Shark attack doesn’t
dim spirit of surfingOcean enthusiasts view
a predator's bite as just
another risk they must accept
HAENA, Kauai >> Hardly a day had passed since a shark ripped off the arm of a well-known surfing star in waters here, but the thought of a vicious predator lurking in her own backyard couldn't keep Jill Schwed from catching some waves yesterday.
"To not surf would be like taking away your breath," the 36-year-old Kilauea masseuse said.
To help
A fund has been created to help with rehabilitation and prosthetic care for shark attack victim Bethany Hamilton. Donations can be sent in care of Hanalei Surf Co., P.O. Box 790, Hanalei, HI 96714.Hamilton's brothers and friends are also putting together a Web site, www.bethanyhamilton.com, which should be up by tomorrow and will be updated daily.
As 13-year-old Bethany Hamilton was in a hospital bed about 20 miles away, dozens who surfed alongside her descended on the very waters where she was bit Friday morning, shrugging off the attack off Makua Beach here as one of the risks taken to fulfill a passion.
"If you physically can't surf ever again, I would rather the shark kill me," said Craig Schwed, a surfboard builder and Jill Schwed's husband.
Hamilton remained in stable condition a day after the shark tore away her left arm just below the shoulder.
Family members said she was alert and conscious and helped by her top physical condition as an avid surfer.
Those who've seen Hamilton surf say her style and guts made her destined for professional stardom; she already had secured sponsorships and won a number of contests.
While family members said hundreds stopped by Wilcox Memorial Hospital to show their concern, many went right back to doing what young Bethany loved best, even as the beaches were technically closed.
Bobby Cocke's white pickup had four surfboards in the back as an ambulance went whirring by Kauai's North Shore on Friday.
Word had already spread that it was carrying Hamilton, but it couldn't keep the owner of the Kai Kane surf shop from riding some waves.
"The reality is, we're in their world," Cocke said of the sharks. "If you throw yourself into their environment, you're putting yourself at risk."
Randy Honebrink, a spokesman for the state Shark Task Force, examined the massive gash in Hamilton's board and said the teeth marks were indicative of a tiger shark about 14 feet long, said Michael Andrade, acting fire battalion chief on Kauai.
Andrade said he and Honebrink flew over the area yesterday and saw no evidence of other sharks and beaches were reopened yesterday afternoon.
North Shore Kauai is a breeding ground for surfers, the birthplace of the current world champion of surfing, Andy Irons.
It is a regular pastime for many families, including Hamilton's.
"She is probably the best young surfer I have ever seen," said Bobo Bollin, who works at the Hanalei Surf Company, which sponsors a surf team that includes Hamilton. "She was going to be the women's world champion and I think she still will be."
Many said they expected Hamilton to enter the waters where her life was changed and ride the waves once again. They say sharks are a reality surfers have to deal with.
Sharks are not uncommon in Hawaii's waters, particularly in the early morning hours, when Hamilton was out, and during the breeding season, which is now in progress.
Many surfers heading out on Kauai yesterday said they had seen sharks in their years out on the water, or simply gotten the uneasy feeling that one was nearby.
"Sometimes you get the feeling but you don't let it bother you," said Robert Borgert, 19, a construction worker from Hanamaulu.
Cocke said he's come face to face with sharks, but doesn't let it deter him.
Then again, he said, "it depends how good the surf is."
