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A group of Maui buddies rented a large blimp painted like a shark to have some laughs with beach-going tourists over the weekend.
The Shark Week blimp floated along the coast from Olowalu Beach up to Kapalua on Saturday and Sunday.
“It looked like ants when you drop water drops onto the ant hill!” said Steven Naonao of Lahaina, one of the trio of west Maui residents who arranged the prank. “Full-on mayhem after a few seconds.”
The concept was not the age-old fake fin at the surf, but a subliminal message to those already deep into the water.
“The delayed reaction was worth the price of renting it,” said Harold Reisdorfer of Lahaina, explaining what they saw from above through binoculars.
“We’d see this smiling face, splashing about the breakers, just loving life. Then they’d look up, maybe take a moment or two to read the side, then like mull over it.
“Usually a few seconds later that swimmer would bolt to the shore frantically.”
“I saw this large group of dudes, all with mullets, which made me think of a Joe Dirt family reunion,” said Jacob Ratner of Kaanapali. “Then we floated slowly by and they all went running for the shore, mullet hair streaming behind them. One dropped to his knees and kissed the sand.”
“Next time we’re wearing Depends just in case,” Naonao said. “We laughed so hard we almost blew a hernia or burst a bladder. It was kind of painful.”
“The best was completing that first run north up all the beaches,” Ratner said. “Then you come back and see a lot fewer people in the water, except that one guy who like tip-toes back into the water like no one sees him.
“Well, we did! When he screamed again and dove for the sand, we pulled muscles busting up.”
The trio landed the blimp each day near Ma’alaea and proceeded to surf every hot spot along the west Maui coast alone and in peace until sunset.
