Superferry Finally Sails

The Maui Weekly
December 20, 2007
by Sarah Ruppenthal

As the sun started its ascent on Thursday, Dec. 13, thousands of Maui residents awoke with the realization that the day had finally arrived-the Hawai'i Superferry Alakai was going to sail into Kahului Harbor. And for ferry supporters and protesters alike, one question hung in the air over breakfast tables and morning commutes: would they really pull it off?

Departing from Honolulu Harbor that morning, passengers of the Alakai took in the tranquil beauty of the ocean as the ferry streaked across the channel toward Kahului. But as the high-speed vessel neared its destination, the idyllic excursion transformed into a spectacle never before seen on Maui.

A swarm of helicopters hovered over the crowded harbor as U.S. Coast Guard patrol boats knifed through the choppy waters, circling a floating orange perimeter fence surrounding Pier 2. Flanked by Maui Police Department and Coast Guard officials, more than 100 residents descended on Kahului Harbor with an arsenal of homemade banners and signs.

For some longtime residents, the scene was unimaginable-and heartbreaking. "I have never seen this many policemen at one given time in my whole traditional life," said Les Kuloloio of Kahului. "This is a completely new picture of Maui."

The atmosphere at Kahului Harbor was certainly not the type of reception Superferry officials hoped for. But while a few angry protesters hurled insults at departing passengers, the majority conducted themselves peacefully, without incident-as they had done all along.

"We are not hostile," said Sierra Club President Lance Holter. "We are just upset."

In a display of solidarity, residents of all ages, races and occupations took the day off to line the streets of Ka'ahumanu Avenue and Wharf Street in a demonstration against the relaunch of the interisland ferry service. Some came alone, others came in groups. Wearing coordinating red T-shirts, members of the Eastside Hui gathered alongside Ka'ahumanu Avenue, holding signs admonishing Gov. Linda Lingle for backing the Hawai'i Superferry.

"Native Hawaiians have been run over by the state," said Eastside Hui member Kimo Kamakaole. "Our respect for [the Lingle Administration] has been shattered because the Superferry is here, she is no longer a part of the Hawaiian people, we have 'oki-cut her off."

A trio of attorneys monitored the crowd from the opposite corner of Ka'ahumanu Avenue, positioned to respond at any sign of trouble. Across the street, Spreckelsville resident Felix Cruz stood with a group of protesters holding bright yellow banners calling for impeachment of the governor. "We need to bring back the 'aina to the way it was," he said. "If we get back to nature, it will be better for everyone."

Chanting "go home," and "shame, shame," groups of protesters prompted a frenzy of blaring car horns from passing drivers on Ka'ahumanu Avenue. As the vessel began to unload, Ka'ahumanu Avenue traffic was forced to a standstill for several minutes as drivers exited from the Wharf Street terminal, while First Hawaiian Bank customers sat idling as they waited to exit the bank parking lot.

Maui County Councilmember Mike Victorino stood among the throngs of protesters, shaking his head in frustration. "See, there is already a road traffic impact. I am here to show my support, because the people of Maui can protest peacefully. I don't understand why they set this security zone."

Amid the clamor of impassioned protest, a handful of ferry advocates wearing HSF logo hats and T-shirts carried posters advertising their support of the Alakai.

"It's just a boat," said one frazzled woman, who requested to remain anonymous. "It is such a shame to see people do this; where is the aloha?"

Inside the secure boarding terminal, visibly exhausted Superferry employees kept a wary eye on the crowd of protesters, as shuttle vans arrived carrying bewildered passengers with noses pressed against tinted windows.

While the domed terminal structure shielded ticketed passengers from view, it was impossible to escape the sounds from the street. As they waited inside the terminal, some passengers looked anxious, while others looked amused.

Vacationing in Hawai'i from Vancouver, British Columbia, Marian and Terry Poole had attempted to book passage on the Superferry for several months. "For us, taking the ferry is an excursion, and something different than flying," said Terry. "We don't understand the controversy; I suppose because in Canada, we take ferries all the time. I figured it would be useful for the Hawaiian people because it is an alternate form of interstate transportation."

Boarding the ferry with his surfboard, Andvzei Wolf, from Poland, commented on the protest outside. "They might be right; I don't know. I just want to get on the ferry. I do feel sorry for the whales, but airplanes are just as bad for the environment."

Several passengers walking off of the vessel declined to comment about their trip, but when asked, many gave a "thumbs up" signal. But not all passengers felt that the Superferry was all it was built up to be.

Upon arriving in Kahului, O'ahu resident Allen Sitt walked off the vessel with a bad taste in his mouth. "It looked good to me at first, so I took the ferry to see what it was all about," he said. "But I feel it was wrong to pull so many strings to get this thing started." Even more troubling, Sitt said, "There were no pat downs or metal detectors for walk-on passengers, and they didn't screen any of my carry-on bags. I could have gotten on with a gun if I wanted to."

"I don't see how this is going to work," said Holter. "It hasn't even been a week, and it is already a mess."

While the dust may have settled as the Alakai returned to Honolulu Harbor Thursday afternoon, it was only temporary. Just 48 hours later, more than 250 protesters reconvened for a "Save Kahului Harbor" rally as the ferry arrived for the second time that week on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 15.

On the shoreline, the sounding of conch shells and chanting voices faded away as the Alakai appeared on the horizon. As raindrops began to fall on the hushed crowd, some took shelter under the protective limbs of an ironwood tree. Watching the vessel close in on the harbor, the mood was unmistakably somber, as many stood in silence.

Standing waist-deep in the waters bordering the floating security zone, several protesters held signs above their heads as members of the North Shore Renegades crisscrossed the harbor in a canoe, carrying a Hawaiian flag upside-down-a sign of distress. More than 40 cars and 18 motorcycles departed the vessel, only to be greeted by desperate pleas to "go home."

Many of the arriving passengers thrust handheld video cameras out of car windows to record the event, while some covered their faces with beach towels to hide from the crowd. Others raised their hands in gestures of frustration, and one young woman smiled sweetly at the jeering crowd, and raised her arm in a mock beauty pageant wave.

"He [John Garibaldi] urged drivers to take Dramamine before they drove on the ferry so they wouldn't get motion sickness? So that means they are driving off of the ferry pretty much intoxicated," said resident Dick Mayer.

Given time to digest the relaunch of the Alakai, new opinions about the interisland service circulated through the crowd.

"There is only one Maui, we really should keep it that way," said Bill Coulter.