MOLOKAI SWIM
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MOLOKAI SWIM
Aloha!
Congratulations!!!! Organizing and planning to swim the Molokai Channel is an amazing feat. We are here to make this a life long memory with everything necessary for successfully swimming the Molokai Channel. I offer certified swims of the Oceans Seven Molokai and the Ka'iwi Channel. This swim comprises 26 miles (42km) of deep open ocean water between the islands of Molokai and Oahu. This is not an easy task for all involved and I am in awe of the swimmers courage and determination to take it on.
The protocol for swimming the Ka'iwi Channel has changed because of recent Cookie Cutter Shark attacks in the deep water at the middle of the channel at night. The swim will now start at 2am on Molokai so that we can be assured the swimmer will pass the deep water in the middle of the channel during daylight hours. This means the swimmer will need to fly to Molokai the day before the swim and secure lodging at Kalua Koi on the western side of the island. Typically the swimmer and their crew will swim out to the boat and we will proceed to the start site on Papohako Beach to the south of Kalua Koi.
Swimming the Ka'iwi Channel is completely dependent on the weather, especially the wind! Safety is our main concern and we will only take on the challenge when the highest predicted wind gusts in the channel are 15 knots, at my custom spot on the "Windguru" website. I am also looking for a “one star” or "no star" reading throughout the course timeframe with wind speeds less than 8 knots at 5am. This is very important.
Meaningful weather forecasts only emerge about a week before your swim window opens. Confidence in good course conditions based on weather forecasts only arises about 72-48hrs before your swim. For this reason, swimmers are urged to "stay frosty" meaning be ready to swim anytime you are present on the island of Oahu, and inform Capt. Mike of your travel dates ahead of time.
The protocol for swimming the Ka'iwi Channel has changed because of recent Cookie Cutter Shark attacks in the deep water at the middle of the channel at night. The swim will now start at 2am on Molokai so that we can be assured the swimmer will pass the deep water in the middle of the channel during daylight hours. This means the swimmer will need to fly to Molokai the day before the swim and secure lodging at Kalua Koi on the western side of the island. Typically the swimmer and their crew will swim out to the boat and we will proceed to the start site on Papohako Beach to the south of Kalua Koi.
Swimming the Ka'iwi Channel is completely dependent on the weather, especially the wind! Safety is our main concern and we will only take on the challenge when the highest predicted wind gusts in the channel are 15 knots, at my custom spot on the "Windguru" website. I am also looking for a “one star” or "no star" reading throughout the course timeframe with wind speeds less than 8 knots at 5am. This is very important.
Meaningful weather forecasts only emerge about a week before your swim window opens. Confidence in good course conditions based on weather forecasts only arises about 72-48hrs before your swim. For this reason, swimmers are urged to "stay frosty" meaning be ready to swim anytime you are present on the island of Oahu, and inform Capt. Mike of your travel dates ahead of time.
- As your swim date approaches I will update you with the best wind, tide and surf conditions within your swim window. Weather predictions are more accurate about a week before your swim window and have the most certainty about 48-72 hours before your swim.
- We will have a pre-swim meeting 48-72 hours before your swim. We will discuss all the details of your swim and go over any questions or concerns you may have. Please contact Captain Mike for the time and place of the pre swim meeting.
- Please also be advised that I REQUIRE all swimmers to use shark protective devices while swimming in the Ka’iwi channel, and are included as part of your escort. This includes keeping a Shark Shield Freedom 7 units maintained, charged and attaching one of them to the kayak at all times. Please understand that you are relying on the manufacturer's claims as to the effectiveness of the device. I have used Ocean Guardian Shark Shield devices on multiple swims and found them to function as advertised while the units were operational. If anyone has an extra shark shield that they are not using please let Capt Mike know.
- Please contact me anytime with specific questions after studying the FAQ that are listed below.
SWIM FAQ
Q. When is the pre-swim meeting?
A. Usually 72-48 hours before the swim, contact Captain Mike for details.
Q. Should the swimmer stay the night before the swim on Molokai?
A. Yes. Please fly over to Molokai the day before your swim and secure lodging at Kalua Koi.
Q. What are the features of your boat?
A. 31' ft Hawaiian Funai, with SEAKEEPER Stability device, toilet, 120v power (US outlets), USB outlets, running
fresh and saltwater, accommodates the swimmer and 2 of the swimmers crew. LOTS OF DRINKING WATER WILL BE AVAILABLE ON BOARD FOR SWIMMER AND CREW.
Q. When is a good time of day to start the swim?
A. The swim should start between 2-3am so that we traverse the deepest part of the channel during daytime and hopefully reach Oahu while there is still daylight.
Q. Where do we start the swim? What about the surf at the start?
A. The meeting point on Molokai is Kepuhi Beach at Kaluakoi. Find the swimming pool and you will see the boat from there. The swimmer and their crew will need to swim out to the boat from the beach. Typically we then head south to Papohako beach to start the swim since the southern end of Papohako beach is 1.5km closer to Oahu. If there is surf we may need to start at North Papohako Beach, which is more sheltered from the surf.
If there is large surf we will start the swim at La'au point.
La'au point starts are case by case, please speak with Capt. Mike.
Surf forecasts are generally very reliable as there are many surf buoys North of Oahu that give real time data on surf heights. Actual conditions will be assessed locally.
Q. How does the swimmers crew get on the escort boat on Molokai?
A. All the swimmers crew must swim out to the escort boat, usually 100-300 yards offshore.
The kayaker will help to load bags from the beach, best to have dry bags or place luggage in large plastic trash bags. Please load the majority of your gear on the boat at the pre-swim meeting on Oahu.
Q. What is the best Tide to make the swim?
A. In the Molokai Channel, the effect of the tides do not correlate with currents that we encounter. Currents are different in the Molokai channel every day, predicting the current in anything other than real time is futile. Hawaiian tides are quite subtle compared with those of other channels, with the largest change in tide being just 2.5 feet. (76cm). The best tides for the Molokai Swim are mild tides, however, various currents exist in all tide scenarios.
Q. What about currents and navigation?
A. Currents in the Ka'iwi channel are very tricky to maneuver and impossible to predict. The Escort Boat navigates using a Garmin 7212 Instrument and follows a direct rhumb line course. The kayak always follows the boat. The swimmer MUST follow the kayak. Using my Garmin, I can measure speed and direction of the current and let the swimmer know what is happening in real time. We will only know a current exists and what its effects are when we encounter it in real time.
This is the only prediction/observation method capable of producing accurate data. The swimmer must fight the current to stay on the rhumb line course. The escort boat is positioned to provide the most efficient vector for the kayak to return to the rhumb line. FOLLOW THE KAYAK. The position of the escort boat can be confusing and misleading to the swimmer, so focus on swimming and following the kayak. Swims become much more challenging to finish if the swimmer strays more than 1.5km from the rhumb line.
Q. Is there anything else I should know about swimming the Molokai Ka'iwi Channel?
A. The Ka'iwi Channel is a rough water swim. It is literally swimming in the open ocean. You should train in rough water to prepare for the waves and chop of the Ka'iwi channel
Q. What about protection from sharks?
A. Shark shield equipment is REQUIRED and included in your escort.
Q. What about the stinging creatures?
A. There are Anti Sting repellents and remedies please visit: WWW.STINGNOMORE.COM
Q. What other safety equipment do I need for my swim?
A. Also REQUIRED is a Red LED light attached to your goggle strap. (non flashing)
Red is preferred because the stinging creatures cannot see red light and is the best color for preserving night vision. Night vision is very important for the navigation of the boat. Your crew on the boat should also use Red light head lamps.
Q. Can the swimmer ride on the escort boat up to Molokai?
A. NO.
Q. Can the captain take photos and videos of your swim?
A. Yes. For documentation and media purposes there will be photography/video of your swim, however, hiring a professional photographer/drone pilot is recommended. Ask Capt Mike for details.
Q. At the start of the swim should I quickly wave and dive into the water?
A. No. Please walk up the beach to dry sand (or where the waves no longer touch you) and wait for Captain Mike to wave at you from the bridge. It is important to video and document the start time of your swim.
Q. How important is my nutrition (feeding) during my swim?
A. First off - It is best that you bring your own feeder. Better yet 2 feeders. Feeding is a tough job. This should be a person who knows you and your feeding regimen well and has prior experience feeding you on other swims. My crew does not provide feeding services. It may be possible to arrange for a feeder, please speak to Capt Mike to arrange. Nutrition is vital while swimming the Molokai Channel. It is just as important as your mental and physical conditioning. Swimmers who use liquid carbohydrates and proteins have greater success than those who do not. Swimmers who start eating cookies candy bars and drinking Coke or Pepsi one hour into the swim, usually do not finish the course. Study how the Iron Man triathletes feed. You need that. Your feeding regimen should be well planned and practiced. Please organize an effective delivery system for your nutrition. (Bottles, line, Poles with basket, etc.) Feeding normally occurs on the Starboard (right) side of the boat as this keeps the swimmer up wind of the diesel fumes from the boat. Feedings are best performed at 30 minute intervals starting 30 minutes after the start.
Q. At night, what color light should the feeder use while preparing and delivering feeds to the swimmer.
A. Please use only Red light. A headlamp is best. Red light does not impair night vision which the Captian relies on to navigate the swim.
Q. Does Capt. Mike provide a feeder for the swimmer?
A. No. Please arrange feeding crew for your swim. Two person feeding crew is best. If you're having an issue finding a feeder, talk to Capt Mike.
Q. What do we do at the end of the swim?
A. The course has very specific end points Sandy Beach, Alan Davis Beach or very rarely at Makapu'u Point. Most of the swims have been ending at Alan Davis Beach. It is 2 km closer to Molokai and the currents are usually better on that approach to Oahu.
It is advisable to swim back to the boat from Alan Davis because the walk to the parking lot is about 400 meters on a rocky trail. If you do walk out at Alan Davis be absolutely certain you have slippers or similar footwear to make the hike.
At Sandy Beach the parking lot is very close. If you have people meeting you at Sandy Beach, you can ride with them back to Waikiki Yacht Club to gather your belongings. The car ride and the boat ride back to the club take about the same amount of time. The swimmer needs to swim back through the shore-break to the escort boat, if they wish to ride the boat back to berth. If there is no car ride at Sandy beach, the escort boat will take the swimmer back to dock on Oahu.
Q. Where do we meet for the start on Molokai?
A. The swim starts on Molokai's west side closest to Oahu. The meeting point is Kaluakoi Beach: Find the swimming pool at Kaluakoi Resort and wait there until the escort boat arrives. Come down to the beach area for loading after contact with the escort boat has been made. ( The area is also named Kepuhi beach). In the earlier part of the season Kepuhi beach can be washed out and unsuitable for loading the boat. If this is the case, the alternate loading spot is to the south on Papohako Beach or just to the North of Kaluakoi at Māké horse beach.
SWIM FAQ
Q. When is the pre-swim meeting?
A. Usually 72-48 hours before the swim, contact Captain Mike for details.
Q. Should the swimmer stay the night before the swim on Molokai?
A. Yes. Please fly over to Molokai the day before your swim and secure lodging at Kalua Koi.
Q. What are the features of your boat?
A. 31' ft Hawaiian Funai, with SEAKEEPER Stability device, toilet, 120v power (US outlets), USB outlets, running
fresh and saltwater, accommodates the swimmer and 2 of the swimmers crew. LOTS OF DRINKING WATER WILL BE AVAILABLE ON BOARD FOR SWIMMER AND CREW.
Q. When is a good time of day to start the swim?
A. The swim should start between 2-3am so that we traverse the deepest part of the channel during daytime and hopefully reach Oahu while there is still daylight.
Q. Where do we start the swim? What about the surf at the start?
A. The meeting point on Molokai is Kepuhi Beach at Kaluakoi. Find the swimming pool and you will see the boat from there. The swimmer and their crew will need to swim out to the boat from the beach. Typically we then head south to Papohako beach to start the swim since the southern end of Papohako beach is 1.5km closer to Oahu. If there is surf we may need to start at North Papohako Beach, which is more sheltered from the surf.
If there is large surf we will start the swim at La'au point.
La'au point starts are case by case, please speak with Capt. Mike.
Surf forecasts are generally very reliable as there are many surf buoys North of Oahu that give real time data on surf heights. Actual conditions will be assessed locally.
Q. How does the swimmers crew get on the escort boat on Molokai?
A. All the swimmers crew must swim out to the escort boat, usually 100-300 yards offshore.
The kayaker will help to load bags from the beach, best to have dry bags or place luggage in large plastic trash bags. Please load the majority of your gear on the boat at the pre-swim meeting on Oahu.
Q. What is the best Tide to make the swim?
A. In the Molokai Channel, the effect of the tides do not correlate with currents that we encounter. Currents are different in the Molokai channel every day, predicting the current in anything other than real time is futile. Hawaiian tides are quite subtle compared with those of other channels, with the largest change in tide being just 2.5 feet. (76cm). The best tides for the Molokai Swim are mild tides, however, various currents exist in all tide scenarios.
Q. What about currents and navigation?
A. Currents in the Ka'iwi channel are very tricky to maneuver and impossible to predict. The Escort Boat navigates using a Garmin 7212 Instrument and follows a direct rhumb line course. The kayak always follows the boat. The swimmer MUST follow the kayak. Using my Garmin, I can measure speed and direction of the current and let the swimmer know what is happening in real time. We will only know a current exists and what its effects are when we encounter it in real time.
This is the only prediction/observation method capable of producing accurate data. The swimmer must fight the current to stay on the rhumb line course. The escort boat is positioned to provide the most efficient vector for the kayak to return to the rhumb line. FOLLOW THE KAYAK. The position of the escort boat can be confusing and misleading to the swimmer, so focus on swimming and following the kayak. Swims become much more challenging to finish if the swimmer strays more than 1.5km from the rhumb line.
Q. Is there anything else I should know about swimming the Molokai Ka'iwi Channel?
A. The Ka'iwi Channel is a rough water swim. It is literally swimming in the open ocean. You should train in rough water to prepare for the waves and chop of the Ka'iwi channel
Q. What about protection from sharks?
A. Shark shield equipment is REQUIRED and included in your escort.
Q. What about the stinging creatures?
A. There are Anti Sting repellents and remedies please visit: WWW.STINGNOMORE.COM
Q. What other safety equipment do I need for my swim?
A. Also REQUIRED is a Red LED light attached to your goggle strap. (non flashing)
Red is preferred because the stinging creatures cannot see red light and is the best color for preserving night vision. Night vision is very important for the navigation of the boat. Your crew on the boat should also use Red light head lamps.
Q. Can the swimmer ride on the escort boat up to Molokai?
A. NO.
Q. Can the captain take photos and videos of your swim?
A. Yes. For documentation and media purposes there will be photography/video of your swim, however, hiring a professional photographer/drone pilot is recommended. Ask Capt Mike for details.
Q. At the start of the swim should I quickly wave and dive into the water?
A. No. Please walk up the beach to dry sand (or where the waves no longer touch you) and wait for Captain Mike to wave at you from the bridge. It is important to video and document the start time of your swim.
Q. How important is my nutrition (feeding) during my swim?
A. First off - It is best that you bring your own feeder. Better yet 2 feeders. Feeding is a tough job. This should be a person who knows you and your feeding regimen well and has prior experience feeding you on other swims. My crew does not provide feeding services. It may be possible to arrange for a feeder, please speak to Capt Mike to arrange. Nutrition is vital while swimming the Molokai Channel. It is just as important as your mental and physical conditioning. Swimmers who use liquid carbohydrates and proteins have greater success than those who do not. Swimmers who start eating cookies candy bars and drinking Coke or Pepsi one hour into the swim, usually do not finish the course. Study how the Iron Man triathletes feed. You need that. Your feeding regimen should be well planned and practiced. Please organize an effective delivery system for your nutrition. (Bottles, line, Poles with basket, etc.) Feeding normally occurs on the Starboard (right) side of the boat as this keeps the swimmer up wind of the diesel fumes from the boat. Feedings are best performed at 30 minute intervals starting 30 minutes after the start.
Q. At night, what color light should the feeder use while preparing and delivering feeds to the swimmer.
A. Please use only Red light. A headlamp is best. Red light does not impair night vision which the Captian relies on to navigate the swim.
Q. Does Capt. Mike provide a feeder for the swimmer?
A. No. Please arrange feeding crew for your swim. Two person feeding crew is best. If you're having an issue finding a feeder, talk to Capt Mike.
Q. What do we do at the end of the swim?
A. The course has very specific end points Sandy Beach, Alan Davis Beach or very rarely at Makapu'u Point. Most of the swims have been ending at Alan Davis Beach. It is 2 km closer to Molokai and the currents are usually better on that approach to Oahu.
It is advisable to swim back to the boat from Alan Davis because the walk to the parking lot is about 400 meters on a rocky trail. If you do walk out at Alan Davis be absolutely certain you have slippers or similar footwear to make the hike.
At Sandy Beach the parking lot is very close. If you have people meeting you at Sandy Beach, you can ride with them back to Waikiki Yacht Club to gather your belongings. The car ride and the boat ride back to the club take about the same amount of time. The swimmer needs to swim back through the shore-break to the escort boat, if they wish to ride the boat back to berth. If there is no car ride at Sandy beach, the escort boat will take the swimmer back to dock on Oahu.
Q. Where do we meet for the start on Molokai?
A. The swim starts on Molokai's west side closest to Oahu. The meeting point is Kaluakoi Beach: Find the swimming pool at Kaluakoi Resort and wait there until the escort boat arrives. Come down to the beach area for loading after contact with the escort boat has been made. ( The area is also named Kepuhi beach). In the earlier part of the season Kepuhi beach can be washed out and unsuitable for loading the boat. If this is the case, the alternate loading spot is to the south on Papohako Beach or just to the North of Kaluakoi at Māké horse beach.
Q. When the escort boat arrives should I jump in the water and swim out to the boat?
A. No. After crossing the channel, the escort boat and crew need to prepare for your swim, usually 45min-1hour. Contact will be made once we arrive and then again when it is time to load the boat.
Q. Where can I stay in Honolulu?
A. Here are some recommended Hotels, Air BNB and VRBO also provide good lodging.
A. No. After crossing the channel, the escort boat and crew need to prepare for your swim, usually 45min-1hour. Contact will be made once we arrive and then again when it is time to load the boat.
Q. Where can I stay in Honolulu?
A. Here are some recommended Hotels, Air BNB and VRBO also provide good lodging.
MOLOKAI SWIM
ONCE IN A LIFETIME MIND BLOWING EXPERIENCE!!
ONCE IN A LIFETIME MIND BLOWING EXPERIENCE!!