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Oahu Beaches - Makapuu Beach - Hawaii's Natural Waterpark

Makapuu can be dangerous and there are true stories of breaking necks and getting dragged out to sea.

How to nearly break your neck

A true storyOne day I went bodysurfing at Makapuu with my best friend Chris, who used to surf the place with me on Sundays for years. The surf was small to medium size and definitely not big and dangerous. But a freak wave that caught Chris the wrong way slammed his head into the shallow sand with such a force that his backbone was slightly dislocated. We had to take the ambulance to the hospital and to this day, years after continued medical treatments and physical therapy, Chris’ back never fully recovered and he’s not gone into Makapuu’s waters since. He’ll never be the same. If you don’t know what kind of water you are wading into, don’t go.

How to get dragged out to sea

A true storyAnother day I decided to take a drive to my favorite beach because the surf was reportedly big and I just wanted to look. I pulled into the parking area overlooking the beach and sure enough, it was huge. I’ve lived here long enough and survived enough close calls in the water that my ego no longer needs to prove anything, so I happily stayed on dry land and observed a big day at Makapuu.

I noticed four young men going into the water and immediately thought they were not being too smart; in just a matter of minutes it was obvious that the big waves were producing a monster rip tide on the right hand side and it was going out to sea, fast. Very soon, the current had taken these men very far out and dangerously close to the cliffs. The lifeguards jumped to action and riding surfboards, they saved the lives of these men who were now too far out to sea to swim back in these conditions. This entire episode took less than fifteen minutes from toes going into the water to frantic cries for help. Don’t let this happen to you.

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Oahu Weather Now

83°
28°
°F | °C
Mostly Cloudy
Humidity: 54%
Wind: E at 14 mph
Thu

75 | 87
23 | 30
Fri

75 | 87
23 | 30
Sat

74 | 86
23 | 30
Sun

74 | 85
23 | 29
  • Current Beach Information for Makapu'u Beach Park, Windward Shore (Oahu) 7/29/2010
    Beach Condition: Extreme — Shoreline activity is extremely hazardous and may lead to injury or death. Lifeguards will monitor ocean access. Avoid areas of wet sand or rock.

    Offshore Condition: Danger — Offshore conditions are very hazardous. Swimmers are advised to not enter the water. Kayakers are advised to not enter the water.

    Surf Report: SURF ALONG SOUTH FACING SHORES WILL RISE TO 5 TO 7 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER SETS TODAY
    Surf Report Timestamp: 7/29/2010 9:00:00 AM HST
    Current Wind: Northeast at 8.1 MPH (7 KT)
    Current Weather: Mostly Cloudy

Beach Gear Guide

Here’s what we tend to bring when planning a full day at the beach:

• Collapsable beach chairs

• Collapsable tent

• Large mat to place on sand, enough for 4-6 people to sit and eat.

• Water, food, and coolers. We love tuna sandwiches so we’ll typically mix up a bunch of tuna and mayo, store it in a container, and bring along a loaf of bread.

• Juice drinks (try Hawaiian Sun brand).

• Chips, nuts, trail mixes.

• Candy bars/nut bars.

• Big hats to shade the sun.

• UV rash guard shirts

• Sunglasses

• Waterproof sunscreen

• Snorkel gear

• Swimming goggles

• Bodyboards

• Fins

• Two beach towels per person

• Change of dry clothes

• Plastic grocery bags (to store wet clothes)

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