6.7.05

Writer Not On Crack...Photographer, ..maybe.

Long shift yesterday. Hiker rescue by Koko Crater, no problems. Couple hours earlier, swimmer in distress off million + homes off HKai & MBay, 29 y/o along with numerous friends jumping into the water off spitting caves. "Spitting Caves" is an area not to be fool hearty with. Large open cavern near deep water drop off into the deep blue Pacific. Lotsa deaths there. Grew up right by the spot. Cliff-jumped when young and stupid. Always on winter time calm water days. Note- its summer, it was rough ocean conditions, and the victim was a visitor from the mainland. This is called a recipe for disaster. The victim jumped into the water from the cliffs, 50ft + drop. If you hit the water wrong, you will get injured. Needless to say he didnt survive the day. His friend tried to jump in to assist him, but could not keep him afloat. He was rescued, about 300 yds down current from where we recovered the friends body.

The young ladies with them, it was sad to hear them wailing and crying. A resident of the homes near-by ( who see this happen way too often) came and graciuosly took the girls to the docks at the Bay. EMS and our guys were standing by in hopes of reviving him. Not to be, he was under for 20 plus minutes by the time we located him and got him to the rescue sled. Water safety guys, (Ryan, & crew) did an awesome job with our water guys to locate and bring him up. 50ft down, 100 plus yards off the cliffs. The guys free dived down to retrieve him, tag teamed him to the surface in some rough open ocean conditions, and took the Jet-Ski to motor him into the docks at the Bay. Chief & I took the rescued friend with our guys to the docks to reunite him with the girls. The sadness continued there, so sad to have victims so young.

Be careful in this paradise ocean, it will bite. If you have ANY doubt, Dont go out.

The pix are a hodge-podge of the golf tourney, Job2 crap (except the Ox Tail soup....whooo yeah!!!) ... Early AM grossness of yourstruly, assorted crap from the hiker rescue.

2 days till promotional interview, study Hawaiian, study!!!!!

4AM structure fire ...no fire, but saw beautiful sunrise sooo positive start to the day....

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