Consolidated "Hawaiʻi SuperFerry: Status, discussion, trip reports, questions" thread
Jun 8, 2004, 9:23 pm
#31
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Originally Posted by lensman
on nice sunny days, the journey may be as pleasant as the destination!
aloha
Jun 8, 2004, 10:39 pm
#32
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Ferry Landing On Maui
Lahaina's harbor is too small to support a ferry operation (so is Maalae`a); Kahului is the deep water port on Maui. It's adjacent to the airport too.
Slippahs, I would think the rental agencies would embrance one way inter-island rentals - you can change extra for them and use the ferry as a revenue trip in moving cars inter-island rather than just paying Young Brothers to ship them.
Then again, what do I know?
Slippahs, I would think the rental agencies would embrance one way inter-island rentals - you can change extra for them and use the ferry as a revenue trip in moving cars inter-island rather than just paying Young Brothers to ship them.
Then again, what do I know?
Jun 8, 2004, 10:45 pm
#33
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Originally Posted by FlyinHawaiian
Slippahs, I would think the rental agencies would embrance one way inter-island rentals - you can change extra for them and use the ferry as a revenue trip in moving cars inter-island rather than just paying Young Brothers to ship them.
aloha
Jul 28, 2004, 8:35 am
#34
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Proposed Rates for Inter-Island Ferry Posted - About HALF of Airfare!
Interesting article
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../ln/ln01a.html
Please note - please note the map in the article is nowhere near to scale, nor does it show all the Hawaiian islands!
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../ln/ln01a.html
Please note - please note the map in the article is nowhere near to scale, nor does it show all the Hawaiian islands!
Jul 28, 2004, 10:24 am
#35
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Interesting that one of the proposed routes would be Kawaihae Harbor. That means Hilo residents would have a far drive... Couldn't they just extend the ferry so that it would go from Kawaihae Harbor to Hilo Harbor?
aloha
aloha
Jul 28, 2004, 10:49 am
#36
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Originally Posted by slippahs
Interesting that one of the proposed routes would be Kawaihae Harbor. That means Hilo residents would have a far drive... Couldn't they just extend the ferry so that it would go from Kawaihae Harbor to Hilo Harbor?
aloha
aloha
I think they are avoiding (rightfully so, IMHO) the Alenuihaha Channel between Maui and the Big Island. It's only about 30 miles wide, but Haleakala on one side and Mauna Kea of the other makes for one heck of a wind tunnel and some serious "Victory at Sea" moments.
The way we go to Kona from Honolulu is to lay a course south and pass behind the lee sides of Lana'i and Kaho`olawe (and the big wind shadow of Maui) before entering the Alenuihaha. It's quite a feeling as you approach the windline and start to see all of the rollers and whitecaps ahead...
I'd be interested to see what route they take from O`ahu to Maui. I suspect they will take the Kalohi Channel and pass under the lee of Moloka`i and zip up the Pailolo Channel around West Maui. What would really be nice is if the weather conditions allow it, they went around the northern end of Moloka`i and past Kalaupapa. That section of coastline is one of the most beautiful in all of Hawai`i...
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Mar 4, 2005 at 5:06 pm
Mar 4, 2005, 2:59 pm
#37
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Hawaii inter-island ferry
See: http://tinyurl.com/4fwwx
Boy, I wish we'd had this as an option when we were there! The inter-island flights were good (and faster) but I know my husband would have liked the option of taking a boat.
Looking at the mixed reactions quoted in this article, I'm curious as to what the locals (and FTers who have been to Hawaii more than I have) think about this plan.
Boy, I wish we'd had this as an option when we were there! The inter-island flights were good (and faster) but I know my husband would have liked the option of taking a boat.
Looking at the mixed reactions quoted in this article, I'm curious as to what the locals (and FTers who have been to Hawaii more than I have) think about this plan.
Mar 4, 2005, 4:18 pm
#38
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I can't access your link 
but when I was in Hawaii this week, the newspaper stories were saying that the inter-island ferry was basically going to be a dead deal, as the environmental studies that are being required will take years, and the promised funding expires this summer.
Edited to add:
looks like the gov't is NOT going to require the environmental study and the ferry plans can proceed. Sounds like great news to me.
but when I was in Hawaii this week, the newspaper stories were saying that the inter-island ferry was basically going to be a dead deal, as the environmental studies that are being required will take years, and the promised funding expires this summer.Edited to add:
looks like the gov't is NOT going to require the environmental study and the ferry plans can proceed. Sounds like great news to me.
Last edited by flyerwife; Mar 4, 2005 at 4:22 pm
Mar 4, 2005, 4:56 pm
#39
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Here's two related threads from the archives.
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=326811
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284618
I'm excited about the possibility of ferry service between the islands; I think the primary concern has to be comfort - how will the vessels handle the rough water between the islands?
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=326811
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284618
I'm excited about the possibility of ferry service between the islands; I think the primary concern has to be comfort - how will the vessels handle the rough water between the islands?
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Mar 4, 2005 at 5:00 pm
Mar 13, 2005, 10:24 am
#40
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as someone who lives on the big island, i think a ferry between the islands would be fabulous...but don't hold your breath or make plans around it.
everything in hawaii takes a little more time than it should, so while the last i heard was that the ferry would be going in 2006, i won't expect anything until 2008, at best. (just my .02)
kk
everything in hawaii takes a little more time than it should, so while the last i heard was that the ferry would be going in 2006, i won't expect anything until 2008, at best. (just my .02)
kk
Mar 14, 2005, 3:49 pm
#41
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When the ferry idea first surfaced, with a wave of media attention, and the visit of the "Spirit of Ontario" on her delivery voyage from Australia to Rochester NY the company said "service will start late 2006".
Since then a few (negative) things have happened.
1. Launch date has been quietly moved back to "early 2007".
2. Opposition has gathered on all of the neighbor islands to block such service. Here in the islands the first reaction to any change is generally "no".
3. Several counties (including Kauai) sought to force and EIS prior to operations starting - despite the fact that EIS' have not been required for cruise ships, freight barges and fishing vessels of all sizes.
4. The supposed model ferry "Spirit of Ontario" and the company operating it between Rochester NY & Toronto Canada have gone bankrupt after less than a year operating. She has since been sold at auction to the city of Rochester who intend to operate her as public transportation! Oh no!
Some positive things also have happened.
1. The state has built (few years ago) a "ferry terminal" in Honolulu. Although never used one presumes this indicates some level of support for an inter-island ferry.
2. Hawaii Superferry has laid the keel for their first ship, albeit about a quarter behind schedule. Given the size of this ship it is unlikely useful in many other markets - so somebody must believe it will sail U.S. waters.
3. Most recently the threat of an EIS seems to have been removed by the state.
IMHO the competition that ferry service would bring is a definite positive for those who live here. I look forward to the launch of service.
Enough.
Aloha
Lihu'e 1k
Since then a few (negative) things have happened.
1. Launch date has been quietly moved back to "early 2007".
2. Opposition has gathered on all of the neighbor islands to block such service. Here in the islands the first reaction to any change is generally "no".
3. Several counties (including Kauai) sought to force and EIS prior to operations starting - despite the fact that EIS' have not been required for cruise ships, freight barges and fishing vessels of all sizes.
4. The supposed model ferry "Spirit of Ontario" and the company operating it between Rochester NY & Toronto Canada have gone bankrupt after less than a year operating. She has since been sold at auction to the city of Rochester who intend to operate her as public transportation! Oh no!
Some positive things also have happened.
1. The state has built (few years ago) a "ferry terminal" in Honolulu. Although never used one presumes this indicates some level of support for an inter-island ferry.
2. Hawaii Superferry has laid the keel for their first ship, albeit about a quarter behind schedule. Given the size of this ship it is unlikely useful in many other markets - so somebody must believe it will sail U.S. waters.
3. Most recently the threat of an EIS seems to have been removed by the state.
IMHO the competition that ferry service would bring is a definite positive for those who live here. I look forward to the launch of service.
Enough.
Aloha
Lihu'e 1k
Mar 14, 2005, 4:01 pm
#42
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I've merged the other two threads into this one to pull in all our discussion onto one thread. Thus, it might look a little "kapakahi*," but all for the better in terms of archiving.
aloha,
slippahs, Hawai'i board co-mod
*kapakahi: mixed up; confused or mixed-up
aloha,
slippahs, Hawai'i board co-mod
*kapakahi: mixed up; confused or mixed-up
Apr 2, 2005, 4:26 pm
#43
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Quite an interesting thread-- I made my first trip to the islands last week, and was quite bewildered by the lack of inter-island water transportation (ended up going HNL-KOA on HA and ITO-HNL on AQ). I thought it might be related to the distance and choppier waters, as there are few ferries in the US except commuter services around NYC or Seattle, Long Island to CT, and so on.
Last year I did a one-way ferry trip while in Greece, from Piraeus to Rhodes, deck "accommodation" for about 20, a trip of about 12 hours which made 4 or 5 stops along the way. Private rooms and auto transport were available for higher rates. For comparison, the return flight was about an hour and a half RHO-ATH, but cost over 90 one-way. Being someone who can easily fall asleep in a deck chair, I personally preferred the space, not to mention the food and drink available on the ferry to the aromas and intimate seating of OA, and the sight of sunrise over Rhodes. But since the average price tourists pay to get to HI is a lot higher than what they pay to get to Athens, I suppose there are too few travelers like me to make it a viable concern.
The notional environmental concerns seemed a bit odd-- I find it hard to believe ships are more damaging to the environment than planes. But in the particular case of Hawaii, where air pollution is minimal compared to the volcanoes and anyway swept clear by winds, I can see why potential impact on marine life could pose a credibly greater concern.
Last year I did a one-way ferry trip while in Greece, from Piraeus to Rhodes, deck "accommodation" for about 20, a trip of about 12 hours which made 4 or 5 stops along the way. Private rooms and auto transport were available for higher rates. For comparison, the return flight was about an hour and a half RHO-ATH, but cost over 90 one-way. Being someone who can easily fall asleep in a deck chair, I personally preferred the space, not to mention the food and drink available on the ferry to the aromas and intimate seating of OA, and the sight of sunrise over Rhodes. But since the average price tourists pay to get to HI is a lot higher than what they pay to get to Athens, I suppose there are too few travelers like me to make it a viable concern.
The notional environmental concerns seemed a bit odd-- I find it hard to believe ships are more damaging to the environment than planes. But in the particular case of Hawaii, where air pollution is minimal compared to the volcanoes and anyway swept clear by winds, I can see why potential impact on marine life could pose a credibly greater concern.
Last edited by choster; Apr 2, 2005 at 4:30 pm Reason: typo
Jun 14, 2006, 4:51 pm
#44
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new ferry service update?
Anyone have an update on the new fast ferry? Launch date and route?
Jun 14, 2006, 5:39 pm
#45
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http://www.hawaiisuperferry.com/
Nothing I'm aware of will likely prevent them starting next year as planned. However given the airline price war, I don't know how many passengers they will be carrying vs. cargo.
It seems that the impact on inter-island cargo could be huge, in sharp contrast with the current Young Bros. barges. Young Bros. wants to exit the retail cargo transportation area, and only accept full containers starting 1/07.
Nothing I'm aware of will likely prevent them starting next year as planned. However given the airline price war, I don't know how many passengers they will be carrying vs. cargo.
It seems that the impact on inter-island cargo could be huge, in sharp contrast with the current Young Bros. barges. Young Bros. wants to exit the retail cargo transportation area, and only accept full containers starting 1/07.
Last edited by jtkauai; Jun 14, 2006 at 7:11 pm