Maui Parks Department is after us again!

[Shaka Doug]

Two new hassles for me today compliments of the Maui County Parks and Recreation Department.

We (meaning most of the CORA businesses) all got an email telling us they moved the permit application deadline up 5 weeks sooner than expected. Today was our notice that we had to submit our completed applications by noon on May 21st to remain in good standing. One thing they have added this year is our customer report about our carrying load from January to June 2010. Funny thing is the June info won't even have occured yet and the May info will be incomplete and I guess must be right up until the day you submit. Wouldn't it have been smarter to ask our records from since the law went into effect up until end of 2009 or maybe go to first quarter 2010? Who thinks this stuff up?

Second thing that happened and this happened personally to me is the thing that really has me ticked off the most. I got a parking ticket at Ulua Beach tonight during my night dive. 35 bucks. OK so what's the big deal right? Well, I have been making night dives at Ulua Beach for almost 13 years. Many other people and small dive companies have also been making night dives at Ulua beach for even longer than me. Well, last week they started issueing tickets if you are parked after 8 pm without any warning. Now I don't know about you but I like to wait till it gets dark to do my night dive. During summer months it will barely be the end of civil twilight at 8 pm. So what does this mean? Pretty much the end of night diving on South Maui's shoreline. They barricade almost every other beach park parking lot at 8:00. Makena Landing is closed to all tours to begin with. Where are the safe alternatives?? Boat diving only. That adds so much to the expense for the average visiting diver. That hurts the small business owner like me, Maui Dive Shop, Maui Dreams, B&B Scuba, Bobby Bakers Maui Sun Divers, Scuba Shack, Lahaina Divers, Ed Robinson and more. That prevents classes and people having access to safe night diving (AOW anyone??). That eliminates night hunting. This means unguided dives won't be able to dive at night either.

So does anyone want to fight back or would you rather just let them take more diving away from us.

I'm pissed.

 

[Peter Guy]

Re the parking ticket -- sucks BIG time. Last time (?) we were there, we talked with the cops (perhaps local security?) regarding the sign saying had to be gone by 8 p.m. and night diving. I was told that this was to limit the beach partying but wouldn't effect people diving -- RIGHT!

Yet one more reason for me not to bother bringing my gear and diving Maui any more when I come to visit my dad.

 

[TSandM]

That's really a shame about the parking. Ulua Beach is such a lovely night dive, and ideal for people who are new to night diving.

It certainly doesn't seem as though Maui County has any desire to foster scuba diving as a draw for tourists.

 

[Shaka Doug]

It's more than a shame. It's a travesty. They are taking away our access to the ocean. They are stifling tourism. They are killing the small business economy. We are an island community. Local people are supposed to have fishing and gathering rights. If people stop diving we will never see how bad our reefs are becoming and then it will be too late to do anything about it. I'm looking for people who are willing to stand up against this. Not sure who said it but I like this quote: "I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees."

 

[gkndivebum]

[...]. Not sure who said it but I like this quote: "I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees."

It's usually attributed to Emiliano Zapata, though I suspect he wasn't the first to use it (or a variant of it)

I continue to be puzzled by the Maui County Government's management of ocean/beach resources and live in hope that the local Hawaii County government is too busy enriching the Good Ole Boys in Hilo to take lessons...

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

The regime there on Maui has really taken over hasn't it. My wife and I are hoping our junk will sell this year so we can move. Maui has always been #1 on our list but I spent 4 months working in the Keys and it was pretty nice there. Downside there is you really do need a boat but..... there are getting to be more and more downsides to Maui.

So all parks are blockaded on Maui after dark now?

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Paved Beach Park parking lots are gated, for the most part, and closing times vary, IIRC.

I moved back to Maui in June '05 and there has been no legal way for me to charge for my services as an independent shore instructor at Maui County Beach Parks. I have to be an employee of an operator with a permit to legally guide/instruct for pay from a County Beach Park. Buying an existing permitted independent instructor's business would not allow me to operate from County Beach Parks legally, as the permits have been declared non-transferable. I can not even buy half of an existing independent business because a change of principles is defined as transferring ownership.

This really came about due to too many kayak and surf businesses crowding a couple Beach Parks. Once the County started regulating, it became a snowball.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

It does seem very oppressive there on Maui these days. So if it's paved it's off limits for night diving now and of course off limits to professionals.

Small minded people.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

In the dead of winter you could descend just after the sun sets and leave some parking lots before the ticketing happens. Usually there is no parking ticket unless someone calls the cops and complains that someone is violating parking regulations. Even then a cop responding promptly is pretty rare. In the summer many parking lots are not going to work for night diving.

Working Dive Pro's and their customers are permitted to park in paved lots if they are working under a valid permit and following all the rules. Many Dive Pro's and their customers are probably not following all the rules, even the ones working under valid permits.

None of my comments here should be taken as negative with regards to anything Shaka Doug does.

 

[BUGBAGGER]

"Many Dive Pro's and their customers are probably not following all the rules, even the ones working under valid permits."

You don't seem to intend harm to the victims of the laws and regulations that Maui County is impossing but I think the assumption and statement above is a harmful exageration.

There are no doubt some pros who may not follow all the rules-sometimes intentionally and often times due to the constantly changing rules and understanding of how and when they will be implemented. But, stating that "many" are probably not following the rules may incite the County and our opponents further.

Though little constraint on our part has seemed to help much, it is still more likely that we may eventually make some progress if we are careful not to make assumptions of things not proven nor state generalizations nor exagerations.

I hope this comes across as constructive. I do appreciate the concern that you have otherwise expressed for the situation.