Hanalei Bay, HI

Hanalei Bay, located on the Garden Island of Kauai, is a premier outer island North Shore Surf break in Hawaii. Located on the northern coastal reaches of Kauai, you can find Hanalei Bay by driving through the artist town of Hanalei. Look for signs that lead you to the pier and beach park area, where you should find ample beach parking. As you can see from the image taken by Timothy Moore, Hanalei Bay can hold a large winter swell. The paddle out spot is along side the pier. When it is huge it is best to paddle as far outside in the channel, along the fringe of the break, to avoid getting caught inside. It can be a rather long paddle, but in most cases it is worth the effort. Hanalei Bay can be fun when it is small; pealing over a shallow reef with several different peaks available. When it gets double over head or bigger, large winter swells will roll in from the deep water with large tumbling rights that will peak in several spots including a less frequent but safer deep water left inside, closer to the channel. Large north swells will wrap into the bay providing several tiered areas to ride so people do not have to be condensed into one primary spot. Hanalei Bay provides a steep drop, powerful bottom turn and then depending on tide and swell, the wave will mostly likely tube especially as you near the shallow reef area. Normally not a top to bottom tube, Hanalei Bay provides a mixture of deep water rollers with very hollow inside barrels. Bodyboarding is challenging here because the wave breaks fast and if you are not in the right spot at the right time Hanalei Bay will gobble up spongers. Nevertheless, if you make the drop and trim up in time staying ahead of the peak, Hanalei Bay can provide some long and very rewarding rides for Board Surfers and Bodyboarders alike. This break can get crowded and breaks best glassy or with a light offshore. The view from the water of the green Kauai mountains and waterfalls makes this place that much more special.

Wave Type: Reef Break
Swell Direction: North
Bottom Terrain: Reef
Experience: Expert

Photo: Surfer unknown – photo courtesy of Timothy Moore/Pbase.com