Twogood Kayaks owner cited for lack of commercial permit after ocean rescue of his Oʻahu clients

The owner of a closed Kailua kayak shop on Oʻahu was cited by the the Hawaiʻi Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement for allegedly engaging in commercial activity in state waters without a permit.

Robert Twogood, owner of Twogood Kayaks, was guiding a group of 21 people on Saturday morning when they ran into trouble around 10 a.m. in rough waters off the Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse.

Multiple Honolulu Ocean Safety lifeguards on Jet Skis responded to rescue the 21 people, some who had flipped out of their kayak and could not get back into it with the surf that was said to be 5 to 6 feet with up to 12-foot faces.

A state officer was called to the scene to investigate “possible illegal commercial activity at the Makai Pier.” 

While lifeguards were bringing weary paddlers back to shore, the state officer initiated an investigation.  Through the investigation and interviews with participants, Twogood was identified as the group’s coordinator, according to a news release from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

A man, who was swept off his boat and into the ocean, told the state officer: “It felt like an hour clinging onto my kayak, before we were rescued.”

The man also told the officer that Twogood asked for $50 in cash to cover what was described as “insurance fees”.  

The Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, which issues commercial use permits in state ocean waters, has no record of Twogood having a current permit, according to the press release.

In 2021, the Board of Land and Natural Resources fined Twogood Kayaks $25,000 for at least five incidents of unpermitted commercial activity in waters off Kailua. The company also was prohibited from getting a new commercial permit for at least two years.

For the latest citation, Twogood is scheduled to appear in Kāne‘ohe District Court on Feb. 29.