LIHU‘E — There isn’t a rental car to be had on the island, something usually unheard of in mid-November. And despite rumors that no outbound flights are available before Wednesday, the Hawaiian Airlines website on Saturday showed ample flights from
LIHU‘E — There isn’t a rental car to be had on the island, something usually unheard of in mid-November.
And despite rumors that no outbound flights are available before Wednesday, the Hawaiian Airlines website on Saturday showed ample flights from Lihu‘e to Honolulu on Monday, with one-way coach fares ranging from $63 to $138.
Additional speculation is that anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 people are expected to navigate the one-lane bridge over the Hanalei River to attend today’s 11 a.m. memorial service for Andy Irons, 32, three-time Association of Surfing Professionals world champion.
Irons, of Hanalei, was found dead Nov. 2 in a Dallas-area hotel. The cause of his death is being investigated.
Today’s service at Waioli Beach Park (Pine Trees) on Hanalei Bay, site of some of Irons’ memorable shredding, is to include an honorary paddle-out to pay tribute to his legacy.
County officials said the park is expected to be crowded, with limited parking in the area. They said traffic in and out of Hanalei will likely be heavy also.
Memorial organizers have arranged for parking at and shuttle service between Waioli Park on Kuhio Highway (adjacent to the Hanalei Community Center and Waioli Hui‘ia Church) and the beach park.
With the shortage of rental vehicles, the Tamba Surf Company stretch sport-utility vehicle/limousine has been pressed into frequent shuttle duty, as the surfing world’s elite arrive on the island for the services.
It is Billabong, an Irons sponsor, listed on county permitting paperwork as insured under the requisite liability insurance necessary for the rental of various county facilities for the memorial.
Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. has waived all charges normally associated with park rentals.
Kaua‘i Police Department officers will be controlling and directing traffic to allow motorists to flow as smoothly as possible, said Mary Daubert, county public information officer.
Some beach-access roads will be closed to allow access for emergency vehicles, ADA (federal Americans with Disabilities Act) parking and for turnaround purposes, she said.
A condition of the county permit is also that ADA rules be followed in terms of accommodating those with disabilities.
The memorial is being managed by Irons family members and friends, with support from the county and state, said Daubert.
The county park-permitting paperwork warns that alcoholic beverages are not allowed in county parks between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
It was the calm before the storm Saturday in Hanalei, as residents spruced up their yards in advance of the expected onslaught.
“Today is a peaceful day,” said one resident on Saturday, admitting he had mowed his lawn in anticipation of thousands of visitors to Hanalei town today.
Asked if town merchants were anticipating the visitors leaving behind some of their hard-earned, he said he’s sure they would rather have Irons still among them than be benefiting financially from his death.
Irons was on a layover in Dallas on his way back to Kaua‘i, returning from Puerto Rico, where he was supposed to compete in the 2010 Rip Curl Pro Search. He withdrew, however, saying he had become ill, before being found lifeless and alone in a Dallas hotel room.
See a special section in today’s paper devoted to the world’s most famous Kauaian.
• Paul C. Curtis, assistant editor and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.
