KEALIA — In the last five weeks, the Rev. Michael-Michael Immanuel Israel of Lihu’e has turned to the Coast Guard, the state of Hawai’i and Kaua’i County to remove a metal buoy from the shoreline at Donkey Beach at Kealia.
But Israel said no agency is listening, as the buoy, nearly the size of a small compact car, continues to roll in the surf by the beach.
His chief concern, Israel said, is that the buoy doesn’t become a hazard to beachgoers and doesn’t become a hazard to boaters should it be taken back out to sea by ocean currents.
“I am just trying to be a good Samaritan,” Israel said in an interview with The Garden Island. “I don’t want to get anybody (in government) in trouble, but if something isn’t done, somebody will get in trouble (for not doing their job in the event of an accident).”
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has jurisdiction of beach areas to the high water mark. Kaua’i County has jurisdiction of beach areas mauka of the high water mark.
Israel said as far as he knows, both government entities have begged off responsibility for the buoy.
DLNR officials were contacted by The Garden Island about two weeks ago, but no calls were returned to the paper. County officials were not immediately available for comment.
The buoy is currently rolling in the surf at the southern end of the crescent-shaped bay.
Israel, who has been visiting the East Kaua’i beach for the past 30 years for recreation and relaxation, said the buoy was apparently moored in the bay about six months ago.
On a visit to the bay in early November, Israel said he spotted the buoy on the shoreline, washed in by waves. He called the Kaua’i Police Department and tried to call the Coast Guard station at Nawiliwili Harbor to clear up the problem.
No one at the Coast Guard station “answered the phone,” apparently because “it was the weekend,” Israel said.
Israel said he felt he had done his job as a responsible citizen, and waited for a response by government.
When nobody called him back after 1 1/2 weeks, Israel called the police again. A dispatcher told him the police was aware of the situation, and had contacted Coast Guard officials as well.
But Israel said a Coast Guard official told him that securing the buoy or removing it from the shoreline was the responsibility of the DLNR, because the navigational device was resting on coastline areas that fell under the jurisdiction of the state agency.
Israel said Coast Guard officials also contacted Coast Guard headquarters on O’ahu and DLNR officials for help.
When no government types stepped forward to offer any assistance, Israel said he decided to take another route.
Israel said he contacted a representative for Kealia Kai subdivision who said he would look into removing the buoy. Donkey Beach is located makai of the luxury residential subdivision.
But because the buoy is not on Kealia Kai property, the landowner has decided not to do the job.
Israel said he is irritated by the lack of inaction by all who could help partly because the buoy is “just sitting there, taxpayers are paying for it and it could still be used.”
Israel said the buoy needs to be remoored in the bay for the public’s safety.
“The buoy was put in the bay for safety reasons, but it doesn’t seem at this point that anybody is in a hurry to put back the safety net,” Israel said.
Staff writer Lester Chang can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net
