Despite heroic attempts by local fishermen and other bystanders to pull him from rough seas and strong currents near Anahola Beach Park, a California man who owned property on Kaua‘i apparently drowned Monday afternoon after going into the water to
Despite heroic attempts by local fishermen and other bystanders to pull him from rough seas and strong currents near Anahola Beach Park, a California man who owned property on Kaua‘i apparently drowned Monday afternoon after going into the water to attempt to rescue his two grandchildren.
The grandchildren, who made it to shore safely on their own, had gotten into trouble in strong currents near the portion of Anahola Beach Park known as the “Middles” surf break.
The victim, Victor Schaub, 61, a former mayor of Arcata, Calif., north of Eureka, and his wife, Sondra, had been staying at an Anahola vacation rental, according to Cyndi Mei Ozaki, county public information officer.
Victor Schaub is listed in the Kaua‘i phone book with a residence on Pilikai Road in Anahola.
According to friends in California, the couple owns property on the island, and had planned to retire here.
“He died on the beach that he loved,” said the Schaub’s long-time friend, John Graves, from his California home. “There’s a certain completeness and appropriateness to that.”
News of Schaub’s death quickly spread throughout a shocked Arcata community Tuesday, as friends and colleagues shared fond memories of a man who they say had a passion for helping others.
Humboldt County Supervisor John Woolley said Schaub, the mayor of Arcata from 1990 to 1995, was a “tremendous community friend” and a “great leader.”
Arcata City Councilwoman Connie Stewart called Schaub her mentor, and credits him for getting her actively involved in politics. Stewart, who worked on Schaub’s campaign for mayor, said he handed her an application for Arcata’s Planning Commission, and told her to apply.
“He was an inspiration to all of us,” Stewart said. “He was just an extremely giving person.”
Victor and Sondra Schaub entered the water near the end of Poha Road when they saw their grandchildren struggling about 40 yards offshore, according to Ozaki.
Sondra Schaub and the two children made it back to shore safely around 3 p.m. Monday, April 12, but according to fishermen and other bystanders who attempted to reach Schaub in rough seas and strong currents, the man was pulled seaward.
Others tried to locate Schaub, who was pulled out of view of those attempting to rescue him by the strong current, but were unsuccessful, according to witnesses. Another person who was fishing at the beach called 9-1-1.
Eventually, the current that pulled Schaub out brought him close enough to shore where bystanders could pull him in. He was floating face down, and unresponsive.
According to witnesses, he had been in the water at least 15 minutes, and was bloated by the time he was finally brought to shore. Still, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated by those on the beach.
Upon arrival at the scene, Kaua‘i Fire Department firefighters and American Medical Response medics took over CPR efforts from police officers and bystanders who had been performing CPR.
All of the resuscitation efforts failed.
As the nearest lifeguard tower is at Kealia Beach around four miles away, no lifeguards responded to Anahola, county officials said.
County safety officials said areas where rivers flow into the ocean generally are known to be areas where rip currents are present, even in times of small waves.
Schaub is the third person to drown in ocean waters off Kaua‘i this year.
On Thursday, April 1, visitors Terry Hantack, 51, and his wife Debbie Hantack, 50, of Edwardsville, Ill., were swept off rocks at Lumaha‘i Beach by a large wave, suffered serious injuries hitting the rocks, and drowned.
Their son, Daniel Hantack, 11, was also knocked into the water by the wave, but was rescued by bystanders.
Schaub was born in Alhambra, Calif. on Feb. 5, 1943. He attended Notre Dame University and the University of California, Berkeley in the late 1960s, where he met his wife to be.
The couple lived in Hawai‘i before moving to Arcata, where Schaub began practicing law in 1974. Schaub and his wife had one daughter, Heidi, and a son who died as a teen-ager, said attorney Larry Eitzen, who was a law partner with Schaub from the mid-‘70s to the mid-‘80s.
The flag at the Arcata city hall was at half-staff in remembrance yesterday.
TGI Associate Editor Paul C. Curtis contributed to this report. He may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net.
