Visitor rescued near Queen’s Bath

PRINCEVILLE — A 27-year-old visitor from Columbia, Maryland, was rescued from waters near Queen’s Bath on Kauai’s North Shore Friday afternoon. He escaped with non-life threatening injuries.

Firefighters arrived first to the scene about 1:20 p.m., after being notified of a swimmer in distress. Two firefighters jumped into the rough water with a rescue tube, but the victim was having a difficult time holding on.

Lifeguards then arrived on Jet Ski and were able to bring the man safely to shore, where he was met by medics. The man showed signs of exhaustion and sustained abrasions. He was transported to Wilcox Memorial Hospital for further treatment.

“We were very fortunate to have avoided tragedy on Friday, but that is not always the case,” said Kauai Fire Chief Robert Westerman. “Queen’s Bath can be an extremely dangerous location, especially in these conditions. We continue to urge the public to heed the ocean warnings for their own safety and the safety of our first responders.”

There was a high surf advisory in effect for all north- and west-facing shores on Friday.

The warning was in effect throughout the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Waves may reach 20 to 25 feet today on the north-facing shores, and 13 to 18 feet on west-facing shores.

The National Weather Service warns that during a high surf warning, giant breaking surf, very large shore breaks and dangerous currents will make it extremely hazardous to approach the shoreline. Those who ignore the warnings risk significant injury or death.