Kaiser's

Surf Guide

Kaiser's is the easternmost surf spot on the Ala Moana reef area. It is very shallow and always has an aggressive crowd. The wave offers a steep, fast, bowly right that will throw a good barrel section off the peak and is fun to backdoor. There is also a decent left, which is usually a little more slopey and will often end in a closeout on the inside, leaving you to negotiate whitewash with very little water between you and the sharp reef. The right, however, spills into a channel, allowing for an easy paddle back out. On the biggest swells, the channel will begin to close out, so beware. *Note: This surf zone has bleeding control emergency supplies provided through the Adopt a Cove program.  Learn more here.

Ability Level

Intermediate - Advanced

BegIntAdv

Best suited for good to advanced surfers.

Local Vibe

Doable

WelcomingIntimidating

Very intense and competitive.

Crowd Factor

Heavy

MellowHeavy

Always crowded and intense.

Spot Rating

Fun

PoorPerfect

Shorter ride, but offers great bowling barrels.

Shoulder Burn

Medium

LightExhausting

Long paddles to and from beach, but not bad once you're out there.

Water Quality

Clean

CleanDirty

Clean for the most part, but most of Hawaii's population lives on the South Shore of Oahu. Tons of people.

Ideal Surf Conditions

Swell Direction

Anything from the SE to SW, but usually from the S to SW.

Wind

Calm or offshore from NW to E, with NE straight offshore.

Surf Height

Chest high-well overhead

Tide

Medium