Guess who's coming to Kauai?!!

 Thanks to Jim Tallman for sending me this updated info regarding the former building where  K-Mart sat in Kauai.  Some good news!

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/10/28/target-is-expanding-hawaii-kauai-location-coming-soon/

Candidates Forum on video

 Did you miss the Candidate's Forum last week?  Chris Gampon and Marianne Thesken worked their magic and videotaped it and made it available for us:

CANDIDATE FORUM VIDEO LINK
> https://youtu.be/4KWOGuZUhUY

It has also come to my attention that there are some questions about the AOBO election.  First thing is to understand that the meeting and voting are being done exclusively virtually.  Everything is being done via Zoom or by mail.  Please be sure to fill out your proxy form to establish a quorum for the "meeting".

Please be sure to vote using the form and envelope for the FIRST election.  That's due by Nov. 16th, when the "meeting" will be held via zoom.  So please mail them soon to be sure that it's received in time.  There is the proxy form AND the election of the three Board members to the AOBO.

If you have any questions, please contact Marianne Thesken or Chris Gampon at Outrigger.  marianne.thesken@outrigger.com

Kudos to both of them for all their exceptional work putting this together for us, as well as their efforts getting the property reopened for guests!!

---Randy Danto Nordstrom

Vice-President AOBO, blog mistress

Important election information

 Please be advised that John Nabors has withdrawn his name from the election to the Board of Directors.  So DO NOT vote for John Nabors, as your vote will not be counted.  

Thank you for participating in this year's very unusual election.  Hopefully it's clear as to what to do.  DO NOT vote for the separate one-year term until AFTER November 16th (after the election for the 3 directors for the three year terms)!!

Stay safe!

--Randy Danto Nordstrom

Vice-President AOBO

More info on travel to Kauai

 Tales from the other side

You might have seen my blog post on October 14th for those planning to travel to Kauai in the coming days and weeks. This time I’m reporting from the other side of the trip – I just arrived on Kauai. (It’s as gorgeous as ever!)

As I mentioned before, there are two things you need to be accepted for entry at the Lihue airport:

1. COVID test. Each traveler takes a COVID test within 72 hours of final departure time on the mainland. OR you will be required to complete the 14-day quarantine. (Take the test!)

2. Safe Travels website. Each adult traveler completes a health questionnaire within 24 hours of the flight and uploads their test results when they arrive. Make sure you create an account there and enter your flight information.

Now that I know more, let me share more. I should repeat that this is my experience and yours may be different. Here’s how it unfolded.

Tues, Oct 13 and Wed, Oct 14 – Went to the Walgreens and CVS websites and made appointments for a COVID test on Friday the 16th. Walgreens’ test was free. The CVS test was $139.

Different test sites have different rules about eligibility and how far in the future you can schedule an appointment. Walgreens was 3 days, CVS was 2 days.

Fri, Oct 16 – Drove through CVS for my self-administered test at 9:30am, then Walgreens at 11:00am.

Why did I test twice? I assume usually you get better service when you pay for it. I wondered if Walgreens would get my results back as fast as CVS. CVS mentions 2-3 days for results, but no commitment. At Walgreens, the employee mentioned “3-5 business days” for results. I tested on Friday, so I worried Walgreens might take much longer for results.

Sat, Oct 17 – Ding! Ding! Ding! Walgreens (the free test) came back first with results at 9pm! The email notification arrived within 34 hours. Free and fast!

Sat, Oct 17 – I also completed the Safe Travels health questionnaire Saturday night (24 hours prior to departure). After answering a few easy questions I received a QR code to be presented upon arrival. Do a screen shot to save it or download as a PDF. OR print it out on paper! I did that and it printed as a giant, full page QR code. J

Sun, Oct 18 – CVS texted me at 4:30am Sunday morning that results were available. Turnaround was a total of 43 hours. I give high marks to both tests, completed in under 48 hours. (I live and tested in San Jose, California.)

Your next step is getting your results into the Safe Travels website. If you’re able to get your results before you head out to the airport, do it on your computer! It’s much easier to capture a PDF of your test results and upload it. MUCH easier.

If you upload the file on your phone, it can be tricky. This is what I did on my iPhone: Open the test results and take a screen shot of the result. (If you don’t know how, do a Google search on “how to take a screen shot on your phone”.)

However you capture them, you must upload your test results into the Safe Travels website. In the earlier article I called this website your “golden ticket”. I had no idea how true that is. You’ll need it at the airport, at the car rental, and at Kiahuna. Keep it handy.

In fact, here are a couple of Best Practices to smooth your experience in Lihue:

- Before you board your flight, open the Safe Travels website in your phone’s browser (https://travel.hawaii.gov/#/). LOG IN. You should be able to remain logged in for later, but just in case, make sure you have your email and password handy. You’ll find your QR code under “Trips”. Underneath the QR code (if you’ve posted your test results) is information you’ll need to show at the airport.

- Before you board your flight, I also recommend double checking your Photos or email (wherever you have your test results) so you can easily find your test results from the lab. You’ll be asked to show them.

I flew nonstop to Kauai on Sunday night. (A couple of owners who connected through Honolulu confirmed you need two QR codes, one for each flight segment.)

Getting off the plane in Lihue, the National Guard kept arriving passengers in line. Masks and six-foot distancing mostly observed.

The line moved quickly and soon I was directed to one of many staffed tables. My giant QR code was scanned. I had to show my information in Trips on the Safe Travels website, just under the QR code. Then I was asked to show my negative test result. Luckily, I had them handy (see above best practices). Everything was in order, and I was allowed to proceed to baggage claim.

As I mentioned above, you’ll need to show the same Safe Travels info at the car rental and Kiahuna, so keep it open and ready.

While there is a lot of preparation and new processes, the whole thing seemed to work pretty well with good planning. Hopefully this will help you manage your travels and arrive ready to enjoy Kauai without delay.

--Thanks to Barbara Siverts!!

Info on November dues from AOBO President Craig Price

 MESSAGE FROM AOBO PRESIDENT, CRAIG PRICE:

 

Aloha Fellow Kiahuna Owners,

 

As you probably are aware, effective today the State of Hawaii has lifted many of the travel restrictions for out of state tourists. Correspondingly, we at Kiahuna are resuming the operations that have been reduced, or eliminated, during the past several months. This will require the Association to reinstate the full amount of the monthly assessments beginning with the Assessments due on November 1. You will be seeing this full amount on your next monthly statement.

 

During the 2^nd and 3^rd quarters of this year, we were able to reduce each homeowner’s assessments by a total of $2,732 per unit. I would like to give a big thank you to our management staff Chris Gampon, Faye Fernandez, and Marianne Thesken; our Treasurer, Dave DiMare along with the Finance Committee; and to our Executive Committee. All of these people have been putting countless hours above and beyond their typical duties to shepherd us through this challenging time.

 

I would also like to personally thank each and every homeowner for their patience and support as we have been navigating the past several months.

 

As you know, things in Hawaii are still very fluid, and could change at any minute. However, I am hopeful that we are now turning a corner on our ability to operate and receive guests at Kiahuna, and beginning our climb back to a more typical rental market.

 

Mahalo,

Craig Price, AOBO President

More updated info on travel to Kauai

 Barbara Siverts has updated the travel info and checked the links:

Some of the links to resources weren’t working in yesterday’s article so this is a quick follow-up with more information.

 

Below are three links that didn’t work in the original article.  I’ve included the URL below that you can use.  If that doesn’t work for any reason, I’ve also included words you can search on in your browser to find the same information. 

 

NOTE:  In order to provide “source” information (not secondhand or republished), make sure you are looking at information with links that include “Hawaiicovid19.com” in the URL.  That’s the official site.

 

Hawaii COVID travel partners list (or search “Hawaii covid travel partners”)

https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel-partners/

 

Pre-travel flowchart (or search “Hawaii pre-travel covid flowchart pdf”)

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiWwq73rLfsAhWxFjQIHXliANEQFjAJegQIBBAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fhawaiicovid19.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F09%2FGRAPHIC-Pre-Travel-Test-or-Quarantine-9-21-20.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1hVIb7arwg3WsqZVAPf_AY

 

FAQs and more info (or search “Hawaii state department travel covid faq” and click on “get the FAQs”)

https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/faqs/

Thanks Barbara.  Safe travels!  

How to travel to Kauai

Thanks to Barbara Siverts for figuring out all the intricacies of traveling to Kauai and preparing an in-depth guide!

If you’re planning to visit Kauai in the coming weeks… …you need to know about several pandemic-related requirements. Scheduled to fly on October 18th, I’ve been learning as I go. It’s soon after the new pre-testing program goes live, and I’m only part way through the process. I thought it might be helpful to share my experience in case you’re planning to travel, too. 

First, a caveat. This is my individual experience and yours may be different based on when and where you live. My goal is to share what I’ve learned so you can start at a higher level of understanding, and to have many of the resources at your fingertips. Please consider this a resource but it isn’t a guarantee of how it will go for you. I hope it helps! To make it easier to wade through all the info, I’ve organized the information and included several links that will take you to source information from the State or other official entities. 

Summary of the new requirements

1. COVID test. Each traveler will need to take a COVID-19 test from a partner on Hawaii’s partner testing list. The test must be completed within 72 hours of the final mainland flight departure headed to Hawaii. And obviously you’ll need a negative result to avoid quarantine. 2. Safe Travels website. Each traveler must complete a “Safe Travels” questionnaire within 24 hours of the flight and upload the test result when it arrives. That’s it. Sounds easy but there’s a lot of work that goes into successfully completing these two steps in time for your arrival. To get an idea of how you’ll experience the requirements as you travel, the State created a nice flowchart that explains the steps and what happens with various outcomes: https://hawaiicovid19.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/HVCB-36989-Pre-TravelInfographic_FNL-ReducedSize-HighRes-583kb.pdf

Getting the COVID test

 Lots of confusion about when and where to get your COVID test.

 1. When. Per the State the test should be done within 72 hours of departure time of the flight from the mainland to Hawaii. If the test is done 73 hours before, you will be stuck with quarantine. To confirm when 72 hours ahead is, this tools helps you calculate: https://www.timeanddate.com/date/timeduration.html 

2. Where. The State has a growing list of “partners” who will perform the test. The availability of these tests varies dramatically, so my first piece of advice is to schedule your appointment as early as possible. My experience is with Walgreens (3 days ahead) and CVS (2 days ahead). Testing slots that were 

3. What. Use a partner testing center identified by the State. Some locations offer free tests, others charge. Some locations have you self-administer, others are done for you. 

4. Who. A growing list of partners are at this link: https://hawaiicovid19.com/travelpartners/. If you’re traveling soon, confirm that the partner you selected is ready to do the testing and has sufficient appointment slots to accommodate you. Lots of issues with this, at least right now. You might consider a Plan A partner and a Plan B partner in case your preferred option doesn’t work out. 

5. Best practices. First, explore your options and prepare NOW, even if your trip is a week or a month away. Find one or two partners available to you where you live. Get on those websites, set up an account, and walk through the appointment set-up process (without actually booking the appointment or entering your credit card). You’ll be familiar with the questions, whether they will accept you for a test, and how far into the future you can schedule an appointment. This gave me the peace of mind knowing I could schedule an appointment when I needed it.

Using the “Safe Travels” website

 This is a required action before you travel. The site manages the communications between you and the State regarding your health status. It appears to be your “golden ticket” for entry upon arrival.

 1. When. Within 24 hours of your travel to Hawaii you will be asked to complete a questionnaire relating to your health and symptoms. You will also need to upload your negative test results onto this site to avoid the quarantine. 

2. Where. You can find this site at https://travel.hawaii.gov/#/. There is a short video on this page that might be helpful. Note that it was created earlier when the 14-day quarantine was the only option (that won’t apply if you have a negative test). 

3. What. There are at least three steps you’ll need to take on this site. a. The first is to register. Provide information about yourself and your flight. b. The second is the questionnaire to be done within 24 hours of your travel. c. The third is to upload the results of the test onto the site.

 4. Best practices. As with the COVID test, prepare NOW. You can register now for later travel. If you get your test results back before you leave for the airport, make sure to upload the results into the website. (Uploading a file you receive on your phone might be tricky.) And keep your phone charged in flight so you can prove your negative test and questionnaire are complete.

 Beware: You can connect through another Hawaiian island on your way to Kauai, but if you stay on that island for a visit you may have to quarantine on Kauai for 14 days upon arrival. If you have any questions about this, read the information carefully to make sure you understand. Different islands have different rules. 

This link has a lot of good information on the topics mentioned above: https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/ There is also talk about a voluntary test to be administered to some travelers a few days after arrival. I don’t have more information about that right now. I’ve benefited from talking with other owners who are planning to travel soon. Sharing our different experiences gave me the idea to write this article.

 I’ll share more as I complete my travel and settle in at Kiahuna. I hope to see some of you there over the next few weeks.

--prepared by Barbara Siverts!!

Reopening plans and good news

Updates on the reopening of Kauai:

(Thank you Lynda Gill)

This afternoon, October 13, Hawaii’s Governor Ige has just completed a news conference where he stated that Kauai will be participating in the 72 hour pretesting program just like Oahu and Maui are doing.  If you provide a negative COVID test within 72 hours of your flight here you do not have to do a 14 day quarantine starting October 15, 2020.  

Additionally, Kauai is doing voluntary free testing 72 hours after arrival.  This second test is not mandatory.  When a reporter asked why anyone would want to take a second test Lt. Gov. Josh Green said that some residents might want to double check after they’ve been off island, especially since this test is free.

There had been a report that our Mayor of Kauai had asked the Governor if he could take a tiered approach and that was never approved, his request for a mandatory 3 day quarantine was never approved either.

Starting October 15, 2020 you can travel in-between islands with a 72 hour negative COVID test with the exception of the Big Island of Hawaii.

A website was provided for more detailed information on traveling here and accepted testing sites: HawaiiCovid19.com

To see the news conference go to this site:  Hawaii News Now News Conference

Kiahuna plans to reopen as of Friday.

Here is our re-opening update.

Starting Thursday, October 15:

Beach Hut

The Beach Hut will open from 9am – 4pm. Towels will be available. Sand chairs and high chairs will be available. When they are returned, they will be kept separately, until they are sanitized for the next use. The chaise lounges will NOT be available.

Precautionary measures will be taken to enhance sanitization for safe use of all equipment, such as surf boards, body boards, and other rental equipment; and for wearables on loan or rent, such as rash guards, booties, masks, fins and other similar items. Rental of any item (previously intended for shared use) used internally, such as snorkels or other underwater breathing devices that require direct insertion to mouth or nose will be restricted. These items may be sold for individual use.

 

Barbecues

A barbeque island on each side of the property and one in the middle will be open, using only onside of the barbeque per day. The grills will be cleaned each morning. There will be wipes and sanitizer by each station with a sign asking guests to wipe the handles down before and after cooking, heat the grill to 160 before cooking and to practice social distance guidelines.

 

West Entrance

The west entrance will open.

 

Tiki Torches

They will be lit at night.

 

Guest Laundry

The Guest Laundry is open 9am – 5pm

 

Poipu Beach Athletic Club

The PBAC will resume towel service. They are open from 7am-6pm daily.