Kauai Surfing, Boarding, and Snorkeling:

Kauai Surfing Information: By Don Cofer

All Pictures were taken in front of Kuhio Shores in May 2003 by Doug Porter. All rights reserved.

Kuhio Shores is on the south side of Kauai and the best surf, for boards or boogie boards, is between May and October. The south swells range from 3 foot faces up to 15 foot faces. My favorite is about 8 feet. There are 4 surfs spots right in front about 200 yards apart. Both left and rights with two better lefts and two better rights.

Don and Pam Cofer in front of Kuhio Shores

The take off is steep, depending on the tide, with a fast short south shore type ride. Winds are trades that blow side offshore. Morning and evenings generally best but can be great all day depending on the winds. Straight in front is a left and it has to be 8 to 10 foot face to break. 100 yards over is P.K.'s a constant breaking steep left that re-forms into a right coming to shore. Lots of locals, especially boogie boards hit this around 3 pm. Two to three hundred yards to the west is my favorite surf spot, Centers, this is a better right but still a really good left also. About 300 more yards to the west is the famous Acid Drops, great right but also a left.

There is a great place called Pakalas, about 20 minutes to the west. It is a beautiful left that peels a long way. It is a much more mellow wave than in front of the building. It is surfable from 2 to 15 feet. More long boards here than at Centers and P.K.'s,

I have been surfing Kauai since 1984 and still love it, wouldn't go any place else for a surf adventure. Unit #311 faces the ocean, about 25 feet away and you can watch and take pictures of all 4 spots.