Surf surprises east shores

By Gordon Y.K. Pang and Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writers

Residents of the state's eastern shores, from Hau'ula to Puna, not accustomed to the power of winter waves, braced themselves for more pounding surf this morning after being pummeled by waves as high as 40 feet yesterday.

A huge wave explodes on the rocks in front of the Halona blowhole, as seen from Sandy Beach, covering the famous spout before it could perform. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

A high surf warning for north- and east-facing shorelines on all islands was expected to continue through the night, with the waves not expected to subside until sometime today. The biggest concern was a high tide, expected to reach 2 1/2 feet from about midnight to 3 a.m., that officials feared would cause coastal flooding, according to representatives for the National Weather Service and O'ahu Civil Defense. High tide yesterday morning was also about that high but was accompanied by lower waves, according to NWS lead forecaster Bob Farrell.

Police were expected to maintain a command center at Kualoa through the night while Civil Defense volunteers were monitoring the surf elsewhere from Waialua to Makapu'u, according to John Cummings, O'ahu Civil Defense spokesman.

Debris on the road forced police to close Kamehameha Highway in both directions at 3:28 a.m. yesterday between Kualoa Park and Hau'ula Homestead Road. It was reopened at 9:15 a.m., with vehicles going in both directions sharing one contraflow lane. Both lanes were opened later in the evening, but officials warned they may be closed again as high tide neared.

"There is so much junk on the road and in the water — rocks, sand, telephone-pole barriers," Cummings said earlier yesterday. "I don't ever remember the surf being that high in that area. Usually the waves break out by the reef. This is really unusual."

The closure prompted state education officials to close Hau'ula and Ka'a'awa elementary schools.

Some shoreline residents were placing sandbags along the waterline of their properties last night in hopes of deflecting the waves expected this morning.

Farrell said the high wave warning — which kicks in when waves hit 25 feet — was expected to be in effect until at least early this evening.

On the other end of the island, city lifeguards yesterday morning closed Hanauma Bay, Makapu'u Beach and Sandy Beach, where waves with 20-foot faces — rarely seen along this coastline — stood above the blue horizon. The waves were so powerful at Hanauma Bay that they lined the beach with rocks and coral.

Waves overnight sent surges through several rights-of-way, some as far as 150 feet. A catamaran was smashed, back yards were layered with sand and chunks of coral were shoved onto the beach.

A road scraper cleared debris from Bayfront Highway in Hilo at about 10:45 a.m. yesterday. Kevin Dayton • The Honolulu Advertiser

At Sandy Beach, no one even tried to get into the water yesterday, but police quickly closed both entrances to the beach park because debris had washed over the parking lot. Yesterday, the Fire Department reported only two rescues around the island. Cummings attributed that to the park closures and the fact that the highest waves were in areas not normally frequented by surfers.

The occupants of the Makai Research Center, on a pier just north of Makapu'u Beach, made the decision at noon yesterday to evacuate their buildings. Employees from Makai Ocean Engineering and Sea Engineering, who occupy the top and bottom floors of a building that fronts the ocean, loaded files, boxes and computers into a rented truck for safe storage from the waves.

Joseph Van Ryzin, president of Makai Ocean Engineering, said that early yesterday morning waves were routinely slamming the sides of his second-floor office. He saw white spray splash over the roof of his building. "It's the first time we've ever abandoned our office due to high waves," he said.

Cars lined the beaches on both sides of Kalaniana'ole Highway throughout the afternoon as people stopped to look at the spectacle.

"This is the first time I have ever seen them this big, it's so beautiful," said Melvin Luke, who with his wife, Ashlyn, stood near a life guard truck to watch the surf.

"I've never seen them this big, I came from the North Shore and these waves are bigger," said Jon Mapes of Waikiki.

Outside O'ahu

• Kaua'i County officials closed beaches on the east and north shores of the island. All beaches between Kalapaki and Ke'e beaches were closed. Officials at some locations reported 30-foot waves.

Low-lying areas along the entire eastern side were flooded. Waves washed across the coastal highway at Ha'ena, Wainiha and Waikoko, threatened to undermine shoreline homes in 'Aliomanu, washed onto Kuhio Highway in Wailua, closed Ahukini Road outside Lihu'e and washed across half of Nawiliwili Park along Kalapaki Bay.

• Maui's north shore was pounded by surf with faces averaging 25 to 30 feet, prompting the closing of beach parks and coastal roads.

Maui County spokeswoman Ellen Pellisaro said wave faces at Baldwin Beach Park reached 40 feet, and parks officials decided to close the park through the weekend.

Kama'ole Point Park on the south shore was closed as well, she said. Kanaha Beach was closed, but the park remained open. Keanae and Hana beach parks also were closed.

Closed roads include Kahului Beach Road along Kahului Harbor, from Waiehu Beach Road to Wahinepio Road. Also closed in East Maui were Lower Ke'anae, Hana Bay and Haneo'o roads.

• In Hilo, Civil Defense authorities kept the Bayfront Highway closed because of surf washing over the road and debris that nearly covered portions of the highway. Lihiwai Street in Hilo was closed, and Kalaniana'ole Highway at Richardson's Ocean Park Beach was closed to all but local Keaukaha traffic.

In Puna, the road to Kumukahi Lighthouse on the easternmost tip of the Big Island was closed.

Lloyd Narimatsu, assistant chief for the Big Island Fire Department, said five homes along Beach Road in Hawaiian Paradise Park in Puna were damaged by high surf.

Campers from King's Landing remained in a shelter at the Butler Building in Hilo. All beach parks from Cape Kumukahi to 'Upolu Point were closed until further notice.

Advertiser staff writers Suzanne Roig, Kevin Dayton, Timothy Hurley, Jan TenBruggencate and Peter Boylan contributed to this report.