A deadly early winter swell is starting to decline. But big waves overnight and this morning closed Baldwin Beach Park on Maui’s north shore, six beach parks on Hawaii island, and a section Kalanianaole Avenue between Kioea and Koloa streets fronting Hilo Bay.

Waves at Waimea Bay Beach Park on Oahu’s North Shore reached 25 feet Tuesday, but the peaks were declining by this afternoon, said Kerry Atwood, senior lifeguard at the park. They rescued three body surfers from the water earlier in the week, he said.

Chris Tesche, 32, of Kaneohe, Hawaii, was swimming in Waimea Bay on Wednesday when he was hit by what he estimates was a 12-foot wave.

“It felt like my neck was about to break,” Tesche said. “I just did a couple of flips in the water, swallowed a little bit of water. I survived it. I didn’t think I was going to for the first minute under water pretty much. It was a scary experience.”

The parking lot of Baldwin Beach Park in Paia was flooded this morning and sand washed up by the high surf into the pavilion area.

Hawaii County also closed six beach parks – Richardson, Leleiwi, Carlsmith, Kealoha, Onekahakaha and Coconut Island.

Hawaii County police said a combination of high tide and the large ocean swell created hazardous conditions on Kalanianaole Avenue in Hilo. Traffic was detoured through Nene Street for area residents until the road reopened this afternoon.

The National Weather Service said surf as high as 20 to 30 feet this morning is dropping to 14 to 18 feet tonight and 6 to 10 feet int Thursday on north shores and 15- to 20-foot waves on west shores should decline to 8 to 12  feet tonight and 4 to 6 feet on Thursday.

A high surf advisory is in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday for north and west shores of Oahu, Kauai County, Molokai and Maui. The advisory replaces a warning issued Tuesday.

Forecasters said a new swell will start to build Thursday afternoon. Forecasters expect wave heights to rise to 12 to 16 feet late Thursday on north shores and 8 to 12 feet on west shores.

A new high surf warning may be issued Thursday, depending on the size of the waves.

Forecasters said swimming  in the high surf can be “difficult and dangerous” because of rip currents, shore break and strong breaking waves.

Waves declined enough this morning to hold the opening rounds of the HIC Pro surf contest at Sunset Beach. The event is a qualifier for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

The surf turned deadly on Tuesday when three fishermen were swept into the ocean by a large wave at the Moi Hole at the end of the road in Kaena Point State Park.

Lifeguards on rescue watercraft recovered the body of a man believed to be in his 50s from the ocean Tuesday afternoon. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another man believed to be about 49 years old, and a man believed to be about 30 years old, suffered abrasions and cuts after they were battered on the rocks by waves. Paramedics took them to the hospital in serious condition.

Wave faces at the time were about 5 to 12 feet, with higher sets, said Emergency Services Department spokeswoman Shayne Enright.

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The Associated Press contributed to this story.