The Kailua Beach Park fireworks show will go on.

It was touch and go for a while yesterday, and looked as if Windward folks might not be able to witness pyrotechnics tonight at one of O'ahu's best beaches for their traditional Independence Day gala.

But things worked out after all.

At 2:30 p.m. yesterday, the Coast Guard told Fireworks By Grucci, the vendor hired to stage the fireworks show, that "serious safety deficiencies in its operational plan have not been corrected and the plan cannot be approved in its current state."

Lt. John Titchen said the vessel that was to haul the fireworks offshore for the 8 p.m. show had no record of Coast Guard inspections and thus could not be approved.

"The vessel hasn't been used for this type of procedure before," he said at 3 p.m. Titchen said the vessel still needed "a strict inspection."

Capt. Barry Compagnoni, the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port of Honolulu, said Grucci was not in compliance with federal safety regulations.

"It's unfortunate because we know how important these shows are to the general public and we do not want to stand in the way," said Compagnoni. "But in this case, there are just far too many safety concerns for the Coast Guard to overlook."

However, Titchen and Compagnoni stressed that the Coast Guard was trying to be flexible.

"We realize the impact this will have and we realize it may be an unpopular result, but our job is to ensure people are safe," Compagnoni said. "The Coast Guard has approved three other plans — for Hawai'i Kai, Kailua, Kona, and Lahaina — in the last few weeks. So, certainly we are not standing in the way of any fireworks shows."

Grucci was able to find another vessel from Island Work Boats and the Coast Guard agreed to do an inspection at the pier at He'eia Kea boat harbor in Kane'ohe Bay.

It took some doing, said Tommy Likos, who was on hand for Grucci. Personnel from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, HPD, HFD and of course the Coast Guard were involved to secure the area and take care of safety requirements as the substitute vessel was inspected and preparations were made to load the fireworks aboard.

By 6:30 p.m. a grinning Likos said, "We're good to go."

Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Warren Cone confirmed it. "They have permission to load," he said.

David Earles, a former president of the Kailua Chamber of Commerce and a volunteer with this year's parade and fireworks show, looked greatly relieved.

"It's resolved, we're OK," he said. "We'll have our show."

Likos said the substitute vessel wasn't as large as he might have wanted but there was still room for enough fireworks to do justice to the nation's birthday.

"We'll give them a good show," he promised.