Fifty-one kilometres of open ocean, with no land in sight for the first hour: that is the reality of the Kaiwi Solo, a 51km (32-mile) outrigger canoe race across Hawaii’s Kaiwi Channel, widely regarded as one of the most demanding open-water crossings in the sport.

“You cannot see a thing – you have no point of reference,” said Alex Hunter. “It is extremely disorienting and unnerving setting off. It’s not until about an hour into the race that you can start to visualise where you are heading.”

Earlier this month, Ekaterina Lukyanets, a 39-year-old software engineer, and Hunter, 38, water sports manager at Victoria Recreation Club, became Hong Kong’s only female and only male participants in the annual event, each paddling the full 51 km alone.

For Hunter, the race had long held a near-mythical status. “It is not a race everyone can enter, and it is not a race everyone can finish,” he said. “That highly coveted nature is what drew me to it.”

After seven years in the sport, including local competitions and a 128km team race in Tahiti, he decided last year that the time had come.

What followed was six months of disciplined preparation: four to five sessions a week, often starting at 6am, with monthly mileage exceeding 400km.

The Hawaii County Council voted 6-3 on Wednesday in favor of passing a long-term public planning document that has garnered significant public outcry, at times described by council members as “personal attacks,” “vilifying comments,” “conspiracy theories” and “AI psychosis.”

Council members Dennis “Fresh” Onishi, Ashley Kierkiewicz and Holeka Inaba all cast “no” votes.

These accusations have eclipsed discussions about Bill 66, which adopts the Hawaii County General Plan 2045. The plan is a 20-year comprehensive policy document guiding land use, growth, public services and transportation on the island. The current edition on the books was adopted in 2005 and has come to the end of its functional lifespan, prompting Planning Department officials to submit a 310-page revision to the County Council in March of last year.

This exhaustive update — referred to informally as the “2045 Plan” — is the byproduct of years of public hearings and comment periods, formed with the input from dozens of meetings and thousands of comments submitted by the public.

The 2045 Plan calls for climate change adaptation, sets goals for net-zero carbon emissions, and restricts growth to urban areas in order to protect rural, agricultural land. It calls for stricter land use rules, provisions for mass transit expansion, and mandates for adopting renewable energy technology.

Available for public review for over a year, the plan was making steady progress until it was sidelined in early March when Kierkiewicz sent her fellow council members a 71-page proposal amending the significantly longer and more detailed plan penned by the Planning Department.

Kierkiewicz submitted a letter to the council two weeks later on March 19 trying to justify the changes, where she claimed the objectives of her “2026 Plan” were the same as the document it essentially replaces.

County officials, including past and present planning directors, pushed back on the alteration. Former Planning Director Chris Yuen criticized the 2026 Plan’s removal of language relating to climate change — among other issues — and testified at Wednesday’s meeting via Zoom in defense of the 2045 Plan in an attempt to set the record straight.

“I’d like to talk about some of the positive features of this plan, and in particular, two aspects that have unfortunately been a little bit controversial, and that is sustainability and climate change,” Yuen said. “Neither one should be controversial. Sustainability is just a word to describe practices that enable us to live in harmony with the environment that sustains us. It’s another word for the Hawaiian term, (which) would be malama aina.”

Arguing that climate change provisions would be indispensable to a planning document governing growth on the island for the next two decades, he reiterated that policymakers should be listening to scientists who’ve been sounding the climate alarm for decades.

“(There) has already been a scientific consensus that man-made climate change is happening,” Yuen said. “These predictions about increasing global temperatures, sea level rise, and extreme weather events have proven very accurate.”

Even so, some testifiers at Wednesday’s meeting voiced stern opposition to the 2045 Plan’s climate provisions. One of whom was Kailua-Kona resident Eugene Elmer, who echoed a common misconception among the plan’s opponents that the document sought to abolish fossil fuels and reduce private property rights.

Elmer directed his animosity toward the five council members who voted May 4 to approve Bill 66 during the Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and Economic Development meeting.

“To the five council members who voted aye: Do you really think there won’t be repercussions when you start turning people’s land into conservation and telling them what they can and can’t do with their property?” he asked. “Wait till the local braddahs find out you guys like take their diesel work trucks. We will make sure they all find out, and your names will definitely be put on blast.”

Elmer then appeared to make thinly veiled threats against council members considering voting in favor of the 2045 Plan.

“Forcing this bill through will create a level of resentment and hostility in this community that we haven’t seen in a long time,” he said. “I am a peaceful person. But I know this island, and this will push some people past their breaking point. For the sake of peace and unity, please do not create that kind of division.”

South Kona resident Juhl Rayne had similarly hostile words for the five council members who helped pass the bill out of committee earlier this month.

“I don’t know how you’re going to sleep at night knowing that you’re selling out to the elite 2021 UN agenda,” Rayne said. “The only thing that I can figure … (about) how this could be is either you’re being paid off by some corporation or entity, or you’ve been completely brainwashed … or you’re just completely innocent to the idea that that people can be bad.”

Ka‘u Councilwoman Michelle Galimba attempted to address Elmer’s claim that the 2045 Plan would ban diesel trucks.

“There is a strong desire expressed and goals established towards getting away from fossil fuels,” Galimba said about the plan. “I drive a diesel truck, and I’m happy to drive a diesel truck because I need it for certain jobs on the ranch, but I also understand that electrifying our public fleet would be a good thing.”

She said that as a rancher, she’s not concerned that any of the plan’s provisions would threaten her livelihood.

“I’m not afraid that this general plan is going to affect my ability to do what I need to do with my big … fossil-fuel-burning diesel truck,” she said. “I think a lot of people have gotten sort of hung up on particular words, particular policies, and see them as threatening.”

At its core, she said, the general plan would not endanger civil rights or restrict personal choice.

“It is not a coercive document,” she said. “It is a plan for all of us to go in a direction that I think the majority of people on this island want to go in, and I respect those who don’t want to go in that direction, and I don’t think that there is anything in here that will change or not allow you to burn all the fossil fuel that you want in your personal life.”

Kona Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas expressed sympathy for some of public comments, but reiterated that there was nothing sinister about what the council was attempting to do.

“Honestly my heart breaks for some of the testifiers because I see and hear the concern and the fear and the belief systems that this is some kind of a conspiracy document related to a global world order and whatnot,” Villegas said. “Our intention sitting here as imperfect, humble public servants is not a grand scheme for global takeover, smart cities, weather change patterns, all those things.”

Bill 66 will now head back to the full council for a second and final vote.

Email Stefan Verbano at stefan.verbano@hawaiitribune-herald.com.

The Aloha Spirit is codified as state law in Hawaii under section 5-7-5 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, which gives residents a real charter for how they treat each other and visitors. That ethic shows up across the Hawaiian Islands in both coastal communities and inland mountain villages. Paia leans into Maui’s surf-and-art identity on the North Shore. Pahoa preserves one of the largest concentrations of historic wooden buildings in the state. Waimanalo holds a quiet beachfront on Oahu’s windward side. Each of the seven towns ahead has its own version of the welcome.

Paia, Maui

Paia is as well known for being a hippie surfer town as it is for its art. Visitors looking for a laid-back experience find just that on a walkable downtown grid. Kaulahao Beach is one of the better stretches for walking along the shore and spotting green sea turtles resting on the sand. Nearby, Baldwin Beach offers golden sand and volcanic mountains in the background, with a small cove at the eastern end that’s safer for swimming and seeing turtles.

Art-focused travelers should visit the Kim McDonald Art Gallery to see paintings depicting Hawaiian landscapes, with appointments bookable in advance or during a stay on Maui. Anyone in Paia during July can join one of the multiple Obon celebrations held over consecutive weekends. The events include community dancing, Japanese festival food, and a steady current of Aloha spirit throughout.

Pahoa, Hawai’i

Pahoa sits on the eastern tip of the Big Island and holds one of the largest concentrations of historic wooden buildings in Hawaii. The local Puna lifestyle has earned residents the nickname “punatics,” and the community takes real pride in the unconventional character of its slice of the Big Island.

The heritage sites include the Akebono Theater, which served sugar cane workers more than a hundred years ago, and the Star of the Sea Painted Church, built between 1927 and 1928 and later moved to Kalapana to save it from lava flows. Father Evarist Gielen hand-painted the church’s upper interior with devotional and scriptural scenes, and the building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Pahoa Village Road still consists largely of 20th-century wooden structures and false-front storefronts.

Visitors who want to meet the “punatics” can head to Isaac Hale Beach Park, where a new beach was formed by the 2018 lava flow, or stop by the Maku’u Farmers Market on a Sunday, where vendors are happy to talk over tables of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Honoka’a, Hawai’i

Honoka’a is a slightly out-of-the-way destination on the Big Island that justifies the drive. The pretty town features the Waipio Valley Lookout, where visitors can take in the black-sand beach, distant waterfalls, and the valley once dominated by taro fields. After grabbing a malasada at Tex Drive In, visitors can continue to the Waipi’o Valley (now accessible only via authorized tour) to learn about Hawaii’s early history and see the Valley of the Kings, where King Kamehameha the Great was raised. Some authorized shuttle tours approach the black-sand beach, but swimming is not recommended due to strong currents, high surf, and rip currents.

In Honoka’a itself, the late-May Western Week features parades and rodeo events and is one of the busiest weekends in town. The Hamakua Harvest Festival in the fall celebrates local agriculture with food, music, and produce stalls.

Waikoloa, Hawai’i

Waikoloa’s friendly guides know where the adventure and relaxation are. Day visitors looking to relax have A-Bay and Hapuna Beach State Park. A-Bay (Anaehoomalu Bay) features a wide beach and ancient Hawaiian fish ponds that are a real source of local pride, with calm water that’s well-suited to snorkeling and paddleboarding. Hapuna covers a long stretch of white sand a short drive from town, with conditions that work for boogie boarding, swimming, and seasonal whale watching.

For something more active, the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail follows in the footsteps of Native Hawaiians, with petroglyphs and open ocean views along the route. The Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve holds hundreds of carvings depicting early Hawaiian life. The annual Waikoloa Lei Day Festival in May celebrates the lei-making tradition at King’s Shops and Queen’s Marketplace.

Hanalei, Kauai

Hanalei on the island of Kauai is known for its hula shows and island hospitality. Visitors can reserve a session at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay to learn hula basics and experience the tradition in its home context. The Hanalei landscape supports plenty of outdoor options, with choices that include hiking the Napali Coast and taking a boat tour for snorkeling or sailing. Ke’e Beach is one of the better spots for snorkeling and swimming, with a protective reef that keeps the larger waves at bay.

Surfers have Hanalei Bay’s consistent waves running in sizes for both beginners and experts. Anyone wanting to spend more time with locals can stop by the Hanalei Pier to join the fishing scene or settle in for the sunset over the water and the surrounding mountains.

Haleiwa, Oahu

One of the most distinctive things to do in Haleiwa is paddle the Anahulu River under the Rainbow Bridge. The river is scenic, framed by palm trees, and offers regular sightings of sea turtles. Night paddling on the river is also available, with paddleboards lit by LED lights underneath.

Next to the Rainbow Bridge, Hale’iwa Beach Park has calm waters for wading. The beach is one of the most-visited stretches on the North Shore for a Hawaiian sunset. Catamarans depart Hale’iwa Harbor for sunset cruises and seasonal whale watching in winter. Arts-focused visitors can plan a Haleiwa trip around the Annual Haleiwa Arts Festival, with the 2026 event scheduled for June 13-14 at Hale’iwa Beach Park, featuring live performance art, food trucks, and a juried art market.

Waimanalo, Oahu

Waimanalo Beach is one of Oahu’s quieter stretches of sand. Visitors can take a long walk on uncrowded shoreline and enjoy the warm water. Snorkelers and turtle-watchers can head to Kaiona Beach Park, where the water holds colorful corals and green sea turtles glide in the shallow waves. The Sea Life Park on Makapu’u Point lets visitors swim with dolphins and watch sea lion shows at the Hawaiian Ocean Theater.

For an extended stay, Waimanalo Beach has plantation-style cottages that go back to an earlier era of Hawaiian travel. To get to know residents, the Sunflower Spring and Summer Event runs June through July at Waimanalo Country Farms, with sunflower fields, sweet cornbread, and Nalo Made lemonade as the calling cards.

Hawaii Offers Experiences Beyond the Postcard

Community comes first across the Hawaiian Islands. Locals are warm and welcoming, and they make room for visitors to participate rather than just observe. That allows people to meet the “punatics” first-hand and to pick up activities like lei-making or hula dancing in the settings that made them famous. Across these seven towns, the goal is connection: with the people, with the islands, and with the long tradition of Aloha that runs through everything.