"When in doubt, don't go out..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

Kaua'i is known as paradise. There were 3 drownings this past week on Kaua'i.
Safety cannot be stressed enough,  be careful when going to the ocean.
This may sound cliche, "But when in doubt, don't go out..."

Read about the ocean claiming the life of the 5th  person this year on Kaua'i,
http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/ocean-claims-fifth-victim-in/article_aac073bc-7038-11e2-8a15-001a4bcf887a.html


Aloha, check out my opinion article in today's (02-11-13) Kaua'i Garden island news,"When in doubt, don’t go out."
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-monday-feb/article_cb064a70-741b-11e2-be9b-0019bb2963f4.html

This past  week  Kaua'i has experienced  the tragic drowning of 3 visitors, this is the fifth ocean drowning to occur so far this year and the year has just begun.

Four  years ago I had a near drowning experience myself, and since then I  only swim in the public pool since I have become gun shy of the powers of mother nature along with other health concerns.

I wish to share a few paragraphs from a blog I wrote 4 years ago, 

I saw dolphins and decided to go in the water, I started swimming parallel with the shore but drifted out, I drifted so far out, on a day I should never had gone in the water, rough surf and white caps everywhere. I figured I could body surf in. I was gaining no ground and waves were covering me making it hard to breathe, I swam on my back and tried to relax but kept getting overpowered and drenched with more waves, this went on for over 20 minutes and I was losing strength and could barely breathe, my thought was I was going to die. I was exhausted and could not handle the situation much longer. I prayed the Jewish signature prayer called the "Shema" and thought this is it.

I know they say swim parallel with the shore, I tried doing that and wedged in a little at a time, no gain,  again I tried body surfing in.  I was getting exhausted and with no lifeguard and only one other person within my eyesight, I thought this was it. I was going to die at my favorite beach, Secret beach.

Miraculously, I gained ground and could feel bottom, but then got sucked out again, finally a large wave rode me in, I managed to walk to shore in exhaustion and fell to the ground thanking the Lord for giving  me yet another chance at this thing we call life.

Mother nature is a powerful source, and life is short and precious. I was one of the blessed and lucky ones. I  felt the need to share this in hopes this may  help save a life. This may sound cliche,"but when in doubt, don't go out."



http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-monday-feb/article_cb064a70-741b-11e2-be9b-0019bb2963f4.html