RedactedNarrative:  “The right hull beached in the wave’s trough at shore, while the left hull was catapulted by the cresting wave,” the witness said. “There was absolutely no way they could have accomplished a safe beach landing with their angle of approach and at the speed the canoe was traveling.”
  The canoe’s two ‘iako snapped completely in half while members in the left hull were ejected from the catapulting canoe and members in the right hull were trapped under their “huli-ed” (turned-over) hull.
  After the beach crash, people were scrambling all around, tending to the injured, the witness said.
  “I am experienced enough to know that they made a terrible decision to land,” the witness said. “They should have known better—the pounding shore-break sets were obvious.”
  “There were some people in that canoe who may have thought they were bigger than the ocean,” the witness said. “I hope they are humbled and understand moving forward that time is always on their side when making launch and landing decisions.”
  The women who was rushed to the hospital broke 11 ribs, her sternum, scapula and shoulder, said the witness, an acquaintance of the injured paddler. She spent the night in ICU for observation and pain management.
  Other paddlers suffered lacerations, contusions and abrasions.
  “It was quite obvious they all were shaken to the core,” the witness said. “They put themselves in grave danger and are very lucky their injuries were not more severe.”
  