For your Friday afternoon:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZjVL...eature=related

A peaceful, melodic, poignant message of aloha, "I Will Remember You"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNZScqh7VYE

Why would anyone go into the water in a place that they don't know, without asking someone local if it is safe?

They never went into the water to swim. Both women were walking near the ledge, when a large wave knocked them off the ground and they were swept out by a strong current.

Hello;
In reference to the post today about emailing the mayor, a few things you should know.
1. Mayor Babtiste passed away this summer
2. The new mayor was just elected this past week and will take office Dec.
3. a local meeting including the Hawaii visitors bureau took place this past week on this topic. Guidebook representatives where also on site and spoke at the meeting.

The solutions for the issue appear to be in the works to handle at a local level and a variety of solutions are being proposed.

HeatherWA, so sorry for your loss.

MiaBeerFan, thanks for the update. I think guidebooks working together to stop advertising dangerous areas, with the help of local government in making these sites more limited in regards to access, rather than paving parking will be a step into the future.

Please continue to update us.

Malama Pono
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Looking for info on the meeting, I came across this recent letter. I love surfers! from kauaiworld.com

I owe you my life

Thursday, Nov. 6, I was snorkling with a friend at Tunnels Beach near Hanalei Bay. While being mesmerized by the beautiful fish, a riptide quickly carried me far offshore. My struggle to reach shore was fruitless and I was about to drown when two boarders came to my rescue. To those boarders who arrived minutes before my drowning, thank you. Although I do not know your names or even what you looked like, you seemed like angels to me. To Roger Christensen, my friend, thank you for calling 911, and to the lifeguards and medics who came to my rescue. You astounded me with your professionalism. I owe all of you my life, and eternal gratitude.

• Ken Hubbart, Lake Tahoe, Nev.

Oh and here is an article about the recent meeting.

http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2...9688558316.txt

Climb on that soapbox anytime auntiemaria!

It's too easy to forget that the ocean is a powerful force.
Thank you for posting this.

Hello Everyone-

This post is in response to HeatherWA’s post from earlier today. Our dearest friend, Heather Westphal, and her sister-in-law, Tonya Cataldo, were lost forever on October 12th at Queen’s Bath on the island of Kauai. We very much appreciate HeatherWA’s efforts to bring this important issue to the forefront, and we support her fully. To that end, we noted a small but important mistake in her posting, which we wanted to rectify.

The family of these two beautiful women never indicated that warning signs were too small. Rather, in response to all inquiries regarding the presence of warning signs, the family has consistently responded that upon arriving to Queens Bath that day, there were absolutely NO signs, no warnings posted on the trail down to QB, nor were there any signs or warnings once they reached the lava shelf. The guidebook the family purchased “The Ultimate Guidebook to Kauai” listed Queens Bath as a must see, and this edition (sixth) had no warnings in it to provide tourists with the potential dangers of visiting this area.

Importantly, the absence of warning signs in the area was confirmed by the brave Fire and Rescue personnel who risked their own lives to try and save Heather and Tonya that day.

It is our hope that for the protection of future visitors to the area and for the Fire and Rescue personnel who put their lives at risk everyday, those in Kauai with the authority and power to do something will act now before any more lives are lost.

Reply to MelissaTommyDc,

My condolences to those acquainted with the dearly departed.

I found that there is some information regarding the hazards of Queens Bath on pages 101-102 of 6th ed. Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, however warnings are not indicated on every page that Queens Bath is mentioned.

This is an unfortunate incident. But I don't see how you can blame anyone. There are many National and State Parks that don't have sufficient warnings, you can't blame someone telling you in a guidebook about a fantastic spot to visit, and you can't blame the two that lost their lives. There are risks in many places in the US. Most of them are unmarked. The risk is always part of the draw for me and a lot of of other people. I am truly sorry for the loss of life.

Our family loves Queen's Bath. Whenever we visit Kauai, we stay in a house very near the entrance to the trail leading to the Bath. We live on the coast in CA so we know the dangers of the ocean. If you are unaware, you might find yourself in trouble. What's common sense for others is not common sense for all. We have a beach here, in Carmel, that is known as Mortuary Beach to the locals. Every year we have midwest tourists drown at this beach. Queen's Bath has a history of deaths, there are signs posted and it has been closed on and off for years.

I feel for the families and their losses. It must've been a nightmare for them

gyppielou, thanks for posting the account of the near drowning at Tunnels. We swimm and snorkel there a lot in the summer months. Even at that time of year when things are calmer there is a slight to moderate current that can pull one toward the channel in the reef that one needs to be aware of. It is good to be reminded of the dangers that exist even in very familiar places. The two times I've been to Queen's Bath there were signs posted as you came down the trail and exited onto the lava rock shelf. Maybe they've been removed?

Some interesting reader postings, including from many Kauai residents, beneath this article. (Note: the first posting is a long first person account, but continue on to some of the other comments, as well).....

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/...entry_id=31466

I read "Fran Cobb's" lengthy story all over the Net. Clearly, she was traumatized just watching it because the obsession of posting the same story everywhere you can was overkill. What a story, though. Those poor families!