• Mission Ocean Safety • Let’s hope the demand keeps dropping • How to achieve pride in our parks Mission Ocean Safety I’m not a surfer but I have many friends who are. There is a long history of some
• Mission Ocean Safety • Let’s hope the demand keeps dropping •
How to achieve pride in our parks
Mission Ocean Safety
I’m not a surfer but I have many friends who are. There is a long history of some tension between longboarders, shortboarders, body-surfers, boogie boarders, swimmers, snorkelers, and — most recently — stand-up surfers. All catch or interact with waves at different points and can therefore interefere with each other. Although the tension can become animated, particularly when personality or ethnic elements are added into the mix, our ocean people seem to work their way through and around these tensions without too serious strife or danger, and I have friends in all categories.
A much more significant problem is now occurring, namely some rentals companies are renting out stand-up boards (and paddles) to novices, with minimal (if any) instruction or supervision. This is in sharp contrast to our surf schools, whose instructors provide continuous supervision, and who are in fact a very welcome and significant safety presence at many of our beaches.
But the unsupervised novices out there on rental stand-up boards are not only a danger to themselves, they are a danger to others. These boards are like torpedoes, whether or not the rider has managed to stay on them, and they are a real threat to swimmers. I know of locations where swimmers have done their workout for years, and now they are fearful of the torpedoes threatening them at any moment.
The Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association doesn’t have the authority to mandate conditions to rental companies, but we can make our recommendations clear. We recommend renting fins along with every boogie board; and we recommend that stand up boards not be rented out without in-the-water observation, instruction, and supervision. We recognize the financial challenge of carrying out these recommendations, and we recognize the tough current economic conditions which make them even more of a challenge to carry out. But, our Mission is ocean safety, and we hereby ask the beach rental companies to figure out how to become partners in this Mission.
Monty Downs, M.D., Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association
Let’s hope the demand keeps dropping
Jan TenBruggencate makes a good point about the “relative performance” of Kaua‘i’s electric rates (TGI, Oct. 24), yet there is no joy in seeing other islands’ rates climb faster than ours so that the gap narrows. This simply underscores the tough patch our utilities are now navigating, since they are all stuck with high and rising fossil fuel costs.
Another measure of “relative performance” that is actually good news is this: households on each island are continuing to reduce their energy use. The average Kaua‘i household last year used only 478 kWh each month versus 511 kWh in 2006, for a drop of 6.5 percent. (I have put the data and charts for each island up on my Facebook page if you want details.)
This means that the average Kaua‘i household’s monthly utility bill went up by $43 since 2006, yet it would have gone up by $63 if households hadn’t cut back on their electricity usage.
So, that’s good news, and what’s really great is that this trend is heading downward at all, after many decades of continuous increases from one year to the next.
No one knows what’s causing this drop in demand — more efficient appliances, lower occupancy in vacation rentals, austerity-driven behavior change, or more supply from rooftop solar — yet let’s hope trend continues.
Ken Stokes, Kapa‘a
How to achieve pride in our parks
This letter was hand delivered to County of Kaua‘i Administrators on Sept. 30, 2011, with no response received.
The current Kaua‘i Park Survey being conducted at a cost of approximately $400,000 is interesting.
As Adopt a Park Volunteers with over 300 hours of volunteer work logged since July, 2011, we would like to offer our observations and suggestions regarding just the day to day Parks needs.
Problem: At most of our Parks much detail is being overlooked on a daily basis. Why?
Solution: We propose that if the County Department of Parks and Recreation begin to practice time management with the existing paid staff. If their job descriptions were honored on a daily basis and staff trained with an “eye for detail” immediately our parks would be safer, more sanitary, cleaner, and more pleasing to the users.
It is also suggested, that the appropriate County Departments receive an immediate refresher course Titled: Pride in our Parks — Value for Value, How to keep our Parks Pristine, Safe, and Risk Free.
This training could quickly improve conditions, cut down the complaints, eliminate risk for the County of Kaua‘i, and rapidly increase moral for county workers and Adopt A Park Volunteers as well.
You can see that much detail is being overlooked. Why?
If our county administrators were to take the initiative to thoroughly inspect their parks, they would be embarrassed as to the conditions. Conditions which can simply be addressed on a daily basis.
We are making ourselves available for a free preliminary consultation to the county administrators.
Be advised that this communication is written in order to raise awareness to the county officials. Millions of visitors and residents alike utilize our parks annually. If simple adjustments were made in time management and eye for detail, the County Administrators could receive great appreciation from its residents and the travel industry alike.
Regarding our camping parks, we would like an appointment to discuss with County Administrators the subject of “Citizen Park Stewards.” Riffraf is a common denominator at our parks, however it is our observation, that when “Volunteer Park Stewards take initiative to make a visible presence and share “respect” for our parks, that the riffraff and the activity of riffraf decreases. Citizens are willing now to take responsibility.
For the Love of Kaua‘i. We are here to help.
Janee Taylor, Koloa
