Hawaii officials closed beaches as Hurricane Lane neared, but thousands swam anyway

HONOLULU - Ikaika Kailiawa stood on a wall along the world-famous white sands of Waikiki Beach - surfboard by his side - as a wave slammed against the barrier and sent surf spraying.

Then came another. And another. He stood still like a statue, not ceding an inch to the ocean. He got wet, but not scared.

Kailiawa stared out at normally turquoise water that turned dark as it stretched to the horizon. About 180 miles away, Hurricane Lane was moving slowly and deteriorating rapidly. Once a Category 5 storm, it had become a shell of its