New lifeguard tower installed at Wanini Beach
Published on October 15, 2026
WANINI – The Kauaʻi Fire Department’s Ocean Safety Bureau completed installation of a new lifeguard tower at Wanini Beach on Thursday, Oct. 15.
“Our lifeguards are often the first line of protection for residents and visitors at our beaches,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami. “This tower gives them a safer place to work and a clearer view of the water at one of the North Shore’s most challenging spots. Mahalo to our Ocean Safety team for their persistence in getting this done.”
Lifeguards will now be stationed at the tower seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The tower replaces the roving patrol the bureau has used to cover the area since the 2018 North Shore floods and landslides, which limited access beyond Hanalei and pushed more beachgoers to the beaches that remained open.
Wanini Beach is home to the “Back Channel,” an area known for strong currents and a history of drownings.
The $103,000 aluminum tower was purchased from Bausch Enterprises Inc. of Stuart, Florida. It gives lifeguards a higher vantage point to watch ocean conditions and respond to emergencies, and provides shelter from rain, wind, and sun during long shifts.
The tower was installed in-house by Ocean Safety Bureau lifeguards Kleve Zarbaugh, Gerald Hurd, Tyrus Siale, Eric Pereza, Christopher Davis, and Zackery Harris, with help from Department of Public Works staff Bryson Cummings, Lance Edralin, and Brannon Rivera.
“This tower represents years of dedication, perseverance, and our commitment to protecting lives,” said Ocean Safety Bureau Chief Kalani Vierra. “Our lifeguards now have a better vantage point to monitor ocean conditions, respond to emergencies, and serve our community and visitors.”
Vierra thanked the Mayor’s Administration, the Kauaʻi Fire Department, the Kauaʻi County Council, and the North Shore community for their support.
A blessing for the tower will be held at a later date.
Beachgoers are reminded to swim near a lifeguard and check daily ocean conditions at safebeachday.com.
For more information, please contact the Ocean Safety Bureau at 808-241-4984.
Ocean Safety Bureau lifeguards, from left, Eric Pereza, Tyrus Siale, Zackery Harris, and Gerald Hurd at the new lifeguard tower at Wanini Beach on Oct. 15.
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