Hurricane Darby, which weakened into a tropical storm as it passed under the islands, brought the “historic” swell to south-facing shores. According to Public Information Officer for the County of Kauai Alden Alayvilla, the National Weather Service dropped Hawaii’s high-surf advisory as waves tapered off. Travelers to Hawaii may be wondering what to expect now that the surf is on its way out. Here’s what you need to know in the aftermath of the historic swell.
Maui closed a portion of South Kihei Road during the period of high surf, according to Perry. “Waves washed over the road and caused flooding,” he said. “Crews had to go in there and clean up the sand and whatever debris was washed onto the road.” On Kauai, Ho’one Road from Pane Road to Pe’e Road was closed due to “extensive damage” from the swells.
As of Wednesday, most counties said they are still assessing any damage to public and private property caused by the swells. It seems like there is no “damage of note” so far, a spokesperson for the Department of Emergency Management City and County of Honolulu told on Wednesday.
Some oceanfront businesses and homes were damaged when waves broke over rock walls. Honu Oceanside Restaurant in Lahaina closed down to “rebuild as our restaurants were hit by many waves over the weekend,” according to its voicemail. The restaurant replaced its sinks and floors and plans to reopen tomorrow.
Enright told that the warnings for Hawaii’s south swell have “quieted down.” People should practice caution when at south-facing beaches that may still have dangerous conditions. Officials ask people to “remain vigilant,” according to a County of Kauai press release.
“Until further notice, Ocean Safety Bureau officials continue to advise no swimming and snorkeling on south- and west-facing shores due to these dangerous ocean conditions. Beachgoers are urged that large, breaking surf, significant shore break, and dangerous currents make entering the water hazardous,” reads the release.
There are no active alerts for the state’s beaches, according to Hawaii Beach Safety, a nonprofit run by the Hawaii Lifeguard Association, Hawaii Tourism Authority and other agencies. People can check the hazard ratings and real-time conditions for beaches on Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui and Oahu online before venturing out.
People hoping to experience iconic Waikiki’s waves can still take surf lessons from most companies in Honolulu. Aaron Rutledge of Star Beachboys told that during the swells, they limited rentals to experienced surfers only.
“We did continue surfing lessons as normal, but did stay on the inside and away from the larger surf for safety reasons,” he said.
As Hawaii lifeguards always say, if in doubt, don’t go out.
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