Paddling Routes on Oahu: The Anahulu River & Waialua Bay

Basic Information

• Name: Anahulu River & Waialua Bay
• Where: Hale’iwa, Hawaii
• Distance: 3 miles
• Time: 1.5 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• More Information: Paddling Hawaii

Google Earth Map of the Route

Directions

The put in point for this paddling trip is at the Hale’iwa Beach Park on Oahu’s North Shore.

Getting to the beach park is easy by taking the H-2 Freeway north until it passes the town of Wahiawa.  After Wahiawa look for the signs that point motorists towards the North Shore.  The signs direct motorists on to Highway 99 leading north to the town of Hale’iwa.  The Hale’iwa Beach Park is located on the northern outskirts of the town.

Parking

There is a very large parking lot at Hale’iwa Beach Park which can get crowded on the weekends.  However, I have always been able to find parking here.

Hawaiian Meaning

According to the book, “Place Names of Hawaii” the word “Hale’iwa” literally translates to the “house of the frigate birds”.  The word “Anahulu” translates to “ten days”.  I have no idea why this would be called the Ten Day River, but that is what it translates to.

Narrative

Summer time in Hawaii means that the large winter waves that crash on Oahu’s North Shore have let up for the year which makes the area safe for paddling.  Recently my five year old son and I made the drive up to Hale’iwa to go and kayak around Waialua Bay and then paddle up the Anahulu River.  My son and I began our trip by first parking at the Hale’iwa Beach Park and then walking over to check out the white tower constructed in honor of North Shore US military veterans who lost their lives during World War II:

After checking out the memorial we then unpacked our gear on the stretch of Hale’iwa Beach in front of the tower:

My son and I then assembled my Advanced Elements Inflatable Kayak on the beach:

After assembling the kayak we then began to paddle a short distance out into Waialua Bay where we could see the highest mountain on Oahu, Mt. Ka’ala in the distance:

Mt. Ka’ala is one of my favorite hikes on Oahu that more can be read about at the below link:

Best Hikes on Oahu: The Mt. Ka’ala Trail (Waianae-Kaala)

Here is the view back towards Hale’iwa Beach Park where the white memorial tower can be seen on the far left:

After paddling out into Waialua Bay a short distance, we then turned and began paddling south towards the mouth of the Anahulu River:

Due to the river flowing into the Pacific Ocean, we experienced many strange currents as we paddled towards the river’s mouth.  The entrance to the river has the beautiful Hale’iwa Rainbow Bridge crossing over it.  The current bridge was built in 1921 to replace the original wooden bridge that crossed the Anahulu River:

As we passed under the Rainbow Bridge we began to share the water with many paddle boarders and kayakers:

Fortunately the river is wide enough to pass around the slower paddlers with no issues.  As we continued to paddle up the river we next saw the Kamehameha Highway Bridge ahead of us:

Here is the view as we passed under the bridge.  I was happy to find that there were no homeless people camped out under the bridge:

As we continued up the river we were surrounded by lush foliage:

We occasionally saw some nice homes as we paddled up the Anahulu River as well:

The scenery became even more lush the further up the river we went:

We then passed under the third and final bridge of our kayak trip:

After passing under the third bridge, the river narrowed considerably:

In this section of the river the water was cleaner which meant we could see a lot of fish in the water and even spotted a large turtle.  The Anahulu River eventually became too narrow with too many rocks to continue on:

We had paddled about one-mile up the river before having to turn around and retrace our route back down the river:

With the current aiding us we made great time back down the river:

We could soon see the Rainbow Bridge again:

After passing under the Rainbow Bridge we then decided to paddle out into Waialua Bay:

We were hoping to spot some sea turtles or dolphins, but unfortunately we could not spot any; instead we just took in the views of Oahu from the sea:

Here is a panorama picture I took of the view:

We went out as far as the large green buoy we saw in the distance.  Beyond the buoy the waves became rough and this why we decided to turn around there:

Here is a picture of the green buoy where we turned around at and then headed back towards Hale’iwa Beach Park pictured in the distance on the left of the below picture:

The paddle back to the beach was a workout because the wind was blowing right into our faces.  We did however did get an assist from a helpful wave from time to time:

A hour and a half after setting off, my son and I arrived back at Hale’iwa Beach Park:

While I deflated and packed the kayak, my son had fun playing in the sand:

After I finished packing the kayak I then went and played in the sand with him as well.  I found the sand at Hale’iwa Beach Park too not be that great for building things.  We figured since we did not see a sea turtle out in the ocean we would make one instead.  Here is our attempt to make a sea turtle in the substandard sand:

Conclusion

Overall my son and I had a great time kayaking on the Anahulu River and Waialua Bay.  The river is a great place for beginners to learn how to paddle while the bay features a few waves for more intermediate paddlers to experience.  The paddle up the Anahulu River is about one-mile thus making it a two-mile roundtrip excursion.  However, paddling around Waialua Bay will add more distance to this paddle.  In total we kayaked three-miles, but a could have definitely done more if I wanted too since the bay is quite large.  I recommend that both beginners and more experienced paddlers check out this fun paddle on Oahu’s North Shore.

Disclaimer:  On-Walkabout is a website about outdoor activities that is not affiliated with any state or national government.  The articles on this website are for informational purposes only and to inspire others to get outside.  The activity descriptions are given to showcase the beauty and fun of experiencing the outdoors.  The writer of On-Walkabout is not responsible for any accidents, injuries, rescues, legal issues, or loss of life by anyone attempting the activities listed on this website.  Outdoor activities can be dangerous which is why it is the responsibility of the reader to use common sense and understand their own abilities before attempting an outdoor activity inspired by this website.  Most importantly parents need to understand the ability of their children before attempting an outdoor activity.  Just because my young children completed an activity mentioned on this site does not mean your children can as well.  Be safe and I hope this website inspires others to go and enjoy the outdoors as much as I do.  

YOU CAN FIND MORE GREAT HIKES AT THE OAHU REGIONAL TRAIL FINDER:

Note: Further hiking information can be found in the below book: