Wave rider missing amid big Oahu surf

An extensive search for a 32-year-old Haleiwa surfer on Wednesday yielded nothing but his large surfboard, which washed ashore at Chun’s Reef, broken in two, its leash plug pulled out, authorities said.

The Coast Guard searched through the night, while fire and Ocean Safety personnel were to resume searching this morning for Kirk Passmore, who was pounded by two massive waves, one after the other, with faces of more than 40 feet high near Waimea Bay.

The redhead, 6 feet 3 inches tall, weighing 185 pounds, known to be a strong, experienced surfer, was with friends at a break just to the Haleiwa side of Waimea Bay known as Alligator Rock when he got into trouble about 11:20 a.m.

A high-surf warning was in effect Wednesday due to a north swell. The warning continues today for all north and east shores of the islands, with surf gradually lowering.

Passmore’s father, girlfriend, uncle and friends went to the beach after he disappeared.

There were differing reports of what happened, and "we can’t say for sure whether he wiped out or was paddling out," fire Capt. Terry Seelig said.

Shayne Enright, spokeswoman for the city Ocean Safety Division, said witnesses told lifeguards Passmore got caught in the impact zone when he was struck by the waves, and that he wasn’t wearing a safety vest.

Surfers tried to paddle out to him, she said.

Seelig said tow-in surfers, aided by personal watercraft, also tried to get to him.

Passmore is a bartender at Banzai Sushi Bar in Haleiwa, which closed early Wednesday due to the accident.

His Facebook page indicates he is from Carlsbad, Calif., and attended Brigham Young University Hawaii.

"We did expect these big waves and so did the surfers," Enright said.

The Coast Guard used a helicopter and cutter to search, while the Fire Department used a helicopter, two shoreline companies and a rescue crew. Ocean Safety used two rescue watercraft crews.

Big-wave rider Todd Chesser died in February 1997 while surfing at Alligator Rock.

Surf on the north shores of all islands is expected to decrease through today to 20 to 25 feet, down from 20 to 30 feet. At Hookipa on Maui and at Oahu’s Waimea Bay, wave heights reached 40 feet Wednesday, according to Ocean Safety.

All east shores will diminish to 10 to 15 feet today from 15 to 20 feet Wednesday.

High surf Tuesday night caused flooding in low-lying areas of Baldwin Park in Paia, Maui, causing the county to close the park Wednesday.