How long is the snorkel season at Kauai North Shore?

[ciscogizmo1]

My dh and I are debating about this. We just snorkeled at Pali Ke Kua and loved it but I told dh I didn't think you could snorkel year around. But we couldn't figure how long. Can anyone let us know? We love Princeville area and would love to live here when we get older. It is the yearly debate we have on which island we plan to retire on? LOL... We did see some really reasonably priced homes. Should we buy now or wait a bit longer for the market to get worst?

 

[SherryS]

We visited Kauai twice during the winter months (February 2008 and March 2005). During both of those visits, the waves were very high and we were unable to snorkle on the north shore. We were able to snorkle at Lawai Beach Resort on the south shore near Poipu.

 

[Werner]

The biggest difference between summer and winter in Hawaii are the state ocean and direction of the wind, not the temperature. In the winter the north and west shores get hit with waves generated by winter storms far out to sea in the North Pacific, these waves are famous for surfing. Even if the surf is not extremely high, the winter conditions churn up the sand and make visibility poor for snorkeling. Although it is always possible to get lucky and have a truly calm day on the north shore in winter, they are rare. (North Shore beaches are also much more dangerous in winter because the high surf triggers rip currents. see this recent post about Beach Safety)

You would think then that south shore beaches would be OK but in winter the NE tradewinds give way to SW Kona winds and the south shore waters gets churned up from waves generated by on-shore winds.

Some snorkel beaches have protective reefs that reduce the wave height but the wave action still churns up the sand, reducing visibility. Even well protected beaches like Salt Pond Park on the south shore get churned up in Kona winds. A reefed area like Tunnels Beach is even more dangerous than usual in high surf even though the reef appears to be knocking down the waves. The water that overflows the reef has to get out of the lagoon somehow and it flows out as a rip current through gaps in the reef. If you are snorkeling along the reef and hit the gap, you are gone! You can't swim back through the gap against the current and you can't come over the reef or you will be torn to shreds.

We have been to Kauai in winter 3 times and summer once during the past 5 years and have never had a good, clear snorkeling day in winter but on our one summer trip the snorkeling was fine almost every time we went out, either on the Big Island or Kauai.

 

[hibbeln]

October to April would be very iff-y for north shore snorkelling.

 

[Mimi]

Our next Hawaii trip is to Kauai and Maui in Jan/Feb, mainly to check out the whales. Our favorite activity is snorkeling. Based on the posts on this thread, I see why we prefer the summer months. I'm thinking that we should consider May and early June in the future, now that we are retired, to avoid the crowds. :rofl:

 

[ciscogizmo1]

I was asking the question because my Kauai Guidebook just says the water is inacessible in the winter but doesn't give months. It also says that the south side Poipu have tamer waves in the winter than summer. So, I do think it possible to snorkel in the winter at least at Poipu. I'm not sure how it works on Maui. We usually only come during summer or Thanksgivnig week. Last year at Maui (Kanapali area), we were able to snorkel the 1st part of the week then, the 2nd part of the week the waves were too big. I'm not sure if it says like that all winter.

 

[LisaH]

October to April would be very iff-y for north shore snorkelling.

We snorkeled in early to mid Oct at Ke'e and Tunnel and we had no problem at all.

 

[jacknsara]

My dh and I are debating about this. We just snorkeled at Pali Ke Kua and loved it but I told dh I didn't think you could snorkel year around. But we couldn't figure how long. Can anyone let us know? We love Princeville area and would love to live here when we get older. It is the yearly debate we have on which island we plan to retire on? LOL... We did see some really reasonably priced homes. Should we buy now or wait a bit longer for the market to get worst?

Aloha,
I'll spare you all the details unless you push. Over about 8 years of being on Kauai for 1 - 3 weeks in winter (ranging between weeks 50 thru 7), conditions were suitable for snorkeling on the days we were on the north shore about 4 times (doesn't count Anini which you can go almost always go in but is boring for snorkeling). We don't go to the north shore that often, so percentage wise, between 10% and 15% of the days would be my guess. My mantra is to always have the gear in the car because you won't really know till you get there.
If you want to retire in Hawaii where the snorkeling is best, the Big Island is it. There is no comparison. We love Kauai so we go there. I snorkel in Kauai because I'm there. When I think of great snorkeling in Hawaii, I think of Two Step (and others, but why settle for 2nd best)
Jack