What's happening to Kaanapali Beach?
Oct 22nd, 2003, 06:29 AM
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The irony is that the week Kaanapali beach was named the number one beach in America for 2003 a large part of it did not exist.
Kaanapali beach and other beaches in the islands have been coming and going since before Captain Cook was in diapers. This is a natural phenomenon. The south end of Kaanapali beach will return and at some point disappear again. There will probably come a time some years down line when it is indeed gone for good at least on the south end.
Storms and probably the natural flow of the channel between Kahoolawe and Lanai work to push the sand to the north. The beach in front of the Hyatt, Marriott, Westin etc. shrinks and the beach at the Black Rock (Sheraton) end grows. This usually occurs in summer months and is naturally replenished during winter months. This year however has seen more serious erosion than in the past few years. There have been years in the past however where you would have had to jump from the beach walkway down to the beach and months later it was mostly all back.
That being said Kaanapali beach probably has had 20 to 30 percent permanent loss of beach over the last half century or so.
The development within Kaanpali itself has a lot to do with that permanent loss. There has been too much of Hawaii's coastland developed and man's attempt to keep the coastland around the developments from eroding, results in the beach itself eroding. Nature uses both the ocean and the land to replenish itself. Manmade barriers such as sandbags and seawalls prevent nature from using the land it needs for replenishment therefore, nature becomes limited to simply the ocean to use which results in not all of the sand that was washed to the north end being replenished over the winter months.
Mankind in its attempt to get as close as possible to the beach becomes a large contributor in the destruction of that beach. As the saying goes, you can't fight Mother Nature.
To answer a couple of other questions above, the flow of Kealaikahiki Channel does not affect Kapalua Bay and no, Maui does not create beaches for the sake of touirism.
Aloha
Kaanapali beach and other beaches in the islands have been coming and going since before Captain Cook was in diapers. This is a natural phenomenon. The south end of Kaanapali beach will return and at some point disappear again. There will probably come a time some years down line when it is indeed gone for good at least on the south end.
Storms and probably the natural flow of the channel between Kahoolawe and Lanai work to push the sand to the north. The beach in front of the Hyatt, Marriott, Westin etc. shrinks and the beach at the Black Rock (Sheraton) end grows. This usually occurs in summer months and is naturally replenished during winter months. This year however has seen more serious erosion than in the past few years. There have been years in the past however where you would have had to jump from the beach walkway down to the beach and months later it was mostly all back.
That being said Kaanapali beach probably has had 20 to 30 percent permanent loss of beach over the last half century or so.
The development within Kaanpali itself has a lot to do with that permanent loss. There has been too much of Hawaii's coastland developed and man's attempt to keep the coastland around the developments from eroding, results in the beach itself eroding. Nature uses both the ocean and the land to replenish itself. Manmade barriers such as sandbags and seawalls prevent nature from using the land it needs for replenishment therefore, nature becomes limited to simply the ocean to use which results in not all of the sand that was washed to the north end being replenished over the winter months.
Mankind in its attempt to get as close as possible to the beach becomes a large contributor in the destruction of that beach. As the saying goes, you can't fight Mother Nature.
To answer a couple of other questions above, the flow of Kealaikahiki Channel does not affect Kapalua Bay and no, Maui does not create beaches for the sake of touirism.
Aloha
Oct 30th, 2003, 10:01 PM
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I apologize for having posted a long description about Kaanapali Beach on October 6...and not having responded with an update until now.
I offer the following specific replies to inquiries from pspercy and Rusty:
About the beach near the Mahana...it is a bit deeper with sand than usual. In fact, just a couple of resorts to the north, at the Papakea, there was about 5-10 feet of sand...and there is usually none. There was, as of a week ago, enough sand to walk on all the way to the Paki Maui.
Rusty wanted an update on Kaanapali Beach, as of October 30: I walked past the Marriott and Kaanapali Alii this past Sunday (the 26th), and things were not quite as bleak as on October 6. The beach there was about 5-10 yards deep, varying from spot to spot, but there was enough sand to permit walking along the beach. The Alii has actually begun moving some of its sandbags forward, towards the ocean (picking up those farthest away, and restacking them closest to the ocean). Their feeling is that the sand is sloooowly returning "home."
One other item from the North side of Black Rock: A heavy rainstorm this past Tuesday night caused a slide of dirt from the paved walkway that borders the North Kaanapali golf course, right along the shoreline. That walkway is now in danger of being undermined if further erosion occurs. This location is about 30-50 yards south of the Eldorado beach cabana. In fact, the entire wide sandy beach that used to be here was already eroded this past summer; however, the remaining packed dirt between the ocean and the paved walkway (which leads to the Royal Lahaina resort) is now considered at risk to erosion if a storm causes big enough swells. One can only guess at how secure the beach cabana is from serious damage.
I offer the following specific replies to inquiries from pspercy and Rusty:
About the beach near the Mahana...it is a bit deeper with sand than usual. In fact, just a couple of resorts to the north, at the Papakea, there was about 5-10 feet of sand...and there is usually none. There was, as of a week ago, enough sand to walk on all the way to the Paki Maui.
Rusty wanted an update on Kaanapali Beach, as of October 30: I walked past the Marriott and Kaanapali Alii this past Sunday (the 26th), and things were not quite as bleak as on October 6. The beach there was about 5-10 yards deep, varying from spot to spot, but there was enough sand to permit walking along the beach. The Alii has actually begun moving some of its sandbags forward, towards the ocean (picking up those farthest away, and restacking them closest to the ocean). Their feeling is that the sand is sloooowly returning "home."
One other item from the North side of Black Rock: A heavy rainstorm this past Tuesday night caused a slide of dirt from the paved walkway that borders the North Kaanapali golf course, right along the shoreline. That walkway is now in danger of being undermined if further erosion occurs. This location is about 30-50 yards south of the Eldorado beach cabana. In fact, the entire wide sandy beach that used to be here was already eroded this past summer; however, the remaining packed dirt between the ocean and the paved walkway (which leads to the Royal Lahaina resort) is now considered at risk to erosion if a storm causes big enough swells. One can only guess at how secure the beach cabana is from serious damage.
Nov 9th, 2003, 12:26 PM
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Nov 10th, 2003, 06:37 AM
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Thanks, Pspercy. The situation on Kaanapali does not look like it is improving any. When I was there in May 2003 the beach was noticeably a lot narrower than it had been in December 2001, from the south end all the way to Whalers Village but I did not anticipate that it would get this bad.
I have never seen anything like this since I first set foot on Kaanapali about 25 years ago. Has anybody seen it this bad before ?
I have never seen anything like this since I first set foot on Kaanapali about 25 years ago. Has anybody seen it this bad before ?
Nov 18th, 2003, 04:48 PM
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Not having been to Maui before (so I don't know where it's at in relation to other hotels), how does this effect the "beach" in front of the Westin? We'll be there in two weeks and was just wondering.
Nov 18th, 2003, 05:18 PM
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Ischrage, see the posts under "Maui Trip Report" of Nov. 17 for information on the beach in front of the Westin. It appears that the beach in that area has all but disappeared. However, the beach widens only a few hundred feet north in front of Whalers Village and The Whaler Condo. The Westin is still a great location !!
Dec 16th, 2003, 05:36 PM
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Are you sure that the recent erosion of Kaanapali Beach is normal? Do you mean that sandbags are used on the beach every year and palm trees fall into the ocean every year on Kaanapali. I have never seen this before.
Dec 18th, 2003, 06:06 AM
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Jan 24th, 2004, 11:50 AM
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Hi,
Just wondering how the erosion affects the beachfront outside of the Hyatt. My fiance and I are staying there in August for part of our honeymoon. I know the beach isn't great there, but how far of a walk is it to a nicer stretch?
Just wondering how the erosion affects the beachfront outside of the Hyatt. My fiance and I are staying there in August for part of our honeymoon. I know the beach isn't great there, but how far of a walk is it to a nicer stretch?
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