News story with a decent amount of details (rare for many new stories) and, thankfully, a happy ending
4 Likes
Good story! Also, helps to be around and in the water for most of one’s life. Much easier to give up if you don’t have the same comfort level to start off from.
-sing
Yes the kid is a waterman. Biggest worry is that his mom would be upset. About ten years ago we visited a ruin on the west coast of the Big Island that had a bay known for being able to watch sharks from some high rocks above the bay. We watched someone cruising on a surf ski, down winding and riding the waves and then turning into the bay. The paddler was really burning it up, surfing in and then paddling through the shallows, going really fast. In the water you could see lots and lots of sharks following the paddler. We walked down the rocky path right when they landed, it was a very skinny 16 year old girl, with one of the biggest smiles you have ever seen. Helps to have hundreds of years of ancestors who lived on the water.
1 Like
Glad he made it, but this is a great reminder to use a Paddle Leash as well as Boat Leash!
You’re going nowhere without both boat and paddle, so make sure its impossible to lose both.
Most people use a boat leash, but paddle leash is more intermittent. Both are equally important IMO. I never go off shore without a leg leash, paddle leash, PFD, phone, and wetsuit. Even though the wetsuit was not needed here, everything else is, and would have significantly improved the chances of a happy ending. Glad the kid got lucky.
Nice picture
Both my kids grew up in Hawaii and were always out on the water. It’s stressful but just how it is. The kids
would all jump off the cliff over by Koko head and all I could say was “don’t ever jump first.”
One night my ten year old was missing in Hawaii Kai because he would kayak around. When he turned up I was yelling at him “you can’t be out there after dark!!!” And he said “but Mom, I had the light of the moon!!!”
you do the best you can but those island kids are feral.
2 Likes
With all my kayaks I had the paddle attached with a leash to the kayak. No way to loose the paddle under any conditions. In the ocean one should be self sufficient or stay on shore. There is also value in having a buddy so if one person has a problem there is some amount of help available.
To not have a cell phone in a waterproof case and a signal light was also foolish. The kid was lucky to survive in spite of his multiple dumb mistakes.