Water Safety Hawaii

Water Safety Hawaii Providing water safety education and survival-based swim lessons to “Keep Hawai’i Keiki Water Safe!”

08/25/2026

🌊 Alaska has the highest drowning rates in the nation. Hawaiʻi is unfortunately number 2. 😔

Two states surrounded by water and two states where that water is taking too many lives. This isn’t bad luck. It’s a preventable public health crisis, and prevention starts with all of us.

Here’s how we change the statistics:

💧 Learn to read the ocean before you go in — do your research, educate yourself, check conditions, ask a lifeguard, know your limits
💧 Never swim alone — and always have a Water Watcher for keiki
💧Get keiki into survival swim lessons early — it’s not about making champions, even though we love that, it’s about giving them a fighting chance in case of an aquatic emergency
💧 Know self-rescue basics: float, don’t fight the current, swim parallel to the shoreline and signal for help
💧 Talk to visitors — tourists make up a huge portion of ocean drownings here because they don’t know the dangers of our waters

Hawaiʻi’s ocean is our home, our culture and for many of us our playground. We must not only take care of our oceans but also take care of each other in it. 🤝🏽

We can’t change geography. We can change preparation.

🌊 Water Safety Hawaiʻi is here for Water Safety Workshops, keiki survival swim scholarships and community water safety education — because every drowning is preventable and every life is worth the effort.🩵💛

08/24/2026

Such a special day with SURFPOLO at Duke’s OceanFest 2026! 🌊🏄🏽🤽🏽‍♂️

Love it when the water polo, surf, lifeguard and waterman community come together for some friendly competition and fun! 🤝🏽

Surfpolo was invented by Duke Kahanamoku himself, and we proudly carry on this amazing tournament in honor of his legacy. 🤙🏽

For those who don’t know, Duke’s OceanFest is put on every year to raise funds for the Duke Kahanamoku Foundation. These funds support our local teenagers by providing athletic grants, college scholarships, and also fund water safety initiatives. Such a great week of events that brings us all together while giving back to our community 🙌🏽

So nice to see so many friends, familiar faces, and new faces. Mahalo to Kirk and Doug for organizing it all, our refs, HB Lifeguards for flying over to join us, our Ocean Safety Lifeguards, the Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, and everyone else who came down to support! 🩵🙏🏽🩵🙏🏽


Mike Claus
Honolulu Ocean Safety Department
northshorelifeguardassociation
Duke Kahanamoku OceanFest
Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Fdn

08/23/2026

How’s this beach sign placement? 🚩🪧

Think everyone will read them? 🤔

I kinda feel like you have to if your going this way. Especially with a cutie right in front. 😍

I get it, many go down the cliffs (myself included) to get to the beach. So this won’t specifically hit those folks but it will get most coming from the parking lot. Mahalo to our Makapu’u Lifeguards for excellent placement and loving the added caution tape! 💛❤️

I know not everyone reads, listens or obeys beach signs but in my opinion, if it can save ONE life or prevent ONE emergency, then it’s worth it! 🙌🏽

As a reminder Water Safety Hawai’i account is a nonprofit educational, awareness, beach and water risk reduction page. Everyone has their own views, opinions and levels of experience and risk that they are willing take in and around water.

A strong current sign may mean nothing to an experienced waterman but can be life threatening to someone inexperienced in Hawaiian waters.

Just here to spread awareness around beaches, pools and any body of water in order to keep our community safe! 🩵🤍

08/20/2026

Made this beach sign myself 🪧, it says: “If you think you can use a flotation device at this beach, then you should not be going in the water.”

Honestly, at Sandys? 🤦🏽‍♀️ Let’s save the floaties for another beach, lagoon or pool.

My question is — do you think we need “No Flotation Devices” beach signs? 🤔

For many of us, we see the beach signs, we read them and they’re obvious. But for others, I think they see them as decorations. A few weeks ago I saw a lifeguard Kaiulani Bowers on the intercom telling a girl to get out of the water. 📢 The girl thought it was a great idea to go swimming in the rip between full point and half point right in front of the “No Swimming” sign. 🤦🏽‍♀️

What’s your opinion — more beach signs? Or no need, because the ones that need them either don’t read or don’t listen anyways? Lmk in the comments. 👇🏽

08/19/2026

⚠️ Surfing accident! ⚠️

After a broken rib and some internal bruising, I wanted to share a lil about my experience.

I’m alright. Could have been worse but here are a few things I wanted to reinterate on in regard to water safety:

🌊 Surf with a buddy whenever possible! Sometimes accidents happen even on the smallest of days.

🌊 Get to know those in the lineup! Saying “hi” or talking story allows you to get to know others out there surfing with you. Having aquantences or friends allows everyone to look out for each other.

🌊 Know your limits! Surf spots that are your level and slightly challenge you without putting yourself or others in danger.

Mahalo to that sweet teenage boy, my son and Chase for helping me on this day. Blessed to have all of you help me recover and make it in safely. 🩵🩵🩵

08/14/2026

Sandy Beach getting heavy with this south swell action! 💣💥🌊

Safer beaches down the road? Depends on which direction you going? Plus eastside getting big in the next few days.

Remember sometimes the sand (dry sand, not the shoreline) is the safest place on the beach. Or in your car LOL. Stay safe everyone! 🩵

08/11/2026

What makes a person the strongest in the water? Talking about the ocean and all aquatic environments.

Lmk in the comments! 🌊🩵

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Manoa, HI
96822

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+18082155696

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