Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 12, 1 December 1994 — Cruising the Nā Pali Coast, Hawaiian style [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Cruising the Nā Pali Coast, Hawaiian style

by Patrick Johnston Loan fund recipient Liko Kaua'i Cruises is a small but noticeable example of a native Hawaiian enterprise that has taken advantage of the opportunities offered by the tourist industry. Owned by Liko Ho'okano, the eompany offers boat tours up the Nā Pali Coast. His operation differs from the many others that go up and down the coast because he is a native Hawaiian, with roots in Ni'ihau and Waimea, and ean offer insights into the region that outsiders cannot. Ho'okano, grew up in Waimea and his grandparents are from Ni'ihau. He knows about the region, its people, and its history. "I want to have visitors experience Nā Pali through Hawaiian eyes," he explains. "I talk about the history of the area and what has been passed down to me. This is different from other boat tours."

Ho'okano's boat is a mono-hull craft, big enough to cruise in deeper waters but small enough to get close to the caves that spot the Nā Pali Coast line. With shaded areas and a toilet, it offers a level of comfort not possible on Zodiacs and power catamarans, smaller boats that provide many of the tours along the coast. A large boat also means that passengers ean go fishing on the return trip. Liko Kaua'i Cruises launches at the Klkīaola small boat harbor on the leeward side of the island, approaching the Nā Pali coast from the south. Launching from the south has the added advantage of allowing

Ho'okano to take passengers whale watching along the south shore if the weather is bad on the windward side. Like everyone in Kaua'i, Liko Cruises suffered a major setback when Hurricane 'Iniki struck two years ago. With tourism ground to a standstill, Ho'okano devoted most of his energies immediately after the storm to helping community members rebuild. Part of his efforts included turning his home into a make-shift soup kitchen, helping to feed hungry Kaua'i residents devastated by the storm. Fortunately for Ho'okano his boat was the only one not damaged by the storm; in the months that followed he was able to rustle up some business boating weary construction workers and relief personnel up the Nā Pali coast. For six months his was the only company offering tours.

Business has picked up since then. So mueh so that Ho'okano is worried that the coast has too many boats for its environmental good. "I don't mind the competition," he says, "but it has to be controlled." Even with the added competition Ho'okano keeps his boat tour eompany a simple operation. He does not offer more than one or two tours a day, and promotes his company mostly by word of mouth. "Other boats have volume," he says. "I don't want my life to be that complicated. I want to maintain quality." Ho'okano began his business in 1991 with a loan from the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund and is very appre-

ciative of the help OHA has given him. "OHA has been very

supportive and I have enjoyed working with them," he says, adding, "What's good about OHA is that if they don't have all the answers they direct me to others who ean help." In Ho'okano's case he was directed to Alu Like business consultant Kathleen Cook who provided technieal assistance and helped him develop a business plan. Liko Kaua'i Cruises ean be reached in Waimea at 338-0333. Tickets ean be bought at Ho'okano's wife's clothing store, Captain's Cargo Co., also in Waimea. For information about the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund eall 594-1888.

"I want to have visitors experience Nā Pali through Hawaiian eyes. I talk about the history anei what has been passed down to me." - Liko Ho'okano

Liko Ho'okano poses beside his Nā Pali cruiser at Kīkīaola Small Boat Harbor. Photo by Patrick Johnston