Tag Archives: surfing

Turtle Reef – Even Better Than Turtle Town

Posted on by Chris Murray
Lots of turtles at Turtle Reef

Lots of turtles at Turtle Reef

The commercial snorkeling boats don’t stop at Turtle Reef located 300-400 yards off Kalama Park in Kihei. Perhaps the water is too shallow or there is too much going on in the vicinity – like surfing and stand-up paddle boarding. Maybe it’s too “urban.” (We’re talking south/central Kihei here, not pristine Makena landing.) For whatever reason the big boats don’t go, don’t let it stop you from visiting Turtle Reef.

There are several great ways to get there. (Unless you are a VERY strong swimmer, swimming from shore isn’t one of them.) We’ve been there by stand-up paddle board and kayak. Others use a surf board. You can rent any of these from Maui Wave Riders (across the street from the south end of Kalama Park) or other nearby outfits.

The reef is large and there are turtles everywhere – especially in the morning when the turtles like to feed and the water is calm. As you can see from the map, Turtle Reef is close to our condo at Maui Vista. We launched our kayak at Charley Young Beach and paddled over.

Turtle Reef Map

If at first you don’t see turtles, keep looking. When you get in the right spot you’ll see them everywhere. I’ve counted as many at 12 turtle heads out of the water near my stand-up paddle board at a time. They get so close they may bump into you.

Turtle reef 6

Despite the temptation, please don’t touch the turtles – bad karma. If you like, bring snorkel gear to get an even better view!

Two youngsters and a baby turtle

Two youngsters and a baby turtle

While Turtle Reef is terrific, Turtle Town is great as well. click here to see our post on Turtle Town.

Mode of Transportation – PortaPotty Surfers

Posted on by Chris Murray

Maybe the nice man will give these ladies a ride

The wind was up, the paddle boarders down – stranded on Charley Young Beach a half mile from Maui Wave Riders where they’d rented their boards.

Gotta get back. What to do?

Hey, here’s a man with a truck. Maybe he can give the ladies a ride. (Hmm, why’s he wearing plastic gloves?)

Looks like he’s going their way! “Rainbow Rentals – Service is Our #1 Priority.” I wonder if that’s what the boss had in mind. Thank you Rainbow Rentals!

This is SO Maui (well, maybe not Wailea, Kaanapali or Kapalua – but definitely Kihei).

POST NOTE: Our neighbor reported she saw the truck going up the road and the ladies were waving to people as if they were on a beauty pagent float!

(Photos courtesy of Sandi Rethage. Thanks Sandi!)

Catching a Wave at Ho’okipa

Posted on by Chris Murray

Catching a wave at Ho ‘okipa – Photo by Dick Morgan

Perhaps the most consistent surfing waves on Maui are at Ho’okipa (pronounced Hō ō key pă) on the north shore about two miles east of the Paia stoplight on the Hana Highway. There’s a great overlook with parking at the east end of the bay. The first two photos in this post were taken from that vantage point.

This is a very popular spot for locals. Spectators are fine, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, stay out of the water.

Oops – Photo by Dick Morgan

Sometimes when the surf is down the wind is up. In that case, you’ll miss the surfers but catch the windsurfers. Sometimes you’ll see both. This guy was off to a good start but not a great finish.

Catching air

For perhaps obvious reasons, the surfers and windsurfers tend to stay apart. Whenever we’ve been there the surfers were by the eastern overlook where the big rollers are and the windsurfers farther west. There’s a smaller overlook above the area most popular with the windsurfers. If there’s room, you might get a better view from there.

While you’re in the area, catch a bite to eat at one of the restaurants in Paia. So far our blog has reviewed Cafe Mambo (our favorite for island style pub food) and Mama’s Fish House. Look for other Paia restaurant reviews in the future.

Mode of Transportation – PortaPotty Surfers

Posted on by Chris Murray

Maybe the nice man will give these ladies a ride

The wind was up, the paddle boarders down – stranded on Charley Young Beach a half mile from Maui Wave Riders where they’d rented their boards.

Gotta get back. What to do?

Hey, here’s a man with a truck. Maybe he can give the ladies a ride. (Hmm, why’s he wearing plastic gloves?)

Looks like he’s going their way! “Rainbow Rentals – Service is Our #1 Priority.” I wonder if that’s what the boss had in mind. Thank you Rainbow Rentals!

This is SO Maui (well, maybe not Wailea, Kaanapali or Kapalua – but definitely Kihei).

POST NOTE: Our neighbor reported she saw the truck going up the road and the ladies were waving to people as if they were on a beauty pagent float!

(Photos courtesy of Sandi Rethage. Thanks Sandi!)

Surfer Memorial at La Perouse

Posted on by Chris Murray

Surfer Memorial at La Perouse

When the surf is running from the south, some of the serious surfers on Maui head to La Perouse. Unless you have a key to the gate for the private road, the closest you can get by car is the end of the road well past Big Beach. Some locals have a key. Others carry their boards along the trail described below.

To get to La Perouse, head south past Big Beach and into the Ahihi Kenau Reserve. A few hundred yards past Kanahena Cove (near the west end of the Reserve), the road narrows and the potholes proliferate. You’ll drive about a mile through a large lava field dating from 1790. Shortly after the lava stops you’ll see horse stables to your left and a monument just beyond. You can park here or drive the last hundred yards over an incredibly rough road and park by the ocean. It’s a beautiful spot and if you go no farther the trip is still worthwhile. If you’re very lucky, you may see dolphins resting in the shallows near the shore. Be sure to check out the cove around the bend to the right where you can see many beautiful fish from the shore. It’s private property so please respect the signs – but someone at La Perouse has a sweet spot on earth.

To see the Surfer Memorial you have to take a hike. Much of the trail is exposed and windy, so put on sunscreen, wear a hat with a chin strap and take some water. It’s about 3/4 mile to the memorial over uneven but more or less level terrain. It’s not a difficult hike.

The trail head is obvious – you’ll see it to the left as you face the water. The first part leads through the lava field where you’ll see a few cultural and historic sites (mainly the remains of enclosures made of lava). About two-thirds the way through the lava field is a fun blow hole – at least when the tide is high and the surf is up. (NOTE: blowholes can be dangerous. Keep a safe distance. A tourist was sucked into a bigger one on the north shore of Maui in 2011. His body was never found. A youngster could easily be sucked into this one – and maybe you.)

Not long after you leave the blowhole, the lava field is replaced by a small sandy beach. Beyond the beach the trail enters a welcome shady grove. Look for wild goats in this area. You can’t miss them – there are lots. The one in this picture seems to be chewing on a stick.

The Surfer Memorial is near the end of the grove – just off the trail toward the ocean. If the surf’s up, you may see surfers in the background. Quite a striking sight.  In fact, if you click on the picture at the top of this post and enlarge it, you’ll see a surfer paddling out to catch a wave.

In our picture of the memorial we show only one cross and broken board. When you get there, you’ll see two. It’s a great sport, but some of the surfers don’t come home.

Interested in other hikes on Maui? Check out our posts on Mount Haleakala hikes:  The Sliding Sands Trail and The Halemauu Trail. To read more about hiking La Perouse Bay, click here.

UPDATE June 5, 2012: on a recent hike of La Perouse trail we discovered that both broken surfboards were gone. There were pieces of one laying beside the memorial but the other was nowhere in sight.

Surfing the Big Water at Honolua Bay

Posted on by Chris Murray

When the surf is up the best surfers head for their favorite spots. In the winter months, Honolua Bay, past Kapalua at the northwest corner of Maui, can be one of the best. This picture was taken in December, a day before a women’s pro event sponsored by Billabong. The best vantage point is down the dirt road on the east side of the Bay. Unless there’s an event going on, there’s lots of parking available.

While you won’t always see great surfing at Honolua Bay, it’s well worth the trip. When the surf’s not running some of the West Maui snorkling boats stop there. But you don’t have to spend the big bucks to see the fish and fine coral of Honolua Bay. Take some beach chairs, towels and snorkle gear from our condo and head out. Past the paved view point overlooking Honolua Bay from the east, the road goes downhill and curves around the bay. Park at the bottom of the hill (you’ll see other cars) and take the trail to the beach. You can swim out from there.

Oh yes, the beach isn’t sandy – so take some water shoes or reliable sandals to protect your feet.

Paddle Board Dog at Charley Young Beach

Posted on by Chris Murray

Paddle boarding – it’s so easy your dog could do it.

Maybe you didn’t bring your dog, or your paddle board to Maui. You can rent a board at places all over the island. (Sorry, no surfing dogs for rent – at least that we know of.)

The closest place to Maui Vista for paddle board rental is Maui Wave Riders at the south end of Kalama Park. They give lessons too. Some people surf with paddle boards. You can watch them off the park – particularly in the morning. Others just paddle around – with or without their dog.

The best time to go is in the morning when there’s not much surf and the winds are calm. It’s not hard. But unless you really know what you’re doing, please don’t try to do what you see those little specks way out in the ocean do. That would be a bad place to be caught in a big wind. Use common sense and you’ll have lots of fun. If you’re lucky, you might even paddle with a turtle or two!