PRINCEVILLE — The search for a missing woman in waters off Queen’s Bath in Princeville was suspended Saturday afternoon following a three-day, multi-agency effort.
PRINCEVILLE — The search for a missing woman in waters off Queen’s Bath in Princeville was suspended Saturday afternoon following a three-day, multi-agency effort.
Yayun Cheng, 23, of California, is being reported as Kauai’s seventh drowning for 2018.
According to a preliminary report, Cheng was attempting to climb the rocks near the area known as Queen’s Bath shortly before noon on Wednesday, when a wave came up and swept her out to sea. She was last seen unresponsive in the water.
Cheng could not be located despite a three-day air, land and sea-based search with a team of rescuers including Kauai firefighters, lifeguards, police and the U.S. Coast Guard. Volunteers with Life’s Bridges, a grief counseling service, are assisting Cheng’s family.
Subscribe today for unlimited access.
Already a subscriber?
Login
Not ready to subscribe?
Register for limited access.
If you have a print subscription but require digital access,
activate your account.
Has the family of this ‘lost adventurer’ been BILLED for the three-day air, land and sea-based search that involved a team of rescuers including Kauai firefighters, lifeguards, police and the U.S. Coast Guard? Also, do the aesthetics of that fence comply with Princeville covenants?
Yeah, the aesthetics of the fence, and billing the grieving family members. Can’t be wasting any compassion on them they haven’t suffered enough.
Aloha Kakou,
The aptly named QUEEN’S BATH sounds so Allurring, Relaxing, Enchanting, Exotic, Royal, Cleansing, Warm, Soothing, Memorable, Adventuresome, Healthy and Happy…! ! !
And while on a perfect summer day this crystal clear pool can be all that and fit for a Queen, a Hawaiian Queen no less…but when it is our winter with chilly monster waves coming from even colder Alaska and the frozen eastern seas of Russia, none of the above names are aptly at all, and are not fitting at all for unwary innocent visitors.
Seasonally, Queen’s Bath becomes a horror story too many factual times already. It is a winter “Invitation to Death”. It is not an honest Visitor Attraction after how many deaths and injuries, and how many near drownings. Nor is it in winter something Kaua’i wants to be known for, a place that can abruptly end your family vacation, a Honeymoon, and your life. Is water sadness drowning your eyes yet?
A few things can be done to stop this shameful seduction to the unwary, the curious, the fun seeking, adventurous naive innocent visitors, who if they knew better would not risk or give their life, or body lost forever, to this unforgiving Power of the Pacific.
1.) Posted signs of a Winter Name should replace whatever signs, if any, that are there for safe seasonal times. Signs like “Death Pot”, “Death Pool”, “Free Drownings”, “Vacation Over, Your Life Ends Here”, “Do Not Enter Upon Death”, “Go back to your Car and Live”. Or a series of signs as one walks along the trail.
2.) And a must do should be a seasonal chain link fence serious enough to have barbed or “concertina wire” at the top, with appropriate warning signs. And it could be gated open for seasonal safe use. Or let Queen’s Bath be eliminated altogether from the visitor experience…there are so many alternatives. Is it worth it? Ask the families who have lost loved ones. We as a community are responsible for this danger. Compare to the land disaster of the North Shore storm, no lives lost but the road is TOTALLY CLOSED TO VISITORS with NO exception for Visitors.
3.) The trail to the waterfalls up in Wailua, Opaekaa Falls, where only a few have lost their lives, is now well fenced with signage.
4.) We know Queen’s Bath is a seasonally loaded gun. Our Visitors are like our children in a Wonderland, they deserve BETTER, they deserve protection. They deserve appropriate signage and impenetrable fencing to act as the Police or a 24 Hour Security Guard.
5.) While we Can understand and tolerate the road puka on Kaua’i, saving lives and preventing injuries at Queen’s Bath should be an Immediate Top Priority for our new Mayor Derek, and our experienced and new Council Members: Arryl, Ross, Mason, Arthur, Kipukai, Luke, and Felicia.
5.) If money is not available, a fund drive could put up the money for signage and fencing. The County Engineer could oversee the project and even a North Shore group like the Lions or the canoe clubs could do the labor if the County cannot make time with other needs. Local businesses could help to provide fencing and sign material.
6.) This travesty of lost lives, and lost bodies, can end this month. And please do not make this require a building permit, it’s not intended for 2020, but RIGHT NOW…give it an EMERGENCY PERMIT…As Soon As Possible…!
Mahalo,
Charles
Plant the entire hillside with bougainvillea. Make the place all choke with spikes and needles. Maybe lay some razor wire in there too.