WAILUA — Heavy rainfall Monday and Tuesday led to flash flood warnings and forced many area tour companies to cancel bookings. The average December rainfall level for Lihu‘e is approximately 4.78 inches, but December 2010 experienced more than double that
WAILUA — Heavy rainfall Monday and Tuesday led to flash flood warnings and forced many area tour companies to cancel bookings.
The average December rainfall level for Lihu‘e is approximately 4.78 inches, but December 2010 experienced more than double that amount.
One of the peak seasons for kayak rentals and tours is Dec. 20 to Jan. 7, and this year’s holiday season was off to a rough start.
Kayak Kaua‘i co owner Chino Micco said, “We’re definitely in the right business for rain. Without rain, were out of business. Of course, there can be too much. It started to rain over Thanksgiving and never stopped,” he said.
“People were trying to cancel trips for sea kayaking. They were trying to call weather on us, and we’re saying no, it’s just the rivers that are overflowing. We watch the weather reports, talk to marine forecasters, and check out the doppler to see what’s happening. We’ll cancel sea trips if there’s a small craft warning.
“It’s kind of a double edged sword,” he said Thursday. “At least we have some good weather coming up. We were going gangbusters in Hanalei. There are a lot of families and groups gnawing at the bit to go out and do something.”
His outfit had to cancel river kayaking on Monday and Tuesday due to heavy rains and flash flood warnings.
“The telltale sign is the river will turn muddy and then you’ll start to see limbs and then the wave of water,” he said. “There are warning signs, but they can be subtle.” He said when in doubt, tourist should stay on the river and not to go on the trails.
As the severe weather broke Wednesday, things returned to business as usual.
Chris Chung, co owner of Duke’s Kayak Adventures in Wailua, said, “Monday, the river was 2,000 percent of the normal level. We had to cancel several tours. We were all booked, too. We were able to reschedule some but not all.”
He said rainy weather in December really isn’t all that unusual and is to be expected to some extent.
Business in general is “down a little bit” compared to last year, he said. “We spent quite a bit on advertising, and that helped.”
Kamika Smith, general manager of Smith Motorboat Services and Luaus, said 2009 wasn’t a bad year for his business; but during 2010, he had to cancel some luaus due to low booking levels. However, bookings for motorboat tours on the Wailua River have increased this year.
“People are being very careful about what they spend money on. People used to do everything on the island. Now they choose one or two things,” he said.
Because Smith’s motorboats and luau areas at Wailua Marina have covers and awnings to protect visitors from the rain, he hasn’t had to cancel and trips or events due to the weather. For the most part, he thinks visitors are taking the rain in stride.
“As long as the mouth of the river is open, it empties quickly, and we’re fine,” he said. “The county and volunteers have worked to keep the river mouth clear from driftwood and debris.”
Richard Culkin, owner of Z Tours, which does Zodiac snorkeling trips off the southern coast, said his company canceled Monday’s and Tuesday’s trip.
“The rains could’ve come at a better time, like May or September,” he said. “But it is what it is.”
Z Tours does snorkel trips near Kukui‘ula and Sheraton caverns. But swimmers, snorkelers and surfers alike faced island wide brown water warnings throughout the week due to storm water runoff and were told to stay out of the ocean.
Although the south shore doesn’t get as much intense brown water and heavy currents as other parts of the island, Culkin said, his outfit postponed trips until later in the week.
“It may not be in my best interest from a profit standpoint,” he said. “But our primary concern is safety and customer experience and aligning it with one another.”
Booking levels have been static compared to last year, he said.
Professional kayak guide Thomas Fleming of Kayak Adventures says that during his five years of experience on Kaua‘i’s rivers, he has learned that water levels can rise extremely fast.
“It can go from three feet to 15 feet in just three minutes,” he said. Fleming typically paddles with his clients two miles up the Wailua River, and then they tie the boats up and hike.
“The real trouble is when you hike into the ravine,” he said. “We have to cross a tributary by foot. What can happen is you cross, and it’s maybe two to three feet high, then the water from the storm can suddenly bring it up sometimes six to 10 feet.”
Hikers can get stuck on the opposite side of the tributary. “When we do get stranded, we’ll hike to ridgeline and arrange for DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources) to pick us up.”
US Geological Services tracks the height and rate of water passing down the Wailua River, and the graph provided on their website shows numerous dramwatic increases in the river’s discharge rates throughout the month of December, coinciding with heavy rains.
The median daily discharge rate is approximately less than 50 cubic feet per second. On or shortly before Dec. 11, the river’s volume suddenly increased to 3,000 cubic feet per second.
“Anything over 300 feet becomes a life-threatening crossing situation,” Fleming said. “Anything over 300 feet is going to be over your head. Rescue specialists don’t want to go out when it’s over 300.
“For people who are water women or men, you know what you’re doing,” he said. “If you’re a novice and unfamiliar with Hawai‘i’s terrain, take a guided tour. And when in doubt, don’t go out.”
