COSPILOT

. Definitely unique here. Multiple clients have homes ranging from a few million up to 40 million and they are rarely here. Seems like a waste but whatever.

my wife and kids arrive Sunday, they aren’t thrilled about the quarantine but they will be here for a full month.

HawaiiSailor

It’s because there is no beach there (any longer). If there was they wouldn’t own it. Sea walls are a whole different (off) topic. Many of those Kahala waterfront homes were wrapped up in a Japanese real estate boom a few decades ago and a billionaire who went bust. But again, off topic.

dhuey

That's the spot, and there's the beach access path I used after my U-turn. Seems like there's no public access for a good stretch west of there until Diamond Head Beach Park.

747FC

The problem that you identified is caused by coastal erosion, and Kahala is particularly affected by this.

Oahu Shoreline Study Erosion Maps

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1051/p..._rev052512.pdf

cmtlatitudes

It's different also if you can spend the two week quarantine in a nice house with a yard. Then it's not much different than stay at home orders on the mainland, with the exception having food stocked or delivered. Pool, hot tub, and ocean view on the property are bonuses. But Hawaii has made vacation rentals illegal without an exemption and no identified date when the prohibition will be lifted. For now, vacationers must stay in a state approved hotel room under lock down, basically getting dominoes delivered.

That would actually be a palatable quarantine alternative for travelers, if they weren't staying with friends or family. Negotiate a reasonable rental on a beautiful property that they'd be OK staying in for two weeks during the quarantine period. Have it pre-stocked with food and liquor and whatever else a family might want. Take a cab directly from the airport. Sit on the balcony with mimosas and mai tais, read books, watch the water, cook gourmet meals (or nuking raman noodles with my cooking, but I'd be fine with that for a beautiful ocean front home-stay vacation well stocked with wine.) I wouldn't have a problem spending two weeks that way. Especially now, when nothing's really open anyway.

But there are no legal, palatable options for most visitors right now. That's why it would sit with me a lot better if Hawaii residents and family friends were also required to do their 14 days quarantines in a hotel room, under lock down, after hopping back from their discretionary vacays on the mainland.

I do appreciate the thought Hawaii is putting into the "Travel With Aloha" program. I watched the Lt. Governor's interview last night on return of tourism and actually thought he did well and provided a fairly good / balanced perspective, with a tough subject. Much more than I expected going in.

JNelson113

That would work for me!

So my question is, are there really serious discussions going on there about implementing such a model? Right now the attitude from the governor at least seems to be tourists, stay away. It would be amazing to find out that a visit in July is possible with a negative covid test.

dhuey

Thanks very much for that. I guess I was incorrectly thinking of beaches and the place where ocean meets land as fixed, but of course nature has other ideas on that.

HawaiiSailor

I don’t think a lot of Hawaii residents are rushing into mainland vacays at the moment. Most are focused on making ends meet, staying healthy, and enjoying the local scenery in a nearly covid-free state sans 300k tourists with the best weather in the world.

ajf87

That's sort of the idea. Hawaii would prefer to close down all non-essential travel from outside of the islands, but that's the purview of the federal government. The 14-day quarantine is something they can do and enforce. And Hawaii residents are subject to the same restrictions coming back not only from the mainland but also traveling inter-island. Most people here are taking this seriously, which is why our weekly new cases have dropped into the single digits. Plus, unemployment is around 40%, so not a lot of people with cash to burn to go the mainland where the pandemic is raging in many places and everything is closed (especially in Vegas, which is Hawaii's favorite mainland vacation destination).

dhuey

Likewise, I've been trying to take advantage of the tiny upside of the pandemic where I live: barely any traffic or tourists. I can drive into San Francisco without a moment of traffic delay, and I can park on the street just about anywhere. I drive during what was once afternoon rush hour to take a walk on Treasure Island. I doubt I'll ever see anything like this again in my lifetime.

usedtobeimportant

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/h...rnd/index.html

mtofell

I must be confused about what country I am in..... this sounds like something that would be required in Iran. I'm fine quarantining when I return to the islands but if you're planning on keeping me out of MY HOUSE you'd better come well armed.

ajf87

"If I come to Hawaii as a tourist and have to quarantine in my hotel room then returning residents should have to quarantine in a hotel room too! It's only fair!"

mtofell

This is the most ludicrous argument I've ever heard.

So, when you go wait in line at the DMV should the world grind to a halt and everyone stand still to wait it out with you so we're all suffering equally? After all, that would be "fair," right?

The government can't keep me out of my own house.... sorry, that's never going to fly anywhere.

dhuey

I think ajf87 agrees with you on the ludicrousness. Notice the quotation marks.