The recent hurricanes that bombarded the Pacific have been blessings for many surfers in Hawaii. The strong storm systems sent significant swell to much of the region, including the famed North Shore of O’ahu, which is typically pretty quiet this time of year. But for one surfer on the eastern end of O’ahu, this gift from Mother Nature came with a pretty hefty cost.
Witnesses said the surfer above was slapped with a $200 fine on Tuesday by an officer from the Department of Land and Natural Resources after the man was caught surfing in a swimming and bodyboarding only zone at Makapu’u Beach. The no surf zone runs from Makapu’u Point all the way down to the beach park building, an area that covers roughly one mile. It’s a rule that has been in place since 1994 to keep swimmers and bodyboarders safe.
Details regarding the incident are still vague. Whether the surfer knowingly paddled out into a no surf zone is still unclear. The surfer did paddle out early in the morning, even before lifeguards arrived for their shift. Given the dangerous conditions and the time of day, the likelihood that swimmers were in the area is extremely low. Thus, this incident serves as a reminder that rules like these should perhaps be revised in order to take into account these unique circumstances. Should surfers be exempted from this rule when swimmers and bodyboarders aren’t in the area? More importantly, were the actions taken by the DLNR an overreaction or justified? You be the judge.
