Anchorage· Oahu· Hawaii
Kailua Bay Anchorage (Summer)
21° 24.8′ N · 157° 44.3′ W · approximate
A broad sand-bottomed bight south of Mokapu with Kailua Beach, Popoia and the Mokulua islets in view: a beautiful day stop when the trades lie down, but wide open to them the rest of the time.
Practical
Position is the OpenStreetMap 'Kailua Bay' label in the reef-free north part of the bay, not a surveyed anchorage; sound your way in and anchor on sand clear of coral. The Coast Pilot describes Kailua Bay as an open bight that affords no shelter from the trades; the north part is free of the usual fringing reefs with a sand beach at the head. Treat it as a calm-day or light-wind (or Kona-wind) stop only and leave if the trades build. No marina, fuel or water. Dinghy landing: Kailua Beach Park; the public launching ramp is on the west side of Alala Point near the Kaelepulu Stream mouth (partly damaged by high surf in 2013). HAR 13-256-74 reserves a windsurfing zone off the west end of Kailua Beach Park (no motorboats when windsurfers are using it) and a 100-ft-wide manually-propelled ingress lane from the Kawailoa Road bridge. 72-hours-in-14-days anchoring limit applies (HAR 13-235-9). Stay clear of the Marine Corps danger zone off Mokapu and Mokolea Rock (20 ft high, 1 mile off Mokapu, submerged edge extending 0.15 mile west).
Best for
Calm-day lunch stop off Kailua Beach and Popoia
Season
Only in light or calm trades, typically summer lulls; no trade-wind shelter
Nearby
- Kailua Beach Windsurfing and Kitesurfing1 NM away
- Kalapawai Market (Kailua Beach)1 NM away
- Hardware Hawaii Kailua (Propane)1.1 NM away
- Buzz's Original Steakhouse (Kailua)1.2 NM away
- Kailua Beach Park1.2 NM away
- Kailua Town Provisioning (Whole Foods / Target Kailua)1.2 NM away
- Popoia (Flat Island) Seabird Sanctuary1.3 NM away
- Windward Boats (Kailua)1.3 NM away