What we see happening on Kauai without toursim, from our local perspective, during the 10-day quarantine.
109 thoughts on “Time Bomb Ticking: Life on Kauai Now”
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What we see happening on Kauai without toursim, from our local perspective, during the 10-day quarantine.
Comments are closed.
Benjamin Franklin famously said “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” (note the irony in the word Essential). As a commuting small business owner on both from the mainland and Hawaii, resident of Hawaii, and a caring human being, I have watched aghast at the handling of the Pandemic. The lockdown is and has been utter nonsense with myopic focus on Covid numbers only. Kaui’s mayor in particular seems to think it is a badge of honor to crater an economy to keep the covid numbers in check. Amazing how “science” is used as justification with no facts to justify the “science”. I wonder if Derek Kawakami knows how many foreclosures, suicides, assaults, business closures, and other major personal calamities are caused by the lockdown (not the pandemic). I hope the voters of the Island will remember at the pols next time they vote and shame on the Mayor for his ignorance and lack of leadership! It is Ironic those two local idiots who tested positive who jumped on United from SFO were locals, but flew home anyway. Keep blaming the tourist who are tested within 72 hours and want to spend their money and then cheerfully return home for spreading the disease. No “Science” there. I know we are supposed to be nice on this forum, but Kaui’s isolationist lockdown behavior borders on criminal! Ironically these hacks are all drawing a paycheck! Prayers and Aloha for the private sector citizens of Kaui so severely impacted by the cowards and fools who lead them.
Hi DJ- Could not agree with you more! The fear this pandemic or #scamdemic as well call it in California applies only to the peasants not the political elites and/or wealthy business owners (Amazon, Costco, Walmart etc…) Our governor (& countless other “leaders” across the fruited plains) have continued to dine wherever they want, continued to send their own children to private in-person schools, and continued to run their businesses (think Gov. Newsom’s Napa winery) while the peasants starve. I walked by a local food pick-up car line that extended for over 3 blocks! Leaders continue to get paid, live comfortably in their homes, educate their children, as the peasants literally starve. These leaders are often photographed without masks, moving about freely as the continue to “lock us all down”. I know MANY people who have gotten Covid and survived….we should focus on survivability rates. Yes, our local ICU’s are full with all kinds of illnesses, not just Covid. And even with lockdowns, closures, mask police, the virus is continuing to spread because that is what minuscule, contagious viruses do… if all these lockdown protocols worked, the virus would not spread right (look at Japan)? Best bet is to protect the vulnerable, keep your immune system strong so if you do get it, you have a better chance of doing well, and be more like Sweden, who did not lock down and has the same rates as most other countries…and if Kauai needs to reinforce its healthcare system, then get federal funds to do that- it is not like they have not had 9 months to do so.
Nita, you are spot on! Decisions based on Fear and with no facts to justify the fear. Unbelievable! The lunatics are running the asylum! “The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.” Couldn’t be more pertinent than this absurd reaction in California and Hawaii!
If we could have gotten tourists to come back for a second post arrival test we would have been much safer but Kaua’i tourists failed to comply.
I would go for that! I miss Kauai!
Thats right kauaidog.
I am off island and came here from Maui. We are essential workers. We have a two week Timeshare in Kapaa that I am paying 2600. Tomorrow. We can’t plan and can’t expect to use in the foreseeable future. This closure could last for months and we will get no concessions except we can move the time to the following year, maybe.
There must be hundreds like us. In this situation we are also taxpayers. I Never see it mentioned.
Mahalo
I understand. I have a Hilton timeshare in Oahu. I have 2 years and $3k riding on an April trip with another year to still book. There are no refunds. They have our money 1+year in advance. They are not losing like we are. So stressful and sad.
Until the people making the so called informed decisions that are destroying people’s life at all different levels also start to suffer financially they really don’t give a damn in my opinion nor do they have to until the next election should they choose to run again. Pretty damn sad.
We are currently on Kauai staying at Hanalei Bay Resort having arrived November 28, 4 days before the 14 day quarantine. At this point Hanalei Bay Resort will is shut down for non-local guests. The number of guests is rapidly dwindling. Our timeshare stay here ends on January 8.
We have two one week timeshare reservations at the Westin and Marriott’s Ocean Club on Kaanapali for the weeks of Jan. 8 and 15.
Are these plans feasible based on the current rules?
And what is the process for a visitor to go from Kauai to Maui then home via LAX?
Since Maui is still participating in safe travels, you will need a covid test on Kauai 3 days before arrival in Maui and a negative test in hand when you arrive in Maui to avoid any further quarantine.
Not sure if LA is requiring anything for returning travelers, but from the Hawaii side you can leave for home with no additional requirements.
If I lived there I would be front and center in organizing a recall of the Mayor. Couldn’t happen fast enough for me!
You don’t and I do and he has done the right thing.
I bet you were not born there now are a ‘native? Rofl
KAUAIDOUG… Are you independently wealthy? Because all my friends on the island are pretty close to be destitute.
Hi Bob,
Actually the mayor is quite popular on island even though many are frustrated with the travel policies since the Governor is the one that is denying the safe travels modifications that most islands residents want.
Sadly the residents are very supportive of the decisions of the mayor and still think it’s the tourists who are bringing in the virus when it was already reported that returning residents were the ones who tested positive but still went back to the island. They actually want to stay closed to tourists for as long as possible and just collect government aid, no need to work. That’s their MO. I just feel bad for those who actually want to go back to work/struggle to keep their businesses afloat. Soon only rich transplants will be left in the islands, the peasants won’t survive.
I would even be willing to do the quarantine if we were able to do it in a house or condo.
Mark, I totally agree with you. We would be more than happy to quarantine in a vacation rental condo where we would have our own space, i.e., an actual living room, a kitchen and a balcony. The idea of paying hundreds of dollars a night to be confined in a hotel room for two weeks (now 10 days) just doesn’t sound too appealing, nor does it make any sense. We could be supporting the locals by ordering takeout from restaurants and having food delivered from grocery stores or local farmers. That would help the locals in a small way, but it’s better than nothing. Aloha.
Exactly Pam, we are on the same page.
And I’d be happy to host you if the now “shortened” 10-day quarantine was allowed in a vacation rental!
I would be up for that!
Our week on Kauai in January is canceled. We have no problem with testing but no quarantines. We’re headed to the Big Island instead where the safety/testing regime is more reasonable. Maybe we’ll be back to Kauai next year if there’s anything left to go back to as far as hotels, restaurants, shops, etc.
Well, why don’t they just shut the island down and let it revert to a tropic isle like Niihau the native Hawaiian people would love to get their isle paradise back. I on the other hand would miss the unhurried lifestyle of our yearly visits.
Nice in the old world of 1800s but, not today more population tourist sites,restaurants,relies on visitors & snowbirds. Nice post but Kauai has a population that needs business!! John
Kauai is too far gone from niihau. I sailed past there have shells from there etc. Kauai has too many haole residents.
They can’t go back.
Real estate on the island is skyrocketing as people want to move to Kauai to escape this miserable pandemic. I wish that could translate to more purchasing, but it hurts the local with the higher housing prices. Businesses are failing all over the place, the stimulus bill may help I hope.