Posted on: Friday, December 28, 2001

Calmer surf to roll in before arrival of bigger waves

By Will Hoover
Advertiser North Shore Writer

Calmer surf was expected today on the North Shore after two days of big waves, but the respite will be short-lived.

Another bump generated by an ocean storm north of the Islands is expected to arrive Sunday, bringing more treacherous surf, according to the National Weather Service.

That swell will likely be near high surf warning levels late Sunday through most of New Year's Day, the weather service said.

Wave heights from this week's swell crested above 20 feet about 2:30 a.m. yesterday and diminished slowly throughout the day, said veteran lifeguard Pat Kelly. Around 4 p.m. yesterday, waves were about 16 feet at Waimea Bay and "still packing a wallop," Kelly said.

Today, waves on O'ahu's north and northwest facing shores were expected to be 8 to 12 feet.

No damage was reported to homes or property. But surf washed sand over the road in some areas the past two days.

There were no calls for rescues, but the dangerous conditions kept city lifeguards on alert. Yesterday, lifeguards kept people out of the shorebreak at Waimea Bay while about 15 surfers braved the waves at late afternoon.

Despite the size of the waves, Kelly said, the winds were not making surfing conditions optimum.

What we've got with this particular swell is kona winds, rather than the more favorable off-shore winds, he said.

"All the surfers in the know are heading to the east side of O'ahu, where this sort of weather is great for surfing," Kelly said.