Hawaiian Channel Crossings - Ocean Current

[Seattle-Wind]

I got my first taste of ocean crossings last month in the Maui to Molokai - now I'm looking ahead at what's next. In the future I'm planning a few channel crossings - most likely starting with the Maui to Lanai (Napili to Shipwreck Beach).

I've been researching and am having difficulty finding information on Hawaiian current tables and predicting current in these waters. How does one relate tides, wind, and swell to determine the currents strength and direction in the islands?

Any help on the topic is greatly appreciated.

[headmount]

This run that you draw is one I've also thought much about.  I've done it on a cranking north wind day with a huge north swell.. with a windsurfer.  Unbelievable swells that had very smooth carveable faces.  Roughly a 40degree swell and wind.  If you have that much it would be worth a go.  No telling about the currents but in any case you'd need a chase boat.  Even with windsurfers my buddy and I sailed into the lee pocket around Lahaina and had the roll up our sails and prone paddle the last 2 miles to shore... with all that gear under us and a rough deck on our boards.  That part wasn't fun but bearing off on the way over was the best.  We launched at Waihikuli park between Lahaina and Kaanapali because we were doing a broad reach over to Lanai but for a SUP run, where you marked up near Napili, would be better.

These conditions occur mostly in the fall, early winter (nov dec) for the combo north swell and wind.   That channel isn't super deep so swells lift up real nice... and catchable.

The Alenuihaha has been referred to in super bowl like terms but a few guys (A -team guys) did it recently and it was just so so with tremendous logistics.  Jetskis can't be in the Lahaina Roadstead after some date in dec... for whaling season.  So nov is probably the best target time for this Lanai run.

[hbsteve]

Have you looked at Ocean Surface Current Analyses-Real time, www.oscar.noaa.gov/?
I didn't study the sight, but it looked like it might help.

[headmount]

Currents have an effect but the highest priority are surface conditions created by wind and swell.  If you have those two, you don't have time in the day to dilly-dally waiting for the currents to also line up.  The wind will come up around mid day and you got to go near mid-day to be within the time frame of good hours for strong wind.  For instance in Nov. the days are getting shorter and that strong wind window gets small.  By 3 or 4 you might want your chase boat to be near.  It's possible to catch some huge inter-channel rollers but you need some strong wind to do it.

Took a look at that oscar site.  Looked like big area flows not our little micro flows.

[1paddle2paddle]

I think as a general rule of thumb for the islands, on a pushing (incoming) tide, the water is moving in a westward direction, and opposite for a dumping (outgoing) tide.  I think tide matters (much) more for certain locations which are squeeze points.  The area from Makapuu to Diamond Head is such a squeeze point, and tide very much affects the conditions of a downwind run (and how long the run takes).  Thus for the Molokai to Oahu race, it makes a big difference as to whether you would be coming in on a pushing or dumping tide.  In fact last year's surf ski race started late (around 10:30 in the morning) in order to coincide with a rising tide.

For such open ocean paddling as you are proposing, my estimation is that tide is relatively a minor factor.  But if you had your druthers of when to schedule the paddle, I would think a rising tide would be optimal for the paddle you are contemplating.

[Seattle-Wind]

Have you looked at Ocean Surface Current Analyses-Real time, www.oscar.noaa.gov/?

Thanks for the useful link - very technical site, I will spend some time on it.

I think as a general rule of thumb for the islands, on a pushing (incoming) tide, the water is moving in a westward direction, and opposite for a dumping (outgoing) tide. 

That's just what I was looking for - general guidelines for tides. When I was in the Pailolo channel the tide was going against us at 1.5 knots (according to the captain), once we passed the Kamalo buoy the current shifted to slack or from behind us - it was a noticeably difference in catching the swells. I'm going to go back and look at the tide data for the race (April 28th).

Headmount - your windsurfing adventure in the channel sounds awesome - If you're interested we should get a group of paddlers to do this crossing next Winter. The only thing is getting in safely once reaching Lanai. If we go on a big north swell, that same swell will be there to greet us getting into shipwreck beach if there isn't a clear channel, but that's the least of the worries. If we got a few people we could share the cost of a support boat too.

[headmount]

The north swell didn't seem to impact that reefs on Lanai.  In any case going ashore  or crossing the reef wouldn't be necessary with a boat pickup. We could just ride the good sections and jump in the boat back to Lahaina.  There is no gold ring on the beach of that Shipwreck coast of Lanai, just an isolated beach and the inside reef can be quite shallow... fin or rudder rippers. 

Yes I'm up for it.  From Waihikuli to Lanai is 7 miles but a few more if we launch at say Napili Bay.  The surf can be an issue at the launch and Napili Bay offers the easiest out if a swell is running.  A couple of our fastest gals did this recently, had a great run but not with the north swell addition which is really a remarkable addition.  They used the Trilogy which is a great boat and crew.

[1paddle2paddle]

Rastaman, is the inspiration for this particular route an attempt to get a straight downwind open ocean paddle?  I think it sounds like a great idea.

[Seattle-Wind]

Rastaman, is the inspiration for this particular route an attempt to get a straight downwind open ocean paddle?  I think it sounds like a great idea.

Yes that's definitely a big chunk of why I want to do it. Just as much tho the thought of crossing between the islands just sounds really cool. I would even do a flat water Lahaina - Lanai, but why not do a route that maximizes the prevailing wind and have some fun surfing open ocean swell in the process. If you're down, that's great.

Headmount - The points I plotted on Google Earth came out to be 15 miles to the beach. That's a shame that the reef is so shallow, I haven't been to Lanai and it would be nice to put the finishing touch on the crossing by at least touching sand - but understand if it's not possible at that beach in those conditions. I haven't heard much in regards to the crossing or it's reputation - just a few passing stories. Here's the Destination 3 Degrees video from that channel crossing

[headmount]

I watched for north wind conditions to occur this last winter and they didn't.  It was a weird winter.  Without north winds, the channel towards Lanai is in the lee shadow and even with north winds if the direction shifts, you'll suddenly be in that lee shadow.  Thus the boat is a good thing.

There are potentially fantastic conditions in this roadstead between Maui, Lanai and Molokai, maybe the best in the state... but fickle as well.

Although the access to the water isn't easy, Honolua would also be a great launch.  The middle of the bay stays open until the very biggest swells and you could squeak out of there with a great downwind line to Lanai.  But Napili Bay, I think, would be best.

I just did a Maliko run with 1paddle.  I enjoyed his company, he's solid paddler and would be a great part of a team for this adventure.  I'm sure there are others as well.

Logistically this crossing would be easiest since eventually you could paddle into the wind shadow and the boat would have an easy ride back to Lahaina.  Coming back upwind to Maui in a boat is real  rough.  Easy in and out.  Piece of cake.... just kidding.

[headmount]

That vid was nice but the conditions I'm talking about are much more intense.  Those Barks looked perfect for those conditions but I think our SIC boards will be much more appropriate for big wind, big swell.  Of course Slater can ride anything.

Yeah the windward coast of Lanai is a trash collector.  The unique thing about that coast is that Lanai is shaped like an airfoil and accelerates the wind over the windward coast, unlike the windward sides of Maui and Oahu where high mountains behind the coast, compress the air and cause the wind to back off near shore.

There are some channels in the reef if you're set on putting your toes in the sand.  We sailed thru some but the water was flowing out so hard we barely made progress.

[Seattle-Wind]

Honolua or Napili - whatever works for a starting point I'm down. I agree on waiting for the right conditions to come together - I'm not looking for a jolly stroll down the coast, I'd want to wait for the conditions to prevail that would scare some sense into me...I think a lot of guys on this section of the forum would agree that paddling is the best and most memorable when you come in and you were at least a "little" scared in what you were just in. As Laird says, "It's good to scare yourself at least once a day." I think once or twice a year is good for me

When I was looking over at shipwreck beach from Molokai it was cranking over there. I agree about the shadow of the West Maui mountains, but if we take an East enough line, especially with the added safety of the boat, do you think we could stay in the thick of the trades and swell for the duration of the crossing?

[LaPerouseBay]

/ do you think we could stay in the thick of the trades and swell for the duration of the crossing?

http://weather.mhpcc.edu/wrf/maui2/

[headmount]

Oh yeah.  If the wind direction is 040 or less, then it'll be filled in much farther south than the map LPB just posted.

[1paddle2paddle]

HM, would the north swell really be worth waiting for (or bothering with)?  I could see how on a windsurfer you guys could generate enough speed to drop into the fast moving open ocean swells and boogie.  But I think with SUP speeds catching those open ocean groundswells would be extremely difficult; only possible if you caught a windswell which gave you enough speed to then drop into a convenient groundswell which happened to be at the right place at the right time.

I think HM is right that Honolua would be the optimal starting point.  Plus, with just a few (or handful) of paddlers it would not be so humbug to launch from there.  Also, it would be possible to beat northwest for an agreed upon distance before turning and running with the swells.

Those Barks looked perfect for those conditions but I think our SIC boards will be much more appropriate for big wind, big swell.  Of course Slater can ride anything.

And the poor girl riding the Naish 17...oh the humanity!  Did you see how far she had to jump back to prevent that board from pearling?