C Wendling's Dive Log

Just to let you know- my husband and I love snorkeling at Makua beach. We visited in 8/2003 and loved it. We were there last week 8-14-05 and our backpack was stolen off the beach- no big deal, only had swimsuits and sunscreen in it. Today, 8-20-05, a man and woman with a young boy and a baby set up near us and "befriended" us, but rifled through our bag while we were snorkeling, my 9yr old son was there with them. They stole our camera and car keys. They threw the keys down when they saw us coming, but drove off in their car before we could get the license number. Makua is not safe anymore. I am still very upset mostly because I believe it was more of a hate crime than for money. I have never experienced such animosity from Hawaiians before. There was another family sitting next to our vehicle. As I stood by our car searching frantically for my purse and crying they chided me, "you not gonna call the police are you?...no the car wasn't black, I think it was maroon…what do you call this place?..." There was another man camping there whom we helped carry rocks for his campfire. I ran to ask him if he saw the license plate numbers. He said no. Gave very insincere apologies as he felt me up under the guise of comforting. I am only very thankful that they dropped our keys. My cell phone did not work out there. We did nothing to incur this. We helped them, we do not fish there. We do not chase the fish or the dolphins. We do not walk on, take, or even touch the coral. Or anything else for that matter. We tried to understand and be a part of things. The only things we ever took from there are our own towels, etc, and other pieces of trash that others have left. I am afraid that if someone doesn't do something the thieves will become bolder. I really wish this had not happened, and hope it does not happen to others.