sf7307

Unless you consider ocean safety a laughing matter, you will be WATCHING the "more exciting ocean experience" with your 7, 5 and 2 year old, not going in the water on the North Shore in December.

Suzie

Let's not get the OP with the little kids confused with txtree with older kids who wants the exciting ocean experience who butted in on this threaad.

jamie99

Lookin Glass, sadly no, Lydgate is murky a lot of the time, the County dredged the area and the water circulation is not good there anymore now. Still a nice calm beach though, just not good for swimming, sorry.

sf7307

Suzie, you're right -- I had missed that entirely.

CaliNurse

Jamie, thanks for the update. What a shame about the water at Lydgate! it was one of our favorite beaches for the kics, and later grandkids. Havent been for about 5 yrs.

txtree

Sorry for butting in and confusing folks.

kauaistyle

remember Lydgate has a secondary sewage treatment facility right there across from the soccer fields...grey water is used to irrigate all those fields and areas around the playgrounds. The rock pond took a beating throughout storms and was filled with plastics and organic/logs/branches runoff debris from Wailua and Hanapepe rivers...is not back to where it was last year as stated above even with best effort dredging . east side of Kauai gets the brunt of the trades/choppy swell...although a life guard is at Lydgate and Kealia, same with Hanalei and Haena..the north shore beaches are gorgeous and pristine, keeping your "sense of responsibility" is key to remain safe. SO many beaches that guest never get to visit are right before their eyes...on the way to Lumahai(epic safe gorgeous), Waikokos is a quick pull off, 10 second walk down to a protected shoreline even if surf is elevated...same with Anini...vibrant reef protects shoreline from surf with access right off the little onelane road to wade and snorkel.
Vistors do get in trouble as stated above by sf737 and looking glass when unaccustomed to winter surf conditions; stay out if above your capabilities...us life guards these days do not sit unaware as tranquil bystanders and let you wander into dangerous conditions > pro active is the way to prevent harm before it occurs..job requires a vigilant eye on guests BEFORE you venture into surf with a newly purchased Costco boogie board without fins... December has seen epic tiny surf days and sunny warm weather perfect for visiting families more often than large surf and rain. the weather is dramatically different each year with no rules. Just go with it...if kauai were Palm Springs, you could guarantee a dry,hot sunny vacation 24/7...doesn't work that way...

wekewoody

I was confused by the use of the word epic here. Other than the references to a long poetic style, I found this.

epic: of unusually great size or extent; of heroic or impressive proportions.

Epic means large.

Lookin_Glass

jamie - thank you for confirming my concern about current conditions at Lydgate.

Mike, considering your expertise as described in the third person on your website/blog/advertisement on your profile page, I am stunned by your cavalier attitude regarding ocean safety, and seasonal patterns. I would think per your resume, that you would be more cautious with mainlanders, who do not know how quickly ocean conditions change in the middle of the Pacific.

" Mike was employed as a Maui county fire fighter/EMT, handling extreme situations on Molokai, Lanai and Maui. As an Oahu county life guard, sharing his love of the sea meant remaining vigilant of hazards."

Lookin_Glass

a very lucky young man was rescued at Lumaha'i yesterday by an off duty firefighter

http://thegardenisland.com/news/loca...a4bcf887a.html

kauaistyle

great responses!!! love the subtle angst in forums..so much more realistic than uncaring dialogue. Certainly not about me! thanks for the shout out though lookinglas!... many who go on vacation anywhere, not just Kauai, lose or abandon their sense of responsibility. Lets once again dialogue on that vital point. "epic" and other embellishing words can be dissected whenever. Guide books can be called culprits exposing places never before visited and deeming them wondrous, leading to new statistics. easy to blame those publications, even though some have reedited new warnings.They mean just as well in their sharing. Kipu falls,one of our kid day hidden treasures is now barb wired fenced off as too many folks visited the placid waters and died. Waipahe'e slippery slide, Hanakapi'ai, Polihale, Poipu, Tunnels beach = all showcased and visited creating wonderful memories, have tragedies. On the ground realities play out daily and cannot be attributed to lack of care or forewarning. One of the calmest safest beaches is Anini, an expansive reef protects the shoreline. A visiting couple, quietly floating on inner tubes, unaware as they very slowly drifted out to the waves, drowned in front of their family members before fire rescue or life guards on jetskis could get to them. Queens bath is notorious for dramas. a calm summer day had a drowning due to someone jumping head first into shallow rock. As a public servant, 99% of calls are medical. The folks i personally come into contact with through "work" or daily life, where a simple greeting turns into warm nicely flowing exchange about whats great/exceptional/not safe/where you visiting from. Never off duty or retired or unconcerned for safety or having a great time!. We/i always suggest "swimming" near a life guard tower, ask the folks enjoying the places you find yourself at, etc. More times than i can remember, i'll be absolutely astonished by a visitors bad decision; pulling half way over on our busiest Kalihiwai bridge to "walk" to a tiny waterfall and then arrogantly rebutting concern for their safety. We use our humanity to best advise. helping tired surfers back to shore, finless boogie boarders,stuck rental cars , as well as approaching bewildered guests attempting to kayak through the shore break are daily experiences.
When you come to Kauai, happy to walk you to "tourist" Lumahai and then down the mile beach to true Lumahai and showcase the uniqueness and have a water safety dialogue. Easy to pick apart wording in a post. When i go to Alaska, i look up a local to learn about the bears and glaciers. When i snowboard a new slope, i research the potentials and seek out the local patrol for advise. a hui ho!