A 19-year old Canadian tourist has learned why his round-trip airfare to Hawaii is not a guarantee of personal invincibility.

Tourists in Hawaii often ignore signs, especially when there are scenic views and crashing waves involved. We lose at least one tourist a year at a blowhole, cliff or in high surf.

The man and his 3 friends ignored several signs and decided to check out a cave entrance near the shoreline. High surf can sweep across at any time - and it did.

[54-year old Honolulu Lifeguard Brian] Higa was "on a routine patrol in a lifeguard pickup truck about noon Tuesday when he saw four people looking over the edge "oblivious to the waves," despite the warning signs posted along the beach. They were past the road's end at Yokohama Bay near an underground cave, called moi hole, that sends water spraying up onto the ground at its mouth."

"He was about to warn the gawkers to move back, but was still about 200 yards away when a wave about 10 feet high crashed against the cave, spraying water over the edge, and sent the sightseers scampering in the other direction."

"I saw the wave, and all I saw was people running up," Higa said. "I drove in quickly."

Higa signaled his partner that he was going to rescue the tourist. He grabbed his rescue tube, helmet and fins and jumped off the 25-foot cliff into a high wave.

"If (Higa) had waited any further, the victim and the rescuer would have just been like splatter against a'a lava... It just went crazy. (Had they been there) it was death.""

The tourist was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in stable condition with scrapes and a broken pinky finger

Submitted on 02/10/2011

Submitted by: Bill Sodeman
Reference: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Feb 9 2011

Copyright © 2011 DarwinAwards.com

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
An excellent example of why you need to pay attention to warning signs. Thanks, Bill!

Candi said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
The warning signs are *not* there for decoration! Thanks Bill!

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