No Anchoring in Kaiula Bay

[tbodine88]

Seems to be a problem, since While I was there it seemed to be the only place to anchor larger yachts.

Hawaii: German Yacht Skipper Appears in Court in Kona, — Noonsite

Beware.

[roverhi]

The bottom in Kailua Bay is patches of sand mixed with lava rock with marine growth, including coral, growing on it. Virtually impossible to drop a hook with enough scope not to have the chain drag across the non sandy areas. Another case of a Green Weanie trying to protect something that really doesn't need protecting. It's not a coral reef and won't be in a couple hundred lifetimes, if ever. The wave action especially in the winter throws boulders around the bottom doing way way more damage. With Kealakekua Bay being designated a marine sanctuary with no anchoring, Kailua Bay is the only reasonably safe anchorage along 20 miles or more of coastline in either direction.

Sounds like the judge made a wise decision giving out a minimal fine. We've had a number of large yachts, including Octopus's tender, anchored over the winter. Dobn't know whether they were anchored too far out for the do gooder to make a complaint or this is just this guys new crusade.

In any case, if they are going to enforce the no anchor damage to Kailua Bay, DOBOR needs to install transient moorings for visiting yachts to tie up to. If they don't do that, every visiting yacht will be subject to gotcha's, generated by misguided picture taking wankers, every time the current or wind shifts. Someone, don't know if it's him, also turned in the local canoe clubs when tide and wind caused their race marker buoys to shift from the sandy areas. Might be the last time this wanker takes any more pictures as the bruddah's don't like mainland malahini imports messing with their traditional cultural pursuits.

[JPA Cate]

Did the skipper accept the minimum fine in order not to miss the season to get to AK?

The whole thing seems sad to me. I accept the need to protect the environment, AND I think it is really cruel to make an example of a foreign skipper on the first day the law comes in to effect. IMO, a warning would have been far more appropriate. Given a warning, the skipper could go around to Hilo to get his crew, or rearrange the meeting place for Kaneohe B. on Oahu, for instance. At least a warning could have offered options to him. How very un-welcoming! I feel badly that this happened in my country of origin.

The issue of who pays for the moorings and their maintenance opens up such a huge bag of worms that most jurisdictions don't want to mess with it, and few public moorings are available outside national parks, here in NSW. In Qld, some public moorings are provided, also, where anchoring is forbidden, and the no-anchor zones are clearly marked by yellow buoys. Many public moorings that used to be provided have been removed and not replaced. It does make it difficult for transient yachties, but we are such a small proportion of total populations that we really have little voice, even when we are cruising in our own country.

Ann