Lifeguards busy with
holiday, high surf

Some 18 rescues are made at south
shores, including eight kids

Lifeguards made 18 rescues at Ala Moana and Waikiki beaches yesterday thanks to holiday crowds and a South Shore swell that is expected to stick around until tonight, bringing surf with 6- to 10-foot faces.

Eight of the rescues yesterday were of children under 6 who got swept up in rough currents and big waves, said city Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division Capt. Paul Merino, who oversees Oahu's South Shore.

Three surfers went to the hospital -- one with a broken arm, a second with a dislocated shoulder and a third with a fractured ankle.

Lifeguards also participated in about 120 assists, which can range from a swimmer being helped out of the water to a lifeguard stopping a dangerous situation before a rescue is required, Merino said.

He said yesterday's rescues were about three times higher than for a normal holiday or weekend. But, he added, yesterday's high surf plus the Kamehameha Day holiday and sunny skies brought out thousands.

An estimated 10,000 people crowded onto Waikiki beaches, from the Royal Hawaiian Hotel to Sans Souci Beach, about 8,000 more than for a normal holiday.

Meanwhile, Merino said Ala Moana beach was "crazy busy," attracting about 3,000 at one point in the afternoon.

And the same conditions that brought out so many yesterday are expected today, with the swell lasting through tonight and the King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade attracting families to town this morning.

"A lot of elements are having the people come down," Merino said. "We want to send a warning to our public: Swim in surf at a lifeguarded area."

He also said that swimmers unfamiliar with an area should talk to a lifeguard about surf conditions before going into the water.

The National Weather Service issued a high-surf advisory for Oahu's south-facing shores through today. Forecasters said a storm near New Zealand last week produced the south swell, and surf was expected to reach its peak last night and slowly decrease through today.

Wave heights are expected to dip below advisory levels by tonight, the weather service said.

Last night, while the surf was still high, lifeguards worked an hour overtime -- until about 6:30 p.m. -- to watch over surfers who had flocked to the beach after work, Merino said.