# A New Form of Inter-Island Travels Looks to Be on the Way



## slip (May 12, 2022)

Still a lot of questions but orders have been placed. 









						Following Failed Ferries, Hawaiian Air + Mokulele Both Plan 100-Seat Electric SeaGlider
					

Maneuvering within harbors like a boat; once in open water, they rise to operate more like a plane. But what about humpback whale safety?



					beatofhawaii.com


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## ScoopKona (May 12, 2022)

Great. More diseases for my coffee and avocados.


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## Ty1on (May 12, 2022)

ScoopLV said:


> Great. More diseases for my coffee and avocados.


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## Mongoose (May 12, 2022)

ScoopLV said:


> Great. More diseases for my coffee and avocados.


Always a ray of sunshine .  Just be glad they aren't talking about some type of bridge like they did between Hong Kong and Macau.


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## ScoopKona (May 12, 2022)

Mongoose said:


> Always a ray of sunshine .  Just be glad they aren't talking about some type of bridge like they did between Hong Kong and Macau.



I don't get many tourists showing up and offering to help spray the coffee. 

And when I travel to other coffee/avocado areas, I make the effort to pack clean clothes -- you know, so as not to contaminate an entire agricultural region.


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## Mongoose (May 12, 2022)

ScoopLV said:


> I don't get many tourists showing up and offering to help spray the coffee.
> 
> And when I travel to other coffee/avocado areas, I make the effort to pack clean clothes -- you know, so as not to contaminate an entire agricultural region.


When do you harvest for 2022?


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## ScoopKona (May 12, 2022)

Harvest has already started. Sadly, the invasive beetles are bad this year. And most farmers are having a real hard time with leaf rust. I've got that under control (somehow). But elsewhere, it's wrecking entire farms.


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## slip (May 12, 2022)

ScoopLV said:


> Harvest has already started. Sadly, the invasive beetles are bad this year. And most farmers are having a real hard time with leaf rust. I've got that under control (somehow). But elsewhere, it's wrecking entire farms.



Welcome to farming. Remember, you were retired.   

Farming is a tough business and a lot of work.


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## ScoopKona (May 12, 2022)

slip said:


> Welcome to farming. Remember, you were retired.
> 
> Farming is a tough business and a lot of work.




Wouldn't be an issue if tourists could be bothered to wear clean clothes when they travel.


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## slip (May 12, 2022)

ScoopLV said:


> Wouldn't be an issue if tourists could be bothered to wear clean clothes when they travel.



I think you were probably aware of the issue before you started farming. 

It's aways something with farming; bugs, disease, too wet, too dry. It's a tough business.


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## slip (Jun 20, 2022)

An update, 2025 for Mokulele. 









						Mokulele Airlines plans to launch fleet of electric seagliders by 2025
					

The planes skim along the sea surface and land — and can also takeoff from the water.




					www.hawaiinewsnow.com


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## Henry M. (Jun 20, 2022)

Electric seaglider network for people and freight being explored in Hawai’i | Maui Now
					

REGENT, the company behind the all-electric seaglider, is partnering with Mokulele Airlines and Pacific Current to explore the build-out of a seaglider transportation network for passengers and freight in the State of Hawai‘i.




					mauinow.com


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## slip (Jun 21, 2022)

Another article. Boat captains not pilots.









						New Hawaii Interisland May Shun Problematic Airports, Airline Pilots, and TSA
					

With huge financial backing and a team of prior Boeing engineers, this looks likely to succeed.



					beatofhawaii.com


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## Henry M. (Jun 21, 2022)

Interesting!


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## daventrina (Jun 22, 2022)

I seriously doubt that there will be any FAA certification for commercial use by 2025.
And if there was there are no facilities for it to operate in and don't see any being constructed


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## slip (Jun 22, 2022)

daventrina said:


> I seriously doubt that there will be any FAA certification for commercial use by 2025.
> And if there was there are no facilities for it to operate in and don't see any being constructed



It said they won't use pilots, they will be Ship Captains. Would the FAA have any say in that? 

They also mentioned using the port that was built for the SuperFerry on Oahu. It didn't mention the other islands. 

2025 seems pretty quick to me too but we'll see.


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## daventrina (Jun 24, 2022)

slip said:


> It said they won't use pilots, they will be Ship Captains. Would the FAA have any say in that?
> 
> They also mentioned using the port that was built for the SuperFerry on Oahu. It didn't mention the other islands.
> 
> 2025 seems pretty quick to me too but we'll see.


Don’t see how they would get out of FAA regulations as it is flying with wings and propellers


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## slip (Jun 24, 2022)

daventrina said:


> Don’t see how they would get out of FAA regulations as it is flying with wings and propellers



You would think they would have pilots too but the article says they will be ship captains. They are still a couple years away so we'll see what cones up as the timeframe gets closer.


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## slip (Oct 5, 2022)

Here's an article with an update. 









						Hawaiian Seaglider Airplane Flies For First The Time
					

Both Hawaiian Airlines and Mokulele Airlines are invested in this new craft.



					beatofhawaii.com


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## DaveNV (Oct 5, 2022)

slip said:


> Here's an article with an update.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



"The plane is expected to be delivered starting in 2028."

Cool technology, but probably no rush to make a reservation just yet.  

Dave


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## Passepartout (Oct 5, 2022)

I hope I live long enough to see this technology 'take flight'. There are LOTS of places in the world where 200mph 'ferries' would have a huge draw. NYC/Boston, Around the Japanese islands, LA/San Francisco. 

As @slip posited, the difficulty may well be in the transitional part of the voyage when the vessel is on it's hydrofoils at pretty high speeds before it 'lifts off' the sea. How to keep these 'runways' free of other sea traffic and like whales or pods of seals etc.?

Jim


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## DaveNV (Oct 5, 2022)

Passepartout said:


> As @slip posited, the difficulty may well be in the transitional part of the voyage when the vessel is on it's hydrofoils at pretty high speeds before it 'lifts off' the sea. How to keep these 'runways' free of other sea traffic and like whales or pods of seals etc.?
> 
> Jim



Wasn't that part of the deal killer for the inter island ferry in Hawaii?  

Dave


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## sponger76 (Oct 5, 2022)

Passepartout said:


> As @slip posited, the difficulty may well be in the transitional part of the voyage when the vessel is on it's hydrofoils at pretty high speeds before it 'lifts off' the sea. How to keep these 'runways' free of other sea traffic and like whales or pods of seals etc.?
> 
> Jim


Because it's not all THAT far off the surface, I also wonder how feasible it will be during periods of large waves/open-ocean swells, a very common occurrence in Hawaii, particularly during the winter surf season. Boats are one thing, they can coast over the top most of the time (sometimes with difficulty), but something traveling that fast smacking into the face of a wave/swell?


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## Passepartout (Oct 5, 2022)

DaveNV said:


> Wasn't that part of the deal killer for the inter island ferry in Hawaii?


DamnedifIknow. Might be. The potential for damage to sea life, other vessels and the plane/boat itself. I would think the inter-island ferries would be hindered by long voyage times and competition with airlines. I'm not a student of what did 'em in.


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## Passepartout (Oct 5, 2022)

sponger76 said:


> Because it's not all THAT far off the surface, I also wonder how feasible it will be during periods of large waves/open-ocean swells, a very common occurrence in Hawaii, particularly during the winter surf season. Boats are one thing, they can coast over the top most of the time (sometimes with difficulty), but something traveling that fast smacking into the face of a wave/swell?


That's why they're testing first 1/4 scale and remotely operated models, then plan to scale up to full size to test safety and practicality. The vessels are intended to operate at about one wingspan above the water surface, and (iirc) that's about 80-100 feet.


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## DaveNV (Oct 5, 2022)

Passepartout said:


> DamnedifIknow. Might be. The potential for damage to sea life, other vessels and the plane/boat itself. I would think the inter-island ferries would be hindered by long voyage times and competition with airlines. I'm not a student of what did 'em in.



My recollection of things was it was a combination of shoreline erosion caused by the large wake of the boats, and environmental issues involving collisions with whales and such.  

Dave


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## slip (Oct 5, 2022)

DaveNV said:


> My recollection of things was it was a combination of shoreline erosion caused by the large wake of the boats, and environmental issues involving collisions with whales and such.
> 
> Dave



That's the way I remember it too. There were probably a few other concerns as well.


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## daventrina (Oct 6, 2022)

DaveNV said:


> Wasn't that part of the deal killer for the inter island ferry in Hawaii?
> 
> Dave


The deal killer for the Superferry was stupid people.


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## daventrina (Oct 6, 2022)

DaveNV said:


> My recollection of things was it was a combination of shoreline erosion caused by the large wake of the boats, and environmental issues involving collisions with whales and such.
> 
> Dave


Because only the Supperferry would cause those problems, and not the other thousands of ships operating in the same water


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## sponger76 (Oct 6, 2022)

There were a LOT of excuses brought up as reasons to kill the Superferry, many of which had to do with the ability to bring cars. Some that I remember:

people bringing their cars would more easily take plants/rocks/whatever away from one island to another
cars would more easily facilitate the movement of invasive species
cars coming from more-populated islands would cause heavier traffic on less-populated islands
I'm not saying I agree with any of the above, just that those were objections I read/heard. I was hoping the Superferry would succeed, and bummed that it shut down before I got to try it out.


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## ScoopKona (Oct 6, 2022)

sponger76 said:


> There were a LOT of excuses brought up as reasons to kill the Superferry, many of which had to do with the ability to bring cars. Some that I remember:
> 
> people bringing their cars would more easily take plants/rocks/whatever away from one island to another
> cars would more easily facilitate the movement of invasive species
> ...



And I'm glad it failed for precisely those reasons. 

Try to ship a car from Long Beach to Hawaii if its got mud all over it. They won't let you. It's one of the clauses in the contract -- no mud, plant material, etc. Send your car clean.

That wouldn't happen with the ferry. And locals would be just as guilty as tourists -- probably even more so -- considering the amount of 4x4 enthusiasts.


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## Ken555 (Oct 7, 2022)

It’s curious that there isn’t a market for a passenger ferry.


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## sponger76 (Oct 7, 2022)

Ken555 said:


> It’s curious that there isn’t a market for a passenger ferry.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


There's a market. It's just that there is also significant opposition.


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## ScoopKona (Oct 7, 2022)

Ken555 said:


> It’s curious that there isn’t a market for a passenger ferry.



The problem is that people will visit a farm on one island, and then without changing clothes or even stomping the mud out of their shoes, go visit the same kind of farm on another island, thus introducing any pests or diseases they picked up. 

California is terrified that Hawaiian avocado leaf rust infects their entire ecosystem. That's why nobody is allowed to bring any back to the mainland. And if people wanted to be responsible, they'd wash all their clothes as soon as they return -- and not visit an avocado farm on the way home from the airport. 

But people simply don't think. And it's only a matter of time before California avocados are affected by a South American disease which was brought to Hawaii by tourists.


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## Ken555 (Oct 7, 2022)

ScoopKona said:


> The problem is that people will visit a farm on one island, and then without changing clothes or even stomping the mud out of their shoes, go visit the same kind of farm on another island, thus introducing any pests or diseases they picked up.
> 
> California is terrified that Hawaiian avocado leaf rust infects their entire ecosystem. That's why nobody is allowed to bring any back to the mainland. And if people wanted to be responsible, they'd wash all their clothes as soon as they return -- and not visit an avocado farm on the way home from the airport.
> 
> But people simply don't think. And it's only a matter of time before California avocados are affected by a South American disease which was brought to Hawaii by tourists.



Then why wouldn't they simply impose a similar agricultural clearing as they do when flying to the mainland? I agree it's an issue, as you mention, but it's not insurmountable. And a passenger ferry would be much nicer than planes.

ETA: I don’t recall any agricultural check when flying intra island. Do you assume ferry passengers will simply have more mud than when they fly? I don’t get that.


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## ScoopKona (Oct 7, 2022)

Ken555 said:


> ETA: I don’t recall any agricultural check when flying intra island. Do you assume ferry passengers will simply have more mud than when they fly? I don’t get that.



Airline passengers don't travel with muddy tires. That's the rub. It's bad enough that people simply won't consider the potential damage they can do, spreading pests and diseases. Making it easier for them is counterproductive. And allowing people to move cars easily from one island to another is going to hasten invasive plants/animals/bacteria/mold/etc. And it would be the locals who want to 4x4 every island who do the most damage.


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## Ken555 (Oct 7, 2022)

ScoopKona said:


> Airline passengers don't travel with muddy tires. That's the rub. It's bad enough that people simply won't consider the potential damage they can do, spreading pests and diseases. Making it easier for them is counterproductive. And allowing people to move cars easily from one island to another is going to hasten invasive plants/animals/bacteria/mold/etc. And it would be the locals who want to 4x4 every island who do the most damage.



I specifically said passenger ferry. 


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## daviator (Oct 7, 2022)

Ken555 said:


> Then why wouldn't they simply impose a similar agricultural clearing as they do when flying to the mainland? I agree it's an issue, as you mention, but it's not insurmountable. And a passenger ferry would be much nicer than planes.
> 
> ETA: I don’t recall any agricultural check when flying intra island. Do you assume ferry passengers will simply have more mud than when they fly? I don’t get that.


The agricultural check is really about things people might bring with them (fruit, plants, etc.) which could harbor pests which don't exist in Hawaii.  It doesn't check people for mud and I doubt if there are many incidents of passengers bringing infested mud across the pond on their shoes.  It could happen I suppose, but it's simply not practical to check the shoes of every arriving passenger.

There's no inter island agricultural check when flying because the things they're most worried about don't exist in Hawaii and so there is less need to try to keep anything out.  It's certainly possible that someone's muddy shoes could help bring something unwanted from one island to another, but they don't check for that, to my knowledge.

It does seem logical that an inter island car ferry could contribute to the propagation of non-native pests between the islands.  But it's hard to imagine how a passenger ferry would be any more of a problem than an airline flight.


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## ScoopKona (Oct 7, 2022)

daviator said:


> It does seem logical that an inter island car ferry could contribute to the propagation of non-native pests between the islands.  But it's hard to imagine how a passenger ferry would be any more of a problem than an airline flight.



I wouldn't be "knives-out" against a strictly passenger ferry. There would still be the problem of people going to a farm on Maui, and then going straight to a farm on Big Island without washing up or changing their clothes. But at least they won't be bringing soil and plant material in their 'roided out 4x4s.

I'm against anything that makes it easier to pollute. Look at the sunscreen thread elsewhere. It's clear that if people were allowed to use lead paint, leaded gasoline and chlorofluorocarbons they would. They would come up with some reason why they're exempt from poisoning the planet rules. "I'm having a bad hair day and must have my can of pre-CFC AquaNet!" (I have a bottle of the offending sunscreen here. I wrote "reef poison" on the bottle with a sharpie. I'll fly it back to Las Vegas, where "damaging the coral reef" isn't much of a concern.)

Mongoose, coqui frogs, christmasberry, strawberry guava, cane toads and fire ants (and a slew of others). It would be nice if we would stop making the same mistake over and over and over. It's only a matter of time before someone introduces rabies, because they're anti-vaxxers and find a way around the quarantine.


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## Ken555 (Oct 7, 2022)

daviator said:


> The agricultural check is really about things people might bring with them (fruit, plants, etc.) which could harbor pests which don't exist in Hawaii. It doesn't check people for mud and I doubt if there are many incidents of passengers bringing infested mud across the pond on their shoes. It could happen I suppose, but it's simply not practical to check the shoes of every arriving passenger.



The agricultural check is when leaving Hawaii en route to the mainland, not the other way as you suggest.



> There's no inter island agricultural check when flying because the things they're most worried about don't exist in Hawaii and so there is less need to try to keep anything out. It's certainly possible that someone's muddy shoes could help bring something unwanted from one island to another, but they don't check for that, to my knowledge.



Then why are a few here stating that it could cause all sorts of issues?



> It does seem logical that an inter island car ferry could contribute to the propagation of non-native pests between the islands. But it's hard to imagine how a passenger ferry would be any more of a problem than an airline flight.



Yup, exactly. My point. 


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## Ken555 (Oct 7, 2022)

ScoopKona said:


> I wouldn't be "knives-out" against a strictly passenger ferry. There would still be the problem of people going to a farm on Maui, and then going straight to a farm on Big Island without washing up or changing their clothes. But at least they won't be bringing soil and plant material in their 'roided out 4x4s.
> 
> I'm against anything that makes it easier to pollute. Look at the sunscreen thread elsewhere. It's clear that if people were allowed to use lead paint, leaded gasoline and chlorofluorocarbons they would. They would come up with some reason why they're exempt from poisoning the planet rules. "I'm having a bad hair day and must have my can of pre-CFC AquaNet!" (I have a bottle of the offending sunscreen here. I wrote "reef poison" on the bottle with a sharpie. I'll fly it back to Las Vegas, where "damaging the coral reef" isn't much of a concern.)
> 
> Mongoose, coqui frogs, christmasberry, strawberry guava, cane toads and fire ants (and a slew of others). It would be nice if we would stop making the same mistake over and over and over. It's only a matter of time before someone introduces rabies, because they're anti-vaxxers and find a way around the quarantine.



This is easily solved. Many border crossings (including when entering the USA) requires admission if you spent time on a farm, etc. The islands could have a similar solution. Might be time to think constructively so that there is a good, and easily acceptable, solution. 

For myself, whenever I have the option for ground or water travel vs air, I almost always select ground or water. I avoid airports as much as possible (and I’m about to spend lots of time at them over the next few months, so perhaps I’m just feeling a little anxious and that’s influencing my comments here).


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## sponger76 (Oct 7, 2022)

Ken555 said:


> This is easily solved. Many border crossings (including when entering the USA) requires admission if you spent time on a farm, etc. The islands could have a similar solution. Might be time to think constructively so that there is a good, and easily acceptable, solution.
> 
> For myself, whenever I have the option for ground or water travel vs air, I almost always select ground or water. I avoid airports as much as possible (and I’m about to spend lots of time at them over the next few months, so perhaps I’m just feeling a little anxious and that’s influencing my comments here).
> 
> ...


The thing is, if you add that infrastructure to check people going inter-island, how are you going to pay for it? Those costs would probably end up being added to the cost of tickets, and since there are far fewer passengers going on interisland ferries than going to the airport, the costs are spread out among fewer passengers and will add a lot more than security taxes add to your plane tickets. Which then lessens the incentive to use a ferry rather than just fly, which will also happen to be faster.


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## daviator (Oct 7, 2022)

Ken555 said:


> The agricultural check is when leaving Hawaii en route to the mainland, not the other way as you suggest.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I should have been more clear.  There are agricultural controls going both directions, but you're right that the specific inspection only applies when going back to the mainland.  I assume that's because there are pests that exist on the islands that don't exist on the mainland, and vice versa.  It would be difficult to implement that kind of inspection in every airport, worldwide, just for flights going to Hawaii, and that's why the inspection only happens when leaving.

But it's just as illegal to bring plants, fruits, cuttings, etc. from the mainland to Hawaii.  They often have officers with dogs walking around baggage claim at the airports in Hawaii, if you have a piece of fruit in your bag, they will find it.  The fine is significant I think.  There are amnesty bins at the airports right before you exit the secured area into baggage claim, so if you've accidentally brought something, that's the time to throw it out.

That's also why you have to fill out the mandatory agricultural form on every flight from the mainland to Hawaii (and probably from international origins too) – and it DOES ask specific questions about what you may be carrying with you.

I have always assumed that the various islands basically shared the same pests, but that might not be true, which is part of the reason there has been resistance to a car ferry.


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## Ken555 (Oct 7, 2022)

daviator said:


> I should have been more clear. There are agricultural controls going both directions, but you're right that the specific inspection only applies when going back to the mainland. I assume that's because there are pests that exist on the islands that don't exist on the mainland, and vice versa. It would be difficult to implement that kind of inspection in every airport, worldwide, just for flights going to Hawaii, and that's why the inspection only happens when leaving.
> 
> But it's just as illegal to bring plants, fruits, cuttings, etc. from the mainland to Hawaii. They often have officers with dogs walking around baggage claim at the airports in Hawaii, if you have a piece of fruit in your bag, they will find it. The fine is significant I think. There are amnesty bins at the airports right before you exit the secured area into baggage claim, so if you've accidentally brought something, that's the time to throw it out.
> 
> I have always assumed that the various islands basically shared the same pests, but that might not be true, which is part of the reason there has been resistance to a car ferry.



Yes, that is how I understand it, as well. I just think a passenger ferry would be a nice alternative to flying. 


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## ScoopKona (Oct 7, 2022)

Ken555 said:


> This is easily solved. Many border crossings (including when entering the USA) requires admission if you spent time on a farm, etc. The islands could have a similar solution. Might be time to think constructively so that there is a good, and easily acceptable, solution.



I'd be totally on board with that. The only thing I'm against is "leaving people up to their own devices." Because clearly the average tourist not only doesn't think about the potential harm they could cause, they're not interested in learning about that. 

It's staggeringly selfish to harm an entire people just because someone wants to travel with their pregnant "service" boa constrictor. It's clear we have to have rules, with teeth, and enforcement. Because otherwise it would be a mad stampede to do as much damage as possible.

I don't like flying, either. I like trains. 

But I like the added level of inspection and scrutiny which happens at airports. Less invasive _stuff_ will make it island to island, and mainland to island. 

The best option would be a decontamination chamber. "OK, granny, head to the booth and we'll spray you good!" I don't think that will go over well.


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## Ken555 (Oct 7, 2022)

sponger76 said:


> The thing is, if you add that infrastructure to check people going inter-island, how are you going to pay for it? Those costs would probably end up being added to the cost of tickets, and since there are far fewer passengers going on interisland ferries than going to the airport, the costs are spread out among fewer passengers and will add a lot more than security taxes add to your plane tickets. Which then lessens the incentive to use a ferry rather than just fly, which will also happen to be faster.



This is also a solvable problem. 


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## ScoopKona (Oct 7, 2022)

daviator said:


> I have always assumed that the various islands basically shared the same pests, but that might not be true, which is part of the reason there has been resistance to a car ferry.



I live in fear that the axis deer makes a foothold here. Game over for me.


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## daviator (Oct 7, 2022)

ScoopKona said:


> I live in fear that the axis deer makes a foothold here. Game over for me.


I'm sure I'm ignorant on this issue, so excuse what may be a dumb question.  But it seems like it would be pretty easy to prevent someone from bringing a mating pair of deer to an island.  They can't be hidden in someone's luggage or stuck to the bottom of someone's shoe.  Is that a real threat?  How would it happen?

I know there are deer on Moloka'i and Lana'i as well as Maui; they were intentionally introduced and it turned out to be a very stupid thing to do.  But shouldn't it be pretty easy to keep them off the islands where they are not currently entrenched?  Or maybe they are already on the other islands and I'm unaware of it?


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## ScoopKona (Oct 7, 2022)

daviator said:


> I'm sure I'm ignorant on this issue, so excuse what may be a dumb question.  But it seems like it would be pretty easy to prevent someone from bringing a mating pair of deer to an island.  They can't be hidden in someone's luggage or stuck to the bottom of someone's shoe.  Is that a real threat?  How would it happen?
> 
> I know there are deer on Moloka'i and Lana'i as well as Maui; they were intentionally introduced and it turned out to be a very stupid thing to do.  But shouldn't it be pretty easy to keep them off the islands where they are not currently entrenched?  Or maybe they are already on the other islands and I'm unaware of it?



They have already been intentionally introduced to Big Island. The state sent hunters and patrolled with helicopters. They say they got 'em all. But reports persist.

All it takes is someone to tranq a few of them and hide them in trunks. Why they want deer here? No idea. Maybe avid hunters. 

There's also the matter of coffee leaf rust and coffee borer beetle. Yes, they're here already. But ask anyone -- constantly reintroducing them farm-to-farm and cross-contaminating the islands will make things much worse. Of all the invasives, that one hits hardest -- and not just because it means more work and less money for yours truly. A coffee farmer/worker/lover had to visit an infected farm, and then bring the pests with them -- in unwashed clothes. Whoever did this should have known better.


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## sponger76 (Oct 8, 2022)

Ken555 said:


> This is also a solvable problem.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Please elaborate.


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## daviator (Oct 8, 2022)

ScoopKona said:


> They have already been intentionally introduced to Big Island. The state sent hunters and patrolled with helicopters. They say they got 'em all. But reports persist.
> 
> All it takes is someone to tranq a few of them and hide them in trunks. Why they want deer here? No idea. Maybe avid hunters.
> 
> There's also the matter of coffee leaf rust and coffee borer beetle. Yes, they're here already. But ask anyone -- constantly reintroducing them farm-to-farm and cross-contaminating the islands will make things much worse. Of all the invasives, that one hits hardest -- and not just because it means more work and less money for yours truly. A coffee farmer/worker/lover had to visit an infected farm, and then bring the pests with them -- in unwashed clothes. Whoever did this should have known better.


I didn't know the deer had been introduced to the Big Island.  That sucks.  I hope the state did indeed manage to get them all.  

People are crazy and selfish and do stupid things, so it certainly isn't impossible that someone might bring deer there I guess.  But that's an act that ought to have a big punishment attached to it.


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## BJRSanDiego (Oct 8, 2022)

When I read this, it made me think of the Howard Hughs Spruce Goose.  It flew about a mile and was 70 feet off the water, which would still give him a "ground effect" supposedly.  Of course, it may have been able to fly much higher, but for the taxi test and the only actual flight, they were flying pretty low.


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## letsgobobby (Oct 8, 2022)

ScoopKona said:


> Wouldn't be an issue if tourists could be bothered to wear clean clothes when they travel.


how do you know it's tourists and not locals interisland travel?


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## ScoopKona (Oct 8, 2022)

letsgobobby said:


> how do you know it's tourists and not locals interisland travel?



Because all of this originally came from outside Hawaii.

For instance, we have no rabies here. If some dingbat is anti-dog-vaxx and manages to skirt quarantine; AND manages to bring rabies to the islands -- once it's here, it's here. Locals can move it around once here. But it takes tourism to bring all this stuff in the first place. None of these invasives swam over.


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## letsgobobby (Oct 8, 2022)

ScoopKona said:


> Because all of this originally came from outside Hawaii.
> 
> For instance, we have no rabies here. If some dingbat is anti-dog-vaxx and manages to skirt quarantine; AND manages to bring rabies to the islands -- once it's here, it's here. Locals can move it around once here. But it takes tourism to bring all this stuff in the first place. None of these invasives swam over.


i get all that but you were talking about interisland ferries. i suspect that would have been mostly locals.


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## ScoopKona (Oct 9, 2022)

letsgobobby said:


> i get all that but you were talking about interisland ferries. i suspect that would have been mostly locals.



You suspect wrong. The two most popular vacation spots for locals are Las Vegas and Disneyland. Las Vegas is so popular there is Las Vegas events on the evening news every single day. (One reason I don't bother with the evening news.)

Not a whole lot of invasive animals and plants coming from the Mojave Desert.

Interisland ferries which include vehicles would be very popular -- and a potential environmental catastrophe. I'm against that no matter what.


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## letsgobobby (Oct 9, 2022)

there are 170 interisland HA flights daily. I can't imagine those are mostly tourists and couldn't find data either way, but in all my years of traveling to Hawaii (50+ trips) I have taken fewer than five interisland flights, while my local family has taken many. Which only makes sense. 

Obviously any single person can transport invasive species, however it could just as easily be a local as a tourist.


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## slip (Oct 9, 2022)

letsgobobby said:


> there are 170 interisland HA flights daily. I can't imagine those are mostly tourists and couldn't find data either way, but in all my years of traveling to Hawaii (50+ trips) I have taken fewer than five interisland flights, while my local family has taken many. Which only makes sense.
> 
> Obviously any single person can transport invasive species, however it could just as easily be a local as a tourist.



I don't have a figure either but when I worked on Oahu, I had to travel for work often. I had to go to all the main islands and Guam. We had many at our company that had to do the same. I'm sure the same holds true for many other businesses here in Hawaii. I often talked to and seen many others doing the same.


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