WAIMEA BAY — The O'Neill World Cup of Surfing postponed its meet yesterday, citing unruly conditions and waves in the 30-foot range at Sunset Beach. So hundreds of surfers instead headed to Waimea Bay, where glassy conditions and solid swells treated both surfers and spectators to the rides that make the North Shore famous.

The biggest sets rolled in with 20- to 25-foot faces, but most were in the 12- to 15-foot range, which was plenty big for even experienced surfers.

"I wouldn't call it the biggest swell of the winter yet," said Clark Abbey, who had just come in for a rest. "As you can see, everybody is going for it so that means no one is really fearing it. They'd fear it if it was 10 feet bigger."

But it was big enough for city lifeguards to close all North Shore beaches to "recreational activities," including recreational surfers, swimmers, skim boarders and divers, said lifeguard Lt. John Hoogsteden.

"For surfers that are prepared and competent to surf today, today is a decent day," Hoogsteden said. "For the rest of us, stay on the beach."

Even as the swell subsides, beachgoers should talk to lifeguards before entering the water to learn of any hazardous conditions, Hoogsteden said.

Brazilian surfers Rafael Sterza and Gustavo Garcia called the surfing conditions amazing but challenging. About 80 surfers vied for positions on the waves, Garcia said.

The surf was expected to drop last night, with a high-surf warning ending at 6 a.m. today, according to the National Weather Service.

Waves should continue to diminish today and tomorrow and fall to advisory level, the weather service said.

The size of yesterday's waves disappointed several spectators who arrived early to witness nature's power.

"I thought it was going to be bigger," said Pat Nakahara, a visitor from Los Angeles. "But it's beautiful. So it's fun."

Nakahara and three friends arrived at 7:30 a.m., not wanting to miss the anticipated spectacle of the expected swell.

Even though the waves were smaller than expected, the friends were not disappointed.

"When you walk down to the shore and see it from there, it's much more impressive than sitting back here," said Reiko Ito, also from Los Angeles.

Amateur water photographer LB Feeback, who also arrived early to capture the waves through his camera's zoom lens, planned to wait longer for bigger waves to roll in.

"The sizes have been really good and I wouldn't say 'disappointed,' " Feeback said.

"But I was a little bit bummed that it wasn't the 30 feet they were expecting."