HANALEI — North Shore reefs snagged two vessels yesterday, both within a relatively short period of time. Around noon a single-masted sailboat called “Orizaba” went aground at Waipa, also known as “Middles” in the center of Hanalei Bay. County spokesperson
HANALEI — North Shore reefs snagged two vessels yesterday, both within a relatively short period of time.
Around noon a single-masted sailboat called “Orizaba” went aground at Waipa, also known as “Middles” in the center of Hanalei Bay.
County spokesperson Mary Daubert said the vessel was stuck for almost two hours before high tide hit at 1:45 p.m. and the vessel floated free.
“After that they just sailed away,” Daubert said.
The second vessel grounded shortly before 2 p.m. on the reef fronting the Princeville Resort.
The second vessel did not fare as well, as it dragged over the reef and began listing, requiring the family on board to be rescued by North Shore lifeguards.
A call to the North Shore Fire Station inquiring about the actions of the lifeguards resulted
in the response that a huge amount of paperwork was yet to be done and any comments to the press would have to go through the county public information officer.
The county PIO was able to confirm that the lifeguards did in fact save the family from the vessel and delivered them to the beach where they were being tended to by crewmembers of the visiting Hawaiian sailing canoe the Hokule‘a.
Princeville resident Roxanne McCann called the North Shore Fire Station and was able to learn that the first grounding was responded to by the fire department, enabling the vessel to eventually be freed. McCann was then able to call the newspaper and share the information that the fire department had shared with her.
The Orizaba has the same name and description as a vessel that had just completed the San Francisco to Honolulu Pacific Cup sailing race.
According to a Web site, the Orizaba, a J130, had completed the race on the morning of July 17.
A blog on the vessel’s Web site said it was ready for the delivery back to Portland, Ore., on July 22. Whether it is the same vessel that grounded Monday in Hanalei Bay is not known.
The family of the vessel stranded on the reef was from Wai‘anae on O‘ahu.
“They left O‘ahu yesterday and arrived this morning,” Daubert said yesterday. “The grounding was due to a navigational error.”
The owner was Chuck Martin, who was sailing with his wife and daughter.
“The ocean safety bureau folks went out on a JetSki and a Zodiac and brought them in to the beach where they are being hosted on the beach by the crew of the Hokule‘a,” Daubert said.
The vessel was still on the reef late yesterday and officials were uncertain how it will be removed.
• Adam Harju, editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 227) or aharju@kauaipubco.com
