Honolulu’s first responders were busy at the shoreline for a third day in a row Monday as strong winds and high surf continued to pound south- and east-
facing coasts of Oahu.
The rough conditions are expected to continue for at least one more day as the National Weather Service is calling for strong and gusty tradewinds and elevated surf at 7 to 10 feet through tonight. A high-surf advisory for the eastern shores of most islands has been extended through 6 p.m.
On Monday a 59-year-old man was in serious condition after nearly drowning at Sandy Beach, according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services.
Honolulu Ocean Safety officials said a bystander called at 8:24 a.m. to report that a man had lost his bodyboard and another bodyboarder was trying to keep him afloat about 50 yards from shore. Surf was in the 4- to 5-foot range with a strong current and winds of 20 to 25 mph.
Two lifeguards at Sandy Beach responded. One launched a watercraft on the Makapuu side of the beach, while the other paddled out on a rescue board at 8:28 a.m.
Lifeguard towers at Sandy Beach do not open until
9 a.m., but mobile units begin patrolling at 7 a.m.
Lifeguards were able to get the man to shore and transfer him at 8:50 a.m. to EMS, which took him in serious condition to a local hospital.
In the afternoon, Honolulu firefighters rescued two divers and a paddleboarder who were caught in ocean currents about 1,000 feet off the Kaaawa shoreline and were struggling to make their way back to land against the current and wind.
All told, the rescue involved two firefighters on a rescue board, the Honolulu Fire Department’s Air 3 helicopter and Rescue 1 Boat, plus an Ocean Safety lifeguard on a paddleboard and accompanying rescue watercraft team.
All returned safely to shore at 12:43 p.m., and no medical attention was required, officials said.
At 4 p.m. Ocean Safety responded to a call about a man in his 30s missing at Makapuu. The man was reported to have been swept off rocks while walking just underneath the Lighthouse overlook at the far end of Makapuu Beach.
More than a dozen crew members were called in to search along the shoreline and by watercraft. The U.S. Coast Guard and Honolulu Fire Department also joined the search with air support and divers.
Ocean Safety crews were scheduled to pause the search at night and resume in the morning, if necessary, officials said.
With surf up and winds raging since this weekend, lifeguards have made scores of rescues and thousands of preventive actions, officials reported.
On Monday lifeguards made 54 rescues and performed 1,067 preventive actions on the South Shore, and five rescues and 100 preventive actions at Sandy’s.
Officials said the beaches were significantly less crowded Monday than they were over the weekend, but lineups were still busy as more spots that had been washed out by the larger surf over the weekend were more ridable Monday.
According to the National Weather Service, a small-craft advisory covering Pailolo and Alenuihaha channels, Maalaea Bay and leeward and southeastern Big Island waters was expected to remain in effect through 6 a.m. Wednesday.
As for today, officials continued to warn of breaking waves, shore break and strong rip currents that will make swimming difficult and dangerous. Beachgoers, they said, should heed all advice from ocean safety
officials.
