Info on Hawaii?

[carstenb]

Hi all,

We're in the Tuamutos Atolls at the moment and thinking about going to Hawaii for the next hurricane season meaning arriving there from the Marquesas in early mid-november.

Besides the Soggy-paws compendium and the Cruisers Guide to Hawaii (out of print) can anyone recommend good sources for info on cruising Hawaii in the wintertime?

We prefer to stay on the hook - but a marina for a night once a month or so is nice

carsten

[GordMay]

I believe that Hawaii (perhaps just Oahu?) has a 72-hour anchoring limit, and anchoring is prohibited in some of the designated Marine Conservation Areas.


➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ii-194224.html

➥ Maui Anchorages: Cruising in the Hawaiian Islands – Sailing S/V Bella Marina

[JPA Cate]

Carsten & Vinni,

There are limited harbours and protected anchorages. Winter storms bring southerlies that make some of those harbors untenable. Marina space is usually taken up by locals. But, maybe you can work something out. If you can find somewhere to leave the boat, then exploring by airplane for the travel becomes possible.

The island of Hawaii has county parks, in which one used to be allowed to camp, but beware the fleas at the beach ones! Hawaii Volcanoes National Park may have campgrounds, as well--they did have a lodge. I do not know if the campgrounds are safe any more, it has been almost 50 years since our family did it.

All the permitted islands have something to offer. No fringe reefs there.

Some of the islands between FP and HI require permits to visit.

Jim and I took a car trip to Waimea Canyon from Hanalei Bay on Kauai and enjoyed it greatly, would have liked going to Mt. Waialeale, but it was always raining!

Good luck with it, I hope you can work it out to do what you want. it will help if your US visas are current.

Ann

[roverhi]

There is a time limit on anchoring on all the Islands. Not a big thing as you can move along the coast a bit and re-anchor. Unfortunately safe anchorages are very limited. You could anchor along the lee side (Kona) of the Big Island and Ka'anapali coast of Maui. As long as you anchor in deep enough water and have chafe protected rode, wintering over on these coasts is possible. Unfortunately it wouldn't be a very calm scene. Even in summer we typically have few feet high swells, sometimes significantly higher from the south. In winter, the constant intense storms that pass well north of the islands send down 10' or more waves. Even in Summer Kailua Bay in Kona was the rolliest anchorage we found from California, to French Polynesia. Boats are permanently moored in the bay here in Kona but they have green growth half way up the topsides.

Fortunately, space available, you can tie up in a State Marina for four months in a Calendar year. We've always got a cruiser or two hanging out in Honokohau Harbor here in Kona from September through April. If you want to travel around you could move from State Harbor to State Harbor almost indefinitely, just not staying more than four months in any one harbor in a year. Don't think the slip charges are all that onerous but would have to wait till I get back to Kona next week to find out the rates. Unfortunately, space is first come first served and they won't hold a slip open for you while you make the passage to a new harbor. Still Honokohau always seems to have vacant slips for boats under 45' or so. Larger slips, maybe not.

I aways forget about about Kailua Bay on Oahu. It's a large almost completely enclosed Bay that looks like a perfect year around hide out. Unfortunately, think it's heavily regulated and policed from what I hear. Perhaps someone from Oahu could chime in on suitabilty for long term anchoring there.

There are haul out facilities at Honokohau in Kona and Keehi Lagoon on Oahu. There may be some maintenance services at Nawiliwili Bay on Kauai. Someone from the Garden Isle may be willing to chime in with more info.

[Gudgeon]

Roverhi is spot on. I think he means Kaneohe Bay not Kailua bay on the windward side. Depending on the swell direction it can get rolly. You can use it all year. Waikiki Yc has transients slips and we have a few boats that stay all winter. It all depends on where the swell and storm are coming from.