Maui police honor man for fighting off shark, protecting group

[Tom]

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — A paddleboarder earned the Maui Police department’s highest civilian honor for fighting off an attack by a tiger shark to protect members of a tour group he was leading.

The department awarded its Civilian Medal of Valor to Triston Kahookele-Santos Tuesday, The Maui News reported.

The 20-year-old employee of the Andaz Beach Crew, part of the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, was leading five stand-up paddle-boarders about a quarter-mile (0.40 kilometers) offshore around 9:30 a.m. Feb. 5.

The group was watching whales and following fish and a manta ray, Maui police spokeswoman Lt. Audra Sellers said.

More here
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/02/20/maui-police-honor-man-fighting-off-shark-protecting-group/

[OkiWild]

I used to spearfish with a guy who fought off an 8' Bull that was trying to get the fish on his stringer. Not long after that, I stopped stuffing speared fish into my wetsuit