Hat tip to Rev. Stargazer at GLP!

North Shore bracing for heavy traffic, possible damage from waves
By Eloise Aguiar - Advertiser North Shore Writer

High surf expected today is only a prelude to bigger waves heading for the Islands on Monday, when forecasters are predicting 60-foot faces on the North Shore.

Matt Wanink, a meteorologist with the Surf News Network, said a storm is aimed right at the Islands, which doesn't happen often.

"This is going to be a rare event and most likely the biggest swell of the year," Wanink said . "We're forecasting maybe up to 60-foot faces."

The National Weather Service said an extremely strong storm north-northwest of Hawai'i with hurricane-force winds will generate Monday's swell.

Surf will build rapidly tomorrow night and reach heights of 30 to 40 feet with 50-foot sets on the outer reefs early Monday through Tuesday night, the weather service said.

Surf conditions are ripe for the Eddie Aikau surf meet that only runs when wave faces hit 40 feet.

And although surfers and residents alike are excited about the big surf today and Monday, others are bracing for the worst in traffic and possible damage from the high surf.

Yesterday, the city began to prepare for road closures and evacuations.

The weather service has issued a high surf warning for north- and west-facing shores of Ni'ihau, Kaua'i, O'ahu, Moloka'i and Maui, and on the west-facing shores of the Big Island. A high surf advisory also was issued for the east-facing shores of O'ahu and northeast-facing shores of the Big Island.

The city Department of Emergency Services also warned visitors and residents to stay out of the water and be mindful of large sets, even if they're on the beach and standing on dry sand.

"We've seen it many times," said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for emergency services. "The wave runs up on the beach, overwhelms a person and drags him into the water."

Cheplic said the waves Monday could hit "historical proportions" of which Hawai'i hasn't seen in 15 to 20 years. Anyone considering going in should talk to a lifeguard first or heed any warnings on the beach.

The large waves are expected to generate a lot of sightseers and officials are cautioning pedestrians and motorists to watch out for each other.

The city Department of Emergency Management was on alert last night and was especially wary of a 2 1/2-foot high tide this morning, when surf was expecting to rise to about 30 feet.

"When you have a high surf and a high tide, that's a double whammy, which causes a lot of coastal erosion," said John Cummings, spokesman for emergency management. "We'll get sand, debris and water across the road at places like Chun's Reef and Laniäkea. We may have to close the road while state highways clears it."

The surf is expected to fall below warning levels by tomorrow, but be up again tomorrow night, which means getting the volunteers out to check the roads sometime after midnight, Cummings said.

They will be on the lookout for debris, damage and possible evacuation situations, he said. Police, firefighters and other first responders will also notify the department of problems.

Yesterday, volunteers, police and state Department of Land and Natural Resources personnel went to beaches to warn residents and the homeless of the pending waves, Cummings said.

"This one is looking big," he said. "Comparatively speaking, it's similar to the December 2004 high surf event where we saw waves in the 30- to 40-foot range."

Greg Gersternberger, who operates Ke Iki Beach Bungalow, knows the damage waves can do. One year, a wave smashed into a beachfront unit and broke the large picture window there, Gersternberger said. Another year he was forced to evacuate a guest because someone was hurt.

Yesterday, he was getting storm shutters out to put over louver windows that face the sea. But unless civil defense forces him out, he said he lets his guests decide if they want to stay and he warns them to sleep in the back bedroom.

The front bedroom has a picture window and it could "blow out," he said.

North Shore residents are excited about the high surf, but dread the traffic, said Karen Gallagher, a surf instructor and editor to Paumalu Press.

Every time there's an announcement the waves could reach heights to run the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau surf contest, people swarm to the North Shore, overwhelming roads and parking, Gallagher said.

"We like to see the big surf," she said. "We like to see the contest. It's just the traffic. It's a nightmare."

big-swell safety tips
• Spectators should stay well away from the waves.

• Drivers should keep a lookout for pedestrians — and for stop-and-start traffic.

• Campers along the shoreline are being warned to be aware of high surf hazards.

• Homeowners should take measures to protect their property, and be prepared to evacuate if needed.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091205/NEWS01/912050304/&template=artiphone

on Hawaii:
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/secti ... oleArticle

Also the Report:

http://www.prh.noaa.gov/data/HFO/MWSHFO.0912042247

Big-Wave Surfing Event Postponed a Day in Hawaii
By JESSE McKINLEY

WAIMEA BAY, Hawaii — The wait goes on for dozens of the world’s best surfers, who descended on Hawaii’s North Shore on Monday in search of a once-in-a-generation wave.

The draw is one of the sport’s most prestigious events, the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, named for the legendary Hawaiian surfer, and held only when the waves along this pristine stretch of coastline are at their most fierce. The event was last held in 2004, and predictions of 30 foot to 50 foot waves this week drew dozens of world-class “watermen” to the shore.

Surf experts say this week’s swell — churned by north Pacific storms — may rival those of 1969, a famed year in surfing lore, when pictures of surfers flying down towering waves helped bring surfing into the mainstream.

The predictions of giant surf did not completely pan out on Monday morning, to the disappointment of thousands of spectators who began flooding Waimea Bay, where Mr. Aikau once rode, well before dawn. While churning cylinders of water pounded the bay, at just past 7 a.m., the event’s director, George Downing, said that waves were too choppy and uneven to allow for good rides.

“It’s all mixed up,” said Mr. Downing, looking out at the foamy waters.

He said that offshore buoys some 200 miles north of the island of Oahu showed high swells coming by midafternoon, but that that would be too late for a full day of competitive surfing.

“If it’s going to come, it’s going to come tomorrow,” Mr. Downing said, of the competition, known informally as “the Eddie.”

The police were warily monitoring the surf along the coast for signs of flooding, with some residents even moving possessions to higher ground. Even after the event was postponed Monday, however, about 40 world-class surfers were plunging into the rolling waters, as organizers periodically warned hundreds of beachcombers not to try the waters themselves.

For professional wave-riders, who often chase big surf from South Africa to Ireland to Western Australia, the day offered the opportunity to test their skills.

“I chase big waves around the world, to foggy places where it’s freezing cold,” said Mark Healey, a 28-year-old professional who grew up on the North Shore. “To finally get a swell like this in my backyard, there’s no way I’m missing a second of it.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/us/08surf.html?hp

Californian Long wins 'Eddie'

26-year-old posts perfect ride in 35- to 50-foot wave faces at Waimea Bay



By dayton morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

When it comes to winning big-wave surfing contests, Greg Long is no longer a long shot.

A victory in the world's most revered big-wave contest proved it yesterday.

Long capped a near-perfect day with a perfect ride that led him to victory in the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave surfing contest.

The unique one-day event was run in wave-face heights that ranged from 35 to 50 feet at Waimea Bay. It was the first time in five years that conditions were suitable to run the contest.

"I'm still standing here in awe, and I want to go check the scores to make sure someone isn't going to come here and take this away," said Long, 26.

Long, who is from San Clemente, Calif., has established himself as a premier big-wave surfer in recent years. He won a big-wave contest at Mavericks, Calif., last year, and then took the top prize at the Billabong XXL Awards earlier this year.

But until yesterday, he hadn't quite established himself at the ultimate big-wave proving ground — Waimea Bay.

"It's hard to put into words what this actually means," he said. "Everybody knows this is a world class big wave, and some of the rides will go down in history as some of the biggest paddle waves ever."

Long clinched the victory with one of the best rides ever.

He scored a perfect 100 midway through his afternoon heat after surviving a steep drop down a 50-foot face, and then emerging from the exploding whitewash behind him.

"Amazing wave," Long said. "I saw that set feathering out the back, threatening to close out. I just started to paddle for the horizon and you really had to hold your ground and wait for it."

Long received $55,000 for the victory.

The Eddie Aikau contest runs only on a day when wave-face heights are consistently in the 40-foot range at Waimea Bay. Because of the strict standards, it has been completed just eight times in its 25-year history.

Long is the first California surfer to take the title.

Fortunately for him, the contest uses a no-elimination format. Each of the 28 invited surfers got to surf in two separate one-hour heats — one in the morning, then one in the afternoon.

After his morning heat, Long was in 24th place.

"The way the Eddie contest runs, your heat might be stacked with waves or it might not," Long said. "My first heat, we weren't catching waves, but we were laughing and still stoked. We looked around the beach and the energy was amazing."

Contest officials estimated the crowd to be between 20,000 and 25,000, with the shoehorn shape of the beach creating an arena-like atmosphere.

"Everybody is just screaming on the beach and you can hear it," Long said. "It's an amazing sensation."

In the last heat of the day, Long gave them reason to scream.

In addition to his 100-point wave, he had rides that received scores of 77, 75 and 71. In effect, his morning heat did not even count toward his victory (the top four waves from either the morning or afternoon heat counted toward each surfer's final score).

"I knew I had to get four good waves, so I kind of waited for the waves I knew would lend itself to getting those good scores," Long said. "It was one of the best hours of surfing in my life."

Long's late-afternoon rally overtook a near-historic victory by Kelly Slater of Florida.

Slater had a commanding lead after the morning session, and wound up in a close second place. Long's best four waves scored a total of 323 points to Slater's 313.

Slater was attempting to become the first two-time winner of the Eddie Aikau contest. He won it in 2002.

"It was epic," Slater said. "There's no one more deserving than (Long)."

Long and his big-wave surfing partner, Grant Baker, are renowned for chasing swells around the world, according to Slater.

"For paddle-in surfing, they're the two most dedicated guys on earth," Slater said.

Wai'anae's Sunny Garcia placed third and was the top Hawai'i finisher.

Like Long, Garcia had a slow morning heat, but made up for it in the afternoon. Garcia had scores of 95 and 85 in his second heat.

"It was a beautiful day, we had good waves," he said. "I got nothing to complain about."

Kaua'i's Bruce Irons placed fourth. He won the event the last time it was run in 2004.

Ramon Navarro of Chile placed fifth. He also scored a perfect 100 for making it down a giant wave in the afternoon heat. He received a $10,000 bonus for the "Monster Drop" award.

Virtually every surfer in the contest caught at least one memorable wave.

Kaua'i's Andy Irons, for example, received a rousing ovation for riding a wave all the way to the treacherous shorebreak section.

"I felt like I caught a Hail Mary pass for a Super Bowl touchdown," he said. "I'm just glad I didn't break my neck."

Shane Dorian of the Big Island scored a 92 for making a steep drop, but he also endured several scary wipeouts.

"I saw all my friends charging and I just wanted to out there and get pounded and I achieved that," he said. "But I think I got half the ocean up my nose."

A live Web cast on quiksilver.com received more than 1 million hits yesterday, according to contest officials. Also, a grant from the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl went toward an international satellite feed that created highlights around the world.

Final results

1, Greg Long (California), 323 points, $55,000. 2, Kelly Slater (Florida), 313, $10,000. 3, Sunny Garcia (Hawai'i), 292, $5,000. 4, Bruce Irons (Hawai'i), 275, $3,000. 5, Ramon Navarro (Chile), 267, $2,000. 6, Ross Clarke-Jones (Australia), 257, $1,000. 7, Jamie O'Brien (Hawai'i), 252, $1,000. 8, Mark Healey (Hawai'i), 246, $1,000. 9, Garrett McNamara (Hawai'i), 243, $1,000. 10, Noah Johnson (Hawai'i), 241, $1,000. 11, Shane Dorian (Hawai'i), 229, $1,000. 12, Makuakai Rothman (Hawai'i), 226, $1,000. 13, Reef McIntosh (Hawai'i), $1,000. 14, Andy Irons (Hawai'i), 221, $1,000. 15, Grant Baker (South Africa), 215, $1,000. 16, Carlos Burle (Brazil), 202, $1,000. 17, Kohl Christensen (Hawai'i), 201, $1,000. 18, Kala Alexander (Hawai'i), 200, $1,000. 19, Peter Mel (California), 195, $1,000. 20, Takayuki Wakita (Japan), 187, $1,000. 21, Ibon Amatrian (Basque), 187, $1,000. 22, Clyde Aikau (Hawai'i), 168, $1,000. 23, Keone Downing (Hawai'i), 167, $1,000. 24, Michael Ho (Hawai'i), 160, $1,000. 25, Darryl Virostko (California), 155, $1,000. 26, Brian Keaulana (Hawai'i), 148, $1,000. 27, Rusty Keaulana (Hawai'i), 122, $1,000. 28, Pancho Sullivan (Hawai'i), 70, $1,000.

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