Lifeguards rescued five people as 20-foot waves pounded north- and west-facing shores yesterday.

    Beachgoers Can’t Resist North Shore Action  

 

 

North Shore waves made lifeguards rescue more than a dozen body boarders and surfers from strong currents.

 

[ Watch ]

 

 

 

 

  Wave face heights of 18 to 22 feet are predicted for this morning, lowering to near 15 feet by this afternoon. The current swell is expected to drop below advisory levels by tomorrow morning.

More huge surf is on the way later in the week from storm systems in the North Pacific. The National Weather Service said 25-foot waves are expected Tuesday and again Thursday.

Emergency Services Department spokesman Bryan Cheplic said lifeguards yesterday warned about 2,000 people to stay out of the water at Waimea Bay, where only expert surfers were allowed to go in.

Windy and rainy weather might have limited the number of people in the water, Cheplic said. No serious injuries were reported. Meanwhile, a teenage surfer who was reported missing Friday turned out to be not missing after all.

The 16-year-old boy lost his board in 10- to 12-foot waves at Kawela Bay's “;Stables”; surf spot. A witness called 911 to report that the surfer did not surface and his board washed up on shore.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Honolulu Fire Department searched for about six hours Friday night, and a C-130 search plane air crew was about to launch yesterday morning.

However, Ocean Safety officers determined the boy was safe before 9 a.m. yesterday. He had made his own way to shore Friday night, and did not know how to properly report that he was safe.