A 35-year-old Eleele man drowned on Kauai while spearfishing with friends, the 10th reported drowning on the Garden Island this year.
Kauai County officials are alarmed by the high number of drownings within a nine-week period. Seven drownings involved visitors, and three, including the latest drowning, involved Kauai residents.
At about 9 p.m. Thursday, John-Eric Parinas was diving in waters off Glass Beach when he experienced a muscle cramp and attempted to make his way to shore. He was then reportedly swept out to sea by waves while walking on a rock ledge, according to a news release by the Kauai Fire Department.
Parinas’ friends located him, brought him to shore and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Firefighters transported him to Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Parinas is the eighth ocean drowning victim on Kauai. The two other drownings occurred in fresh water at Wainiha River and Hanakapiai Stream.
Officials from organizations including the Kauai Visitors Bureau, Kauai Lifeguard Association and Water Awareness Visitor Education Program met earlier this week to address the rash of drownings and what can be done to prevent further occurrences.
As spring break approaches and families gear up for vacation, county officials are on alert, said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau. "It goes back to reminding people that paradise is beautiful but it’s also wilderness. It’s important to be educated and prepared," she said.
Kauai Deputy Fire Chief John Blalock said residents and visitors alike need to be aware of their abilities and educate themselves on the hazards. "Know your own limitations," he said.
Efforts are being made to ensure tourists and residents are well informed of the potental dangers.
A water safety education video funded by the Rotary Club of Kapaa will launch at Lihue Airport’s baggage claim area in mid-April to inform visitors and remind residents of water safety. "It’s absolutely essential that the water safety message is deployed through multiple media to reach as many of our tourists and residents as we can," Kanoho said.
At the Legislature, Senate Concurrent Resolution 143 asks the Hawaii Tourism Authority to work with airline companies to show ocean safety videos on all Hawaii-bound flights.
Mike McCartney, president and chief executive director of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, said the agency supports the resolution and is already working on a destination video to include safety tips. HTA is also working on visitor informational packets for hotel rooms.
McCartney said the authority has received several offers from companies and businesses who want to help. "There’s a lot of people concerned. We want to make sure that visitors have good information about being safe and enjoying themselves in this destination," he said.
Beach safety kiosk displays by the Kauai Lifeguard Association are also planned. The project involves installing ocean safety informational boards at certain county beach parks and access areas.
In response to the influx of drownings, Patrick Durkin of the Water Awareness Visitor Education program will hold training sessions at four hotels and resorts in the coming weeks to educate staffs about ocean safety so they can inform hotel guests about the hazards.
"We’re up in arms about it," he said of the drownings. "We’re evaluating everything we can do to step up. We’re coming at this thing from many different ways, but it’s pretty obvious we’re not doing enough.
"There’s room for improvement everywhere," he said. "We have a lot of work to do."
This is the first time in Durkin’s 30 years as an aquatic safety expert that he has observed a high number of drownings on Kauai in a short period of time.
Durkin said officials are nervous about the upcoming spring break. "High surf and good weather, that’s a formula that keeps us on our toes," he said.
Durkin noted that the island’s popularity has grown over the past five to 10 years thanks to notable actors and musicians who reside on the island, as well as the film "The Descendants," which includes scenes shot on Kauai.
"We’re on the map," he said. "Kauai County used to be a hidden place, and it’s not anymore."
For information on ocean safety tips on Kauai, go to kauaiexplorer.com.
