Photo: Kai Bartlett - from Kai Wa'a video: Maui to Lanai - Click to enlarge
“Maui is the King of DW for the Hawaiian islands. Maui has more consistent wind then any other island, it's downwind runs are world class, …it's easy to hook up with guys or groups going because there's always someone doing it, downwind shuttles, etc. Maui has two awesome runs, if one isn't running, another always will…” JF808 on standupzone.com
Kihei…..“Our south side run is pretty epic…. North wind on the north shore is generally a good indication that the south shore is working. It's a super fun run, small bumps, easy to catch and easy to connect (we call it the ego run). The wind over there, however, is a little more fickle, and can shut down mid run or blow super strong off shore (good to have a rudder).” - Devin Blish
“Winds can turn offshore…, so this run can turn dangerous quickly” - Robert Stehlik
“Yes, it can be dangerous without local experience. Unlike the north shore, our wind has to bend around the mountains, shoot thru the central valley and zoom down the south coast. It gets easier to predict by watching and visiting weather sites on a daily basis. I wish there were some definite leads I could point to, but there are too many variables. We are usually 'on the cusp' of conditions good enough to get in a longer run. If the trades are blowing, we get something. Sometimes the wind only fills in for a few miles.” - Lawrence Risley
Kihei Run
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Maliko Videos
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As with any location which has serious reef and shore breaks, experience and local knowledge are critical in terms of staying safe in and around (or keeping away from) surf breaks on Maui.
Robert Stehlik: “Hawaii’s location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and its predictable pattern of Easterly (&NE) trade winds make it ideal for downwinders…. The trade winds are most consistent in the summer months and can also be very good in spring and fall. Trade winds are least consistent in the Winter months (November through February), when they are often replaced by Kona wind and variable winds…”
Video from Dennis Mowry