Best places to Swim on Maui during December-January (Hilo, Kihei: neighborhood, live in)

[nemrut]

Where are the best places to swim on Maui during the winter months? Looking at the guidebooks a lot of them mention beaches in Kihei, Walea/Makena as ideal swimming spots, but i have visited most all of them from Polo Beach to Kam 1-3 and the surf looks pretty choppy during the warmest part of the day.

Also, when i drive along Hwy30 toward Lahaina the water looks very calm yet i see almost no one in the water. Is the water hazardous there for some reason due to pollution of wildlife?

[whynot?]

Originally Posted by nemrut

Also, when i drive along Hwy30 toward Lahaina the water looks very calm yet i see almost no one in the water. Is the water hazardous there for some reason due to pollution of wildlife?

If you're driving from Kihei (area) toward Lahaina, I suspect it's more that we have no (or few) avid swimmers. We do have swim clubs, but their activities are scheduled, and you are probably missing them.
as
There are several annual races -- most famously from Ka'anapali to Lana'i. But given the generic nature of "Lahaina" as running from La'uniopoko to Kapalua, there are annual swims from Lahaintown, Ka'anapali, and Kaplua beaches that I know of. (There may be others, not to mention the numerous "regular" swimmers/swim clubs we see off Airport Beach in our neighborhood.)

As far as I know, ocean "pollution" in the Lahaina area generally (but, thankfully, rarely) means some sort of run-off issue from the Ka'anapali/Honokowa'i water treatment plant. While that facility is WAY overdue for an upgrade, the area's typically dry weather rarely causes a problem. [This does NOT -- in any way -- mean that I do not think that the Honokowa'i plant needs serious attention. It was built in the '70s to handle that level of development, and has been neither well maintained -- NOR upgraded -- to accommodate the shocking amount of development that has occurred over the past 30+ years.)

Still, unless you live in/near some amazingly clean/clear area on the mainland, Maui's (typical) air and water quality are SO MUCH BETTER than the typical metropolitan area's, that it's hard to complain.

My swimming advice remains:
1) Don't swim at dawn or dusk (typical wildlife feeding times), and
2) Don't swim too far from the shore (typical wildlife habitat).

Yes, wildlife is not predictable! So always be aware! But in a "wild" habitat, know they are present and think about their habits. The water quality on Maui is shockingly pure compared to other typical US swimming/diving locations. The beaches/waters get very deep very quickly and the open water refreshment rate is very high within a very low temperature range.

It really is "paradise" in a number of ways.

All the best.

[KonaBlake]

Kaanapali can get a bit of swell and shore break but is highly swimmable this time of year.

[winkosmosis]

You don't see anybody in the water because it's cold. You can't stay in long.

If you go to a crowded beach like Wailea, you see people in the water, and a LOT more out of the water where it's warm.

[KonaBlake]

The water is like 75 degrees F. It only varies like 4-5 degrees over the year. The water is lovely climb in!

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by KonaBlake

The water is like 75 degrees F. It only varies like 4-5 degrees over the year. The water is lovely climb in!

That is cold water. 85F is warm. You can get hypothermia in 75F water if you stay in too long!

Average temp at Hilo for January is only 72F! You go in a room that's 72F and you feel cold, unless you're from Minnesota. Water is much worse.

[CarlsbadJames]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

That is cold water. 85F is warm. You can get hypothermia in 75F water if you stay in too long!

Average temp at Hilo for January is only 72F! You go in a room that's 72F and you feel cold, unless you're from Minnesota. Water is much worse.

LOL I can spend most of the day in SoCal water and it barely got in the 60s this summer. All day if I'm wearing a wet suit. And since when is 72 in a room cold?


I guess growing up in harsh Chicago winters has thickened my blood ???

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by CarlsbadJames

LOL I can spend most of the day in SoCal water and it barely got in the 60s this summer. All day if I'm wearing a wet suit. And since when is 72 in a room cold?


I guess growing up in harsh Chicago winters has thickened my blood ???

You seriously swim in 60F water?

72F is cold when you're used to 80-85F because you don't use AC.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

That is cold water. 85F is warm. You can get hypothermia in 75F water if you stay in too long!

Average temp at Hilo for January is only 72F! You go in a room that's 72F and you feel cold, unless you're from Minnesota. Water is much worse.

Hypothermia in water over 70 degrees and less than 80 occurs in 3-12 hours - but if you are wearing a lifevest you can go near idefinitely.

Unless someone wants to stay in the water - a long, long time - they'll be fine.

The bathwater of S. Florida in summer means you need to be out of the water to cool down. I'll take Hawaii ocean temps.

[McFrostyJ]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

That is cold water. 85F is warm. You can get hypothermia in 75F water if you stay in too long!

LOL!!!!!!
Wink, stop floating around, swim 20 - 30 feet and you will warm right up!