[tevake]

Hey I got a hero trophy once. I was hanging at my place at the time just off the beach in Haena, N shore Kauai watching some Olympics on the tube. When some tourist woman ran up to the house yelling that her men were washing out ot sea out front.

Dang I was really into the event I was watching. But grabbed some fins and a boogy board, and ran out front to see these two guy being swepped out a channel of the reef in a strong current washing out the channel seaward.
The surf was pretty big and the resulting rip was running quite fast and the guys were near the outer end of the channel , maybe 75 yards off shore.

Like I was saying this was my home beach, like the back of my hand. Hopped in the water cruised out to the guys, got them holding onto the board. Got them kicking and aimed them across the current. Put the leash around my waist and started chugging, pulling them out of the current and over to outside the reef adjecent to the channel.

The surf there was maybe 4 or 5 feet breaking onto and over the reef. I told them this was the way in. They didn't like it.
But the prospect of washing out to sea thru the big surf offshore was daunting enough to make them decide to go with my plan.
Now out of the current and hanging just outside of the reef we waited for a break then sprinted for the reef. Got washed up over the front of the reef fairly cleanly. then got swept back in toward the beach in the whitewater. Moments later we were standing there safe and just a little scraped up on their legs and feet.

This I liked, they thanked me. Not allways the case in these sort of situations.
So I dashed back to the house, but the event was over, shoots.

Well the next day They came by to thank me again and give to me a nice little sculpture of some dolphins swimming some waves. They were profuse with their appreciation.

For me this was really no big deal, I played in those conditions and more all the time.
For them it was a life threatening situation and they clearly understood that.

Long story, but what I'm saying is that what may seem heroic to one person is more or less all in a days work to another.
I sure was stoked that they appreciated the help.
but I never did find out the outcome of the event I'd been watching.

It's not unusual after a rough water assist to be treated pretty rudely , especially by young men. Who feel embarrassed by the situation they have gotten themselves into. And their inability to deal with it.
Some times it's no good deed goes unpunished.

Now back to the war stories.

Cheers Richard