I recently joined Hui Waʻa Kaukahi and I’m loving ocean kayaking! The club’s welcoming atmosphere has made me feel right at home. On Sunday, June 1st, we embarked on an 8-mile paddle from Haleʻiwa Beach Park to Runway Beach, typically a tailwind-friendly route (so I was told) 😉 However, the wind decided to play tricks on us!
Staged for launch at Haleʻiwa
The Paddle
We started with ten paddlers, but Steve Harris decided to turn back at the Waialua Sugar Mill. He couldn’t see us, and the wind was getting stronger, making him think that we had all turned around. There was a big gray cloud coming in from the west (Kaʻena Point) and it looked like the wind was going to blow even harder in our faces. The landing looked just too far away in those conditions so he most reluctantly decided to head back to Haleʻiwa. He was very disappointed as this very rarely happens. But at least he caught an omilu on his way!
The rest of us battled 5-foot waves and a 10 mph headwind, taking about 4 hours to cover 6 miles. It would have taken us at least another hour to paddle to Runway Beach. Luckily, I live close to Camp Mokulēʻia and our tired group decided to land at the beach there instead. We made it just in time before it started pouring rain!
A Safe Landing
Thanks to Stan’s expert guidance and Carolyn’s lead paddling, we made it ashore safely – or so I thought! Kelvin had a surprise capsize behind me, caused by a bump from Bill’s boat. Luckily, everyone was okay. I walked to my house to pick up my car and took the first three people back to their cars at Runway Beach. Kollin helped out by driving Steve’s car to pick him up in Haleʻiwa.
Alternate landing at Camp Mokulēʻia.
All’s Well That Ends Well!
Despite the challenges, we had an amazing time and can’t wait for our next paddle! The camaraderie and shared adventure made it truly unforgettable.
Story and photos (except as noted) by Terry Shimabukuro
May 18, 2025
As I watched over seven kayaks waiting for their owners to return from the carpool to Pōkaʻī Bay I kept scanning the ocean for naiʻa, Hawaiian spinner dolphin, that frequent the leeward coast. I saw some splashes near the Kahe power plant discharge outlet and noticed that a tour boat stopped short of the outlet so I surmised that a pod might be there. I didn’t have my binoculars so I couldn’t confirm my sighting, but it gave me hope that they might cruise past us on our paddle.
Waiting for the carpool
With almost no shore break we all launched off the steep beach without incident. A light tailwind aided us as we began the journey up the coast. I paddled in close past Mermaid’s Cave to Kalanianaʻole Beach Park to show the group where we’d be launching from for the upcoming Summer Solstice Meet & Greet. A flotilla of six enjoyed peering into Nanakuli valley while stroking steadily through the calm water toward Puʻuʻohulu (Maʻili Point). The seventh kayaker, Norm, lagged behind a little as took the time to reel in a small uku (grey snapper).
Passing Nanakuli Valley
There was no surf at Maʻili Point so we rounded it close enough to see hikers up at the pink pillbox on top of the ridge. We took a short break at the point and let Norm catch up with us. We began the second half of the paddle and soon rendezvoused with Paul and Victoria who launched their tandem from Pōkaʻī. About a mile or so from our destination the wind direction changed and we now paddled into a headwind. The wind strength picked up as we got closer to Pōkaʻī turning the last mile into a real slog.
Paul and Victoria join us off of Maʻili Beach
The naiʻa never showed, but as we pulled into the bay a shark warning blasted over a loudspeaker. None of us saw the shark, but the ocean safety jet ski was zipping around the bay warning swimmers.
Norm pulled in last with a total of two uku and one omilu in his fish bag. He later told me that Ed Rhinelanderʻs spirit was with him on this paddle as he caught the fish on frozen oama that Ed had given him years ago.
We enjoyed a nice post-paddle picnic and congratulated Sandy on completing her circumnavigation of Oʻahu a few weeks earlier. Paul brought magnum of bubbly that he had been saving almost ten years waiting for someone to complete their holopuni. Unfortunately, there was no pop when uncorked and it was undrinkable. Luckily Sandy had her own bottle on ice and we properly toasted her accomplishment. Cheers!
Congratulations Sandy! Cheers! – photo by Mary Ann
When I arrived in Hawaii in October, 2013 and joined Hui Waʻa Kaukahi I was new to kayaking and had only paddled a few times on lakes, a bay or a calm river. In my wildest imagination, I would never have considered paddling around the entire island! I started out with the easiest paddles in my inflatable kayak and heavy paddle, always at the back of the pack, and slowly gained strength and skills. I bought Seabands so I never felt queasy again. I took the skills and safety class from Kevin and Joe. I remember telling Kevin, “I really don’t want to tip over!” But he insisted I must learn to self rescue, so over I went.
Easter egg hunt 2018 – photo by Terry
Just four months into my new hobby, I slipped and broke my wrist after a paddle out to the Mokes. I had been so careful hiking around the island and conscientiously paddled safely back, but walking was my (literal) downfall! I was out of the water for several months as I recovered from surgery. The first time I went out paddling after that was on a typically windy day and I had to use that wrist a lot as my rudderless boat was pushed away from the channel. I was tired and decided to just go directly in to get done with it when a wave picked me up, turned me sideways, and I tried bracing with my paddle (which I had just heard about as a technique). It worked! I stayed upright, even rode a second wave, and eventually made it to shore.
Manana 2022 – photo by TerryWindbag Regatta 2024 – photo by Ruby
I graduated to a hard shell kayak with a rudder, and a really nice carbon fiber paddle. What a difference that made! But I was still a newbie when it came to learning ocean conditions. My first attempt at launching from Mālaekahana to go around Kahuku Point was a disaster. I didn’t know enough to not go out in strong wind and rough surf. I was feeling proud of myself as I got over bigger and bigger swells, until I got to one that was too big, and breaking, and I tumbled around for a few waves, trying to hold onto my boat as I contemplated how to flip it over and get to my radio. I had not practiced self rescue with the new boat (big mistake, but the waves were furious and I may not have been able to anyway). Fortunately, my fellow club members came to the rescue, somehow hauled me onto the first boat I was near and I paddled in as quickly as I could with a left-handed paddle. Steve accompanied me to the beach, and miraculously had salvaged my prescription sunglasses and hat from the water! I was really scared of waves after that, and black and blue from the hard kayak, but I learned a lot that day, including some things I needed to work on. At the next Crash and Burn clinic, Eileen talked me through self rescue techniques on my new boat, which really helped my confidence to keep trying.
Kaʻena Point 2023 – photo by Stan
So it may not surprise anyone that this same paddle didn’t make my list of things I wanted to do until it was the last one I needed to complete the circle. But first, almost ten years into kayaking, I braved up and took advantage of a beautiful day to go around Kaʻena Point. It was only Stan D and me and the conditions were magical. There were some very big swells but they were not breaking, and the water near the point was glassy. That was the first time I thought that maybe I could finish the whole circle. It took time, I think about a year and a half, but I completed the points around Diamond Head, Weed Out The Wimps around Makapuʻu and Koko Head, and Barber’s Point plus a few shorter paddles to fill in my map. Then finally I was down to The Last Dreaded Paddle.
And herstory was made! It was not quite as calm as the Kaʻena Point day just two days earlier, but it was really good, and nothing like that nightmare day many years before which, by the way, turned out to have Small Craft Advisories and I was not the only one rescued. The next two weekends after I finished were windy and paddles were canceled, so my champagne celebration was held after the Tracks to Pōkaʻī Bay paddle on May 18th.
Sandy with her mom at the completion of her holopuni – photo by SteveCongratulations Sandy! Cheers! – photo by Mary Ann
I continue to learn about navigating the waves and reading weather conditions, but the confidence I’ve gained from pushing onward has helped make the experience much more enjoyable, and less scary. My advice to new paddlers: Don’t be afraid to ask questions! There are decades of experience amongst the members of the hui, and what you learn can make the difference between a fun day and a Not Fun day. Happy Paddling!
Our last paddle in April, originally planned from Mākua to Kaʻena Point (with hopes of spying spinner dolphins), changed at the last minute to take advantage of a rare confluence of conditions. For a while now, Stan Dalbec has championed the idea of a round-trip paddle from Mokulēʻia to Kaʻena Point, to notch this stretch of the coastline in an Oʻahu circumnavigation without the hassle of a car pool. Though Stan had tackled this route on his own before, the stars (and surf) never quite aligned for an official club outing… until that beautiful Sunday morning.
Heading west on a very calm sea
Under practically perfect conditions — smooth water with just a slight, breezy headwind — ten lucky paddlers embarked on this journey on clear blue waters revealing an array of corals and fishes below. We also glimpsed a few honu popping up for breath along the way. Then, amidst the gentle swells at Kaʻena Point, Stan called our attention to a wayward humpback whale (or two?) off to the north performing some dramatic fin and tail slaps. Terry and Stan attempted to check out a cove on the westward side of the Point, but conditions became too treacherous closer to shore. Better luck next time!
Looking at the Waianae side of the pointKoholā puts on a tail-slapping show!
The journey back to Mokulēʻia was a bit more challenging. Although we now had a nice wind at our backs, the surface current persisted in pushing us backwards. My buddy Steven and I, in our rudderless Cobra tandem, got quite the upper body workout. Arm day gains pay off in due time. Meanwhile, Eileen and Sandy were greeted by a monk seal gliding beneath and between their boats, and Steve reeled in a two-pound fish for his dinner.
Stan at the turn around point of his quest
To round out the day, we met up for a delicious lunch at Peruvian Corner in Waialua, where we enjoyed some yucca (cassava) fries, ceviche and Aji de Gallina (like a Peruvian curry).
All in all, a spectacular day and a triumphant checkmark on Stan’s list. Mahalo to all who came out!
Ruby and I pulled into a nearly empty parking lot at Kualoa Campground A to be greeted by a mama duck and her large brood of fluffy ducklings. We hoped that the sparse crowd meant that the large group campsite would be unoccupied for the weekend. Tim had arrived a little before us and he quickly dashed that hope as he told us that one of the park workers said it would be a full house with the Boy Scouts occupying the large group site. (They also told him that mama duck was named Aflac.) Oh well, at least the Boy Scouts would be quiet neighbors and we got a good parking spot.
Mama duck and ducklings – photo by Ruby
We quickly setup club HQ under a small beachside ironwood grove. With the steady beach erosion, as evidenced by several ironwood stumps below the high tide mark, I wondered how much longer this little grove would survive. We’d enjoy it’s shade at least one more year. An unfortunate confluence of club members on travel, a few battling colds and those turned off by a not-so-rosy weekend weather forecast resulted in a sparse number of campers. The Hui’s petroman and I watched a beautiful Saturday sunrise in relative solitude.
Friday setupPetroman greets the dawn
On Saturday, after the main gate opened, people began to slowly arrive for the paddle to Kahana. While breezy, the wind had dropped below advisory levels and seven paddlers showed up for the journey. Stan Dalbec was able to get our new club banner printed just in time for camp and he delivered it before paddling off. Mahalo for taking care of this Stan! Unfortunately for Stan his paddle was cut short by a nasty wave that dumped him and cracked his hull. I won’t go over the details in this story, but his experience validates our advice to always paddle with a buddy.
Our new club bannerPaul, Julie and Tim ready to paddle to Kahana – photo by Ruby
One of the reasons we held camp the weekend before Easter Sunday was to take advantage of the full moon. Norm was going to lead us on a Saturday twilight paddle around Mokoliʻi under the magical light of the full moon. Pakaʻa, the Hawaiian god of the wind, had other plans, however, as he summoned a strong, steady wind along with a thick cloud cover that lasted most of the afternoon and into the early evening so we had to abort the paddle. Pakaʻa might have been hanging out with the trickster Maui as the wind calmed back down soon after we finished dinner and the mahina began to play peek-a-boo.
Full moon peeks out of the clouds
Conditions were just right for a nice campfire courtesy of Kelly and James. James, a Washington state transplant, had his first taste of fire-roasted papio that he caught right in front of camp an hour or so before. Ono!
The full moon came out for the campfire provided by Kelly and James
While the campers were sparse, we had a good turnout for Sundayʻs activities. About a dozen people attended Kevin and Joeʻs “Introduction to Kayaking” clinic. The clinic ended with a good session of kayak reentry practice on the water.
One of the nice things about Easter Camp is that several of our long-time members who no longer attend regular club paddles show up for the Sunday festivities. One of those members is Susan Girard who created our kayak paddle wielding petroglyph man logo in crayon on a t-shirt silk screen in 1983. Susan still looks forward to pumping up her inflatable to chase down Easter eggs.
Susan Girard is ready to hunt for eggs! – photo by TerryFind those eggs!
Around twenty boats scrambled on the water to hunt for floating Easter eggs. This was our inaugural hunt with decorated wooden eggs and there was a question of whether they would float high enough to be spotted from a kayak. The answer was a resounding, “Yes!”, as 119 or 120 eggs were recovered. As people filled their plates from the potluck buffet President Bill began awarding prizes. The club’s first president, Mark Rognstad, scooped up the golden egg and claimed a large dry bag for his prize. The silver and bronze eggs were found by my neighbor’s daughter and a friend. They received bonus chocolate Easter bunnies to go along with their kayak gear prizes.
Mark receiving the golden egg prize from BillSilver egg winnerThe bronze egg winner
Mahalo to Tim for leading the Kahana paddle and for scattering the eggs, Stan D. for getting our new banner made, bringing the paper goods and for providing a dramatic moment, Kelly and James for the warming campfire, Kevin and Joe for another excellent clinic, Bill for getting and distributing all the prizes, everyone who decorated wooden eggs, Sandy for signing in all the egg hunters, Ruby and Katrena for setting up the potluck, Katrena for bringing garbage bags and for storing the eggs for next year, everyone who brought tables and canopies and those who helped with cleanup and breakdown. A great team effort by all!
