The New Year brought with it huge surf along the north and west shores, the beaches were packed and the lifeguards were busy with rescues and preventative actions. 

On the west side of the island, lifeguards rescued 15 people and made more than 3,000 preventative actions. These rescues included a family of three, a 40-year old female and two children who were thrown off a boat outside Waianae Boat Harbor after a large wave hit the vessel. Lifeguards responded just after 9:00a.m. via jet ski and brought them to shore where they were evaluated by Honolulu Emergency Medical Services but declined transport to an emergency room. Lifeguards also rescued five surfers from Makaha Beach, where surf was said to be 10-15 feet. The remainder of the rescues were surfers with broken leashes and those who were caught off guard by the large surf. 

On the north shore, lifeguards rescued a 30-year old bodyboarder caught in the current at Waimea Bay. Lifeguards jumped into huge shore break and swam the patient out to an Ocean Safety jet ski. Honolulu EMS responded but the man declined transport to an emergency room. Lifeguards rescued a total of 10 people so far today and made more than 2,200 preventive actions, along the north shore, with the majority of those rescues being at Waimea Bay. Surf at Waimea got up to 30 foot faces. 

The plan is for the majority of the north and west side towers and mobile responders to stay on overtime until sundown as the beaches are still very crowded at this time.