Tourism officials are asking visitors to steer clear of one of Hawaii’s most picturesque islands as residents and businesses work to recover from the latest tropical storm to thrash the state.
Intense wind and surging waves from Hurricane Lowell damaged oceanfront resorts, ripped apart roads and knocked out power early this week on Kauai, known for its stunning tropical landscapes, waterfalls and dramatic cliffs.
Thousands of customers, including some resorts, remained without power Friday, as crews continued clearing streets of downed trees and utility poles. Extensive lines backed up at Kauai's primary airport as people tried to leave the island; state officials said the airport was operating on a lone backup generator because a second generator was damaged by the storm. That reduced security screening to a single line with long delays.
“Our hope is that visitors will adjust their travel plans instead of canceling their trip to Hawai‘i altogether,” Caroline Anderson, interim president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, said in a written statement Thursday. “Adjusting your itinerary allows you to continue your Hawaiʻi vacation while supporting the state’s broader visitor economy as Kauaʻi recovers.”
Kauai depends on tourism
Kauai sees only a small fraction of Hawaii’s almost 10 million visitors each year, but tourism is its top economic driver, with people coming from all over to take in its tropical landscapes, waterfalls and dramatic cliffs. Local estimates say tourism accounts for 4 out of every 10 jobs on the island.
The hurricane’s powerful storm surge buckled and washed away roads, knocked down the walls of homes and flooded resorts, sending rapids through a hotel lobby, overturning furniture and scattering debris. It was blamed for two deaths, including a 74-year-old man found Wednesday near Kauai's south shore and a man found dead Monday on Oahu after a large tree fell on his tent.
Democratic Gov. Josh Green asked President Donald Trump on Wednesday to issue a major disaster declaration to expedite federal help for Kauai and Maui counties.
On Lanai, one of Hawaii's smallest main islands, storm damage rendered a harbor that supplies much of the food and fuel to its 3,300 residents inoperable. Officials initially said it would take two weeks to repair, but Thursday they updated that estimate to say it should be ready for operations by Sunday, with additional repairs to a sinkhole and a pier to take a week. The island is mostly owned by billionaire Larry Ellison, who spent about $300 million on it in 2012.
Hearing that the harbor will reopen soon is a “huge relief,” said Keoni Vaughn, executive director of Lanai Cat Sanctuary, a nonprofit that cares for over 700 cats on the island.
“Considering the extent of the damage, having the possibility of barge service restored that quickly says a lot about the response and the number of people working together to make it happen,” said Vaughn.
The cat sanctuary made it through Lowell with limited impact, a relief after Hurricane Lala in August caused thousands of dollars in damage.
Resorts offer refunds and rebookings
At the Ko‘a Kea Resort in Poipu, on Kauai's southern shore, management said it would offer refunds for those who had to cancel rather than reschedule their reservations, but that it expected to resume normal operations within two weeks. The Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort, which sustained no structural damage, said it had to close beginning Thursday evening but hoped to reopen soon after power is restored.
While images of destruction flooded social media, 68-year-old Chris White, a lifelong resident of Kauai and the owner of a rental home in Poipu, noted that much of the island was spared significant damage. He said he keeps a spare generator and solar water heater at the property in case of power outages, and he urged potential visitors to check with the owners of their properties about whether they should still come.
“There are countless images on the web of devastation, so I’m not trying to gloss that over,” White said. “I’m just trying to add a little more balance to it. It's a beautiful day here. Guests can still walk to Poipu Beach. There are bathrooms that work. The water’s running.”
Kelly Kakalia, co-owner of The Musubi Truck, a Kauai food truck business, said she is not overly worried about the interruption to tourism.
“I would be silly to say tourism doesn’t drive our economy,” she said, but “our island needs time to rest and rebuild and make sure locals have power and water” before welcoming back tourists.
Some want focus on community first
On Wednesday, Musubi's staff used its commercial kitchen in Wailua, on Kauai’s east side, to serve nearly 600 free meals. Relying on propane to cook and generators to keep food cold, they prepared poke bowls, chicken, ahi katsu and rice. A neighboring cafe owner plugged a blender into her pickup truck to make free smoothies, and a nearby brewery brought warm beer for the volunteers.
Born and raised on Kauai, the 36-year-old said she didn’t want to sell food during a time of need. The community is filled with classmates, cousins and others she’s known all her life, she said.
After the kitchen got power back, Kakalia donated the generators to other families still without electricity.
As for losing any business, she said, "that’s just part of it.”
“The community and island are more important,” Kakalia said.
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Johnson reported from Seattle and Rodriguez from San Francisco. Associated Press writer Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed.
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