kalapaki (marriott) beach - sewage problems, murky?

[Dena]

This beach is an easy walk from the pier in Kauai. But it seems to have repeated problems with sewage leaking in from the rivers that empy here.

 

Also I've read that even when the bacteria count is okay, which is most of the time, the water is not as clear as other beaches on Kauai. How cloudy is it? Will I be able to see my feet if I'm standing in chest-deep water - what abou waist-deep?. If not, I probably won't swim here. My grandparents had a house at the Jersey shore and I spent many childhood summers swimming in not-so-clear water. Other relatives had a place at Siesta Key, Florida and I spent many childhood winters (and a few summers) swimming in crystal clear water that was in the high 80's in the summer. Ever since hospital waste from NYC began washing up on Jersey beaches, I gave up swimming in NJ - I don't want to have to guess whether I just stepped on a shell or a syringe. Since this time, I have a real phobia about cloudy beach water.

 

So how bad is it?

 

DH and I spent a week on Kauai (Poipu beach) years ago. We visited Kalapaki beach for a walk around dusk and a remember thinking the water didn't look very nice here, but I assumed it was just the lighting.

[RSWBADGER]

We have swam there 3x and have always enjoyed the beach, we also have been on the boards listening to their CC members about there trips to Kalapaki beach and have never heard this.

 

Where do you get your information? Is this recent?

 

[sunsetme]

here's a site i found --apparently there is still a problem at that beach:

http://www.beachwatch.org/hawaii

[RSWBADGER]

Wow, thats disgusting! :eek:

 

A beautiful area, I hope they get it corrected.

[SC LTC]

ditto on that :eek: i hope they have it cleaned it by the time i go :confused:

[sailaway211]

Yikes!! We are leaving for Honolulu this Friday and cruising beginning on Monday. We were planning on turning in our car rental and spending the 1/2 day we are in Kauai at this beach. Does anyone know if this is a problem? What else can we do without a car? Maybe we should keep the car. Has anyone been to the Marriott beach lately?:eek:

[CC Help Michell]

Yikes!! We are leaving for Honolulu this Friday and cruising beginning on Monday. We were planning on turning in our car rental and spending the 1/2 day we are in Kauai at this beach. Does anyone know if this is a problem? What else can we do without a car? Maybe we should keep the car. Has anyone been to the Marriott beach lately?:eek:

 

I haven't lately, but I do have a question about the organization publishing the above-posted site. Who the heck are they? Their "about" page doesn't say who they are or on what they base their reports. The last "update" on this alleged situation was August 10, more than a month ago. I have to be honest here -- and I'm as health-conscious as anyone -- but I don't see anything here to raise a red flag.

 

In fact, just for curiosity, I followed the links at the above-listed site, which linked to the Hawaii State Department of Health. After following some more links there, I found the link to the site for this particular event -- http://emdweb.doh.hawaii.gov/CleanWaterBranch/CurrentWarnings/ByIsland.aspx?island=Kauai.

 

Per that page, the "event" was over on August 13 as it had been a one time thing -- "UPDATE 8/13/07. Repairs were completed 8/10/07, samples were taken Saturday and Sunday and bacteria levels have returned to normal. The discharge was isolated to a single Pali Kai Cottage on the Pali Kai Cliff belonging to Marriott."

 

The Hawaii State Department of Health shows no warnings for this area (or any other) at this time -- http://emdweb.doh.hawaii.gov/CleanWaterBranch/CurrentWarnings/default.aspx

 

Isn't the internet wonderful? :) It gives ammo, it takes ammo away! ;)

[Dena]

You might also want to spend time at TripAdvisor reading the reviews of the Marriott Kauaii. Many have written that the water at this beach is murkey, not as clear as other Kauai beaches, bownish, etc.

 

Also try Googling the terms "sewage" and "kalapaki". When I did, it seemed that this was not just one isolated event.

 

If bacteria levels are above a certain theshold, the state will close the beach. What about days when the bacteria count is acceptable? I still don't want to swim in cloudy water. I hope someone who has been there can say how clear the water actually is. I don't want to swim if I can't see the bottom in waist-deep water.

[sailaway211]

Thanks. I am going to check into it more tomorrow. Maybe we will keep the car and park it overnight. Not sure yet.

[coffeecruiser14]

I stayed at the marriott friday and while the water wasnt emerald green i could see my feet when i was chest deep in kalapki beach.

[Dena]

Glad to hear that the water clarity is reasonable.

 

We've rented a car. We believe Kaui is the most beautiful of the islands and there is so much to see. Although a big part of me just wanted to chill at the Marriott beach this time and not worry about tours or driving, even if there were no issues with the water, it would be hard to just stay put at a so-so beach (by Kauai standards) knowing the incredible beauty that is just a fw miles away.