Maui firefighters Thursday rescued two visitors stranded on a rock outcropping at Waianapanapa State Park in Hana.
Sometime before 5 p.m. two family members — a 39-year-old man from Ontario and a 41-year-old man from Australia — were swimming at the black-sand beach when they encountered rough waters.
Fire Services Chief Edward Taomoto said the Ontario man was not a good swimmer and climbed onto the rock outcropping about 40 feet from the shoreline cliff and 100 yards from the shore.
His family member waited with him and signaled to beachgoers for help.
Taomoto said a firefighter paddled out on a surfboard and brought the two men safely back to shore just after 5:20 p.m.
Paramedics treated them for minor cuts to their legs.
Bacteria excessive at 2 beaches on Big Island
Warning signs have been posted at two Kailua-Kona beaches after the state Health Department found excessive bacteria in the water.
At Kahaluu Beach Park the levels were 2,005 units of enterococci per 100 milliliters, the state Clean Water Branch said Friday.
At Magic Sands, levels of 254 units of enterococci per 100 milliliters were found during routine monitoring, the branch said.
Both beaches remain open, but the signs will stay up until the levels drop to 130 or lower, the branch said. In both cases the department said the water could contain potentially harmful levels of bacteria, viruses or parasites.
Children, seniors and people with weakened immune systems are most likely to get sick or get an infection, the department said.
The most common illness associated with swimming in water polluted by sewage is gastroenteritis, which can come with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, stomachache, diarrhea, headache or fever. Other minor illnesses associated with swimming include ear, eye, nose and throat infections.
