Unfair Maui Rules May End Scuba Instruction! We Need Your Help

[Shaka Doug]

It's very simple. If they take away the professional activity guides, people will get hurt and some will die at our beach parks. There are 6 sports at risk here: Ocean Kayaking, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Kite Boarding, Surfing and Wind Surfing. These all have inherent and unforeseen risks. The county officials are charged with making our beaches and community safer. This completely goes against their responsibilties to protect society. As a pro dive leader I'm a teacher, I help people and I provide a valuabe, necessary service. These new rules will be shutting down educational opportunities for those in need of it. It's assinine and completely doesn't make sense to me. Who out there has any ideas on what we can do about this? The other islands should make note as this can set a precedent on what kind of legislative rules will be coming their way too.

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Read the study: Commercial Ocean Recreational Activity (CORA) Study

I haven't finished it but can't see anything really bad other than high usage and erosion... Perhaps the conclusions are at the end... not sure! I dont' know how they can go from 18 scuba permits down to 4 for makena landing... seems rather small... but why does Lahaina Divers have a Makena permit? It's an interesting read until Wed!
Another interesting this is this draft of the rules: http://www.co.maui.hi.us/departments/Parks/pdf/Draft_Chapter_10-102_CORA_Permits.pdf

They seem to have decreased the permits in the final rules..

Sean

 

[rgbmatt]

I was set on Maui. We'll have to see how this sorts itself out. Maui is the rock I know but, the Big Island and Florida are options. I have to decide soon.

Try looking into the Big Island - it's a spectacular place for diving and much nicer than Maui IMO.

I like Oahu a lot, but it can be difficult to earn a decent living here as a dive instructor.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

The Big Island is a possibility, I just don't know it. I've been doing a minimum of 100 dives a year on Maui for many years now. I've done a total of ummm, none on the BI. Today I'll call a friend of mine on the BI, she's an assistant instructor I trained and she's been living there for about 6 months now. She loves it, just seems weird to even consider changing islands, or states.

 

[TheDavil]

Wow. Just...wow. I'd be fairly disinclined to return to Maui on vacation if this thing is passed. I'd be happy to send something to The Powers That Be - does anyone have a simple boilerplate or a sample of what they sent that I can re-swizzle and send? Right now all I can think of is along the lines of "that's ridiculous, you suck", and I doubt that would be constructive.

Al - I feel for you. Here I am worried about vacations, and you may be having the rug pulled out of future life plans. That well and truly bites the big one.

David

 

[okamiotoko2004]

I sent a couple of messages to the politicians there on Maui. I feel for you all there on Maui. If it wasn't for some of dive operators there on Maui I would never have gotten into diving at all. I wish you all the best at the meeting coming up and hope these new laws get squashed.

Has any brought up to the politicians that PADI (I am not sure about other scuba instruction agencies) recommend that divers not familiar with an area should take a Discover Local Diving dive with certified DM's (and higher) with a local dive shop?

 

[sea nmf]

I just sent an email.

But, Thal's post made me wonder. Who benefits from these proposals? Would the boat operaters then, supposedly, get more business?

Are these just shore activities (I didn't read the proposal yet)?

 

[sea nmf]

By the way, the link has been removed "due to high traffic". Are they hiding it somewhere else? I'd like to read it.

 

[ScubaAndDreams]

That proposal reads like something from a socialist state.....this is still the United States of America...where a free market economy and capitalism provide the American Dream..right? Or did China invade Maui...I am confused.

Get a competent lawyer to review this piece of crap and get a legal opinion.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

The situation is pretty mixed up. Some issues are; running a business out of Beach Parks owned or operated by the County, limited to no parking available on weekends / holidays and overuse / damage to the facilities / reefs. Hopefully there will be an actual dialog and possibly compromise.