PAHOA (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Pohoiki Boat Ramp has been Puna’s lifeline to the ocean and a gathering place for swimming and surfing.

Many in the small community are disappointed after the failure of a project aimed at opening up a channel through lava debris from the 2018 eruption between the ocean and the ramp.

Hopes were high at the June blessing for the project as boaters were desperate to regain access to the only boat ramp on East Hawaii Island between Ka’u and Hilo.

“For seven years we’ve been waiting. And they’ve studied this thing and studied this thing and spent millions of dollars studying it. And then they finally get the money and they get there and start digging,” said Puna resident and boater Tom Farrell.

“There was many, many years of public meetings, consulting with sedi

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