Teenager shares story of survival after 11 hours in Waikiki waters

HONOLULU (KHON2) — The teenager who survived the night in waters of Waikiki after his kayak capsized is sharing his story.

Get Hawaii’s latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

He is still recovering in the hospital with his mom by his side.

The 17-year-old, who is part of the Kamehameha Schools kayak team, said he is used to flipping off his kayak during practice, but was shocked when his paddle floated away.

“I was very shocked because that hadn’t happened to me before,” Kahiau Kawai said. “And especially in the waves, it kind of just swept the paddle away and I knew I had to go to my boat because it was more stable.”

He said the current started taking him east, and he knew he couldn’t fight it and waste his energy.

“I shouted around just calling for help to nearby boats, but I was too far away for them to hear me or see me,” he said. “So I didn’t really have a choice, but to kind of just relax.”

Soon enough he realized he was about five miles offshore but he told himself to keep his cool and relax, so he started to plan out how to get back to shore.

“It was all about survival at that point for me,” Kawai said. “So once I drifted out more
east, I kind of waited there and then the tide calmed down and it started going the opposite way.”

That’s when he started using his kayak as a kickboard trying to get back to Waikiki, but the current was relentless.

“I had to constantly get off of my boat and face it towards the north side so that I could you know, like get myself in that direction instead of like farther away from the island,” he explained.

As he was shivering, alone, and watching the helicopters fly above searching for him, he couldn’t wait for the sun to rise.

“Just how it would feel when the sun came up and the sun was shining on my skin, just I was feeling trying to feel that warmth trying to like imagine it,” he said. “I guess if I was still out there at the time, but thankfully, I wasn’t and I came in before that.”

And that’s all thanks to Uncle Noland Keaulana who would eventually rescue Kawai around 4 a.m. with the help from the U.S. Coast Guard.

“I was glad to see a familiar face,” the teen said.

Keaulana was equally as happy to see the teen alive. “When I approached him, I saw his head above water and I was so happy to see he was alive, I asked if he was okay and he said yes.”

Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news

“I want to start by thanking my uncle Noland, he’s a great waterman, and he really knows how the ocean works, and I think that’s what saved me,” Kawai said. “I also want to thank the Honolulu Fire Department and my uncle Kolani, who wouldn’t stop looking for me even when it got late I also want to thank the Coast Guard because they were the first people to spot me.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.