The biggest swell to hit the North Shore so far this season dazzled spectators and gave surfers a warm-up yesterday for what they hope will be more surf to come.

Honolulu lifeguards said waves hit about 30-foot face heights at Waimea Bay in the morning and 23-foot heights at Sunset Beach.

Lifeguards made one rescue: a bodyboarder who collided with a surfer at Ehukai Beach Park. At about 9:30 a.m., lifeguards brought the man, who was in his 20s, back to shore from the Pipeline surf break and transferred him to paramedics. The man was taken to the hospital in serious condition, an Ocean Safety news release said.

By midafternoon the rushing waves grew mushy at Sunset and diminished on the North Shore.

Professional surfer Andrew Marr of South Africa spent about eight hours surfing yesterday, first at Mokuleia, then at Sunset Beach.

“;Sunset was firing,”; Marr said. “;Absolute glass at times today.”;

Marr splits his year between winters in Hawaii and winters in South Africa, chasing big waves. Yesterday's waves, “;medium”; in size but “;beautiful,”; got him excited.

“;Nice to start gearing up for a brand-new winter,”; he said, “;and see the old faces.”;

Coming into Waimea Bay, the air seemed heavy with a white haze formed by mist from the waves. High-surf signs were posted at beaches.

Despite the winter's largest swell so far, few people crowded on the beach. A man selling T-shirts at a Waimea stand said it was not as busy as usual at this time of year.

 

  Big Surf Pounds North Shore

 

  Waves hit about 30-foot face heights at Waimea Bay in the morning and 23-foot heights at Sunset Beach. 

 

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About 100 people watched the waves at Waimea Bay with dozens riding 6- to 8-foot surf in the shore break.

Tim Cambra, 25, of Wahiawa brought his buddy to bodysurf at his own favorite spot, Waimea.

He watched the shore break with satisfaction before going in.

“;All this (sand) going to get sucked out and then make the beach all level,”; he said. “;Going to have a nicer sandbar this year, guarantee.”;

Lifeguards warned parents on a public announcement system to keep children away from a large set coming in. A news release said lifeguards issued about 500 warnings on the North Shore and 255 warnings on the Leeward side.

A storm near Kauai caused yesterday's swell, which will continue to drop today.

Sam Houston, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Honolulu, said Hawaii is in a La Nina rather than an El Nino weather pattern.

“;There's some correlation between El Nino and some of the larger swells,”; he said, “;but we get big swells every year.”;

But some surfers remained hopeful. At Sunset Beach, Garrick Berger said people are predicting this might be a season for the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, which has not been held in three years.

“;We've had a good start,”; he said.