BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - Kayaking Na Pali Coast - *PADDLING BACK* to put-in?

Ray Fink

wrote:
Greetings,
Is this possible... wise...?

Report #1
A Haena resident, a local, said that kayakers can paddle back to Kehe
beach, the put-in, from Kalalau. He said the CURRENT is not a
factor
in JULY and that paddlers get up a dawn and paddle back early, before
any WIND picks up. He said the paddle is about 1-2 hours.

Report #2
KayakKauai, the rental shop person on the phone, said that they do
not
recommend paddling back because of current and wind. When I asked
about paddling back at dawn, before the wind... and whether the
current is active in July, the store person said I could email the
owner to see what he says and if he'd rent to us if we wanted to
paddle back.

Our experience: We've done a few open ocean camping trips to islands
off of Baja, about 3-4 hours crossings. Scuppers.

*** Any experienced advice out there? Thank you much!

-Ralph

Possible, yes... we were there in July 2004 and spoke with some locals
at Kalalau; they were paddling back out to Haena. They launched well
before dawn the next morning. All were experienced paddlers from what I
could tell.

Wise, I couldn't say one way or the other. We paddled out to Polihale on
one of the calmest days I've ever seen on an ocean. But a couple days
earlier it was breezy paddling Haena-Kalalau; by late morning, say 15-20
mph or a bit more. Part of the time we rafted up and the guide flew a
kite to sail us along. I didn't notice any current on any day but
calibrate that by saying I probably don't have enough ocean experience
to have recognized any minor current effects.

-- Ray