Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

[dick]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

Neat but doubtful. Don't think airlines offer a monthly pass. Though rumor that Hawaiian had something like that in the 90s.

When I lived and worked on Maui (2000 -2002) I worked with someone who lived on Oahu but commuted to Maui. She had a monthly pass on Hawaiian. It was like $1500-or-so and was unlimited flights between HNL and OGG.

[waioli kai]

Re: say What? , Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 4

That Honolulu Advertiser article didn't say that the name was Alakaʻi. It said that the name was Alakai.

Not Alakaʻi. Ala-kai. Like the bastard stepchild of Ala Wai and Hawaiʻi Kai. So waioli kai, it wasn't the corporatUSt$ who stuck the ʻokina in there... it was Miulang.

(I wonder if, analogously to the "Kai" in Hawaiʻi Kai actually meaning Kaiser and not "ocean", the "Ala" in this ship name doesn't mean "path" but actually is a homage to its place of construction... Alabama? )

Yes, without okina. The vessel did get a professional blessing. Interesting observation about the "Ala"--- just calling it the "Alabama" will be more appropriate and politically correct at the same time. Regarding 'Kaiser',,,, since in Hawaii everything related in any way to Kaiser's Germany was expropriated by the U.S government during WW1 (ala 'American Factors/AMFAC) perhaps it is fitting that 'kai' in Alakai reflect the undemocratic nature (aka, corporatUSt$ America) of the introduction of the vessel into this archipeligo.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

That ve$$le

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

um, gang?

Alakai = ala kai = ocean path. I am guessing nothing too profound about this name.

[LikaNui]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

According to this article on the front page of today's Honolulu Advertiser, 59 Stryker vehicles are currently on the Big Island for training exercises.
Much hue and cry has been made by one or two people in this thread about the SuperFerry being used to transport Strykers, and it appears to be true!
Oh.
Wait.
The SuperFerry isn't even here in the islands yet.
And the article says that the military took the Strykers from O`ahu to the Big Island on their own military ships.

Chicken Little was wrong. The sky isn't falling.

[Miulang]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

According to this article on the front page of today's Honolulu Advertiser, 59 Stryker vehicles are currently on the Big Island for training exercises.
Much hue and cry has been made by one or two people in this thread about the SuperFerry being used to transport Strykers, and it appears to be true!
Oh.
Wait.
The SuperFerry isn't even here in the islands yet.
And the article says that the military took the Strykers from O`ahu to the Big Island on their own military ships.

Chicken Little was wrong. The sky isn't falling.

Lika, my presumption was based on IF it became financially unfeasible for HSF to turn a profit transporting civilian passengers and they needed a supplemental income stream. Of course it hasn't happened yet! And it might be a nonissue anyway, if one of the following two events occurs: 1) Congress defunds the war in Iraq and we start leaving, which means less reason for stepped up training at Pohakuloa or 2) the Army decides to move the 3 Stryker Brigades to CONUS.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

This fatality occurred exactly in the area where NCL and Superferry pedestrians will have to walk in order to get to Maui Mall.

Miulang

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

This fatality occurred exactly in the area where NCL and Superferry pedestrians will have to walk in order to get to Maui Mall.

Miulang

I seriously think there is a driver quality issue in Hawaii these days, that's about the only kind of auto accidents one hears these days. NCL and Superferry should chip in for a pedestrian bridge.

[Miulang]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

I seriously think there is a driver quality issue in Hawaii these days, that's about the only kind of auto accidents one hears these days. NCL and Superferry should chip in for a pedestrian bridge.

Agreed 1000%! But you know what? Have you ever noticed that even when there are safe ways for pedestrians to cross busy streets (marked crosswalks, etc) that pedestrians invariably choose not to use those safe means, even though they may only be about 10 feet away from it?

Miulang

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

Agreed 1000%! But you know what? Have you ever noticed that even when there are safe ways for pedestrians to cross busy streets (marked crosswalks, etc) that pedestrians invariably choose not to use those safe means, even though they may only be about 10 feet away from it?

Miulang

Yes, but in those circumstances, if a pedestrian gets killed by an auto and the driver was determined to have done everything reasonable (one can't avoid running over a person if he/she dashes out without warning), then I call it Darwinism, especially if there is an overpass for him/her to use. No sympathies from me. I might even do a Nelson Muntz "HA-HA".

[LikaNui]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

According to this Breaking News story on the Advertiser's website:

"Hawaii Superferry has postponed the scheduled July launch of its first vessel in Hawai'i for at least a month, officials said this afternoon.
"The new interisland passenger service earlier had said it would start to take reservations this month, with service beginning in July. Now, those dates have pushed back to early summer for reservations and "later this summer" for service.
"Company president and chief executive officer John Garibaldi said the company's first vessel — the Alakai — is still being worked on by Austal, the shipbuilder, before it will leave Mobile, Ala., for Hawai'i.
"Garibaldi said the ship must complete a U.S. Coast Guard rigorous certification and inspection process. He said this is the first ship of its kind to be built by Austal.
"The Alakai is a unique, state-of-the-art U.S. flagged vessel," Garibaldi said. "The Coast Guard, Austal and Hawaii Superferry want to ensure that the vessel, its machinery and equipment, as well as its safety systems and plans, are thoroughly inspected and reviewed."

More at the link above.
No surprise in this news, given the complexity of building a ship like this and the need to ensure the safety of its crew and passengers.
Just a bummer about the delay.

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

No surprise in this news, given the complexity of building a ship like this and the need to ensure the safety of its crew and passengers.
Just a bummer about the delay.

Well it could be worse. The courts or the legislature could've mandated an EIS to be done, which would've torpedoed the service entirely.

[surferdudenate]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

I was trying to determine if I would use the superferry or not and wrote a little article on the subject. I would of just copied and pasted it here but it has a little flash chart I put together real fast and the blog doesn't really make much sense unless you look at the chart. You can read it here http://www.talkaloha.com/

[LikaNui]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

A nice photo at this link with a caption that includes:

"The Hawaii Superferry heads down the Mobile River in Alabama today as it leaves Austal USA en route for Hawaii."

Sure would love to be on that trip from Alabama through the Panama Canal and on to O`ahu!

[hifotog]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

I sure hope and betcha there's gonna be a HUGE crowd lining at Sand isle Park watching this babe come in! I sure will depending on day-date-time! I wouldnt be surprized if the appt book is solid for months cuz of private parties and commercial companies utilizing this way of transportation rather than using the barge svcs. who knows thou...perhaps if locals can just go park their cars in the pier and take a leisure cruise to get the feel of the ferry...who knows!