High surf draws pros to Mavericks

SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KTVU) - A high surf warning was in effect Thursday for Bay Area shorelines, with waves reaching up to 20 feet in places. 

Professional surfers were in the water at Mavericks, home of the famous surfing competition in San Mateo County, hoping for even larger swells.

"These guys are all trained professionals, they do this around the world," said Cary Smith Assistant Harbor Master at the San Mateo County Harbor District.  "They've been watching the models and they've come from Hawaii and some have come from as far away as Brazil." 

Smith is warning anyone who is not a professional, to keep away from the dangerous waters. 

"With the pros, they've been through safety training and we're here to help them if something happens.  But for the general public and for people who aren't aware of these conditions, they're beautiful to look at... but stay away and keep at a safe distance.  Otherwise, things can go bad really fast," Smith said.

The high surf warning for Bay Area shorelines expired at 2 p.m. Thursday.