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To See On The Picture But In The
Middle Of The Whitewash Is A XLT
1200 Stock I Ride. A Modified XLT And I
Have No Problems On The Surf Stock
Skis. You Can't Ride On These
Conditions, And After I Rescued De
Paula From The Surf I Realised One
More Time The Importance Of The
Modified Skis On Towing Surf
This Was A Note That Is Provided By
Channel 9 On News Hawaii
Bill Cosca
Maui's Jaws Swallows Some Surfers
Lisa Kubota
The high surf warnings were out and beaches were closed. But the conditions were perfect to lure the most
daring and experienced surfers into the legendary surf spot on Maui known as "Jaws." Tow-in surfing developed
out of the never-ending search for that perfect ride.
Jaws swallowed more than a few surfers on Tuesday. Spectators flocked to the remote spot to get a glimpse of
the daredevils riding the monstrous waves. The sport of tow-in surfing uses jet skis to help surfers gain speed
and the perfect position. But jet skier Edison De Paula and the surfer he was towing got tossed around in the
whitewater.
"I was trying to gas the ski and it was just stuck in the whitewater, couldn't go anywhere," said De Paula. "And
then all of a sudden, I knew already, cause I looked back, and I go, 'Oh my gosh, that's a 20-footer right on my
back and I'm gonna get pounded.'"
The relentless waves pushed the demolished jet ski toward shore.
"I was trying to hold onto the ski when I got hit by the whitewater," said De Paula. "But nothing you can do with
the ocean, you know. The ocean is powerful, the ocean is the boss."
Many learned that lesson the hard way, having to stop and retrieve their boards.
"The power of those waves out there is immense, and you really have to be an expert to go out there with a jet
ski," said Honolulu Ocean Safety Administrator Ralph Goto.
According to new state rules, tow-in surfing can only be done when the National Weather Service issues a
high-surf warning. For north-facing shores, that means waves that are 25 feet or higher. Tow-in surfers and their
jet ski operators must also get a certificate from an accredited class.