Yes, Coconut Island off Kaneohe is a hammerhead breeding ground but they are not known to ever attack anyone that is not already bleeding and in serious trouble. Most of the people that die off of Kaneohe (usually young Marines) die because they over estimate their water skills and not sharks. They may end up bit/eaten by a shark but it is not the reason they die. I lived there for many years. Yes, it is definitely bad publicity either way. Maui has a worst shark problem than Oahu in the winter when the whales are giving birth but I think this story has more to it than we know at this time.

So, a shark is circling your wife & you decide to swim back to shore without knowing where she is and if she is safe? I don't know about you but unless I really didn't care about my wife or whomever, I am not leaving unless I know I cannot do anything to help.

I seriously doubt that she was taken by a tiger shark! I've seen several tigers surfing in Hawaii & even had a friend attacked by one but a shark of that size couldn't just take a swimmer with no trace. Something doesn't sound right about this story.