A idea here for the park service, would be to drill into rock or place mooring buoys in deep water places where you climb off/on your kayak without touching shore or reef at all. People who have climb down the trail should have one place and one place only to get in and out of the water off a deep water rock. Now you would be protecting the reef not with your loud and rude kayak guides you have givin the right to do what ever they want to do there.

The locals that travel that road regularly know every bend in the road and the best way to go to avoid getting stuck – even in a 4×4 rental SUV, it can be a challenge.

Funny how pompous these tour operators are. Everyone seemed to get along just fine prior to this rule being put into effect (I actually kayaked out to Captain Cook about one week before the enforcement of this rule). Now these tour operators are marine biologists with a “do as I say not as I do” attitude. I’d like to start posting the names of these companies online to let everyone know… Having pulled my kayak up onto the dried lava beds to the left of the monument countless times dating back more than 10 years, I can tell you there is no coral at that spot – you are dragging the hull of your plastic kayak over the dried lava. What is infinitely more damaging is the droves of people from the giant catamaran that are standing right on the coral reef in front of the monument.

The exact same thing happened to us today. The woman pulled her kayak, along with those of her tour, up on the rock and she camped out on the monument ledge. When we took a break from snorkeling and climbed up, she asked us if we were with a tour company or a cruise ship. When we said no she told us we needed a permit to be there. We had pulled our kayak out since the surf was high and my wife is pregnant. She explained that that was killing the reef (apparently her permit prevented the plastic on her boats from affecting the reef). She told me to walk over and get my boat and tow it like the other independent kayakers. While I fetched the boat, she kept asking my wife if she was going to get back in the water. When I paddled back, my wife noticed my head was bleeding – I’d gashed it on a tree. Nothing serious, but it was bleeding and the tour woman responded by telling me to keep my kayak off the wall where my wife was sitting.

The locals who rented us the kayaks showed a lot more concern for the environment and us than she did. As we were paddling back, 3-4 boats loaded with dozens of snorkels were arriving. It’s pretty clear that the way this law is structured is more about protecting large operators than protecting the reef.

I totally agree with you.

Yes, it is true, without your permit, you cannot set foot on the monument or the land surrounding it. You can attempt to tie your kayak to overhanging branches — but that is no easy task (I’ve tried myself and was unsuccessful). It really depends on the winds as to whether your kayak will be secure… or get dashed on the rocks on the shore.

If the DLNR was serious about protecting the reef, they would cap the total number of tourists allowed (regardless of whether it is a charter, etc.) at Captain Cook. Also, by making the registration process easier (putting it online and have the approval come back immediately), less people will be “renegade” kayakers. In the past I have simply held on to the bow line of the kayak while snorkeling nearby, never setting foot on shore… but this won’t work if you have a sea sick passenger!

I wish you had videotaped the rude girl and put it on YouTube!