Hawaii is a top sailing destination for many sailors, and with a good reason! This isolated and multi-diverse archipelago is popular for its exotic destinations spread across eight islands. With its diverse and lush natural landscapes, tropical climate, and welcoming people, a voyage to Hawaii is sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But, when it comes to planning your sailing voyage, the first thing that concerns you is propably when is it the best time to go to Hawaii? The answer will depend on factors like when you want to set sail, on the weather, and how long you want to stay there. In this article, we will analyze these factors so as to help you plan your voyage to Hawaii safely. Follow me!

A Bit of Geography and Geology

The Hawaiian Islands are situated near the middle of the Pacific Plate and just on top of a hot spot. A hot spot is basically an area on Earth over a mantle plume where magma is hotter than surrounding magma. This Pacific Plate is constantly moving northwestward at a rate of several centimeters per year. This movement over a local volcanic hot spot, or plume, has created this complex of islands. The result is a chain of volcanic islands, i.e. the Hawaiian archipelago that consists of eight major islands and 124 islets stretching from the Big Island of Hawai’i along a northwest line toward the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.

Hawai’i is currently the largest landmass in the Hawaiian island chain. The eight major islands at the western end of the chain are, from west to east, Ni’ihau, Kaua’i, O`ahu, Moloka`i, Lana`i, Kaho`olawe, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawai`i. Hawaii is basically the most important geologic microcosm of the entire archipelago. It has five subaerial, i.e. above the ocean, volcanoes. In the same way as the island complex, the volcanoes are oldest to the northwest and youngest to southeast.

Hawai’i, which is the youngest island in this chain, was created over a million years ago as five separate volcanoes on the ocean floor. As the five volcanoes erupted gradually, they created thin new sheets of lava that spread upon the land until the volcanic heads emerged from the sea. These mountains often would have flows that overlapped other mountainous flows. And, these peaks formed the islands we see today.

Mount Kilauea in Hawai’i is the world’s most active volcano and continues to pour lava into the ocean. The island is a formation of five volcanoes that are connected by lava saddles and geologically is the youngest island of the Hawaiian Islands. Mauna Loa is considered the world’s largest volcano. These two volcanoes are the main feature of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is also a World Heritage site. It’s important to note that Hawaii’s varied topography includes large plateaus, craggy ocean cliffs, tropical coastal areas, lava deserts, and bamboo forests, among others. The volcanoes form an effective barrier to the moist trade winds and thus making the western side of the island the driest region in Hawaii.

>>Also Read: Is it Dangerous to Sail from California to Hawaii?

Climate in Hawaii

The islands are characterized by diverse micro-environments. Meaning that each island has its own unique flora and fauna species and microclimates. The shielding effect of volcanic mountains and the differences in weather at different elevations forms various landscapes and geological formations. These include tropical rainforests, cool alpine regions, arid deserts, and sunny beaches.

The wettest months in the Hawaiian Islands are from November to March. However, you can always find a nearby sunny place around the coast even if it’s raining in some other place, as the weather is very localized. Squally weather doesn’t occur often but it happens sometimes because of frontal passages and upper-atmosphere troughs. Also, when low-pressure systems pass from there and bring moist air to the islands. Windward coasts are mostly tropical as humid easterly trade winds condense and ascend windward facing volcanic mountains.

The Hawaiian Islands have four different Köppen climate zones: tropical, arid, temperate, and polar based on altitude and topography. The entire region is an archipelago surrounded by water, which lies in Oceania in the central Pacific Ocean. Trade winds arriving from the Pacific Ocean influence the weather because they push towards the northeastern slopes of the Hawaiian Islands. As a result, the slopes move upwards and produce rainfall on the windward side. Generally, Hawaiian weather patterns are affected by high-pressure zones in the North Pacific. The main characteristic is the moist trade winds blowing to the islands’ northeastern slopes. For this reason, the moisture condenses into clouds and produces rain, mostly on the northeastern side of the islands. This is the exceptional weather phenomenon that creates Hawaii’s rich and tropical environment.

Winds in Hawaii

The Islands’ trade winds mean that there will be often a cooling breeze. Sometimes, throughout the year the trade winds stop completely. So, the wind switches around to come out of the south or west and therefore brings stormy or hot, sticky weather. Islanders call this kona weather because kona means leeward or south. In other words, this is the direction from which these weather systems occur.

In general, easterly trade winds of 12-18 knots are blowing across the Hawaiian Islands. Northerly winds also impact the islands when cold fronts come from the northwest. Hawaii sailing conditions are favorable. Winds fluctuate between 5-35 knots and depend on the regional barometric wind field. It also depends if you’re sailing in the lee of a volcanic mountain, or sailing in inter-island passages across channels. But, when sailing in the lee of high volcanoes you are protected from easterly trade winds. Meaning that the west coasts of the Hawaiian Islands often provide the most favorable sailing conditions.

Inter-island Hawaiian channels, like the Alenuihaha Channel between Maui and Hawaii Island, or the Pailolo Channel between Molokai and Maui might produce winds that exceed 35 knots. This mostly happens when the land and sea temperatures have a high difference between them and when the barometric pressure gradient is steep. Imagine that sometimes these winds blow 15 knots higher than the average trade winds in a different spot in the island chain on the same day! Keep in mind that the wind conditions around the northern and southern edges of the islands tend to cover each other and create a gale along a leeward coast.

If you’re making the passage from Hawaii to Maui across the Alenuihaha Channel it will take you about 20 hours. The channels between islands have quite strong winds and so the best time to cross them is when the winds are less than 15 knots. As the wind drops during sunset, you’re more than likely to have an easy crossing with a normal breeze.

Don’t forget to always use a reliable weather forecasting app to know beforehand the sailing conditions. Also, keep an eye on reefs throughout the islands. You might not be able to see them sometimes and this mainly depends on the tide and the weather. Use the depth charts on a reliable app in order to make sure you’re in deep water. Keep in mind that coastal air temperatures around the islands fluctuate daily. For example, warm sea breezes blow during the day between 75-85º F. However, cold land breezes that descend from volcanic mountains at night blow around 58-72º F.

>>Also Read: Best Sailing Destinations in Hawaii

From Where are you Sailing?

There are many starting points from which you can set sail to Hawaii. The most common are California, Mexico, Alaska, Australia, and New Zealand. The ocean passage can be challenging but if you plan ahead and be well-prepared you will have nothing to fear of! Also, your sailboat has to be a seaworthy vessel and able to handle the winds and currents of the Pacific Ocean.

The voyage from California to Hawaii is approximately 2,500NM. Depending on the time of the year you’re setting sail, the best way to sail from either California or San Francisco is to sail south along the coastline to 35° N – 25° N before heading west for Hawaii. It’s advisable to head south along the Californian coast currents before heading west towards Hawaii. This is because the currents in the Pacific Ocean along the U.S. Coast run from north to south. The best time to set sail from the West Coast cities is in early summer. Moreover, keep in mind to avoid the southerly part of the voyage in April. It can get really cold during winter and there are also hurricanes from July to November.

The voyage from New Zealand to Hawaii is approximately 3,800NM. The best time to set sail is from April to early June. You’ll have to cross the ITCZ and also the Pacific high. Just be prepared to motor and remember not to burn your fuel early. Most sailors spend some days or months in French Polynesia. Then, by November, the cyclone season switches from the northern to the southern hemisphere. Most of the time, sailboats are gathering in the Marquesas for the crossing to the Hawaiian Islands. Always plan your passage ahead so as to avoid cyclones and minimize the time in the low-wind zone of the ITCZ. The wind isn’t going to drop below 15 knots, but the weather might be a bit squally until reaching about 8°N. 

The voyage from Alaska to Hawaii is approximately 2,400NM. In general, the currents and prevailing winds during the summer months run north to south along the coast. So, take advantage of that and run more or less along the coast. Bear in mind that you have to be south of about 30 deg. N, to make a Westerly Pacific crossing. Again, June is the most appropriate month to set sail. Also, prevailing winds during the summer on the northern hemisphere blow northeasterly. Once you’re south of the equator there will be more westerlies. A great piece of advice is to head south along the US coast and get out to the sea away from Washington and Oregon.

The voyage from Mexico to Hawaii is approximately 2,800NM. The best time to set sail is from March to early May. Getting out of Mexico and the outflow of the Sea of Cortez can be the most challenging part of route planning for this voyage. The weather patterns can be unpredictable as you might experience very little wind or lots of it. From La Cruz, it’s approximately 750NM to where the trade winds typically fill in. Consider waiting for strong winds coming from the North out of the Sea of Cortez, to provide the wind you need to get out of Mexico.

It’s more than likely to experience south winds and calm or high seas, gale weather, and maybe some squalls. Most of the time, the wind is not going to exceed 25 knots during the whole passage. Even the occasional squall that you might encounter won’t pack much of a punch. But the gusts come usually from another direction and will throw off your weather vane self-steering. Lastly, the voyage from Mexico to Hawaii will take you from 20 to 40 days.

Sailing is a year-round activity in Hawaii. But even if you can sail all year, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should. For example, mid-September is the limit for sailing on the north shore of Oahu and Kauai as there are extremely high waves. Also, the Haleiwa Harbor in the North Shore of Oahu in Waialua Bay is a great spot to moor, but it’s really difficult to get in or out when the swell is up. During the summer, trade winds are coming from the northeast. Ηowever, the weather in Hawaii can change dramatically. So, always keep an eye on the weather around you and know where the safe harbors are located on any given route.

Best Time to Sail to Hawaii – The Bottom Line

The best time to set sail for Hawaii and live this sea adventure is during the early summer when the ocean is quieter, and the wind is not that strong. The estimated duration of a sailing voyage to the Hawaii Islands depends on the location from which you’re sailing from. But, it will take you approximately from 15 to 30 days. Keep in mind that if you want to take the popular route from the Caribbean to Hawaii​ the hurricane season in the Central Pacific runs from June to November. And, of course, use your sailing app all the time so as to be prepared and well-informed. And, He huakaʻi maikaʻi kāu!