KAILUA-KONA — Following a recommendation from Hawaii County Ocean Safety, the DLNR Division of State Parks today closed the beach area at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area, due to dangerous ocean conditions. The park remained open.
Also closed is Kekaha Kai State Park, Maniniowali/Kua Bay section, where high surf and strong currents in the water pose a safety risk to beach goers, where there are no life guards. Wave run-up onto the beach also puts people standing or sitting on the beach at risk of being pulled in or knocked down.
State Parks staff reported some people were uncooperative with earlier warnings about and insisted on going into the water, despite dangerous ocean conditions. Therefore, parks officials decided to close the Maniniowali (Kua Bay) section of Kekaha Kai State Park.
However, the Kekaha Kai State Park-Mahaiula section remained open due to the way the surf hits this area as opposed to the Maniniowali/Kua Bay section.
State Parks officials will assess the situation tomorrow morning with Ocean Safety before deciding to reopen\ the closed areas.