BARRY MARKOWITZ / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
Waimea surf hit 15 feet this morning as warnings were posted of 10-15 foot waves expected on the North Shore.
Maui County ocean safety officers rescued 10 people from high surf along the Kanaha beach coastline near Kahului yesterday, as waves rose to about 8 to 10 feet with occasional 12-foot sets. 11 people rescued in
high surf on 2 islands
Star-Bulletin staff
County aquatics assistant chief Archie Kalepa said many of those rescued were kite-surfers and windsurfers.
"There was just a lot of broken equipment," Kalepa said.
Kalepa said the surf along north shores of Maui rose quickly after 1 p.m. yesterday and was expected to be higher today.
On Oahu, fire rescue crews said they saved a swimmer who had been warned not to go into the high surf at Waimea Bay. Fire officials said the Brigham Young University-Hawaii student and another man ignored lifeguards and went in anyway.
"People cannot go out in conditions like that," said Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada.
"Even if they are a good swimmer, the rip is too strong."
This morning, the National Weather Service downgraded the high surf warning it had issued yesterday to a high surf advisory for the northwest facing shores of all Hawaiian Islands this morning as wave heights diminish.
However city lifeguards have posted warning signs at North Shore beaches where waves of 10-to-15 feet are expected; at Makaha, Maili Point and other west Oahu shores where waves of 6 to 8 feet are expected; and at Makapuu and Sandy Beach where waves of 4 to 6 feet are expected.
North Shore lifeguards reported Waimea Bay surf to be about 12 to 15 feet yesterday and ordered swimmers out of the water.
Oahu Civil Defense officials assisted lifeguards and closed down the park to incoming traffic at 5 p.m. though they did not order people who were already at the bay to leave.
"We're just watching the situation as it develops and moving people away from the water," said Doug Aton, acting administrator for Oahu Civil Defense.
The National Weather Service issued a high surf warning for all northwest facing shores on all islands yesterday. Weather service officials said they expected North Shore surf to peak sometime this morning.
Oahu Civil Defense
National Weather Service
State of Hawaii
