Swept off rocks drownings Hawaii
 

There were two more drownings on the island of Kauai yesterday. A couple was swept off some rocks by an unexpected large wave. Their son was spared but he is now in child protective custody until a guardian can be appointed. It was a very tragic end for what was supposed to be a family vacation.

Maybe someone else here can direct you to a site that will show you the number of drownings in the islands in the last year. I have lost count and don't have that info. I'm not saying there are more drownings per capita here than other places because I don't know that.

But more often than not, the deaths that we have here are preventable. I wish that the airlines were required to give an ocean safety warning leaflet with the agricultural forms. The tourist industry would be wary of that I'm sure.

Don't be macho (or macha?) and swim in water you aren't familiar with. Don't get close to high surf, it can knock you down and drag you back out to sea along with it.

Hawaii is in the middle of the ocean, all by itself with no land mass around it. The ocean is wild here, especially in the winter. Be very cautious and respect it. It is not the same as an ocean you may have experienced elsewhere.

I don't mean to frighten people who are sensible about where they swim. There are lots of safe beaches here, especially on calm days. I just hope to enlighten a family or two enough to prevent another tragedy.

I'm really sorry about that family.

Kakalena

I read somewhere one time that more people drown each year in Hawaii than in ALL the other states combined. The article said it's a combination of rough, dangerous water and lots and lots of people who are unfamiliar the ocean in general (and Hawaiian waters in particular). I know that during our 10-day vist there a few years back, there were 5 drownings.

Very sad.

Ken

A most important post. Thank you kakalena. It would be nice to make the tourist industry teach its clients to respect the power of the mighty pacific.

Very important post.

People also imbibe more on vacation than they do at home which makes for stupidity.

http://www.teok.com/Drownings/drownings.html

Kauai has one of the highest instances of drowning in the world. One Hawaiian translation for "Lumihai" is "death by drowning." The reason is partially due to the size and unpredictability of the surf, along with the roundish shape of the island lending itself to swift treacherous currents. For instance, if you get sucked out at Hanakapiai Beach and miss the opportunity to come in at Kalalau 9 miles away, your next chance to swim ashore could be Midway Island a further 1,000 miles "down the beach."

In late 1998 there were some 20+ foot waves closing out Hanalei Bay, an awesome spectacle for visitors and residents alike. Down the road at Haena Beach Park, a visitor decided it would be a cool idea to wade out into the surf, turn around, and have a friend snap his picture with a giant wave for a "distant" background. Some witnesses on the shore were recommending that the photographer save his film for the County Coroner in the event his friend got sucked out -- people are friendly that way in Kauai. A wave did break over the idiot, and after a fairly tense struggle, he came out of the water okay ...being quite lucky.

A healthy amount of respect for the ocean is extremely important, especially on the north shore during the winter. Should you hear the ambulance sirens tearing toward the end of the road in Kauai, it is a reminder that stories like the guy at Haena Beach Park do not always end happily. So, do your best to make your trip to Kauai a vacation that you actually live through.

Thank you so much for this post. I am in the midst of planning our January Kauai North Shore vacation. I will print this out for my fearless husband.

That happens a lot on Oahu on the area around blowhole too. Never turn your back to the ocean. People get washed off the rocks all the time. It made me sick to hear the story on the news. And can you imagine your child being alone with strangers!!???

I always prefer to swim somewhere that has a nice protected reef (like Anini Beach on Kauai's north shore). Not only is it safer, but the snorkeling is usually better. That's the main reason that I prefer places like French Polynesia or the Cook Islands to Hawaii.

Of course I can't swim much at all and am pretty much a chicken in rough (or deep) water.

Still, every time I hear a story like the one above, I feel justified in my caution.
Ken

How terrible for this family. The ocean is a powerful thing. Even though I can swim well, I'm very nervous about the water along the shores. Do people wear life preservors in Hawaii?

We know all to well here in Florida that it doesn't take strong currents, deep water or big waves to drown someone.

There are nearly 400 deaths in Florida each year and many of them are from swimming pools - where the water does not come up and catch you by surprise.

My heart goes out to the little boy.

I was very hesitant while walking along Queen's Bath in Kauai on one occasion because the tide was rising rather quickly and the waves seemed to be crashing closer and closer. I told my hubby that I was getting out of there!
Has anyone seen the sign as you walk into Hanakapiai Beach as to the names of the people that had drowned there?

Yeah, it's pretty bad. One of the most frightening such tales I heard was about a family that had gone out to see a blowhole and were caught by surprise when an exceptionally large wave erupted from it - then dragged them back down through it as the water receded. One of the family members was in wearing a cast. I think he actually survived (thanks to some quick thinking bystanders). Still, it just goes to show that you never really know what the ocean will do.

Ken

This thread stirs up some tragic memories of my nephew (then 2) while on a beach outing with his mom and others. She was in the tent taking care of her infant while her two year old went out into the water. They had lived on the Big Island for awhile, so they were very beach sauvy.

There were at least three other moms also. My newphew wandered out into the ocean and they thought he had drowned. A helipcoter airlifted him to Honolulu where he spent weeks in ICU. He fully recovered, thank the good Lord. It can happen so fast. I have extreme respect and caution for the ocean.

My daughter is an avid swimmer and loves to boogey-board in the ocean. We don't take our eyes off of her for even a second and I'm always nervous until they come back. Scary stuff... ***kim***

I recently returned from Maui, my 7th trip to Hawaii, and for some reason, on this trip, I was really struck by the naivete of the tourist mentality. From the couple sitting next to me on the plane to overheard conversations and observed behavior all over the island, there seems to be a pervasive belief that Hawaii is not a real place, but rather a theme park like Disneyland.

The paradise presented in popular culture fosters this sense of fantasy. How could anything dangerous or threatening be allowed? Add to that image the impaired judgment that comes from starting on your first beer before lunch, and it's a deadly recipe.

The tourist industry certainly doesn't want to scare people away, so who will be responsible for educating the public?

My son went too far in rough surf while vacationing in Florida and I went to his rescue. It is amazing how quickly those currents exhaust you. We probably both would have drown if it wasn't for the surfer who saw we needed help. Most people don't stand a chance trying to swim in rough ocean waters. It was one of the most frightening experiences of my life.

I lived in Hawaii for four years and tourist drownings and "swept off rocks" stories were a constant. I saw a man dragged to shore by a lifeguard -- he died there on the beach. This was on Oahu, near Waikiki Beach, he was learning to surf with his son and the ocean was too much for him. His son was fine but watched his father die (with the rest of us). Terrible.

My first week in Hawaii, I went down to the beach with my father, he explained how much more dangerous the ocean could be in Hawaii (we had done plenty of swimming on the west and east coasts of the mainland). As we talked, I was standing in ankle-deep (I kid you not) water; the slope of the beach into the ocean was quite pronounced, and when a wave hit shore and receded back into the ocean, I was literally knocked off my feet! My Dad grabbed me and held me upright -- it was a "whoa." moment. My Dad could not have timed that any better!

Anyway, I swam a lot during my time in Hawaii, but I didn't swim everywhere and I never ventured out onto rocks for a "photo op."

This is so sad. A few years ago we were one of those people who wanted that "photo op" at Lumahai. The waves were crashing onto the lava rocks creating a waterfall on the beach side. We'll I thought this would be a great place for my daughter to kneel down for a picture. We got the picture but as soon as she got up and started to walk away a huge wave came crashing over the top. She wasn't in danger of being washed out to sea but she probably would have ended up with a severe neck injury.

We made a return trip back there last month and sure enough there was a couple that ventured up onto the lava rocks. We knew that if they stood up there long enough they were going to get hit. They did get it but lucky for them it wasn't a huge wave.

Since then I have felt guilty that we just stood there and watched. Should we have warned them? What would you have done?

There's only one thing I want "on the rocks" when I'm in Kauai.((D))

Sad story but, Marilyn, I hear ya! People just don't use their heads in Hawaii sometimes. Maybe they DO think it's a Garden of Eden and no harm will come to anyone?

Ken, We were on Kauai when they had to pull a guy out of the water at Anini because he got caught in a freak current. It was a good thing he was swimming with his son who waved down some help.

2 years ago, a Father and son weren't so lucky.
They were swimming off the relatively calm beach by the Radisson and both got out a bit too far and got caught in the current and took them both.

I'm a very strong swimmer (I learned to swim in the Ohio River, refined the art at San Diego beaches and Nor Cal quarries) and I always follow these 2 rules no matter where I go:
#1 rule, never swim alone.
#2 never turn your back on the ocean.

DB, one of my goals is to make it out to Midway (my Dad was there during WWII) but not that way.

Nancy03-I have a friend of mine who is ex-Navy and he uses the little self inflating diver's vests you can pick up at a dive shop when he goes snorkeling.
Good investment. Good judgment. ((Y))

I get even more nervous when I see some tourist/hikers goofing around on the NaPali.
Especially where the path is only about 12" wide and about 1,000' down!

Imagine my surprise,when, after school today, I came to this board and read these messages...turned on the TV and the lead story was THIS ONE...because the couple is from my own town, in IL. I do not know them, personally, but it sure hits home. I have been frequenting this board before our trip to Maui this summer. I will be sure to heed your advise.

Carol47-Whereabouts in Illinois were they from? I am originally from Illinois.

Kal - yes, even reef protected areas can be dangerous - especially if you venture too near the reef outflow (and every lagoon has one). Generally though, you are far safer behind a reef than in open water. There is an outflow at Anini on the far left side (facing the water).

Ken

My family of four is very excited to be heading to Maui in two weeks. Our two teenager girls are with us and I feel that reading this post was meant to be for me and my family. Both girls are very good swimmers but my husband and I plan to play golf a couple days and probably leave the two of them at the beach and/or pool by themselves. Now that I have read this post I will be sure to tell them about what I read here so that they will understand the power of the ocean. Even though we will be in Kaanapali I know the waves can be rough and undertows can happen. Thank you all so much for the words of warning that could save lives!!

On a slightly lighter (but related) note - my sister and her best friend were in Maui a couple of years back and were swimming on a relatively "crowded" beach (not sure which one) when a large wave knocked them off their feet. My sister's friend had the top of her bikini pulled down by the force of the water. To make matter worse, as she water rushed back out it pulled the bottom of her suit down around her ankles. She said she didn't know what to cover up first. They both laugh about it now though at the time it was obviously mortifying.

Ken

An excellent and under-discussed topic.

Three years ago I almost drowned at Hapuna Beach on the BI. During the late fall/winter months it's not uncommon to get 5, 10 or even 15 minutes of small 2-3 foot waves, and then a set of MUCH larger waves.. And the bottom slope at Hapuna is so gentle that one can get lulled out very far and the water will still only be up to your neck. So there I was one afternoon, way the heck out there, bobbing up and down on the bottom, when all of a sudden there *was* no bottom. The sight of that shelf edge dropping off into nothingness is still something I have nightmares about. So I started to panic, went under a few times, when out the blue this huge wave comes up behind me and pushes me toward the beach at least 20 feet, where I was able to touch bottom again. A lifeguard later told me that more people drown at Hapuna Beach than at all other BI beaches combined.

Be careful out there!!

Kudos to DB and Kal for their thoughts on Napali Coast.....

love that trail and love that beach....missed Hanakapi'ai so much this trip as well as all my fave beaches in Kauia...The pacific claimed the surf and beaches to be impassable..I usally swim with little fear and use great caution....as I recognized this past winter, stand down to the surf and respect it. Just thinking about venturing to Queen's bath during high surf, or Olivine Pools , or any of these magical places, scares the hell out of me.....caution and respect....

DB, I always had the attitude that if Hanakapi'ai didn't like me it would spit me back 9 mile away....never considered missing that ride inland....a most sombering thought,,,,thank you DB

Take care people!!!!

gyppielou

Reading these posts made me remember a family trip to Atlantic City way back in 1962 when I was about 12. (It was a beach resort town in those days.) My parents blithely let us play in the ocean, oblivious of the danger. I had waded out in knee deep water and turned my back to a huge wave coming in.

I'll never forget how scared I was as it tumbled me over and over. Thank God it spit me out at the shore. Maybe that is why I am to this day very nervous and cautious in the ocean.

fdecarlo is right about the ocean here in Hawaii being calm and inviting one minute and waves crashing onto the shoreline or rocks the next minute. Looks can be very deceiving. The majority of the drownings in Hawaii are visitors who do not heed signs posted at the beach or warnings from residents.

For those of you coming to Hawaii for a visit, ask about the safety of specific beaches that you intend to visit. Life guards and most residents would be good sources of information. Some beaches are more suited for swimming and others are, IMO, just for photo ops.

This particular beach still has multiple warning signs posted -- English text, with the appropriate international figures for each warning.

This family passed by these signs on their way to the shoreline, and either failed to read them, or chose to ignore them.

Tragic...and our entire island mourns this needless loss.

...And be careful about body surfing. I lived on Oahu years ago, but recall the numerous times I heard about someone (usually a young man new to island surf) breaking his neck while body surfing at Sandy Beach, Makapuu, etc.

I was a Red Cross certified swim instructor, lifeguarded all through college and could swim miles if necessary. The only time in my life I've ever been afraid of waves was in Maui--I'd never seen anything like that and would just as soon not again...unless it's from a distance! I recall looking up, seeing one towering over me, and knowing my only escape was to get down and swim under it...to not let it break on me!! My DH was tumbled around head-over heels, surfacing with a nose devoid of it's top layer of skin--lovely for our black tie function that night! :)

Our son and daughter-in-law went to Maui last year on their honeymoon. They have a photo of her just as she surfaced from snorkeling after a wave such as the one we saw. Her mask was gone as was the snorkel tube--she came up with just the mouthpiece left in her mouth!! :)

The average person, no matter how familiar with water stateside, will be unaware of the potential danger in HI...but whose responsibility is it to educate us? And whose is it to warn those on the FL panhandle for instance, of the dangerous riptides? Is it really tourism's responsibility as someone suggested? If posting warnings on the site does no good, if warning flags during riptides don't work (and they don't), what on earth could tourism do to effect a change? Do you think HI drawing up some sort of informational literature to be posted in hotel rooms would be effective? I would think hotels would be agreeable to having such literature, but would people pay that any more mind than they pay other warnings already on site? I can't tell you the number of times I've seen adults diving into one of our pools here, one that is too shallow for diving and has signs both on posts and on the deck clearly stating, "No Diving"...but the warnings are for anyone but them it seems. So...what is the answer??

Hi OO -- I wasn't suggesting that the tourist industry <i>should</i> be responsible for educating people about the dangers. Rather, I was making the point that that would be an unlikely scenario since it is contrary to their financial interests. But educational campaigns <i>can</i> make a difference.

I agree that signs are posted, etc, but obviously something more is required. I don't have the solution...

Hi Marilyn. Actually (I had to look back) it was gyppielou's 1st post: &quot;It would be nice to make the tourist industry teach its clients to respect the power of the mighty pacific&quot; that I was referring to.

I asked &quot;my source&quot; what he thought of informational literature in hotel rooms and he felt it would be accepted if designed by the state as general warnings of potential dangers on the islands which we mainlanders may be unaware of. Perhaps too, as someone else suggested, it could be literature passed out with the ag forms. It may save a few lives, but certainly there are too many for whom only seeing is believing, and who are going to dive into the shallow pool come hell or high water so to speak, no matter how many warnings are posted. If the people in this case actually walked past multiple signs pointing specifically to this danger, as auntiemaria said, I can't imagine what the solution is either....

OO, I guess that should be &quot;hell or low water&quot; in this case.

Whoever said that there were more drowinings in Hawaii than all other states combined was way off base. In 2000 alone there were 3482 drownings in the U.S. From 1993 to 1997 there were only 306 drowings in Hawaii.

Though all these drownings are very sad, I still don't understand why people act as though it's a surprise that the ocean can be dangerous. I will be sounding extremely brutal, but have all of these people been living in a hole somewhere? It's sheer common sense that a blowhole is dangerous, that large waves are dangerous, bottom line that an ocean is dangerous. Just because I haven't lived near constant flames, does that mean that I'm surprised that fires are dangerous?? It's plain common sense, sadly, something that is lacking in many people.

Then I read in the paper that this family has already lost a three year old son in a horse trample and an unborn child when a horse kicked the mom's stomach!! What kind of parents are these?

Heard some spring break sad stories on Oahu too.

Islandmom,

Are you joking? If it's true, well.....

From the stae of Hawai`i Dept of Health:

&quot;Current status and trends in Hawai`i
Drownings are the second leading cause of unintentional injury death. Each year in Hawai`i, there are nearly 50 drownings and over 100 water-related hospitalizations occurring mainly from activities in the ocean and pools. Hawai`i has more ocean-related drownings and injuries leading to death and disability per square mile than any other state. Nearly half of all ocean-related drownings and hospitalized injuries occur to non-residents, therefore de facto population estimates yield a more accurate injury rate.&quot;

salgal:

Couple was from rural Edwardsville, IL.

islandmom:

A rural Edwardsville neighbor said the couple were &quot;very active and fun and always on the go, very outgoing&quot; They &quot;were very protection of their son, Daniel&quot;

My prayers go out to this little boy and other family members.

Sandy

I've always been something of a fish, even as a child (although now-a-days I'm more like a sea lion). So I do have a couple of anecdotes to share.

When I was 5-6 years old, we visited SoCal and went to the beach (probably San Diego) and I was playing in about 2-1/2 feet of water when I was knocked over by a wave. I started to get up and was hit by another wave, and this continued repeatedly. I even tried to wait underwater until the next wave passed over, but as soon as I got up I was hit and knocked over again. I was also trying very hard to use my feet to push into shallower water, but I just kept getting knocked over, tumbled around, and pulled-back a little. Believe me, this happened at least ten times in a row and I was getting worn out ...I was wondering why nobody was helping me, and would have cried had the situation allowed for it. I was very close to just giving up completely when my father grabbed me, picked me up and took me to shore. He was fully clothed, and it ruined his new shoes. My mother thereafter always told the story of the time my dad had to run into the ocean to get me, and ruined his new shoes. They never really understood how much trouble I was in and just how close it was (they were busy talking and thought I had only gotten knocked over a couple times, by the time my dad ran in to get me).

Another time when we lived in the area and I was probably 10-11 years old, my mother and a friends mother drove a few of us to Huntington Beach for the day. We immediately got in the water, and discovered there was a sand bar. We probably walked a 1/4 mile out to sea, with the water only up to our chests, before we noticed some &quot;ants&quot; on the shore trying to get our attention to come back. We walked back, and were scolded for going out so far. We were told that at any second we could have reached the end of the sand bar and drowned. I tend to chuckle when I think of it, because we were scolded as though we would have stepped of the shelf and sunk like a rock into 500 feet of water, rather than lose footing and just swim back onto the sand bar.

When it comes to many mainland beaches, they are long enough that rip currents usually aren't much of an issue for anyone who is body or board surfing and is a decent swimmer, you just get pulled a 1/2 mile or so down the beach and then have to swim in (using the waves to propel you) and then walk all the back to where you started. But around Hawaii, this isn't much of an option, and never plan on it being so simple. Even the sandy beaches can hide large rocks that a wave can push you down into -- or you may miss the beach completely and either be in a rock coral zoo, or up against cliffs. Reef protected areas or coves are the best. But still -- don't depend on the experience of loonnnnng stretches of sandy beaches on the mainland coasts with that of lava rock and coral, you'll be screwed (I hate scraping up against that stuff even while quietly snorkeling, those little &quot;underwater cactus&quot; embedded in the rock always leave sore spots).

On mainland beaches in the summer, it is possible to &quot;ride&quot; undertows if you are experienced with ocean swimming. You just dive low into a wave as it is receding and get a 5-10 knot pull like a dolphin swimming underwater. Because of the long gentle slope in the summer, it is relatively easily to &quot;kick-out&quot; and get to the surface, the undertow does not have the energy to hold you deep. Mainland beaches in the winter will have a much steeper slope, possibly a shelf, and the undertow is more vicious and dangerous. Hawaii is not even a consideration for doing this on purpose, for most beach shelves are narrow and then drop-off quickly and deeply. If you get caught in an undertow, it can take you past the shelf and quite deep, you'll probably drown and they'll find you somewhere out at sea later in the day.

The best piece of advice for ocean situations is to not panic, and keep thinking about how to help yourself (for instance, use the waves to actually bring you into shore instead of trying to fight them). Should you find yourself being held underwater, keep thinking and keep your mouth closed -- don't breath in for anything -- even if it feels you're going to explode or pass out, a few more seconds can make all the difference in the world (I know how difficult it is, but it can really help not to have your lungs full of water if rescued). Whenever you reach the surface breath out first, then quickly in.

DB you're scaring the **** out of me. I don't know if I'll ever go in the ocean again!