Three emergency incidents in ocean on Sunday

KEAUHOU BAY— Sudden winds and swells led to three emergency incidents for distressed oceangoers along the west coast of Hawaii on Sunday.

The first happened near Mauna Lani, where several outrigger canoes overturned. Lifeguards using watercraft from Hapuna confirmed that the people got ashore safely, said Hawaii Fire Department West Hawaii Battalion Chief Joseph Farias, but they made it ashore themselves.

Several paddleboarders also got into trouble at nearly the same time near Kailua-Kona, Farias said. They were assisted by the department’s rescue boat and helicopter to search the area.

But the largest effort was when six kayakers got into trouble near the exit to Keauhou Bay, who were then driven south. The group was two families and a guide, from the Ocean Safari tour company.

Company co-owner Mike Dennis said the guide realized conditions were dramatically worsening and attempted to return to the bay. However, the winds and waves prevented them from doing so, he said, and the three kayaks prepared for trouble.

The group was in three two-person kayaks and two crews abandoned their boats as they came close to the cliffs of the region, Farias said. All six finally grouped together on one kayak and awaited rescue.

An unidentified Good Samaritan dove into the water in an attempt to assist and required rescue.

“When conditions are unfavorable, we do appreciate the efforts of the public, but are concerned for their safety,” Farias said.

A more successful private rescuer was Capt. Mianoa Murtagh of the 21-foot fishing boat Aulani. He was returning because of the bad weather when he was asked to rescue the kayakers.

Although the conditions were poor and the boat would be cramped by the people and their kayaks, he agreed.

“The boat I have is a pretty good boat,” he said.

When Murtagh arrived, he spotted the people on the kayak within the cove near the diving cliff and another struggling outside the cove in about 20 fathoms of water, he said.

“It was bad, windy and swells and rain and everything,” he said.

He was most concerned about the people within the cove, as they might be drawn into the cliffs. Those outside, although “getting beat up” by waves, were in a less dangerous situation, he judged.

He entered the bay and began to drag the people out of the water, having them all sit on one side. The other side was filled with kayaks and other materials he grabbed from the sea.

Another commercial boat arrived and picked up the last person.

Murtagh said he had to pilot the Aulani quickly but carefully out of the area because of the surf, before heading to Keauhou Bay, where emergency personnel were staged.

All were examined by an on-scene medic and two were transported to the hospital for treatment, Farias said. The rescue boat, based in Kailua-Kona, arrived after the commercial effort was complete.

It had confirmed “all souls were accounted for before leaving the area” and heading to the south, Farias said.

Although there were a number of wind and surf advisories related to the island that day, none applied to the Keauhou area.

National Weather Service meteorologist Maureen Ballard said that the incoming cold front led them to track the conditions, however, their estimates didn’t show things consistently reaching a warning or advisory level, she said.

Northerly winds were at 21 mph from the north at 9:53 a.m., spiking to 23 mph with gusts up to 29 mph an hour later, according to NWS records. This was combined with an increasing swell, Ballard said.

The fact it was northerly winds, which are not commonly seen in the area, may also have contributed to people not being ready, she said.

The advisories are important, said Farias, but they provide a range of time where conditions will worsen.

“The public should always be mindful that ocean conditions can change suddenly,” he said.

Dennis, whose company has been in operation since 1996, said that this is only the third or fourth time they’ve needed to call on assistance. They do not head out in questionable conditions, he said, and are always concerned with safety.

But that can’t solve everything, he said.

“We feel like the open ocean and Kona Coast are our home. It’s not like a Disneyland ride with rails,” he said.