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Honolulu lifeguards kept busy with rescues during south swells

Honolulu lifeguards were busy Monday with rescues and preventative actions as a south swell peaked on south-facing shores.

Honolulu Ocean Safety, along with the Fire Department, responded to a 911 call for a 17-year-old girl at 4 p.m. Monday who was seriously injured while bodyboarding.

The teen suffered lacerations on her back when she hit the reef, according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services. Paramedics treated her with advanced-life support and took her to a hospital in serious condition.

Lifeguards on Monday made an estimated 100 rescues along south shores, according to Ocean Safety, mostly for surfers with broken leashes and boards, and took about 2,800 preventative actions.

On the east shores, lifeguards rescued 10 and took about 375 preventative actions.

“It’s summer time and we are making a lot of rescues,” said Honolulu Ocean Safety in a social media post. “Be safe. Know your limits. Check-in with a lifeguard and call 911 as soon as you notice someone is in trouble in the ocean.”

A high surf advisory for south-facing shores from Monday ended early this morning.

The National Weather Service says surf along south shores will hold just under the advisory level at 6 to 8 feet today as the south-southwest swell declines.

Surf on south shores is expected to lower to 5 to 7 feet on Wednesday.

Another south swell is expected to arrive Thursday night and peak late Friday into Saturday.

Surf along east-facing shores, meanwhile, is expected to remain small and choppy throughout the week at 2 to 4 feet.

Surf along west-facing shores is expected to decline from 4 to 6 feet today to 3 to 5 feet on Wednesday.

Surf along north-facing shores will remain above the summertime average at 2 to 4 feet as north-to-northwest swells move through.

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