Due to high surf and strong winds, Honolulu officials began closing beaches on the Wai'anae Coast today and urging tent dwellers to seek shelter at the Red Cross disaster relief center at Wai'anae District Park.

The National Weather Service issued a high-surf warning for the coast, forecasting wave faces up to 22 feet and remaining unruly because of the high winds.

Forecaster Ian Morrison said conditions on the coast would only accelerate throughout the day and overnight, with gale force winds, rains and continued high surf until the storm front moves through, possibly by late tomorrow.

Earlier today, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources closed the Keawaula (or Yokohama Bay) section of Ka'ena Point State Park on the Wai'anae coast, to the point, due to high surf and hazardous conditions along the shoreline.

DLNR said the park gate will be closed and lifeguards will be stationed to turn people away.

DLNR is also advising boaters at its north- and west-facing harbors to listen to Weather Service broadcasts, and to secure their boats.

John Cummings, spokesman for the Department of Emergency Management, said police and outreach service volunteers would be notifying people living on the beaches today that city buses would be available to take park inhabitants to the Red Cross disaster relief shelter, starting at noon and continuing through 5 p.m.

"We're going to continue to get folks off the beach into the shelter for the duration of the high surf and high wind events," said Cummings.

He said bus shuttles would be marked "Evacuation," and that they would be available for free through 5 p.m. He said if it appeared that there was a need for buses after that time, they could be made available.

Red Cross worker Jonathan Elzey said the Wai'anae disaster shelter could handle up to 50 people or more immediately, and room could be made to accommodate more if necessary.

By mid-morning Kiai Lee, outreach coordinator with the Ka Paalana Traveling Preschool, had taken the names of 28 tent dwellers at Kea'au Beach Park who were leaning toward leaving the beach for the shelter. And that was after surveying only half the park, one of the largest remaining homeless encampments on the Waianae Coast.

Lee said some homeless people at the park were resisting the shelter out of fear their belongings would be stolen in their absence. Honolulu police Maj. Michael Moses said that even though the beaches would be closed, no one would be forced to leave their beach park tents if they didn't want to go.

"It's up to them," said Moses, although he urged them to consider the shelter option for their own safety.

Brook Sei, a recent arrival to Kea'au Beach Park, said he was thinking about going to the shelter. Longtime park tent dweller Joseph Alfred Galvan, whose right leg is missing, said he would brave the storm.

"I'm pretty tough," said Galvan. "I don't know how to give up. I'll stay until it looks like I can't make it, and then I'll call for help. If that doesn't work, I've got a wheelchair and two dogs to lead the way. I just hope the wind's blowing in the right direction."