Island Breath: Superferry Demo on Maui

www.islandbreath.org

SUBJECT: SUBJECT: KAHULUI DEMONSTRATIONS

SOURCE: DICK MAYER dickmayer@earthlink.net

POSTED: 16 DECEMBER 2007 - 9:00am HST
Mahalo Kauai anti HSF support

image above: Kauaians Andrea Brower, Katy Rose and Hale Mawae were on Maui for HSF demo

by Dick Mayer on 14 December 2007 on Thursday, December 13, 2007

Mahalo Kaua'i for sending some of your best to help us on Maui on Thursday, December 13, 2007. These guys rode the ferry and unfurled a 14'x16' banner from its railing with the state motto, "Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono" which translates to "The Life/Sovereignty of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness".

SUBJECT: SUBJECT: KAHULUI DEMONSTRATIONS

SOURCE: ANDREA BROWER andreanoelani@yahoo.com

POSTED: 14 DECEMBER 2007 - 5:15am HST
Riding the Spooker-Ferry

image above: Kauaians unfur banner with state of Hawaii motto. All Photos by Brad Parsons

by Andrea Brower on 13 December 2007

Aloha kakou,
In a press interview today, Girabaldi urged protesters to ride the Superferry and experience all its wonders for themselves. Rather than having you all suffer through the same nauseating experience that I did, I will pass on my story of riding the Spooker-Ferry.

Katy Rose, Hale Mawae and I decided to ride the ferry in order to protest in solidarity with Maui and stage a peaceful banner drop while on board. We arrived at Honolulu Harbor at 5:30 am, and were greeted by 30-40 protesters (Mahalo Aunty Terri, Kyle, and everyone else who helped get people out so early). Upon check in, all three of us were informed that we had been "randomly" selected for full security searches (including pat-downs). To our knowledge, not one other person was searched. It seemed to us that as long as you hadn't been pre-identified as anti-superferry/ pro-aloha 'aina, you were allowed to walk right on with absolutely no screening.

Although every mainstream media outlet that I have seen so far claims that there were 200 passengers on board, all three of us counted somewhere between 50-70. Of these passengers, about half were affiliated with the media. We also suspect that of the remaining 30-40 "real" passengers, many were SF employee friends and family. One Oahu protester that we talked to observed that cars were actually driving in, pretending to drop off passengers, then driving out. HSF Corporation was obviously trying to stage a grander first day back in service than it could pull off.

I don't get sea sick. I love the feeling of rocking around to the motion of the waves--it usually puts me right to sleep. But I got sick. In fact, so did just about everybody on board. Every time I used the toilet there were remnants of someone else's breakfast. The place wreaked of puke. An old lady was lying on the floor of the women's bathroom. Every single person I talked to felt ill. One picture in the Honolulu Advertiser shows passengers sprawled out on the booth seats, supposedly taking nice naps. In actuality, we were keeled over in pain.

We all breathed a heavy sigh of relief when the ferry finally slowed down to enter Kahului Harbor. There were protesters in the water, on the beach, and stretched along the highway. Hale said a beautiful pule, and the three of us let down a 16 by 14 foot banner that read "ua mau ke ea o ka 'aina i ka PONO?" Maui protesters on the beach said that they could hear us chanting the state motto over and over, until Hale, so overcome with emotion, broke into tears. A ferry employee did force us to remove the banner, but he was kind about it. In fact, I should mention that all of the ferry employees treated us very warmly, even after we dropped the banner.
We met many beautiful people on Maui.

I can thank the superferry for new friends on other islands, and for sparking a Hawai'i-wide movement to aloha 'aina.

Superferry’s return to Maui:
met with noisy but peaceful protesters
By Chris Hamilton and Melissa Tanji on 13 December 2007 in Maui News

No violence. No arrests. Just some extra traffic and a lot of passionate anti-ferry pleas greeted the Hawaii Superferry’s arrival Thursday morning at Kahului Harbor.

And, the passengers from Oahu arrived on Maui with something other than the experience of riding the first commercial relaunch of the 350-foot Alakai. A number of them had upset stomachs. However, even the few of those from Oahu who reported suffering seasickness said the three-hour voyage to Maui was worth it.
On land, about 150 peaceful yet noisy demonstrators were not so accommodating to the Superferry.

The groups were split between the beach at Kahului Harbor and Kaahumanu Avenue, where passengers who brought their vehicles spilled onto Kahului roadways. The protesters were kept at a distance by a half-dozen U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Land and Natural Resources boats, rigid-hull inflatables and at least one personnel watercraft. A Coast Guard helicopter hovered overhead.
When the ferry entered the harbor -- which was under a temporary security zone, except for about 200 yards from the beach near Hoaloha Park -- it was met by two banner-bearing protesters on surfboards and another two in canoes. However, the protesters all stayed outside of the restricted area of the harbor, and they even chatted politely with Coast Guard personnel in the water.

Near street corners, a few dozen protesters carried signs saying, "Impeach (Gov. Linda) Lingle" and ’’Boycott the Superferry." A handful of demonstrators also shouted "go home" to Alakai passengers in their cars and trucks.

One passenger retorted, "Get a job," as he swung onto Kaahumanu Avenue from its intersection with Puunene Avenue.

None of the protesters approached the cars coming off of the Superferry or banged on their windows, as happened in August during protests at Nawiliwili Harbor on Kauai.

Thursday’s rally was organized by the Kahului Harbor Coalition and the Surfrider Foundation.

"We are concerned about the marine environment and the illegal implementation of new technology without proper study first," said Brooke Porter of the Pacific Whale Foundation, who was one of about 10 protesters who entered the water.

The Waiehu resident jumped into Kahului Harbor with her surfboard and held a sign saying "Save the Whales, Skip the Superferry."

"I don’t think anyone would change the law if I got arrested," Porter joked, noting how the Legislature called a special session to overturn court rulings allowing the Superferry to operate while an environmental assessment is conducted.

Protester Heather Ganancial of Haiku held and sign and yelled "a’ole Superferry" at motorists coming off of the Alakai and onto Puunene Avenue.

She said she believes the Superferry will have a negative impact on the islands.
"I just want to say a’ole Superferry," she said.

Ganancial was among protesters who lined a portion of Puunene and Kaahumanu avenues Thursday morning.

The crowds meeting Superferry passengers included a small group of ferry supporters who said the protesters did not represent everyone on Maui.
"We think it’s a great thing for Maui," said Toni Carvalho, who was greeting those coming off the boat with smiles and a sign saying "aloha."

By 11:20 a.m., the Superferry was under way, leaving behind a 5-foot wake as it shot out of Kahului Harbor with its Coast Guard escorts. Within 15 minutes, nearly all of the crowds were gone as well. Many of them said they were heading back to work.

A second, larger "Rally for Maui" is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Kaahumanu and Puunene avenues, said Irene Bowie, executive director of Maui Tomorrow, one of the environmental groups to mount successful legal challenges to the Superferry operating without an environmental assessment.
In August, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled the state Department of Transportation erred by waiving a requirement to do an environmental assessment that was triggered by $40 million in ferry-related harbor improvements. Second Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza followed the high court’s ruling with a restraining order blocking the ferry from entering Kahului Harbor. He later ruled an environmental assessment would need to be done before the ferry resumed operations.

That led to a special legislative session in which lawmakers and Lingle eventually enacted a law to allow the Superferry to operate while an environmental review of harbor improvements is being done.

Superferry critics have maintained interisland service will bring more people, traffic and invasive species to Neighbor Islands while jeopardizing endangered humpback whales that spend winter months in Hawaiian waters. Ferry supporters want an alternative mode of transportation.

SUBJECT: SUBJECT: KAHULUI DEMONSTRATIONS

SOURCE: JONATHAN JAY jonathan@DAkauai.com

POSTED: 13 DECEMBER 2007 - 1:00pm HST

Kahului Ti Party Invitation

image above: graphic by Jonathan Jay. Click on image for bigger version to printout

by Jonathan Jay on 11 December 2007

Aloha ! Your Mission, should you choose to accept it, is to walk up and down Pu'unene Avenue, pressing the "WALK" buttons, and legally crossing as many of the 8 intersections, as many times as ppossible, as slowly and as safely as possible in support of OPERATION OVERLOAD. Make sure to eat a healthy breakfast, wear some comfortable walking kine slippers, and be sure to SHOW UP ON TIME A 0900 HRS. Bring your phone and digital camera to document anything "interesting" - you are your own News Network - you can make the news and then report it, just like the big boys do in the real world!

SUBJECT: SUBJECT: KAHULUI DEMONSTRATIONS

SOURCE: JONATHAN JAY jonathan@DAkauai.com

POSTED: 9 DECEMBER 2007 - 9:30am HST

New Guidelines for Operation Overload

image above: Updated Kahului Harbor map by Jonathan Jay. Click on it to enlarge.

by Juan Wilson on 9 December 2007

It appears that god or the spirits intervened and used the weather to postpone the scheduled arrival of the Superferry to Maui. North swells have made landing at Kahalui Harbor impossible during the first half of December. See "Kahalui Swells".

The current date for resumption of HSF service to Maui is December 13th and the "Operation Overload" strategy is scheduled for that morning at 9:00am.

Roy Asher and other members of the Kauai Police department Unified Command "demonstration" team were went to Maui for the last scheduled arrival to monitor the effectiveness of various Maui harbor activities by anti-ferry activists. Those KPD officers will certainly be undercover in their civvies.

image above: Roy Asher at Superferry gate on August 26th anti-ferry demonstration

Roy was coordinator for KPD Unified Command efforts, so if you Maui guys see him at you demonstration, give him a big "Aloha Roy!" from us here on Kauai.

by Lanny Sinkin on 1 December 2007

While there is no minimum speed limit on Maui, there is the following county law:

County Code 10.36.120 B provides that the operator shall not operate a motor vehicle at such a low speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when so directed by a police officer, or when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation, or in compliance with law.

Of course, if there are lots of people walking around demonstrating their displeasure with the arrival of some obnoxious boat escorted by war ships, "reduced speed is necessary for safe operation." Or if there is a traffic jam caused by lots of people driving into the area to simulate the impacts of the boat, reduced speed is necessary because there is a traffic jam. Or if there are lots of police and military around trying to do whatever it is they do best, be extra respectful of their presence and drive extra safely to protect them.

So be prepared to drive safely, sloooowly, and legally in the midst of the circus.

by Wendy Raebak on 30 November 2007 wendywailua@gmail.com

Lanny, I would add to that list, "bring your cell phone and make sure
you have contact numbers for other people there to consult with as the
event unfolds." and "bring food and water" and "bring good music to
counteract boredom."

SUBJECT: SUBJECT: KAHULUI DEMONSTRATIOS

SOURCE: JONATHAN JAY jonathan@DAkauai.com

POSTED: 29 NOVEMBER 2007 - 10:00am HST

Rally For Maui – Let Your Freedom Loop

"Screw 'if by sea', when you've won by dry land."

A little birdy just gave this to me. See that it gets into as many of the right hands as possible, or maybe eyeballs. Do you know any people on Maui who drive?

But seriously, my advice: stay dry, let the HOMESEC USCG have their "ZONE"
Meahwhile, see how many laps on the Kamehameha-Hana-Ka`ahumanu-Lono-Loop you can log (at 2 miles per hour).

Then celebrate your victory. If lucky, you will shut them comepletely down. The least you can do is give them a big fat headache.

Either way Maui wins. Many hands make light work.

Tack this to your Fridge with a Magnet

Guidelines to OPERATION OVERLOAD:
stay dry.
stay out of the harbor.
stay out of trouble.
buckle-up for safety
make sure your tabs are current
make sure your blinkers work
keep your hands @ 10 and 2
top off your tank - good for the economy
converge at the target location
be on time
go as slow as you can possibly imagine.
smile and wave at friends and neighbors.
find out what happens when the ferry comes
celebrate drive-thru protesting
celebrate your victory.
throw a big party
get lots of sleep
wash rinse repeat.
aloha! imua!

image above: An interesting analogy between graphic elements by Jonathan Jay

SUBJECT: SUBJECT: KAHULUI DEMONSTRATIOS

SOURCE: LANNY SINKIN lanny.sinkin@gmail.com

POSTED: 29 NOVEMBER 2007 - 10:00am HST

Kahului Harbor Rally Location

The Federal Register publication of the security zone for Kahului harbor does include the following:

In preparing this temporary rule, the Coast Guard made sure to consider the rights of lawful protestors. To that end, the Coast Guard excluded from the security zone a defined region which creates a sizeable area of water in which demonstrators may lawfully assemble and convey their message in a safe manner to their intended audience.

This area of the harbor not included in the security zone is completely accessible to anyone who desires to enter the water, and is fully visible to observers ashore, at the HSF mooring facility, aboard the HSF when transiting the harbor, and from the air.

Maui folks may want to prepare large banners to be displayed in the "free speech" zone which supposedly will be visible to the boat "and from the air" for those folks flying over Maui at the time (probably a Coast Guard airplane anxious to read the message).

Lanny Sinkin
PO Box 944
Hilo, HI 96721
(808) 936-4428