Our tiny little island is all a buzz with the news that JOHNNY DEPP will be here this summer filming the sequel to Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean series.

Our beautiful Garden Island has played host to Hollywood hundreds of times over the years and continues to be one of the places that can still offer the kind of remote locations that Hollywood just can not find anywhere else in the United States. Kauai has been depicted in films as many different and diverse locations such as Costa Rica, Vietnam, Zaire and an exotic island called Bali Hai, but to us, it's just home and we are happy to share it with

I remember when they were filming the Harrison Ford movie, "6 Days 7 Nights" here, Harrison rode around on a motorcycle for nearly 6 months, bought "slippahs" in my sister's store and generally moved about the island as if I were just to "regular guy" and I think the stars really appreciate the relaxed response they get from the locals.

Come summer, I will be on the look-out for Mr. Depp, in the restaurants, the "slippah" stores and will be sure to catch the film after it is released so that I can enjoy seeing Kauai on the big screen and know that the world will be enjoying it too, Whether they know it or not.

You do not have to be a Johnny Depp Pirates of the Caribbean or fan to understand why Hollywood so often chooses Kauai.