A perfect morning for fishing on the Big Island's Kona Coast turned deadly yesterday when a couple tried to help three kayakers in distress and all were caught off guard by sudden heavy seas and high winds.

By the time the episode ended, the couple's 18-foot fiberglass boat was in flames, three people had to be rescued and the man who was just trying to help the struggling kayakers had died.

Big Island firefighters responded to the scene after a cell phone call from the woman aboard the 18-foot boat.

"When we got there, we saw a fire on the boat," said Big Island Fire Capt. Gifford Matsuoka. "It had crashed into the rocks and the winds and the seas were bad."

At the time the Big Island couple left Honokohau Harbor, the ocean was flat and calm for their morning fishing trip. But by 9:05 a.m., the seas began to heave, the wind kicked up and the rain poured down. The heavy weather was the remnant of a winter storm that blew through the Islands over the weekend.

The couple was about a half-mile from the harbor entrance when they saw three kayakers, also out fishing, calling for help, said Matsuoka.

The couple managed to rescue one kayaker, but before the other two could be hauled onto the boat, the engine died and the boat drifted too close to shore. The boat caught fire and the Big Island man fell overboard and apparently drowned, Matsuoka said. The man was found by firefighters face-down in the water amid some debris, he said.

Firefighters used their fire rescue boat to get the woman and the kayaker safely to shore, he said. She was taken by helicopter to Kona Hospital where she was treated and released. One of the kayakers made it to shore on his own and the other was rescued by other boaters. None of the kayakers, all Big Island residents, required medical treatment, Matsuoka said.

The dead man's name was not released, Matsuoka said.

The National Weather Service had predicted that the front would let loose some heavy showers on the Big Island yesterday. At the time of the incident yesterday morning, the National Weather Service had posted several advisories: one for small craft, another for winter storm weather and a third for wind on the summits of the Big Island.

Lona Knight, who is on the charter desk at Honokohau Marina, said yesterday morning was picture perfect: sunny with a slight breeze.

"But in a matter of minutes, the wind and rain just came down," Knight said. "It was totally like a hurricane. There were a lot of boats out because we didn't expect this weather. The boats couldn't get back into the harbor before it happened.

"It surprised everyone. It was really freakish."