On Oahu's EAST SHORE . . .

Bellows Field Beach Park is one of the more popular ocean recreation areas on O`ahu. During the Summer it is crowded with swimmers, beginning board surfers, body surfers and campers. It has shallow waters and a small consistent shorebreak. Surfing is not allowed in the area between the two lifeguard towers, but this beach is a great place to practice surf boarding and body surfing where permitted. Small children should be supervised at this beach at all times.

With tradewinds, Northeast winds blowing 90 percent of the year, watch out for the portuguese man-of-war (stinging blue "jellyfish"); they can pose a problem for beach-goers.

Guarded beaches on O`ahu are posted with special signs by lifeguards when there are portuguese man-of-war swarming in the surrounding ocean. Observe these signs, stay out of the water, to avoid what can be a very painful, perhaps even deadly experience.

If you are stung at a guarded beach see the lifeguards on duty. They can render minor first-aid, or, for more serious cases, call and radio for emergency medical evacuation or ambulance assistance.

Please go to http://www.bellowsafs.com/ for the Bellows Air Force Station's web site. The Air Station houses a most excellent military recreational facility with many amenities that's on some of the best sandy beach front in the world. There's information at the Air Station's web site on reserving cabins, camping, etc. (It reserves out very fast and has close to 100% occupancy year-'round . . . so, if you are eligible, make your reservations real soon.)

Bellows Field Beach Park has the following in its beach and park areas:

HERE ARE SOME
BASIC OCEAN SAFETY TIPS:

• Swim in Lifeguarded Areas
• Never Swim Alone
• Don't Dive Into Unknown Water or Into Shallow Breaking Waves
• Ask a Lifeguard About Beach and Surf Conditions Before Swimming
• If You Are Unable to Swim Out of a Strong Current, Signal for Help
• Rely on Your Swimming Ability Rather Than a Flotation Device
• Look For, Read and Obey All Beach Safety Signs and Symbols
• If In Doubt, Just Stay Out!

Return to the Hale (Home) Aloha Page. You can also use the following links to continue your beach and ocean tour of Oahu's North Shore, South Shore, East Shore, or West Shore.

Or, you can go to the Beach Directory for a listing of all the beaches covered in these pages.

Search this site or the Web with Google:

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Suggestions, comments and recommendations are welcomed. These pages are a project of the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association, a not for profit, professional association of Hawaii's lifeguards devoted to the advancement of lifesaving services and public education on beach and ocean safety.

Web Developer: This page is maintained by J. B. Lee. You can reach me by email by clicking here.
Last modified: 07-Mar-2005 02:38 PM

The picture of the portuguese man-of-war on this page is from the Fish FAQ. A really great website to obtain more "fishy" information.

Source URI: http://www.aloha.com/~lifeguards/bellows.html

Aloha . . . malama i ke kai!