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About Us

Pa’ani Wai Hawai’i is a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization established in 2015 in Kailua. Our mission is to educate the public about ocean user safety and teach stewardship and conservation of our shared beaches, ocean, reef and offshore islets. We focus on our Free Keiki Watersports clinics which introduce watersports to new users and encourage participation by the entire family. The clinics are free to participants, are run by our certified staff and assisted by community volunteers. We hold the clinic once a month, with up to 24 Keiki and their families from around the island.

We bring our Ocean Safety Presentations to schools, after-school programs, local recreation centers, military child and youth programs and various organizations we partner with. This is a comprehensive and interactive presentation focused on our theme “Protect Yourself – Protect the Environment”. Children are challenged to think about their ocean adventures from a safety standpoint, in order to ensure future beach days. Our professional team of 10 lifeguards, first aid and CPR certified Instructors have been actively teaching safe ocean sport practices for over 28 years. We are passionate about the ocean and love sharing with our Keiki. We have a solid volunteer base who assist with our Keiki clinics. Involving the community, especially our military service members allows us to welcome a new generation to the ocean and helps us to promote our mission even further.

Ocean Safety

  • Sun Protection – Apply Reef safe sunscreen, wear a hat and sunglasses, drink lots of water before, during
    and after going to the beach, wear a rash guard and other SPF protective clothing.
  • Proper Equipment – Wear Lifejackets, Helmets, Leash and properly fitting clothing
  • Use the Buddy System – never go out into the water alone.
  • Lifeguards – only go to beaches with lifeguards on duty.
  • Beach signs – read and follow all beach signs!
  • Rip Currents – know what a rip current is, where it is at the beach, and how to swim out of the rip current.
  • Weather – Check the weather before you leave and keep watching the sky while you are at the beach.
  • IF IN DOUBT – DON’T GO OUT!

Conservation

  • Use Fewer Plastic Items – Plastics can harm marine life by consumption, entanglement and habitat destruction!
  • Eat Sustainably – Protect ocean life diversity by knowing where your seafood comes from.
  • Use Eco-Friendly Products – While doing dishes, laundry, or using personal care items, keep in mind where all of the products end up once they go down the drain.
  • Save Water
  • Clean the Beach

Stewardship

  • Take what you learn and share it! Word of mouth is the most powerful tool we have. Encourage others to see the need our oceans have for our help. You can make a world of difference!
  • We share our knowledge and passion thru classroom presentations and community outreach, to encourage the next generation of Keiki to sustain for the continued care of our oceans.