Erosion plagues park on Maui
An outdoor shower facility and trees are in danger of falling into the ocean
PAIA, Maui » Maui County parks officials have extended off-limit fencing at Baldwin Beach Park to keep the public away from fallen trees and an eroded shoreline.
The plastic orange fencing has been placed around and near the restroom facilities on the Paia side of the park, where the erosion has created an 8-foot drop to the ocean.
The county outdoor shower facility at the park is about to fall into the surf, and the county has lost more than a dozen trees to erosion in recent months.
"It's a big mess," said Parks Director Glenn Correa.
GARY T. KUBOTA / GKUBOTA@STARBULLETIN.COM
The county outdoor shower facility is falling into the ocean at Baldwin Beach Park in Paia, Maui, as a result of ocean erosion. County officials have closed off the Paia side of the park.
|
|
County officials have brought in portable toilets and allowed the public to continue to use the pavilion which is further away from the ocean.
While ocean currents in the summer usually take away sand from beaches in Paia and Spreckelsville, residents say this season has been particularly brutal to the shoreline.
The seasonal erosion has left the roots of coconut trees completely exposed in front of some homes.
Peter Woods who helps to maintain a family home in Spreckelsville said erosion has slowly taken away beachfront land.
Woods said in the mid-1970s, the family had barbecues on land that once extended about 20 feet into the ocean.
Spreckelsville had a larger sand coastline 30 years ago.
"It was a very big beach, nothing like it is today," he said.