Kai Ehitu Coach Richard Kimitete apologized Monday for rocks used during Saturday’s regatta damaging coral in Kailua Bay.
Kimitete said he even contacted the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to make the same apology.
“It’s not intentional,” Kimitete said of the damage the lane marker anchor rocks caused to coral. “I feel bad about it. The life of the reef is my concern, too.”
Diver Shawn Blethen photographed the rocks on the coral on Friday. He contacted West Hawaii Today over the weekend. On Monday, he said he was planning to report the incident to DLNR, but had not Monday morning.
Kimitete said high surf on Friday and Saturday moved the rocks.
“It was the biggest we saw in a long time,” he said. “The pier was under water.”
A DLNR spokeswoman said she reached out to Hawaii Island staff about the incident. Those staff members were working on another incident, in which a boat ran aground on a reef off Old Kona Airport Park, and did not immediately respond to her inquiry, she said.
“We will work with canoe racing associations in future to ensure that canoe markers will not be allowed to be placed on live coral,” Deborah Ward said late Monday afternoon.
Keauhou Canoe Club’s Al Estencion, who has been helping prepare lane markers for regattas in Kailua Bay for years, agreed with Kimitete that surf was exceptionally high.
“There was one set that came in, it threw a boat on the ramp,” Estencion said. “It was a freak one.”
Blethen said he saw other anchor-type items, such as cement blocks or milk crates filled with cement, that were left in the bay after canoe races last year. The rocks, when he saw them, were on coral about 30 feet from a sandy area.
He was concerned that race organizers were not taking enough care when setting up race lanes.
“That’s just amazing that they can just do that,” Blethen said. “They seem to leave a lot of trash, old ropes and stuff.”
Mike Atwood, athletic director for another Hawaii Island canoe team, Kai Opua, said his team works to educate paddlers, especially those coming from outside of Hawaii, about reef conservation.
To get the marina event permit for the races, organizers must be aware of the regulations protecting reefs, he added.
Kimitete, who noted that he is originally from Tahiti, said he was upset that the surge tossed the rocks and damaged the coral. He wasn’t aware of the damage until West Hawaii Today called to ask about it.