The Pacific Whale Foundation is offering its Ocean Discovery Camps over the winter break.

The program, for children ages 6 to 12, includes visits to the Maui Ocean Center aquarium, tide-pool exploration, whale-watching, beach games, crafts and hands-on science experiments. The camp operates from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the foundation's Discovery Center in The Harbor Shops at Ma'alaea.

The Ocean Discovery Camps are offered tomorrow through Friday for a fee of $206, or $165 for Pacific Whale Foundation members; and Dec. 31 to Jan. 4 and Jan. 7 to 11 for a fee of $344, or $275 for members. Daily rates are available.

For more information or reservations, call 249-8811, ext. 1.

FERRY LOOKOUTS SEE LOTS OF WHALES

Hawaii Superferry lookouts spotted an average of 10 to 12 whales on each O'ahu-to-Maui round trip during the high-speed boat's first eight days of service this month.

Terry O'Halloran, the company's director of business development, said the ship was able to change course and avoid the whales each time. The ferry has two full-time lookouts on board during each voyage.

All sightings took place at distances well beyond the 100 yards that trigger a report to state and federal officials.

The ship providing Hawai'i's first regularly scheduled vehicle and passenger ferry service may travel at speeds of up to 44 mph, or 38 knots. The high speeds have prompted concerns it might strike whales in Hawaiian waters, particularly around Maui in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

About 10,000 humpback whales migrate to the sanctuary and Hawaiian waters from Alaska from November to April each year to mate and bear their young.

PRESCHOOL FOR ALL PROPOSAL COMING

Every 4-year-old in Hawai'i would eventually have access to preschool education under an ambitious project to offer affordable education to children before they get to kindergarten.

Advocates for early education will ask state lawmakers next year for about $10.5 million to launch the preschool initiative, whose cost would balloon to $170.4 million by the time it reaches fruition in a decade.

The money would establish a voluntary Early Learning Program that could handle more than 12,000 students when it's completed in 10 years.

Early education leads to higher student achievement throughout school and eventually saves the state money as graduates land better jobs and stay out of trouble, said Bob Peters, head of the private Hanahauoli School in Makiki.

"If we can create a more productive workforce, then the end result is going to be that those issues will be addressed effectively as well," Peters said.

The program would train and pay teachers, and it would increase subsidies for families that can't afford preschool tuition.

Taxpayers would cover 80 percent of expenses, and the rest would be privately backed, according to a report by the Early Learning Educational Task Force.

PARKING PLAN RILES MAUI HARBOR USERS

Recreational and commercial users of Maui's small-boat harbors and boat ramps are concerned about the state's proposed parking rule changes that will increase permit fees and lessen the time for free parking as well as abolish specific parking rules that govern Lahaina boat harbor, The Maui News reported.

"No one's enthused about it," said Greg Howeth, president of Lahaina Divers.

Howeth said the fee increases further burden working families on Maui.

Ed Underwood, administrator of the state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, said the proposals are aimed at standardizing the rules to allow for better enforcement and management at the various harbors and ramps and raising money for harbor improvements.

The proposed changes include: