The owners of several large Sheraton-flagged resorts in Waikiki has decided to push ahead with a highly controversial plan to recreate a beach in front of the massive Sheraton Waikiki hotel. Formerly called Grey's Beach, this stretch of sand has not been visible for decades and only peeks out at high-tides. Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts, the hotel's owners, say they want to add 75 feet of beach going towards the ocean along the hotel's 500-foot shoreline the hotel. To restore (reconstruct?) the beach, the hotel would drop three T-shaped rock groins perpendicular to the shoreline. The groins would run 160 feet and the "T" stems would stretch 100 feet long. The hotel says these groins and t-stems, made of natural and coral rock, would promote coral growth (there is hardly any live coral in Waikiki these days). Natch, the hotel wants a beach. Surfers who ride the waves at nearby breaks say this plan could change sand flows and possibly alter wave patterns or damage offshore reefs to make this part of Waikiki one of the best places for surfing. Neighboring hotels are also leery - sea walls and t-groins often have unintended side effects and can increase erosion along neighboring parcels. The plan would take roughly two years to finish but there's gonna be a major environmental fight before it gets clearance. Stay tuned.

—Alex, 08/06/08