If you book a reservation at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu you won’t have a problem getting an ocean-view room, but don’t expect to see much more than water. The Sheraton has no beach.
For years waves from the Pacific have been eating away at the sand, but appears now hotel managers are looking to change that. Hotel exectuives just announced they plans to extend T-shaped rock barriers into the water and pump the shoreline full of sand. Doing so would add about 38,000 square feet to the beach at the rear of the hotel, enough for about 500 guests to work on their tans.
But not every one is pleased with the plan. Some local surfers object to the project claiming it will affect surfing breaks and harm the balance in the ocean environment off Waikiki.
I’ve written about the sand erosion problem facing Oahu beaches in previous blogs. I grew up in Hawaii and watched the process first hand. Sand erosion has long been a problem for Waikiki. A project to replenish Waikiki’s Kuhio Beach (a public beach used by both tourists and locals) was completed earlier this year, with some parts of the beach growing by 40 feet. That project pumped more than 9,000 cubic yards of sand from offshore.
But the Sheraton’s plan has yet to meet state and federal approval. The hotel is still seeking permits for its project. In the meantime, it’s trying to win public support by publishing reports that show its T-shaped rock structures would provide a place for coral to grow and a refuge for small fish, while not affecting surf breaks.
Needless to say, tourism officials are keeping a close eye on the 1,700-room Sheraton’s project as a possible incentive for other hotels to get into the sand restoration business. Meanwhile, critics say the beach problem wouldn’t be so bad if hotels like the Sheraton hadn’t been built so close to the water.
What do you think about the Sheraton’s plan?
Related Articles:
Hawaii–A Honeymooner’s Paradise