PO‘IPU — The swimmer checked with the lifeguards at the Po‘ipu Beach tower before entering the water, but the next thing you knew, he was out at the lineup, water safety officer Myles Emura said Friday. “He did check with
PO‘IPU — The swimmer checked with the lifeguards at the Po‘ipu Beach tower before entering the water, but the next thing you knew, he was out at the lineup, water safety officer Myles Emura said Friday.
“He did check with us, and that’s good, but the current is so strong, and coupled with the strong winds, the next thing you know, he was out there,” Emura said. “We had to paddle out to get him.”
Kaua‘i Fire Department and American Medical Response personnel arrived on scene to check out the victim who did not have to be transported to the hospital in the 2 p.m. incident.
But no sooner than that swimmer was taken care of, Emura and another water safety officer were dispatched to the reef fronting the Marriott Waiohai Beach Club where a young lady, hampered by snorkeling gear, was being hammered by the waves on the reef as beachgoers watched the drama unfold.
Another swimmer attempted to reach her, but he, too, was being impacted by the reef break.
As the pair of lifeguards reached the reef, a surfer, recognizing the situation, used his surfboard to pull the lady out of the impact zone while the lifeguards watched as the gentleman made his way back to shore.
“The currents are really strong,” Emura said. “The people who go snorkeling need to be more vigilant.”
Emura speculated the young lady had no intention of going near the reef but the currents pulled her into the impact zone where the waves and the cumbersome snorkeling gear kept her from getting out of the situation.
The National Weather Service in Honolulu has issued a high surf advisory for the East-facing shores of all islands; on Kaua‘i, the affected area extends from Princeville to beyond Po‘ipu. An area of fresh trade winds over and to the East of the state will continue to produce large and rough surf along East-facing shores through today, subsiding slowing through the weekend, the advisory states.
Surf along the East-facing shores was to be 7 to 9 feet through Friday, lowering to 6 to 8 feet today.
A high surf advisory means that high surf will affect beaches in the advisory area, producing rip currents and localized beach erosion.
Fire Chief Robert Westerman urged safety.
“Ocean conditions change continuously. We urge residents and visitors to swim at guarded beaches, including Ke‘e, Ha‘ena, Hanalei, Anahola, Kealia, Lydgate, Po‘ipu, Salt Pond and Kekaha, and to heed beach safety signs posted by lifeguards,” Westerman said in a written statement. “Beachgoers should ask a lifeguard where it’s safe to swim before going in the ocean.”
Mary Daubert, the county’s public information officer, said she has gotten reports of several incidents from the Po‘ipu area.
Emura said between Wednesday and Thursday, the Po‘ipu tower has responded to at least four incidents, two on Wednesday and two on Thursday. That is in addition to the two on Friday afternoon.
“The tide is coming up, and when you add the strong currents and winds, it can be dangerous,” Emura said. “We’ll be closing parts of the beach to swimming and hope that will help.”
Emura said he hopes people will heed the warning signs so their Spring Break won’t be marred by tragedy.
As he spoke, one of the people involved in one of the water rescues stopped by to get a photo of Emura, noting that they also had groceries to present to the lifeguard staff since they were leaving.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
