Brig to get new life under water

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

LAHAINA, Maui — It looks like the Carthaginian II's sail into the sunset will be rather short — and deep.

The Lahaina Restoration Foundation announced yesterday that Atlantis Submarines has acquired the replica of a 19th-century brig and plans to sink it in the ocean off Lahaina for use as an underwater attraction for its submarine tours.

"We're happy it's going to stay here in Lahaina," said George "Keoki" Freeland, the foundation's executive director. "But instead of being an attraction in town, it will be one that's underwater."

Exactly when the sinking will take place is uncertain, because Atlantis Submarines is still working to obtain government approvals.

In the meantime, the nonprofit foundation is negotiating to replace the Carthaginian II, a replica square-rigger converted from a Baltic Sea cement carrier, with a "cultural-type" vessel having ties to Lahaina's history, Freeland said.

Freeland declined to identify the vessels or their historical eras, but he did say a deal could be in place in the next couple of months.

The 83-year-old Carthaginian II has been a symbol of Lahaina's days as a 19th-century whaling port for 30 years. It was one of West Maui's most recognizable sights, featured in numerous photographs and artworks.

But given rising maintenance costs, declining visitor counts and criticism of its dubious historical value, the aging vessel and its whaling museum became the center of a debate for board members: Was the ship worth keeping?

When consultants advised the foundation to either invest millions in upgrades or spend more than $100,000 annually to maintain it, leaders decided it was time to let the ship go.

The foundation held a ceremony on the Carthaginian II yesterday for what Freeland said was "to welcome the vessel to another chapter in Lahaina."

"We're not telling the buggah goodbye," he said.