11-02-2025
Public warned of risks cliff jumping at Spitting Cave
HAWAII KAI (KHON2) — It's a picturesque and popular coastline in Hawaii Kai, but officials are reminding the public about its dangers following another death that occurred Saturday evening.'People like to come watch whales, scuba dive, and cliff jump as well,' said Seth Becker, a cliff jumper.
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But the beauty at Spitting Cave can turn deadly. Officials said a man in his 20s died after diving into the ocean Saturday night. According to Honolulu Ocean Safety, they have responded 52 times over the past five years for cliff jumping injuries, drownings and near drownings.
'If that shelf is wet, you can be dragged right off that shelf and scraped into the water and not be able to get back out,' said Brian Lauro, a former resident who frequented the area. 'We also don't want it to be foamy. If it's foamy over there, foam has a negative buoyancy, which means you don't float in foam. It's like liquid quicksand.'
Lauro created his social media page, @ChinaWallsReport, in 2022 following a string of deaths and injuries. He would post about the conditions at Spitting Cave and China Walls daily to educate followers and warn them of the high risks.
'Just because [tourists] swim in a swimming pool or swim in a lake or jump in a quarry doesn't make you qualified to do that here,' Lauro said. 'Even though you tell them not to do it on a day that would be too dangerous for an outsider, they see our kids do it and they're like, 'I can do that too.' Then they get in trouble.'
There are three memorials dedicated to those who have died while jumping, but the total number of deaths is estimated to be even more.
'Everyone that jumps here that I've jumped with are professional cliff jumpers that do it as a full time living. So, for tourists to just come here and try it is a very dangerous thing. There's certain days that we'll come here with a big group of people to jump, look at the water, and just call it off just because it's too dangerous,' stated Parker Sullivan, an experienced cliff jumper.
Ocean Safety said no one should be jumping at Spitting Cave due to the danger and posted warning signs. The jump off is estimated between 50 to 60 feet into open ocean known for its strong currents.
'From this high, you could get knocked unconscious pretty quickly if you land a wrong way,' said cliff jumper Jared Nunez. 'I think it's mostly just like having people to spot you and landing correctly.'
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