We spent the night near the proposed site in Kohala, walked the land, and got a good feel for what we are in for in the upcoming gathering.

The Good

The proposed Kohala site is ocean front, and in many ways BETTER than last year's site in Ka'u. The forest is not thorny, mostly ironwood, with scattered palms-- even some cocos. The ecosystem is thriving with mushrooms and berries. There is a good area for main circle, kiddie village, etc. The stretch of coast by the site does not seem particularly used for fishing or surfing, although there is a well known surf spot somewhat nearby.

The Bad

To give you an idea of how EXTREMELY BAD the roads are (from the parking area to the gathering site), my 4x4 midsize pickup, which had no problems getting in and out of last year's site, even fully loaded with water, was not able to get all the way into this year's site. There is no choice but to make the parking area/A-camp a good distance away from the actual gathering site. This will make cleanup, and water and supply hauling more labour intensive.

The Ugly

The area is trashed. Our beloved key focalizers have already paid over $200 to get a vehicle professionally towed out of where main circle will be. As of when we left, it was still stuck, blocking the only vehicular access between the parking area and the gathering site. In a way, this is a good thing because, if it stays, there will not be any vehicle traffic into the site.

The area by main circle, where the junked car was, has obviously been used as an eco-unfriendly party spot. The raison d'etre of rainbow gatherings is to heal the earth. This is our chance to step up to our greater responsibilities, to prove that not only can we clean up our own mess, but that of others as well. Our sincere hope is that after the gathering is over, this spot will inspire others to keep it clean, and to let it be reborn as an oasis for nature. Please, please, come and be prepared to help. Bring gloves, trash bags, and lots of love to share.

Aloha,
Benjamin