefing and then we were off on our adventure. After we moved beyond Port Allen Harbor, a continental breakfast was served. As we headed towards the Na Pali Coast, we enjoyed seeing dolphins. Though it was the official end of humpback whale watching season, we still saw some whales. Just one of the many intriguing cliff views of the Na Pali Coast. As we approached the cliffs of the Na Pali Coast, the ooo’s and aah’s began. It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve seen that coast, the scenery still catches us off guard each time. Captain Trent knew the coast very well and was able to angle the catamaran in close for the cliffs for excellent views of waterfalls, sea caves, and lava arches. We had never been that close to the cliffs from the water and it was fantastic! With our sailing adventure being at the beginning of May, we still experienced what locals would call “Winter” surf. That meant that the surf was rocky at times, and well, the crew wasn’t able to find a safe snorkeling spot. So, darn it, we’ll just have to go back on another tour to experience some Na Pali Coast snorkeling – with twisted arms, of course. As we searched for smooth water, we were able to sail away from the coast which allowed us a broader, “bigger picture” view of the coast. Once we found a smooth patch of water, a make-your-own-deli-sandwich lunch was served. The sails were raised and we enjoyed the peaceful ride and view of the coast. Na Pali Coast In total, the sailing adventure lasted 5.5 hours. Despite the the fact that we couldn’t snorkel, we still enjoyed our time. Here’s what to know when you go: The cost of the tour is $139 for adults and $99 for children. Book online 7 days (or more) before you go and receive a $10 web discount and a a free t-shirt. This discount is currently shown on this page . Wear a swimsuit and cover up. Bring sunscreen, towel, hat or visor, and sunglasses. Take proper precautions if you are prone to motion sickness. Only one kid on our trip got motion sickness at the end of our rocky ride and I think it was because he napped the entire time. Be flexible in your expectations. As we experienced, sometimes the surf doesn’t allow you  to snorkel. We also experienced a mixture of clouds, rain, and sun. If possible ask to be on one of Captain Trent’s excursions. I’m not sure how the other captains compare, but we know Captain Trent was great. Have you been on one of Capt. Andy’s sailing or rafting adventures? How was your experience? © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .

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Lingle talks transit in Washington, Hannemann preps for state of the city, lawmakers looking for money, cetacean rehab facility opening in Hilo,…

Sunday Governor Linda Lingle met with the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to talk about Honolulu's rail project. President Barack Obama prodded states today to raise their school standards by using his best leverage: money. Sick and injured whales and dolphins will have a place to go after the Feb. 26 opening of the Hawai'i Cetacean Rehabilitation Facility in Hilo. Expect Mayor Mufi Hannemann to offer a "five-year report card" of his administration when he gives his sixth, and possibly last, state of the city address tonight on the grounds of the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center. Gambling, civil unions, banning fireworks and raiding the city's transit fund to balance the state budget all appear to be losing support at the Legislature. Perhaps it is the fiscal crisis facing the state, but it is more apparent this year that there is a lot of ignorance about just what makes the economy run. As the state's agriculture industry goes through some sour times, a relatively new crop is hoping to sweeten things up. Sugar and pineapple were once the staple crops of Hawaii's plantation era, but with these industries practically extinct, Hawaii's ag lands are now returning to a new era of small farms. As incidents of domestic violence rise statewide, East Hawaii has seen an increasing number of temporary restraining orders filed against individuals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to begin a week-long monitoring project at the old Kailua-Kona landfill March 8, sampling the air for toxic gases. Mayor Charmaine Tavares said she made an effort to cut back on out-of-state travel in 2009 because of the county's tight budget. Maui County Council members spent a total of $116,090 on travel last year, including trips to lobby the Legislature in Honolulu, meetings with council members from other counties and conferences on the Mainland. Congresswoman Mazie Hirono got a first-hand look at one of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act programs in action Saturday

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Lingle talks transit in Washington, Hannemann preps for state of the city, lawmakers looking for money, cetacean rehab facility opening in Hilo,…

Sunday Governor Linda Lingle met with the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to talk about Honolulu's rail project. President Barack Obama prodded states today to raise their school standards by using his best leverage: money. Sick and injured whales and dolphins will have a place to go after the Feb. 26 opening of the Hawai'i Cetacean Rehabilitation Facility in Hilo. Expect Mayor Mufi Hannemann to offer a "five-year report card" of his administration when he gives his sixth, and possibly last, state of the city address tonight on the grounds of the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center. Gambling, civil unions, banning fireworks and raiding the city's transit fund to balance the state budget all appear to be losing support at the Legislature. Perhaps it is the fiscal crisis facing the state, but it is more apparent this year that there is a lot of ignorance about just what makes the economy run. As the state's agriculture industry goes through some sour times, a relatively new crop is hoping to sweeten things up. Sugar and pineapple were once the staple crops of Hawaii's plantation era, but with these industries practically extinct, Hawaii's ag lands are now returning to a new era of small farms. As incidents of domestic violence rise statewide, East Hawaii has seen an increasing number of temporary restraining orders filed against individuals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to begin a week-long monitoring project at the old Kailua-Kona landfill March 8, sampling the air for toxic gases. Mayor Charmaine Tavares said she made an effort to cut back on out-of-state travel in 2009 because of the county's tight budget. Maui County Council members spent a total of $116,090 on travel last year, including trips to lobby the Legislature in Honolulu, meetings with council members from other counties and conferences on the Mainland. Congresswoman Mazie Hirono got a first-hand look at one of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act programs in action Saturday

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Whale watchers needed, governor, educators still at odds, fishermen protest, more Hawaii news

Anyone who wants to help in this year's whale count can sign up now. Federal wildlife officials were reassessing their work to try to disentangle a humpback whale off West Maui on Christmas Day, and whale expert Ed Lyman said Sunday that he believes the distressed whale will be able to survive its injuries. Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday shot down an agreement between the teachers union and education officials to end most furlough days this school year, saying it was not "fiscally responsible." If the University of Hawaii does not get pay concessions from the faculty union, layoffs and cuts in student financial aid are "potentially on the table," UH President M.R.C. Greenwood said. The University announced 3,500 professors will see a 6.67 pay cut over the next year and a half. On average the University said professors make $84,000 a year. The cut equates to $5,600 less a year. Ringing fishing bells and holding protest signs, a coalition of more than 90 boaters and fishers held a demonstration at the state Capitol yesterday against proposed state rules that they say would restrict their recreation and lifestyle. The president wrapped up about five hours of golf at the Luana Hills Country Club Monday without finishing the full 18 holes. Good riddance to 2009, a lost year. "Lucky you live Hawaii." The long-awaited completed revision of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan, which has as its goal a minimum of 35 percent diversion from the landfill and productive uses of even non-recyclable trash, was recently presented to the Kaua‘i County Council.

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Air travel smooth, smoking down, whale finally freed, First Family vacations, unions drag feet, more news

Despite increased security at airports following two scares in Detroit, many passengers arriving in Honolulu Sunday said they did not experience any unusual travel delays. The quarantine station at Honolulu Airport is seeing a lot of international passengers arriving with swine flu but no illnesses requiring quarantine or isolation, say Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials. A series of tobacco tax hikes are helping to curtail local sales of cigarettes and cigars. Businesses in Kailua said they have seen a surge in customer traffic since the first family arrived for the holidays. It seems the teachers union, along with blue-collar workers, are dragging their feet in hopes that they can make it to the finish line called the legislative session and make their case before lawmakers that they should not have to take a hit. A whale entangled in fishing gear off of Maui was freed on Christmas Day by rescuers led by the Hawaiian Islands Entanglement Response Team. Whale expert Ed Lyman of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary said he believed the team freed the whale of most or all of the material it was dragging, which included an anchor; but that he could not be sure because he didn't get a chance to look under the animal before it swam away. The Christmas shopping season was a mixed bag for Hilo merchants, some of whom did strong sales, while others are hoping for better business in 2010. As the number of homes in foreclosure grows larger and larger, so do the problems caused by an increasing number of homes sitting vacant, ownerless and uncared for in neighborhoods around Maui. Living in a grass hut, tepee or igloo may not be ideal for most people, but these structures provide the fundamental concepts of sustainable living that have been around “a lot longer than we have,” said architect and sustainability consultant Peter Arsenault.

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