Honolua Bay enjoyed by third-generation tourists
POSTED: March 2, 2008 Thirty-six years ago my family visited Maui, and as a 4-year-old I learned to swim in the pools at the Maui Eldorado.

We came as a family every August for many years after that. The highlight was spending days at Honolua Bay snorkeling and walking through the rain forest trails to the shore. The aromas and beauty of the area stayed with me for years.

Last week I took my own family there for the first time. My kids are 9 and 7. I was amazed that things hadn’t changed at the bay save for that new eyesore on the opposite bluff.

The joyful experience I had as a child was still there for me and my kids. I surfed, they snorkeled and I’m still high from the experience. To think that this last bit of paradise could be ruined for all those who come after us is a crime.

I would like to return each year with my kids to relive this great area, but if the area is developed in any capacity, we won’t. It will be a crime.

The value of open space cannot be compensated for by the short-term gains for a few developers and politicians on the take. It’s a philosophical and moral crime. Please consider the power of generational experiences created by the power of nature. Please save the bay. Please.

Kyle J. Watson

Seattle