Hawai'i, surrounded as it is by ocean, is also awash with people who sometimes don't realize the risk when they venture into the waves.

Increasingly, we seek out risks.

The consequences — a rising number of drowning incidents for two years running — were made clear in a story by Advertiser writer Suzanne Roig. Last year the drowning toll hit 77, up up from 71 in 2004 — then a 15-year high.

The victims included local folks and visitors in roughly even numbers, and it certainly doesn't help that Hawai'i has an appallingly high count of residents who can't swim. Surely government can improve the degree to which lessons in swimming (or at least drownproofing) are made affordable to families who might not have them budgeted. The message to parents that they have a duty to have their children equipped for the water must be underscored.

But the increased number of drownings primarily involves adults, so the problem doesn't end with giving kids lessons. Many of the tragedies occur because people have attempted a feat beyond their ability, often because they are unaware of the risk.

On O'ahu, several years have been spent on devising a rating system similar to those used on ski slopes to define the level of danger. This is an excellent idea that deserves support — especially because the task is a challenging one.

Whereas conditions on a ski slope don't change much over the course of a season, ocean hazards at a beach hinge on constantly changing factors. Honolulu has hopes of using Web technology to create a dynamic database; something similar should serve other islands as well.

The visitor industry must do its part to communicate safety concerns to tourists, and it can do so without (as some executives have feared) frightening them away. Hawaiian Airlines, for example, has made a good start with its on-board video about safety, something that could be duplicated by others.

Residents who welcome loved ones for a visit can give ocean safety and preparedness more thought. Even for those at home in the surf, our corner of the Pacific can catch them unawares. The sad outcomes are all the more tragic because they could be avoided.