Pete Thomas Outdoors

Tiger shark closes in on kayak, angler reacts accordingly

By Pete Thomas

Devin Kanda was fortunate to have been facing the right direction when a large tiger shark surfaced as his feet dangled from his kayak recently off Oahu.

As Hawaii News Now states in the video report posted below, Kanda had just caught an 18-pound ono off Diamond Head when he spotted the approaching shark, enabling a quick response.

“I caught it in my peripheral [vision] … and I looked up,” he said. “And just in time I pulled my leg before it could take a bite of my foot.”

Kanda’s video camera was operating during the July 4 encounter. His footage was picked up by Hawaii-based media outlets over the weekend.

The shark was likely attracted by the scent of fish. Kanda said he was more in awe of the large shark than afraid, but thankful that he wasn’t attacked.

–Image courtesy of Devin Kanda

Girl, 11, raises $10,000 to save elephants, and it all began with a lemonade stand

Téa Megill mans her booth at the Honolulu Zoo

By Pete Thomas

When Téa Megill learned during a trip to the Honolulu Zoo last summer that elephants may be headed toward extinction, the 10-year-old wanted to help.

She opened a neighborhood lemonade stand to raise money for the fight against poaching in Africa, in what at first seemed merely an admirable gesture.

But it has become much more than a gesture. The Honolulu sixth-grader has since been allowed to move her stand inside the zoo, where she also sells homemade bracelets and other items to conservation-minded visitors.

So far Téa has raised nearly $10,000, with all proceeds going to the Elephant Crisis Fund.

“We’re very proud of her,” Sejal Megill, Téa’s mother, told BNQT Outdoors. “We thought this going to be a summer project, but her drive and motivation have carried it so much farther. She would fundraise every day if she could.”

Téa has a website, Elephant.Ade, that operates under the slogan, “Aloha for the Elephants.” She runs the stand at the zoo’s Elephant Habitat each Wednesday afternoon. Products on the website are sold around the world.

"My goal is $1 million for the elephants and that they could be saved," Téa told Hawaii’s KHON 2.

Africa’s elephants, to be sure, need help.

The Elephant Crisis Fund, part of the the Wildlife Conservation Network, states on its website that wild elephants could be wiped out within a generation.

More than 30,000 elephants are killed annually for their ivory tusks, which support a lucrative black-market industry. Meanwhile, an exhaustive effort involving multiple partners is combating poaching and trafficking.

Téa, a budding conservationist, can boast that she’s part of this effort.

At the zoo, she told KHON 2, she helps to raise awareness.

“I'll start walking down that path or this path and I'll start giving them brochures and talking to them about what's going on with the elephants,” she said. “And then if they decide to come up, then we just explain what we're selling and stuff.”

Téa recently told The Eden Edition that someday she’d like to visit Africa and see the wild elephants.

Wrote Shelby Eden, “With the determination of a young Jane Goodall, I have a feeling all of Téa’s dreams will undoubtedly come true.”

–Images are courtesy of Téa Megill

Kona angler lands 1,368-pound blue marlin; just eight pounds shy of 1982 world record

A 1,368-pound blue marlin was caught Tuesday by Guy Kitaoka off Kailua-Kona on the the big island of Hawaii.

It’s believed to be the largest blue marlin caught off Kona in 23 years, and falls short of the world record–a 1,376-pound blue caught off Kona in 1982–by only eight pounds.

Kitaoka was fishing with Capt. Darrell Omori aboard a 21-foot boat, Dayna, in an area where large tuna were teeming. He used a skipjack tuna to bait the monster billfish, and had it alongside his boat after an hour-long fight.

Capt. Bomboy Llanes, fishing nearby aboard another boat, helped deliver the massive grander back to the dock.

According to longtime Hawaii fishing writer Jim Rizzuto, the last blue marlin topping 1,300 pounds was a 1,356-pounder caught aboard Spellbound on June 6, 1992.

A 1,400-pound blue was caught aboard Marlin Magic in 1990, but that fish was not caught in accordance with International Game Fish Assn. rules, and did not qualify as a world record.

Kitaoka was using an electric reel, which helps to explain why the fight only lasted an hour, so it could not qualified as a world record, had it been heavy enough.

–Image shows Guy Kitaoka with his giant blue marlin. Courtesy of Bryan Toney

65-year-old woman dies on Maui after shark bite

A 65-year-old woman died Wednesday morning on Maui after being bitten by a shark near Makena State Park.

The attack occurred at a spot called “Dumps,” according to KHON 2.

This is the same area where two attacks occurred in 2013, one of them involving a kayak angler and resulting in a fatality. That year, at least seven attacks–two of them fatal–were reported off Maui.

The 65-year-old Kihei woman had become separated from two friends.

She was pulled from the water by snorkelers but was unresponsive, and efforts by paramedics to revive the victim were unsuccessful. The incident occurred sometime before 9 a.m.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources banned water access in the area and launched an investigation.

–Tiger shark image is generic

Hawaiian monk seal, rarest mammal in U.S., stars on a Kona night dive with manta rays

 

By Pete Thomas/GrindTv

Night divers off Hawaii’s Kona coast last weekend marveled not only at the giant mantas they had planned on viewing, but a critically endangered monk seal that interacted with the mantas and the divers for two nights.

It was magical experience from a purely aesthetic standpoint, given the gracefulness of the mantas as they soared in and out of the lights feeding on plankton, and the surprise appearance of an agile and curious seal.

But it was remarkable, also, because Hawaiian monk seals are critically endangered, numbering only 1,100. They're the most endangered mammal in the United States, and one of the rarest mammals in the world.

Most inhabit remote unpopulated islands northwest of the main islands, while only three are known to frequent Big Island waters, including a lone female: the interloper seen in the footage, Waimanu, who is pregnant!

The “never-before-seen” footage was captured by Manta Ray Advocates Hawaii photographers Martina Wing, Ryan Leinbach and Adam Fram.

Manta Ray Advocates Hawaii conducts night dives off Kona, at one of only a few global locations that predictably attract the gentle giants, which forage beneath the lights and create a surreal experience for scuba divers and snorkelers.

The group posted the footage to its Facebook page Monday night, inspiring viewers to share it on their pages and chime in with comments.

Wrote a woman named Renata: “Incredibly awesome, breathtaking images. Being the only female one on the Big Island, she must be a lonely seal without any girlfriends and about to give birth! Maybe she will come back with a pup?”

Added a commenter named Whitney: “This made me cry like a baby. Such an incredible thing to see. I can’t even imagine what it was like to see it in person!”

Many were curious about the lettering on the seal. It was painted by researchers, who catalog and monitor Hawaiian monk seals throughout the islands.

According to NOAA, Hawaiian monk seals can weigh nearly 500 pounds and measure about seven feet. They are one of only two monk seal species, the other being the Mediterranean monk seal. A third, the Caribbean monk seal, is extinct.

Hawaiian monk were hunted to the brink of extinction in the late 19th century, and unfortunately they’re still teetering on the brink, threatened by many factors, including changes in food distribution (mainly an issue for pups), entanglement in fishing gear, and human interactions on main island beaches, where they haul out.

Researchers are hopeful that Waimanu's pup will be healthy and live long enough to add to the population.

–Images are video screen grabs

 

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1,058-pound blue marlin is Kona's first 'grander' of 2015; landed by 16-year-old

Kai Rizzuto (middle) poses with giant marlin; photo via Ihu Nui Sportfishing

By Pete Thomas/GrindTv

Hawaii’s Kona Coast is one of the world’s premier destinations for giant marlin, and the most sought-after prize is a billfish topping 1,000 pounds, or a grander.

That dream is rarely realized but on Wednesday, 16-year-old Kai Rizzuto, while visiting from New York, landed a blue marlin weighing 1,058 pounds, while fishing aboard the Ihu Nui.

It was Rizzuto’s first blue marlin and the first grander caught this year off Kona.  

Rizzuto, grandson of Hawaii fishing author Jim Rizzuto, is believed to be the youngest angler ever to have landed a grander off Kona.

Though the growing trend is to release large billfish, Kai’s fish succumbed after a ferocious 30-minute battle, so it was hauled to port and weighed in Kailua-Kona.

For second-generation Captain McGrew Rice and crewman Carlton Arai, who have been fishing for much of their lives off Kona, it was the third grander they’ve brought aboard the boat.

Only a handful of granders are landed each year in Hawaiian waters. The largest blue marlin ever landed on rod and reel weighed 1,805 pounds and was caught off Oahu by multiple anglers in 1971.

Jim Rizzuto, who also was aboard Ihu Nui, described his grandson’s hookup via email:

“We saw the fish jump and immediately went into ‘big-fish mode.’ That meant going hard right from the start. Carlton Arai is world-famous for being cool and calm, but he yelled, ‘Big Fish’ at the top of his lungs and flew across the deck to get the angler settled and bring in the [other] lines.

“The fish tore up the surface from port to starboard and back, which kept us close. Carlton told Kai to push the drag to ‘sunset’ (full bore), and lean on the fish for maximum advantage. McGrew kept after the fish wherever it went. When it got close after 30 minutes, it rolled over and was done. At that point, all matters of possible release became moot.”

Kai Rizzuto tries to gain upper hand against giant marlin

All five people aboard could not hoist the billfish entirely onto the boat, but managed to secure it enough for measurements, which are used to determine a probable weight, so they knew they were bringing in a potential grander.

Said Rizzuto: “By the time we got back to the dock, the news of a potential grander had drawn a big crowd. Lots of cheers when the 1,058 pounds was announced. Kai comes to the Big Island several times a year and has been fishing since he was 2. This was his first blue marlin.”

Rizzuto added that the billfish was not wasted: Marlin meat is very nutritious and is used in a lot of dishes from poke and sashimi to sausages, jerky, tacos, fish cake and other delicacies. This fish was shared widely and there are probably more than 100 people enjoying it now.

Giant swell slams Hawaii; up next is California and Mavericks big-wave surf contest

An enormous north swell is arriving in California and expected to build Thursday night into Friday morning, signaling a green light for the much anticipated Mavericks Invitational surf contest at notorious Mavericks near Half Moon Bay.

How powerful the swell turns out to be, and what type of conditions prevail remain to be seen. But it's the same swell that slammed parts of the Hawaiian islands on Wednesday and Thursday, luring throngs of spectators to the shores.

Hawaii News Now described it as "the largest swell in decades" and published a slide show showing massive waves breaking on Oahu's North Shore, near the fabled Waimea Bay.

A headline atop a Honolulu Star Advertiser story on Wednesday screamed, "Surf up to 40 feet expected to roll in today."

As a result of all the publicity, nightmare traffic jams ensued on the highway leading from Oahu's south side to the north shore. One of the more compelling pieces of footage was a video clip showing an enormous wave breaking in slow motion at Shark's Cove just north of Waimea Bay.

The footage, shot with a high-speed camera, was captured by Tyler Rock of Hawaii-based Freesurf Magazine. The wave face measured perhaps 40 feet. In a 24-hour period, the clip was shared more than 6,000 times on Freesurf's Facebook page.

"If you could compare these waves to an animal, what kind of animal would it be and what would it eat for lunch?" Freesurf asked Facebook users.

 

Mike Latronic of Manulele Incorporated, which owns Freesurf, said that although the people in the foreground appear to be too close for comfort, they were not in danger.

However, sea level is usually 30 feet below the road on which the bystanders are parked and standing. The tide and surge from the swell, and the towering waves, placed this surreal scene at eye-level.

"I've lived here for 35 years and have never seen a wave go over those rocks," Latronic said. "But [Wednesday] they were about 10 feet from going over the road."

The high surf advisory is in effect through Friday morning, just about the time many of the world's best surfers will be paddling out at Mavericks, which is an offshore break infamous for its cold, green water, an occasional great white shark sighting, and ominous-looking breakers that inspire a deep respect–also known as fear–among even the world's best.

The Mavericks contest is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., with the finals set for about 1:30 p.m. The event will air live via webcast at Universalsports.com.

–Pete Thomas, via GrindTv Surf

Bodyboarder attacked by shark off island of Hawaii

A bodyboarder was bitten Wednesday off the Big Island of Hawaii by what was believed to be a 10- to 12-foot tiger shark.

A 29-year-old unidentified Captain Cook man was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Hawaii News Now.

The incident occurred at about 8 a.m. near Punalu'u Beach Park in Ninole Bay, in shallow water about 20 yards from shore. The bay and beach were ordered closed by lifeguards and will reopen Friday at noon.

This marks the 14th known shark attack in Hawaiian waters this year. Eight of those, two of which resulted in a fatality, occurred off Maui.

–Generic tiger shark image is courtesy of Wikipedia

Kayak fisherman dies after shark attack off South Maui

A kayak fisherman died Monday after being bitten by a shark off Makena on South Maui, Hawaii.

Patrick Briney, 57, of Stevenson, Wash., was bitten on one or both legs as his feet dangled in the water.

"They went out fishing off their kayaks and the gentleman that got bit had his feet dangling in the water and the shark basically came and took one of his feet, and if not both of them," Capt. Jon Jon, a tour operator for Local Fishing Knowledge, told KHON2.

A fishing companion fixed a tourniquet around Briney's leg and hailed a nearby charter boat, Sea Spirit. But Briney died en route to the boat ramp, police said.

Officials closed area beaches until at least noon Tuesday.

Maui County issued a statement explaining that the the man "was fishing somewhere between Maui and Molokini when he was bitten by a shark.

"A friend who was kayaking with the victim took him to a nearby snorkeling charter boat, which then transported him to shore. The victim died prior to reaching shore."

The incident occurred three days after a woman received non-fatal injuries during a shark encounter about three miles away, near Keawekapu Beach.

There have been at least six other confirmed shark attacks in Maui waters this year, according to the Maui News.

That includes the Aug. 14 attack on 20-year-old Jana Lutteropp. She died a week later as a result of her injuries.

–Tiger shark image is generic, via Wikipedia

Father of missing surfer Kirk Passmore wants son's last ride to be watched

 

Less than two days after Kirk Passmore went missing after a wipeout in large surf Wednesday on Oahu's North Shore, his father expressed a wish that his son's final ride be shared with as many people as possible.

Passmore, 32, a passionate big-wave surfing veteran and Hawaii resident, is presumed to have drowned and as of Friday his body had not been found.

Larry Haynes, a cinematographer who was capturing footage of surfers riding 20- to 30-foot waves at an outer reef known as Alligator Rock, complied with Passmore's father by sharing Kirk's final ride footage with Hawaii's KITV News. (Video posted above.) 

It shows Passmore, on the white surfboard, negotiating a steep drop before digging the nose of his board slightly into the water, catapulting him forward. The wave broke on top of the surfer and moments after the whitewater swept over him, his feet could be seen in the froth.

That was an indication, perhaps, that he might have ruptured his eardrums and had become disoriented, and did not know which direction was up or down. Another large wave broke, snapping his surfboard in two, and breaking the leash attaching the tail-end of the board to the surfer's leg.

By then rescuers had swept into the impact zone on personal watercraft, but could not get to Passmore before he disappeared.

Unfortunately, the surfer's fatal mistake might have been not wearing a floatation vest. "They were trying to grab him but they had nothing to hold on to," local surfer Chris Owens told Hawaii News Now. "What would have saved him is if he had a float vest on. Everybody wears float vests nowadays."

Fatalities are rare in big-wave surfing, despite the raw power of enormous swells generated by faraway storms.

That's because surfers, by and large, are a close-knit group and watch out for one another. It's also because most of them train vigorously, to be able to withstand being held under for long periods, and because water patrol staff on personal watercraft are almost always on vigil during these large-surf events.

(There have been great strides in water safety on the North Shore since Todd Chesser, a famous surfer, died at Alligator Rock in 1997.)

Additionally, most surfers have come to realize the importance of floatation vests, which help them attain the surface faster after a wipeout, and keep their heads upright.

Passmore's wipeout comes only two weeks after Maya Gabeira, a rare female athlete in this adrenaline-fueled sport, endured a beating in enormous surf off Portugal.

Gabeira, who was pulled to safety during a frantic rescue effort by her Jet Ski-riding partner, Carlos Burle, was wearing a vest and credits the device for helping to save her life.

It's hoped that Passmore's tragic accident will underscore their value, and serve as a reminder that despite great strides in water safety, nothing is guaranteed.

–Pete Thomas, via GrindTv