Seasonal· Oahu· Hawaii
South Swell Season (Oahu South Shore)
21° 16.6′ N · 157° 50.8′ W · approximate
Summer belongs to the south shore surfers: long-period south swells from distant storms light up Waikiki and Ala Moana, and the same swells make Oahu's south-shore harbor entrances and anchorages dangerous.
Practical
Position is the Ala Wai entrance (approx). Noodle's Notes (Nov 2024): south swells run roughly June-August and are more intermittent than the winter north swell, so south-facing anchorages can be used year-round but must be abandoned when a south swell is running; check a surf forecast (he uses Surfline) by picking a surf spot facing the same direction as your anchorage. Coast Pilot 10: very large summer swells can be found outside Ala Wai Harbor, navigate with utmost caution; Kewalo Basin channel becomes extremely hazardous in high south or kona swells with a strong rip current across it; avoid the Mamala Bay anchorages in large south swell. Waikiki Bight and Mamala Bay become untenable.
Best for
Timing south-shore harbor entries and anchorages
Season
Mainly Jun-Aug; any time a south swell is forecast
Nearby
- Rainbow Reef and Magic Island Day-Use Moorings0.2 NM away
- Magic Island Lagoon (Aina Moana)0.4 NM away
- Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor0.6 NM away
- Ala Wai Weekly Club Races (WYC and HYC)0.6 NM away
- Canyons Reef Day-Use Moorings0.6 NM away
- Hawaii Yacht Club0.6 NM away
- 100 Sails Restaurant and Bar (Prince Waikiki)0.7 NM away
- Chart House Waikiki0.7 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).