Unprecedented times.
In these unprecedented times, it is very much best to proceed with an abundance of caution but is that what the general public is doing? Definitively not. Face masks are sagging very much below noses, family gatherings are being organized, indoor restaurants are being eaten at and application-based dating is still being pursued.
People just aren’t listening to the experts, making what is currently transpiring on Oahu’s North Shore confounding.
As you know, a series of apocalyptically monstrous swells are currently lashing the Hawaiian islands. Big waves. Big waves that put a flutter in the heart, that demand attention.
Hawaii’s lifeguards, decimated by Covid, were worried that they would be understaffed and urged tourists and look-loos to exercise that abundance of caution, not paddling out into the waves themselves, standing well clear of the waterline.
A mass drowning event was expected but, lo and behold, the tourists and look-loos are thus far obeying.
Per just released reporting from Hawaii’s KHON channel 2:
Most beachgoers stayed behind the caution tape lifeguards put up.
“Lots of times people come out and it doesn’t look that big, it can be between sets. We have big surf with long lulls sometimes, and people don’t realize how dangerous it is until those sets come in,” Lt. Atwood explained.
He said people can easily be swept out to sea.
North Shore lifeguards had an early start on Sunday morning.
“We’ve had some challenges; today we had a few calls. We had a missing surfer this morning off of Pua’ena Point and luckily he was found, and everybody was OK, and we had a few other calls,” Lt. Atwood said.
Ocean Safety has been dealing with staffing shortages due to omicron, and they’re hopeful guards will remain healthy throughout the week as extra-large surf continues to hit north and west facing shores.
“Fortunately, today with the dangerous conditions we have all towers open and a full staff,” said Lt. Atwood.
Anyone who plans on going to the North Shore during the week of Jan. 9 is asked to stay behind caution tape, not go onto wet sand or rocks and to stay at guarded beaches.
“Most beachgoers stayed behind the caution tape lifeguards put up.”
A post-Christmas miracle.
Waiting for post identifying Lifeguards as shills for Big Chlorine Pool, someone has a cousin who swam Waimea and felt fine, that you don’t need life guards as natural fitness will protect you and that everyone who drowns in big surf was already dead from something else.
No, you’ll just be used as a great example of a false analogy logical fallacy in my ENG 101 class. Thanks.
The Waimea lineup was SRO yesterday.
Good times, indeed!
BG: a multitude of lulls interrupted by occasional articles and comments of merit.
Perhaps we are blessed. Imagine a short period swell of whoop (fuck it btw), Jonah bumhole, sharkz and shit.
Short and Punchy!
That’s more like tourist wavetank or flowrider shit.
Some dimwit decided yesterday would be a good day for cliff jumping at End of the World (south of Kona) and had to be rescued by the Coast Guard, clinging to a rock while big waves pounded the shoreline.
C’mon tourons… more of this. There are always plenty of Darwin Awards to go around!
Darwin is my homeboy.
After hearing of Darwin’s Theory , the wife of the Bishop of Worcester is said to have exclaimed, ‘My dear, descended from the apes! Let us hope it is not true, but if it is, let us pray that it will not become generally known.’
I think the apes are now smarter than a good percentage of the population.
They are definitely smarter than the guy in NYC who broke his neck and died while trying to jump a subway turnstile.
Let’s hope that the Homo Sapiens turnstile jumper had not yet passed on genetic material and his subway line terminates ….with him .
Planet of the Apes v Terminator coming soon to cinema near you ?
Coasteering comes to Kona ….. ?
Possibly the jumper was dyslexic and misconstrued Darwin and was attempting to “Adapt or Dive “ ?
We need Ben to inject some rant about buying TSLA as that is so much more entertaining than big waves!
Was the missing surfer found at the nearest bar?
Sand or Tiki?
Yes ….. he was sitting on a bar stool , being served by wheeler and dealer , Gerry Lopez , celebrity happy hour Barman at Konan the Barbarian …..when the police showed up .
Obedience is so dull.
It depends.
A few years ago an early season, second reef swell was hitting Pipe and Beaver Creek was running at full speed. The Lifeguards were asking people to stay out of the creek…especially the children. One woman allowed her kids back in as soon as the Lifeguard left and I let her have it.
It’s one thing for an adult to do dumb things but at least keep your kids safe.
Hi Ric ….. the Sunny Boys wanted to show you some discipline …
https://youtu.be/Ywgl3QN_PSA
The Aussie Kinks
Thanks for the kook update.
Those conditions are crazy enough for experts.
By “decimated by Covid” you mean false positives and guys taking extended time off with workman’s comp claims from bad backs and other work injuries? None of the lifeguards have anything more than sniffles.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Reyn Spooner?
It would have been a great opportunity for a Mikey W. encore. Too bad he retired.