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Water Ways Ray Pendleton |
Whales may block plans
for SuperferryFor anyone involved in recreational boating in Hawaii, Russ Lynch's article in last Sunday's Star-Bulletin about the potential for a new interisland "Superferry" service was sure to be an eye-catcher.
In fact, just one look at the accompanying color photo of a 300-plus-foot ship speeding across the water may have done it.
At first glance the ship looked a bit like the dinner cruise ship Navatek, but once the proportions sunk in, it was obvious that it was something a whole lot bigger and faster.
As Lynch's story was for the business section, much of it dealt with the commercial viability of starting and operating a company that intends to provide an interisland ferry service unlike anything seen before in Hawaii.
The vessel being proposed by the company, Hawaii Superferry, would be a 320-foot-long, 90-foot-wide, "wave-piercing catamaran" that would cruise at 42 knots (48 miles per hour).
This "Superferry" would carry about 900 passengers and 250 vehicles, which could include cars, trucks, semi tractor-trailers and buses.
From another source I learned that a similar aluminum-hulled ferry operates across the Strait of Gibraltar, between Spain and Morocco.
Hawaii Superferry representatives told Lynch they will be able to operate at a profit with fares competitive with the airlines'.
And the ferry will do something the airlines can't -- allow passengers to take their personal vehicles, filled with family, friends and all their recreational equipment. Heck, maybe even towing a boat.
For a trailer boat owner, driving his pickup and boat onto a ferry in Honolulu Harbor and then, some three hours later, driving off in Kahului for a week-long Maui fishing trip would be unbelievable.
In the past, one of the major problems interisland ferry operations have been unable to solve has been how to safely and comfortably handle the heavy sea conditions often found in Hawaii's wind-blown channels.
The Hawaii Superferry representatives told Lynch that bigger vessels and the latest technology will be the answer.
One aspect of the proposed high-speed ferry service that was not addressed is operation in and around the waters of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
In a study on collisions between ships and whales that appeared in Marine Mammal Science in January 2001, it was noted that when high-speed (28 knots or faster) vessels collided with whales, not only were whales and vessels damaged, but passengers were often injured.
The study added that "in 89 percent of the collision accounts ... in which whales were killed or severely injured ... the involved vessels (were) moving at 14 knots or faster (whereas) none occurred at speeds of less than 10 knots."
The study proposed advanced planning to avoid or minimize travel distances through high-use whale habitats, or, better yet, to reduce vessel speeds wherever whales are likely to be.
Obviously, in Hawaii, either option would surely conflict with any high-speed ferry operation.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Ray Pendleton is a free-lance writer based in Honolulu.
His column runs Saturdays in the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached by e-mail at raypendleton@mac.com.
