I've been keeping track of the Superferry kerfuffle in the hopes of riding it on my Hawaiian vacation next month. Based on articles like the one below it doesn't look like that is going to happen. In fact, the more I learn about the situation the less excited I am about the entire trip. Has Hawaii become a less welcoming place in the past few years or was I just ignorant before of the ugly anti-visitor sentiment?

http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story....e-f5c59da10ed0

Deal with it , bob.

It aint "visitors" they're against. It's mostly local families who plan to take the ferry as a day trip, not foreign or out-of-state visitors.

Ironically, many ferry protestors on Kauai and Maui moved there ffrom somewhere else themselves. But, as I said on another thread, it's ok for them to permanently move to the islands, but not ok for anyone else to visit. Hypocrites.

Anyway, don't worry. It's not anti-"visitor." It's anti- "anybody who isn't me."

bennyb,

I am truly trying to understand your argument regarding local families. I am not being sarcastic, but unless most local families have a phobia regarding flying, how is the protest a personal affront to them?

As far as a ferry going from Maui and Kauai to Oahu, well taking a car and shopping would make a lot of sense in the argument, but the protest is not coming from that argument, but the opposite.

The idea of living on Oahu and taking a week long trip with car to a neighbor island - is it that much cheaper than the rental rates?

I would understand that outer islands would fear drug trafficing, transients sleeping in their cars, and species being introduced. But when I hear that a large part of the protest is from rude and stinky protesting hippie types, well......

The whole thing is confusing, and like I've said, both sides are right in their thinking and both sides are wrong with their thinking.

I think the slow down, and make haste slowly is a good idea.

I am looking forward to my next trip to the islands and look forward to flying between Kauai and Maui when I do. I love the Hawaiian Islands now more than ever.

I agree with bennyb. The target market for the Superferry is really not tourists--it's targeted to local families....NOT local SINKs or DINKs. Many of my friends & coworkers who were planning to use it are local, they were planning to:
* Go with their car club
* Go camping/hunting with their friends & families
* Visit families on other islands for extended periods
* See other islands without having to fly due to a phobia

It's not cheaper, but there's definitely a market for it. As a tourist, you probably would not want to ride the ferry unless you are a snowbird with lots of time to kill.

The drug problem on the other islands is already there. Will the ferry make it worse? Hard for me to say--it's all theory. Maybe someone else can provide better statistics.

I can't speak for Kauai, but I used to have a client on Maui several years ago and one of the concerns was dealing with the many NIMBYs who had moved there from the mainland. Now, there is a LOT to be said for keeping the 'aina as undeveloped as possible, and I agree...but it's a hard pill to swallow when the protester has only moved here a few years ago to have his corporate breakdown, and now feels he can tell you what to do with the land. Also, the SuperFerry isn't going to bring more development to the other islands. More traffic? Probably. More development? Mmmmmmmmnnnnnnnot necessarily.

Politics aside: I work at Honolulu Harbor with an ocean view (just had to get that in, sorry!). There are a lot of ships/shuttles/ferries/etc. coming through this harbor every day and during this controversy, I have to scratch my head at why some of them should be considered any "better" than the SuperFerry.

VERY true that both sides are right and wrong, though. Very true that both sides could have handled it better.

Melissa,
What is a NIMBY? SINK? DINK?

ooooh sorry!
NIMBY = Not In My Back Yard
SINK = Single Income, No Kids (me)
DINK = Double Income, No Kids

I'm a DINK...amongst other things...

do missing links count?

Low Income aNd KidS

It's times like this that I really miss Kal around here. He would have had a field day with DINKS and SINKS!

Well said Mels!

LOL iamq - you wish you were a dink at the end of they day, but with 20 kids or so in grade school, I'm not buying it, besides isn't the other retired, or is it a semi?

Better to be a DINK then a PINK - poor income/nokids

aka - maybe you can sign up for HKNC program - Have Kids Need Cash! LOL

I always miss the Kal that I knew! Where did that guy go?

marteen is a RINK. Retired income, no kids.

Call us RINKY DINK!

Wish I'm Nearer Kaua`i (WINK);-)

That JohnD is one creative teacher!

JohnD is JINKS
John Invasion Nature Kauai Soon (just teasing )

me STINK
Substandard Tita Illiterate Numerous Kids

Well that redefines "Talk stink" and "stinkeye" !!!

Reply to kauai akamai

No jinxing please!

Indeed, we[-o< less than a fort until the reinvasion of the GardenIsle

ooh, HO!!! So is JohnD an "invasive species?" har har

USS Supership Cap'nJD MelissaHI: Resistance is futile...

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