Reckless Abandon-Blink 182

Black Rock - Ka'anapali
Originally uploaded by kinsiekins.

K-
It's been 4 days since my most tragic event on vacation and I feel that enough time has passed to be able to share it. I still get a pit in my stomach when I think about it but like those that I met in the airports...those put into the face of danger and dismay...talking about these things can help ease the pain.

After the afternoon's event on the beach a few days before, observing the tragic loss of a man I did not know...I came face to losing the man that I did know...and myself as well. It was the last morning...our flight left for home at 7:30 that same night...so you wanna get some last things in, enjoy the sun, and some favorites as well before you leave Paradise.
We gave the kids money for breakfast and instructed them to go back to the room when full of banana pancakes, coconut rice, and breakfast fries to pack things up for the long flight home. H and I were just grabbing our snorkels to take one last cruise near Black Rock to spot some more schools of Tangs, and hopefully frolic with some green sea turtles. With only our towels and snorkels in hand...and a safety swim belt for H because he is uneasy in the water and not able to swim very well, we jaunted down the beach with little knowledge or preminision of our ultimate doom.

All is going well and with about 15 others or so in the water. We had been to this spot several times before, usually in the afternoon, but had a familiarity with the cove and waters. As usual, I stayed near H, to keep him company and assure him that he was doing well. With rumors that the turtles were out at the tip of the rock (see picture) we got carried away...and were literaly "carried away" by a fierce rip tide that soon found us about 60 feet out far from the rock, with no others in sight.

The current was furious, and without the shelter of the cove, we continued to be taken away from our comfort zone. Fear in our eyes, I instructed H to swim (or as close to it as he possibly could) as hard as possible. Now remember, he has a float belt...I DO NOT... and the water, as clear to the bottom as crystal... about 75 feet deep by now. Battling the strong waters, no time to rest for fear of being carried out further, we could not make any headway. Our arms turning to noodles...I stay with my back to the beach to keep my eye on H. My thoughts of the teens back in the room, the man on the beach, my pounding, smokers heart and the look of pure obnoxious FEAR fills our eyes.

25 feet to go, and loosing breath, H reaches out and cries..."HELP ME"...my God..."HELP ME". I extended my arm to pull him in, not knowing how I would manage...but with adrenilin pumping made it 10 feet closer...then shouted, "Swim as hard as you can."

Back at the Rock...the tip of the Rock...we rest for at least 20 minutes...with waves still crashing at us...hearts pumping...we are safe...yet still need to make it back to shore...but safe.

The story continues...with many other small details...but back on the beach...we talk to eachother as a lady overhears our experience. She tells us that a girl was just rescued out there 30 minutes earlier.

We take our cut legs and arms...from the rock grasping and wave pounding pressure...back to the room. The kids don't believe us, but then notice the wounds...deep gashes on H's leg.
Reckless Abandon...what the hell were we thinking?

All I can think of is me telling the teens that they could not go out there alone...and H getting angry at me days before for not wanting him to go out there by himself as well.

I have now saved my entire family's life...H here at Black Rock in Maui...and the kids years back at St. Petersburg Beach searching for a sand bar.

Who Will Save ME and my Lonely Heart????


"Everybody would waste it all,
to have a summer that they could call,
memory thats full of fun,
f**ked up, when it's all done

On and on, reckless abandon
Somethings wrong, this is gonna shock them
Nothing to hold on to
We'll use this song to lead you on
And break the truth with more bad news
we left a scar, size extra large"
-Blink 182