Big south swell crashes over Kona breakwall, drenches Alii Drive
Waves blasted over the Alii Drive seawall in downtown Kailua-Kona, soaking pedestrians, cars and the day’s foot traffic while forcing closures and cancellations.
The biggest south swell of the season turned Alii Drive in downtown Kailua-Kona into a spray zone Wednesday, as large south-southwest waves slammed over the seawall, drenched passers-by and vehicles, and sent a sharp reminder that high surf here is a traffic and safety issue as much as a spectacle.
Oceanfront stretches along Kona were hit hard enough that the Pride of America skipped its Kona stop, and the surf also forced the cancellation of a concert by the Kona and Windward (O‘ahu) choral societies. On a day when visitors and residents would normally move between the waterfront, shops and restaurants, the breakwall was repeatedly overtopped by water, putting pedestrians and drivers in the path of the spray.
The National Weather Service in Honolulu said the large south-southwest swell continued to decline Wednesday and Thursday, but still kept south shore surf above High Surf Advisory thresholds during the day. Forecasters said surf was expected to fall to moderate levels by Thursday evening, then gradually fade through Sunday. Another long-period pulse of south-southwest swell was expected to arrive late Sunday and peak early next week.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had already warned Wednesday that the long-period swell would create surges in south-facing harbors and breaking waves near harbor entrances through the night, making it hazardous for boaters entering, leaving, mooring or launching vessels. Those conditions added to the risk up and down south-facing shores of Hawaii Island, where beach parks were already closed under the high surf advisory.
Laaloa Park, also known as Magic Sands, was among the West Hawaii beach parks shut because of the advisory for south-facing shores of the Big Island. Big Island Now said the same swell that pounded Alii Drive was part of a broader coastal impact that reached from Kona’s seawall to harbor entrances and shoreline access points, with surf expected to ease only temporarily before the next pulse arrives.
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