The Garden Island

This mosaic mural on the side wall of the canoe club bldg. at Nawiliwili Harbor represents Queen Liliuokalani's reception to the island of Kauai in 1891. She was overwhelmed by the warm welcome that included many lighted torches and throngs of islanders cheering her.

For such a small island, Kauai offers so much, not the least of which is its sheer magical beauty. No wonder so many films over the years have been made here, and no wonder more and more people are coming to visit, and so many stay.

Today The Garden Island daily newspaper (tgi) reported that the number of airline flights to Kauai in 2018 has increased by more than 42-percent, Many of these flights are direct from major U.S. cities. Economically it may sound good, but the local tourist bureau and many local businesses do not view this as a positive thing. This will increase car rentals and traffic on the few roads here.  The impact will negatively effect the small, already crowded island in many ways.

Celebrities and world travelers have discovered the Garden Island and bought up key viewpoints and acreages. These include  Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg who purchased 400 acres a couple years ago on the northwest side and put a rock wall around it. Locals are curious: what's he going to do? Build? Property values are on an upward trajectory.

The state visitors council will be holding meetings in October, on Oahu, to discuss the future of the islands and their capacity for tourism. As the smallest and oldest of the primary islands, Kauai is most threatened.

I was fortunate to have visited Kauai in 1968 before the huge developments, when there was one traffic signal on the island. Even today, the community vibe is still alive. "Living here is like living in a third world country," says one woman who moved here from the mainland 15 years ago.

Things are done on Hawaiian time, which basically means "go with flow." Priorities are not so much about getting things done as going to the beach to cool off, or watching the sun rise and set, or ensuring that you are eating healthy organic food.

I feel somewhat guilty being another haole on the island, one more body, one more car on the road. We are just visitors at this point. And living in the once-small beach community of Santa Cruz, Calif. for the past forty years we understand how impacted such places can become with the changing world. We also have learned to live frugally without many of the popular "necessities." Ride a bike instead of drive your car. Watch the sunset instead of TV. Learn to play a musical instrument. The list goes on.

Storm Pounds Kauai

Barb and I at Queen's Bath. Below: Hideaways beach sketch and  photo.

The above headline appeared in the local newspaper, The Garden Island, yesterday after Monday's surprise storm. Heavy rain and strong winds pelted the island felling trees and creating flash food warnings near rivers. The Hanalei Bridge was closed at 4 pm and into the night until raging waters receded.

The rains are normal for this time of year, said one local. The high winds are not so normal and came from out of nowhere, he added. The strong winds were not predicted by weather forecasters.

Hideaways Beach

On Tuesday on the north side workers were repairing holes in roofs and cutting up fallen  trees that had crashed to the ground many creating hazards on local roads.

Barbara and I have been on the island for nearly two weeks. We are staying in a private home owned by people we met during an earlier visit. They are traveling in California and have given us a sweet deal to house sit here in Princeville. Lucky us. We are grateful, and love visiting our daughter and granddaughter who live here on the island.

Hanalei Water Quality Warning

Hanalei Bay tranquil and inviting on August 11. The following day Surfrider Kauai's Blue Water Task Force was startled when they took a reading of the water quality on the river-mouth side of the pier. The data showed a bacteria count of 24,150 parts per 100 mL, more that 24,000 parts  higher than the threshold for safe water contact. Warning signs were posted a few days later when the Hawaiian State Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the extraordinary level of enterococci bacteria, presumed to be from cesspool links along the river or a sewage spill. Carl Berg of Surfrider said his reading was "as high as I could test," the highest recording since he began testing 10 years ago. High bacteria levels were also recorded on the other side of the island at both Waimea Bay And Koloa landings where water contact warnings were posted. The lack of surf may prolong the concentration of bacteria, but in any case the situation speaks to some of the problems created by greater populations of people and the capacities of the tiny archipelago in the middle of the Pacific.