Lydgate beach - is it worth it?

Hi everyone! I%26#39;m so excited to find this forum!

Hubby and I are going to Kauai for the first time for 3 weeks in April. He has a huge fear of Sharks (he%26#39;s a shark freak and I think researches way to much about them for his own good!) and says he refuses to go into the ocean to snorkel or swim in Hawaii, California or Austrailia! I would love to snorkel myself and he said he would as long as it was safe (but said there is no such thing).

Anyhoo, I found a beach called Lydgate that had an enclosure around it, does this completely block off preditors (please don%26#39;t laugh! :)? Is it even worth snorkeling? At least he could swim in it though!

Any thoughts would be great!

Jen

Lydgate beach - is it worth it?

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

Lydgate Park is one of the very best beach parks on the island -- it does indeed have a rock enclosure which keeps the ';big critters'; out and also heavy surf - which means that it can be used by keiki who enjoy the shallow areas as well as snorkelers who venture out into the deeper sections (it doesn%26#39;t get very deep anywhere though). I have snorkeled there many times and been very happy!

There is a lifeguard there and showers, bathrooms, and is considered a very safe beach here on Kaua%26#39;i.

Malama Pono,

Janet

Lydgate beach - is it worth it?

Yes, Lydgate is a very pleasant place to spend some time. The snorkling is fun and the fish are plentiful. You are protected by the rock bolders around the swimmimg area. A great place for beginners.

Lydgate is about as safe as you can get. The rock walls are high enough to keep anything of size out.

The downside is if it has been raining, the nearby Wailua River can dump a lot of junk and nasties into the ocean. In heavy storms, that enclosure can be entirely filled with logs, sticks etc. Can be weeks before the county and volunteers have a chance to clear it all out. April should be ok, but no guarantees. Also in heavy trade winds, Lydgate can be an experience in sand blasting. Most of the time it%26#39;s a great spot though.

Other very safe places (but open to the ocean) would be the popular Poipu beaches, Hanalei bay, Nawiliwili (in front of the Marriot. Decent snorkeling at the first, the rest not so much.

I agree with the others - Lyngate is great . . . and should eliminate his fears. However, in his research, he should note that more people have problems with many other things while on vacation than shark problems - I think statisically, you are more likely to get hit by lightening than run into a shark. Information is good - but it shouldn%26#39;t prevent you from having a good time snorkeling and swimming in Kauai. We love it and I am sure you will too. :)

hawaiisharkencounters.com/hawaii_shark_attac…

Have him check this out..

DpDiver - excellent article! Glad you shared it here on the forum. :)

A fobia is a very, very strong emotion, that I doubt any talking to him will overcome.

But, lydgates keiki pool, well, break water protected area will be like a swimming pool. We were only in the water there once, and it was not what we like as far as snorkeling....so that was that.

However, we do like the lydgate area, and enjoy bbqing a bit to the south end of the park overlooking the ocean.

He will feel comfortable, and see that it is safe, but Dave has a point about debris if there has been a heavy storm. Just check it out.

We have dove the Coral Sea ( Osprey reef ) Australia,with sharks. As well as the Great Barrier reef. Also dove Tahiti ( Bora-Bora ) with sharks, and dove Catalina ( no sharks ) as well as snorkeling much of the caribbean, and tonga. Oh, and of course, snorkeled many of the hawaiian islands, and dove koloa landing near poipu a few times.

Point being, that if your DH does not want to get into ocean, I would not force him. Nortry and talk him into something he is seriously resisting.

Apparently he is adamant in his belief, so Lydgate is a rock protected, swimming pool like, lagoon. He will be fine. Especially once he see what it looks like.

Just some ideas about staying safe.

Never swim at river mouths.

Never swim in murkey waters ( not only for preditors, but leptospirosis ( sp ).

Never swim alone

Never swim at night

And always get the surf and ocean and weather reports and pay attention to warnings posted or suggestions by ocean safety people.

There are others, but that is a start.

Take your mask, snorkel, and fins, to lydgate, and perhaps plan on a picnic after snorkeling and beaching it.

Fun time !

Denny

Thank everyone for your responses! I really appreciate it!

He logically knows the risks are so small but I think because he says these three regions house Great Whites, Bulls and Tigers, this really freaks him out as they are more aggresive types.

We went snorkeling a couple of times in Veradero, Cuba a couple of years ago (with much persuasion) and for the most part he was fine and had fun, but a couple of times he said he had froze and felt panic well up at just the thought of knowing they%26#39;re in there. I think he%26#39;s watched too much Shark week! :)

So, we will definitely try the Lydgate for him, and depending on his feelings about it, I may try snorkeling a bit myself in other areas suggested, although I wouldn%26#39;t want him feeling uncomfortable seeing me in the water as he watches either! So we%26#39;ll see!

Thanks so much again.

Jen

Ok---but if this lagoon is so pro-keiki....doesn%26#39;t that also mean that snorkelers need beware of the dreaded poopee and peepee ??!!!

These would scare me away more than fear of shark.

Oh, and BTW, most sharks will bite without warning. You do not have to be bleeding, as lots of blah blah TV Animal Channel or Travel Channel episodes might have you believe.

Denny%26#39;s exploits aside, if you swim with the shark the shark will eventually bite you, if only to sample what might be for dinner. You don%26#39;t want to do this unless you have a true desire to know what a game fish feels like when there is a shark nearby.

You see a shark%26#39;s dorsal fin, you move away, as quickly as possible.

Trust me...some of my best friends are sharks.

Lydgate was actually my favorite place on Kauai! It%26#39;s calm and you can stand up when you are all the way out to the rocks. I saw all types of fish and some crabs on the rocks...very fun. I can%26#39;t wait to go back!