Relaxing Day with a Little Excitement

The day started out very laid-back. We decided not to take any adventures today, but just hang out, for the most part. We ran an errand in Captain Cook, one of the nearest towns, and stopped at the locally-owned Fujihara "Quick-Stop" style store on the way back. There are lots of local shops, restaurants, and road-side stands on the main ring road, Mamalahoa Highway.

Back at the house, we snacked on lunch and decided to visit the beach at the bottom of the hill, Pebble Beach at Kahoe Bay. If conditions allowed, which they often don't, we might boogie board or snorkel. But, when we arrived we could quickly tell the waves were bigger than they had been on our previous two visits, and it would not be enjoyable doing either of those activities. So, we decided to lay out on our towels for awhile, listening to the crashing waves.

Big waves at Pebble Beach

After about 10 minutes or so of this, we noticed a couple of heads bobbing in the water on the other end of the beach. We could not tell whether they were just having fun getting carried up and down on the waves, or if they were in trouble. The guy would occasionally "swim" a little, but a wave would come up and lift them both up, and then pull them out a little ways. Soon, another man and woman that were near us on the beach, were also looking in their direction. We began discussing whether they were in trouble or not, because they weren't flailing their arms or calling out for help. Yet, the water looked very dangerous, and could quickly exhaust someone who was trying to swim in.

Suddenly, another guy showed up, and among us we grabbed the two life savers that were hanging near the beach. The guys tried to throw them out, but the ropes were too short, and the waves kept bringing them back in. We motioned for the two to move to the center of the bay, instead of out to the side, where they had been all this time. The wave action was less severe there. During this process, two of the people trying to help lost their sunglasses, and one-and-a-half pairs of flip-flops were lost. All of us at some point had been swept over by the massive waves. But we had all heard stories of drownings when one person tries to save another. It usually does not end well for either person.

This young couple, who had only known each other for a week, were very lucky. Because after they got to the middle area, the waves became low for about a minute, and they were gently pushed into the shore. One of the rescuers suggested we get them some water, so I went over to where they had a cooler full of drinks - all of them alcoholic. When I came back to the young couple, one of the men had told them they were very lucky, and the young man said "I live on luck!"

Later, he told two women who were concerned about them, that his girlfriend had given up 15 minutes before we all started trying to help them. I don't think it was that long, but she certainly didn't look like she had been trying to swim. I think the waves were way too strong, and it was all they could do to keep their heads above water. I think all of us expected them to go under at any moment.

In the meantime, neighbors by the beach had called 9-1-1, who said they still needed to come, even though the people had gotten out of the water, because they could still drown if they had inhaled water into their lungs.

The tide was coming in by now, and the waves were washing up even higher on shore, so we all went to our respective homes. Two of the people who had tried to help rescue the young couple were from Austria, and are staying in this neighborhood. The other man who had helped, was staying in the neighborhood with his wife, and another woman who had called 9-1-1 was from Arizona.

Ron looking for a flip-flop that may have washed ashore....

The waves were really big and strong on the left end of the bay. We first saw the two heads bobbing near those rocks over there.

Two concerned women went to talk to the young couple after they were safely out of the water. They are both from Hawaii, both 22 years old.

Here is a photo of the tide coming in at Pebble Beach, shortly after the incident described above. Those were powerful, high waves!