Kaanapali

Kaanapali is a W-facing reef break in Hawaii, United States. It picks up swell from N to NNE and S to SSW, and land, islands, reefs or shallow banks block about 76% of the directions it faces. Offshore wind here blows from the E: light winds or E breezes usually mean the cleanest surf, while W onshores chop it up.

Rare slot: the Kalohi Channel lets in swell from 279.5° (W) and nothing either side. It only lines up when a storm sits in that exact direction, more than 370 km out. How slot swells work

Break

Reef

Faces

W (270°)

Best swell

S to SSW (178°–205°) or N to NNE (8°–25°), 11 s or longer

Best wind

NE to SE offshore, or glassy

Best surf height

4–10 ft at the beach

Swell window

N to NNE (8.5° to 25.5°); S to SSW (178.5° to 205°)

Rare slot

Kalohi Channel, 279.5° W

Offshore wind

E

Tide

NOAA station TPT2799

Wave buoy

Pauwela, Maui, HI (187) · 30 km away

Cams

3 (3 play here)