 By the time the early Polynesians settled the Hawaiian Islands, they had committed themselves to a life dictated by the sea. In the sea, they developed skills in swimming, surfing, and diving. From the ocean's bounty, they harvested a wide and rich variety of food. Over it, they sailed their outriggered news on uncharted voyages of discovery. Aided by intuition, knowledge of the stars, cloud formations, and faith in their ancient gods to guide them safely to their destinations. Centuries of such close associations with the sea developed within the Hawaiian people, a deep appreciation and understanding of this beautiful ocean world. The sounds and rhythms of the sea became a part of our nature. The power of its waves, its sweeping river-like currents, and the ocean's changeable moods were potential dangers we understood and respected. Even today, love and respect for the sea is still very much a part of our island way of life. It is exemplified in our Hawaiian phrase, ho ike ike kai, to understand the sea. I'm Rell Sen. I'm a professional surfer and a water safety officer on the island of Oahu where I was born. Oahu has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Where our island people and the millions who visit us every year enjoy a wide variety of water activities. Who can resist our ocean waters? Its waves are beautiful, warm, and inviting, but the power of the sea can be deceiving and, for the unaware, deadly. Water rescues are performed every day by the highly trained lifeguards, men and women who are Honolulu city and county water safety officers. During a recent 12-month period, they made over 750 rescues, performed 22 successful resuscitations, and safeguarded 18 million beach users on the island of Oahu. Most of those rescued were service members and tourists. Newcomers to our island who only saw the beauty of our beach as an ocean and did not understand the dangers of the sea. Our waves are different from those you may be used to on the mainland. Hawaii's islands have no continental shelf to break the force of waves striking our shores. Consequently, the waves are more powerful. They often travel faster, and when the surf's up, they are much, much bigger. Visitors and newcomers who are strong swimmers are frequently unprepared to survive in the rough water or shore break here. Unfortunately, many water victims aren't so lucky. In one year, 29 people drowned on the island of Oahu. Most of them waited or swam to their death without realizing that they were in any real danger. Maybe they hadn't seen our warning signs on the beaches or chose to ignore them. Perhaps they weren't familiar with the constantly changing beach and surf conditions and hadn't bothered to check with one of our lifeguards or didn't obey their warnings. Or maybe they made the mistake of swimming or surfing in areas where no lifeguard was on duty. Or fell asleep on an air mattress and were blown miles from shore. Or allowed their children to wander unattended on the beach and reach of the surf. Some water victims underestimated the tremendous power of our waves. Or how easily the crushing shore breaks can snap a back or neck. Or how fast a rip current can sweep a swimmer out to sea. They didn't take the time to understand the sea, and as a result, they drowned. With 57 major beaches on Oahu, there are a wide variety of conditions which make each area distinctly dangerous. I'm one of the lifeguards here at Waimea Bay where we get some of the biggest surf in the world. During the months of September through March, we get surfed sometimes up to 30 feet. This large surf tends to break off either side of the bay and this water that's displaced into the bay has to run out somewhere so it runs out through the middle of the bay causing large rips. Our job as lifeguards at this beach is to try to prevent rescues in first aid as much as we can. Whenever we get surfed, most people would go out with fins. We have fins that shouldn't be in the water. So when we get big surf like this, if we see somebody going into the water who doesn't have any fins, we should try to discourage them from going in because we know that chances are once it gets into that rip or gets hit by a big shore break wave, he's going to need some help. Close to Waimea Bay on Oahu's north shore are Ehukai Beach and Sunset Beach where even highly experienced professional surfers use extra caution in the ever-changing water conditions. Morning. My name is Mark Cunningham. We're here at Ehukai Beach Park, home of the world's famous Banzai Pipeline that's off to my left and behind me. We've got about a 4-6 foot swell running at the pipeline today. Fairly strong side shore currents as the waves rush in. The water doesn't build up. It flushes all along, comes to the front of the park until it can find a deep channel and rush out to sea. Two of the constant factors here at Ehukai is the shallow reef bottom. If the Banzai Pipeline, which make the waves curl and break so famously round and tubular, and then here in front of the park, we have our constantly changing sandbar bottom. What can be a shallow sandbar where it's ankle to waist deep one day can be a 8 to 10 foot deep channel moving like a river the next. The surf here on the north shore can be 2 to 3 feet in the morning and be 10 to 15 feet in the afternoon. The conditions change like that out here on the north shore. That's not unusual at all. I can't overemphasize how important it is to realize the strength and size of these waves. It's the big leagues. The north shore is the Super Bowl of surfing. You've got to have years and years of experience under your belt to successfully ride and maneuver in and out of these riptides and channels. Rip currents are flowing river-like movements of water that run from shallow areas near shore out to sea. They can be recognized by their effect on incoming waves and by the general direction of their movement. Strong rips tend to flatten waves and will generally be heading out to sea. Rip currents are common along many parts of Oahu's coast, but a classic example can be seen at Sunset Beach. Here large volumes of water trapped near the shore by continuously incoming waves try to find a way back out to sea. Rushing parallel with the shore, this imbalance or buildup of water finally reaches a lower place in the ocean bottom and surges towards the open sea with a strong river-like current. While the Sunset Rip is about 300 feet long, some others may flow as far as 3,000 feet out to sea before disappearing. Experienced swimmers and surfers who get caught in a rip know that it is impossible to swim back to shore against the strong current. During heavy surf conditions, this flow may move 3 to 4 feet per second. Trying to swim against such force only results in exhaustion and panic. This is why rip currents are a leading cause of drowning. If you find yourself caught in a rip, try to swim across the current's flow towards the breaking waves beyond. If you are still unable to break out of the current, ride along with it until it loses its power, usually beyond the breaking zone, then swim away from the rip diagonally towards shore, perhaps using the breaking incoming waves as a vehicle. Part of understanding the sea is also knowing when conditions make it unsafe to enter the water or even to be on the beach. This is Makaha Point, an extension of the surfing beach and you can see how big it is today. It's fairly awesome. The waves are 15 to 20 feet. And you can see why no one's surfing today or going to the beach or fishing or diving or anything else. It's being very prudent and wise. When conditions are like this, the beach is closed because the surf is too big and any rescues might be too risky for even the lifeguard to attempt. Orange directional signs point to yellow emergency phones located on the island's beaches or near the comfort stations at our beach parks. The phones are free, operate 24 hours a day and can be used by following the simple instructions posted inside. If Makaha and the North Shore beaches are primarily known for board surfing, then Sandy and Makapu Beach are known for body surfing. This is because of the kind of shoreline they have. At both of these beaches, a quick drop-off of ocean bottom near the shore, combined with very steep and hard-breaking waves, make them ideal places for body surfing. Unfortunately, their popularity has also created a major problem. There are so many experienced body surfers in these waters who make riding these waves look so easy that newcomers who are unfamiliar with the abrupt shore break and powerful backwash, the long shore current, and the rip currents continually underestimate the dangers. Bruce Lee, a lifeguard for more than 11 years, is an expert on the dangers of Sandy Beach. Hi, we're here at Sandy Beach, home of the Broken Neck, probably the highest rate of broken necks in the whole nation, definitely in the whole state of Hawaii. Our job is to try to prevent these kind of injuries from occurring, and as much as we do try, they have been continuing to happen, unfortunately. What happens here is we have a very abrupt shore break and people get slammed into the bottom, head first, wind up with a cervical spinal fracture of some sort. We've sent a lot of people out of here as quadriplegics and paraplegics for the rest of their lives, a very sad situation. Also, we have dislocations of various limbs and fractures also. Anywhere there's waves, there's going to be currents. Here we have a long shore current sweeping along, parallel to the beach, we also have rip ties that feed directly out, and these get a lot of people in trouble. Also, the undertow from the steep bank sweeps people off their feet, pulls them out. Small kids especially, it's very dangerous. The lifeguard station at Sandy Beach make more rescues in the course of a year than do their co-workers at any other beach on the island, except nearby Makapu'u, probably the most famous body surfing beach in all the Hawaiian islands. The huge winter surf makes Makapu'u Beach excellent for experienced body surfers, but extremely dangerous for the unknowing and inexperienced. Two powerful rip currents go straight out to sea, and the swift moving along shore current can sweep people off their feet and drag them toward the exposed rock at either end of the beach. Inexperienced swimmers caught in these currents and pounded by the hard-hitting shore break are often rendered helpless in a matter of minutes. Even strong, competitive swimmers quickly discover that their speed and strength in a swimming pool don't equip them to deal with a turbulent ocean. There is no substitute for experience in these waters. Before you go into the water, watch the experienced body surfer to pick up safe techniques and to sharpen your own timing and judgment of which waves you can safely ride. Beach lifeguards are all professionals. They've got a wealth of knowledge and experience that they'll gladly share with you. When you are in the water, pay attention to those around you. Here, the old adage of finding safety in a crowd does not apply. You can be hit by another surfer's board and injured or knocked unconscious. Experience teaches you to pass up waves which are too big or already breaking. Simply dive under and allow them to pass over you. When you catch a wave, never head straight to shore, or you'll go over the falls. The most crucial moment in the ride is knowing when to abandon the wave. Cutting out, as it's called, is a simple maneuver which involves turning quickly and diving into the bottom or a trough of the wave before it breaks on shore. Timing is critical. Delaying too long could mean a serious or fatal injury as you are slammed full force into the sand. Skill in body surfing, like any sport, takes time for development. Learn to body surf at beaches with gentle shore breaks such as Waikiki or at Bellows Recreation Center. 46 acres of beach within the military reservation are open to all service members. The long, wide, sandy beach is a favorite for campers and picnickers, as well as Oahu's most popular beach for novice board surfing and body surfing. Bellows is a safe, enjoyable beach for everyone. A few miles up the coast from Bellows is Kailua Beach Park. This excellent beach with its gently sloping offshore bottom is a favorite family beach and the home of another popular island sport, wind surfing. Wind surfing is fun, but it takes time and practice to get the hang of it and to do it safely. For beginners, this can be a frustrating experience. Knowing the equipment and being able to rig it correctly are two things that have to be mastered before a windsurfer ever leaves the beach. Knowing about wind, water currents, and weather conditions are equally important. Getting qualified instruction could start you off right in the sport, but stamina and skill in windsurfing and like all sports, windsurfing is not without hazards. The water near Kailua claims its share of injuries. Some come from inexperienced windsurfers colliding with one another or running over swimmers. If you are injured or your mast breaks while you are out in the water, stay with your equipment. The majority of it floats and it will support you. If you find yourself at some distance from shore with a broken mast and you see that you can't paddle back with it, your life's worth more than your equipment. Hanama Bay, located south of Sandy Beach on the eastern side of Cocoa Head, is another favorite recreational area on Oahu. This beautiful bay is protected by a shallow fringing reef which protects the inshore waters from the outside surf which can be dangerously high. In 1967, the entire bay was set aside and protected as an underwater park and conservation area to protect its marine life. As a result, the bay attracts not only sunbathers and swimmers, but a large number of snorkelers and scuba divers. Alan Hong is a qualified diving instructor who works with the Honolulu City and County Parks and Recreation Department. This is Hanama Bay, Hawaii's most popular diving attraction. If you choose to dive over here, there are certain things that you should know and these safety procedures apply to no matter where you dive. First off, if you're going to go snorkeling, you should be trained in the use of your snorkeling equipment. No matter where you go diving, if you don't know how to use the gear, you're taking your life into your hands. If you choose to go scuba diving, that requires a little more training. As a scuba instructor, I see people here all the time getting into trouble because of lack of experience. And finally, if you're from the mainland and you're not familiar with Hawaii, seek out someone that knows this area so that they can show you what the idiosyncrasies are. Now, the best person to consult to find out about the hazards of Hanama Bay is the lifeguard. One of the best ways to find people that would be familiar with Hanama Bay would be to seek out the dive clubs in your area. Once you're out past the reef, the water level will vary from about 10 feet on the outside of the reef to around 70 to 80 feet at the mouth of the bay. Most of the marine animals tend to congregate just to the outside of the reef, so we'll probably spend most of our time out there. Why don't you come with us now on our dives? At the end of a small inlet on the eastern side of Hanama Bay lies a pool which fills and empties as waves from the inlet surge into it through a narrow underwater passage. This regular filling and emptying of water has led the locals to name it the toilet bowl. Riding in the toilet bowl has become popular in spite of the numerous injuries that frequently occur. On days when the surge is strong, the ride can be rough and dangerous and swimmers can be thrown against the rocks. The distance from the beach to the toilet bowl is great. Outside the site of lifeguards and rescue of an injured person is extremely difficult. Reports of drownings and near drownings involving alcohol are alarmingly high. Medical research clearly proves that the combination of alcohol with recreational activities is a deadly mix. Drinking impairs judgment, affects coordination and leads to overconfidence and greater risk taking. Another hazard to be avoided whenever you are in the water is one of the poisonous marine life. This is known as a Portuguese man-o-war. Sometimes they're called blue bottles. And these things can be deadly if you're allergic to things like bee stings and ant bites and it's called anaphylactic shock. So rinse off with soft water and then there's vinegar and there's meat tenderizer and those are the things that you put on you in order to take that stinging sensation away and also see a doctor if you think you're allergic to them. When you have grown up on Oahu or one of the other islands, you learn that the ocean can be as dangerous as it is pleasurable. But it wasn't until I worked as a lifeguard and spent a great deal of time watching what happens on our beaches that I realized how many water accidents are caused by pure ignorance. Potential tragedies are waiting to happen every day. Tragedies which need not occur and probably wouldn't if our island visitors and service members would follow the example of our Polynesian ancestors and take the time to understand the sea.