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

[Thalassamania]

... The now re-located page of proposed rules included a requirement for physical business location with proper approval if not located in a business district. Some independent's may currently be using a business district P.O. Box while actually operating out of their residential home (as quite a few boats also do).

Sorry, I'm a dash confused. Were has it been relocated to? Thanks.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I don't see the Maui Dive Shop listed there, they must be under one of the other business names I don't recognize.

Bob's Maui Dive Shop

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Ha, ok, blind man walking

 

[friscuba]

Here's the Red Cross Lifeguard swim test:

• Swim 300 yards continuously, using these strokes: 100 yards of front crawl using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing propellant kick
• 100 yards breaststroke
• 100 yards of either front crawl using rhythmic breathing, or breaststroke or a combination of both
• Swim 20 yards (front crawl or breast stroke), surface dive to a depth of 7-10 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, and return with it to the surface, and swim back 20 yards.

This is a timed event. I don't remember the time, but it was generous.

If that gives you pause, well ... perhaps a bit more swimming is in order.

Apparently it's not as rigorous as I recall/thought.

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

I guess I was confused by Chapter 1, which states that (at the time of study) there were 57 permitted CORA businesses in 6 disciplines; Kayaking, Snorkeling, Scuba, Surfing, Wind Surfing, Kite Boarding. In Chapter 2, Table II-1 can be found ~a fifth of the way down showing 14 Scuba out of 56 activities (of 29 respondents to the survey). There is evidently no table showing the actual break down of permits by activity, but subtracting the permitted businesses other than Scuba from 57 will result in a number only slightly higher than 14 if Surf Schools and Kayak Tours in South Maui are any indication.

Steve you could be right! I thought it looked like more especially if you include the freelancers... I wasn't sure if you were talking about permit holders or dive shops. I'm not sure myself!

Sean

 

[fishb0y]

Correct me if I am wrong... but doesn't Oahu have the same type of rules when it comes to permits and diving on county facilities? I know that when I was with Sea Lancers we had to apply for a permit almost 2 months in advance (2 permits a month) to do a club dive from a location other than Hickam AFB. It seemed as if dive shops either were either exempt/ignorant/ignored the rule.

 

[bobmaggi]

From page 86 of the CORA study(the III PDF):

Ulua/Mokapu Beach park CORA Operators

Action Adventure Travel
B&B Scuba
Bob's Maui Dive Shop
Evans, John E.
Extended Horizons, Inc.
Fielding, Ann
Kihei Scuba Services, Inc. (Susan Robinson)
Kihei Scuba Services, Inc. (Edward Robinson)
Lahaina Divers, Inc.
Makena Kayak & Tours, Inc.
Maui Dreams Dive Co.
Maui Sun Divers
Molokini Divers, Inc.
Octopus Garden Diver, Inc.
Premier Scuba and Activities of Maui
Private Kayak Tours
Reef Encounters, Inc.
Shaka Divers
South Pacific Kayak & Outfitters
Ultra Dive, Inc.

It looks like several names I have never heard of and some are very strangely present here like Lahaina Divers and Extended Horizons... This is just for 1 dive site.
Each site is discussed and the operators are listed on there. check it out!

Sean

Sean, I read/skimmed over the study, too. Yes, it seems odd that Lahaina Divers and Extended Horizons would have a permit for this Kihei site... maybe they are just "covering all the bases" in case of swells, weather conditions, etc. at their usual sites?

And why does Kihei Scuba Services have 2 permits for this site, like Kelii's Kayaking has 2 permits for some other sites? Doesn't make sense! ( I know, the new proposed county rules don't make sense either ) Maggi

please let us know how the hearing/meeting goes Wed. Thanks.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

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

Yes, the permits are for businesses conducting activity for hire in County Beach Parks and with benefit from County facilities (parking, restrooms, showers, loading zones...).

All any of us seem to know is that the link crashed. No idea other than PM the OP.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Correct me if I am wrong... but doesn't Oahu have the same type of rules when it comes to permits and diving on county facilities?

There were rules for dive shops in Sharks Cove my years on the North Shore; no operator got more than 2 permits, maybe some only got one, there was no cap on permits to my knowledge. There were some changes a while back (stricter I think) with related threads in the O'hana.

A Big difference in this set of rules is very small caps at each site, with rumor no operator able to get more than one site! That means there will be 4 operators who can take you to Ulua, 4 different operators for St Anthony from Keawakapu II, another 4 operators for Makena Landing, and so on (~28 total for S. Maui, with many for lame dive sites?). Operators with locations on both sides of the Island are screwed maybe. Seems like 2 permits (sites) for some will have to be allowed.

It also sounds like there will be no Grandfather clause; as I read it, a certain number of days after being signed by the Mayor the new rules go into affect. Get you ducks in a row and get your application in on time. Will it be by lottery, reputation, connection or who could best service the diving public with each and every permit.

Of course the last one has no chance...

 

[ScubaSista]

I just attended the surfer's county meeting tonight as a preview of what us scuba folks will be in for tomorrow. While the scuba industry will indeed need support, I think it will be better used at the public hearings in April. These meetings tonight and tomorrow are strictly for permit holders to "make suggestions for revisions" and each permit holder will be limited to 3 minutes of testimony.