Paradise Lost .....

It was my watch teams first day off since we arrived on Kauai for Rimpac operations. My team and I had decided to take a short hike on the far side of the island called the Na Pali coast. Keep in mind once again that I and most of my watch team are from Oklahoma, Kauai is a major change from reality. After a long 45 minute drive to Kee beach (the farthest point a vehicle can go),we set off on our hike to Hanakapai beach which is only a few miles. The hike was immense fun, so totally lush and green. I was running down these small trails which turned in an instant and could fall off the trail only to be speared or raked with plant life before ending up on the jagged rocks below.
We arrived at the beach only after crossing a meager but beautiful creak with a rope tied across about 4 ft. high. We were all really confused about this because it seemed like a big waste of rope.
It was a classic struggle on nature as the ocean had pushed this meager creek back 90 degrees and forced it over another 300 yards to a cliff region at the far side where it was finally allowed to empty into the ocean. The waves were huge and the beach was gorgeous and we stopped to take in the whole scene. Our next move was to hike up a trail toward the falls of the same name, the trip was steep and quick as the trail moved back and forth across the creek( keep in mind the creek is only 15 to 20 feet across with large and small rounded stones in it , and then
the deepest parts are maybe knee deep). After crossing a sheer cliff area we arrived at the falls and immediately dove in and started swimming, the water was extremely cold, but hey, you only live once. We had only been there for about fifteen minutes when the rain came, It was light at first but soon became a torrential downpour we decided we would head back fearing a rise in the creek. One of our group had twisted an ankle and was slow working his way back down. The lead pack had already been broken out of sight, myself and 4 others hung back and worked with our comrade to help him down. The trail quickly disappeared beneath the onslaught the rain became, we had to guess on the appropriate way and crisscrossed the creek several times. Needless to say each time we came to cross it the water was a little deeper and a little faster. Two of our group decided to stay on one side and not cross again. The three of us slowly imped down the trail and found the beach again. Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of the creek to get back to our vehicle. The rain was unmercifully beating us down and we were all getting cold as we were in T-shirts and shorts. The rest of our group stood on the right side of the creek which was now a raging river (in my opinion). To our amazement the creek which had been turned aside by the ocean had cut through the 20 meters of sand and spilled directly into the raging waves. The rope that we had once laughed at seemed now to be our only way back across the water was now at least waist deep and very dangerous. It was tough going and I now have a great appreciation for running water and the need to stay out of it. There was no sign of the two who left and decided to stay on the other side. We dispatched all but two of us back to the vehicle to call for help. The water was now nearly 4 foot deep and raging beyond control. Three hours later the rescue team found the two, cold and pinned against a cliff on top a huge boulder. God gives us friends to love and cherish, Love them and stick with them through thick and thin, otherwise we can get washed away.