Paddleboarders saved by moored vessel

A newlywed couple, honeymooning on Maui, rescued themselves Saturday by climbing aboard a moored vessel 500 yards offshore after gusty tradewinds pushed them out to sea, the Maui Fire Department said.

It was the second incident of paddleboarders overcome by strong tradewinds Saturday.

At about 4:30 p.m. witnesses reported a woman having trouble returning to shore on her paddleboard in strong wind and her husband paddling out on a borrowed board to help her.

The couple, in their 20s, failed to make headway against tradewinds of more than 30 mph and sought refuge aboard the offshore vessel, an MFD spokesman said.

Firefighters brought the Florida couple and the borrowed paddleboard back to shore at about 5:30 p.m. The couple’s rented board, however, was lost because the woman was not wearing an ankle leash.

The incident happened at Sugar Beach Resort in North Kihei.

Earlier in the day a couple from Sausalito, Calif., lost their rented paddleboards after they fell off, leaving the woman drifting in the water about a half-mile offshore of West Maui.

The man, 48, swam in on his own, and the woman, 52, was brought back to shore by lifeguards.

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Star-Advertiser staff