HONOLULU — The Coast Guard is searching for the owner of a pale yellow 10-foot surfboard located off Oahu’s North Shore, Sunday.
"Anyone with information about the owner of the board or how it came to be offshore is asked to contact us at 808-842-2600," said Charles Turner, command duty officer, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. "We don't know if the board drifted from offshore or if this was an afternoon surf session gone wrong. Our thanks to the good Samaritans who recovered the board and called it in."
The board is 10-feet long, and pale yellow with a flame pattern along the right side. No leash was found. Honolulu Fire Fighters responded to the initial report and a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew is searching the area.
At 7:46 p.m. watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Honolulu received a report from the Honolulu Fire Department of a surfboard found by good Samaritans off Aweo’weo beach park in Waialua. A Honolulu Fire Department engine crew responded to the park and found no evidence of the owner or signs of distress. The good Samaritans watched the board drift toward shore and swam out to recover it before calling 911. They provided photos and remained with the board until the Fire Department could arrive. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast requesting mariners in the area to keep a sharp lookout and report any sightings of distress. Responders directed the launch of the Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point for a search.
Weather in the nearshore area is reported as seas of less than one foot with winds of 22 mph and good visibility.
The Coast Guard reminds waterway users to label or register all gear, watercraft, and vessels to assist responders in identifying owners, making contact and potentially alleviating long searches, and helping to reunite people with their equipment and watercraft. A name and phone numbers are all it takes and a variety of labels, permanent marker, and stickers make this easy.
"Providing a contact number give us a place to start and often allows us to determine if the owner is in distress, loaned or lost the equipment and can significantly shorten the amount of time spent searching," said Turner. "We recognize people don't want to permanently mar the surface of a board or other gear with markings and that's why the paddlesmart stickers or other tags are great. They can be removed and replaced. Ultimately it also helps protect your investment helping us find you to return your gear."