Letters to the editor: 10-25-17

Shark encounters eerily similar

It happened again, and I knew it was coming, again. Peggy and I did our usual 6-mile paddle this morning, Oct. 16, and the surf was up. We arrived back at the mouth of Keauhou Bay, and prepared to snorkel. Our favorite way to end a long, hot, sweaty workout. I was sitting sideways on my canoe, legs dangling in the water, getting my mask and snorkel ready. Peggy was some distance inside of me.

I slipped into the cool, blue water, grabbed the nose of my canoe and began swimming toward Peggy. I thought to myself, “It’s pretty deep out here.” Some instinct made me turn around and look behind me. There, coming straight at me through the deep blue, at eye level, was a huge tiger shark. I looked right into his eyes. His head was massive, his mouth closed in a grim smile, and the light filtering through the water wavered across his green back. Recognition was instant, and I was out of the water and on my canoe in a flash, picturing him coming at my legs.

Once on the canoe, I paddled toward Peggy, yelling, “Get out of the water!” She noted the panic in my voice and complied. There were some tourists in kayaks close to the shore, and their guide asked me what I had seen. I replied, “A big tiger shark!”

The similarities to my last sighting, this past January, were eerie. I knew I was going to see him before we even started paddling. In January, I was on my canoe when the shark came up next to me and looked into my eyes. This time, I was in the water, my mask on, eye level with this awesome creature. Both times, he could have killed or injured me, but he didn’t. He was magnificent in a terrifying way, an apex predator who was checking me out.

Tami Warren

Kealakekua

Trump supporters boggle the mind

I am amazed about the number of people who jump on anyone who sees what Trump is doing to the country. They complain about negative postings of what he is doing. They seem to think that just because he was elected president, (stole is the right word ), then people should respect him.

I have asked over 50 Republicans what they see in his performance, and what has he done for the country. Not one had a point to show why they think Trump has achieved anything. When I try to have a civil discussion with them, they get mad, cuss me out, and they don’t want to talk. Here I am reaching out to find out what people think of his plans, and no one seems to be able to tell me anything about what our future is with him in office. I think I have figured it out. Republicans don’t know what is going on nor do they seem to care. Their only message is to keep the party in charge.

I think it would be nice to have some of these people who favor Trump express what he has done, instead of telling me that we should respect him because he is president. I request that they turn off Fox News and research what they are saying. I could go on and on about what Trump and the Republicans are doing to ruin our country, and his ability to not understand anything about his office, and continue to act like a CEO and play golf. If any of you out there can answer these questions, I would be glad to listen, otherwise please stop filling the comments page with remarks about how good he is, and then vilify Obama and Clinton with statements that are proven to be out and out lies.

I feel sad for this country that is now seen as a Third World country with a crazy “leader” who is running the White House with people who are not qualified to do the job they are assigned. I grew up in a country that cared for the citizens, and didn’t try to destroy our laws that make our country great. Anybody out there want to please fill in the spaces?

David McDonald

Captain Cook