• Walter Lappert • Kilauea beach Walter Lappert Walter Lappert brought to Kaua‘i the skills and marketing expertise of Europe when he decided to make ice cream on Kaua‘i some 20 years ago. Lappert made excellent ice cream out of
• Walter Lappert
• Kilauea beach
Walter Lappert
Walter Lappert brought to Kaua‘i the skills and marketing expertise of Europe when he decided to make ice cream on Kaua‘i some 20 years ago.
Lappert made excellent ice cream out of an ice cream factory he created at Hanapepe. Today his deluxe ice cream flavors are sold at Lappert’s shops up and down the West Coast, as well as in Honolulu, and of course at Hanapepe.
Lappert, with his white beard and distinctive white golf cap always on, became a well-known figure on Kaua‘i, as well as gaining a reputation as a top-notch businessman who successfully started up a Kaua‘i export business that is flourishing today.
He will be long remembered on Kaua‘i for his success, as well as his friendly demeanor, that combined a touch of European elegance with the down to earth, red dirt life of West Kaua‘i.
Kilauea beach
Whether you call it Rock Quarry Beach or Kahili Beach, if you’re a Kilauea resident you want to be able to access the long white sand beach on the coast at Kilauea.
The beach was once the front of taro lo‘i-lined river in the days of ancient Hawai‘i. In the plantation days of Kilauea Sugar, the beach once had a wooden float in the river just mauka of the beach, and was easily accessible by Model-T from the north side of the beach.
Today the northern access is cut off, and only the southern access remains.
The property owner of the access to the beach is doing the right thing in working with the local community, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Kilauea Neighborhood Association and other community groups to work out a plane that will take liability away from her, keep a path open to the beach, and preserve the unique wilderness area for future generations.
Those used to driving their vehicles onto the beach may find their vehicular access curtailed, but that sacrifice may have to be made to keep the right of way to the beach open to all.
Kahili Beach is a treasure for surfers, fisherman, families who take their young children to the beach, for swimmers and for those who just enjoy a relaxing day at the beach.
A consensus needs to be reached in the near future on both a possible purchase of the land, as well as rules for access. The organizations involved seem to be well on the way to this consensus and need to push on with finalizing plans for the beach area and access to it.
One suggestion: The beach area should be kept as natural as possible and no beach facilities should be built there.
