Story and photos by Kathrin Delano
Cover photo by Sandy Johnson
June 1, 2025
I recently joined Hui Waʻa Kaukahi and I’m loving ocean kayaking! The club’s welcoming atmosphere has made me feel right at home. On Sunday, June 1st, we embarked on an 8-mile paddle from Haleʻiwa Beach Park to Runway Beach, typically a tailwind-friendly route (so I was told) 😉 However, the wind decided to play tricks on us!
The Paddle
We started with ten paddlers, but Steve Harris decided to turn back at the Waialua Sugar Mill. He couldn’t see us, and the wind was getting stronger, making him think that we had all turned around. There was a big gray cloud coming in from the west (Kaʻena Point) and it looked like the wind was going to blow even harder in our faces. The landing looked just too far away in those conditions so he most reluctantly decided to head back to Haleʻiwa. He was very disappointed as this very rarely happens. But at least he caught an omilu on his way!
The rest of us battled 5-foot waves and a 10 mph headwind, taking about 4 hours to cover 6 miles. It would have taken us at least another hour to paddle to Runway Beach. Luckily, I live close to Camp Mokulēʻia and our tired group decided to land at the beach there instead. We made it just in time before it started pouring rain!
A Safe Landing
Thanks to Stan’s expert guidance and Carolyn’s lead paddling, we made it ashore safely – or so I thought! Kelvin had a surprise capsize behind me, caused by a bump from Bill’s boat. Luckily, everyone was okay. I walked to my house to pick up my car and took the first three people back to their cars at Runway Beach. Kollin helped out by driving Steve’s car to pick him up in Haleʻiwa.
All’s Well That Ends Well!
Despite the challenges, we had an amazing time and can’t wait for our next paddle! The camaraderie and shared adventure made it truly unforgettable.