Straight Up Kayaks

How dangerous is ocean kayaking for the inexperienced?

Me and a friend want to kayak from the west coast of Maui to molokai, and we've never been to hawaii before and haven't been ocean kayaking. Is this a bad idea?

Public Comments

1. It is the worst idea I have ever heard. And "how dangerous is ocean kayaking for the inexperienced?". How dangerous is drowning?
2. An ambitious undertaking no doubt. A rule of thumb is that if you don't already have the experience and judgment to answer this for yourself, then it is probably too dangerous. There's actually an annual canoe-kayak race from Maui to Molokai. Participants generally train all year for the race, and they are required to have an escort boat along just in case. Doing an exposed ocean crossing like this without a lot of skills and equipment is extremely dangerous. It's extremely difficult for the Coast Guard to find a swimmer in the ocean in the event something goes wrong.
3. Experienced only.
4. I guess you didn't say when you want to do this. If you're going to start training, and will go in 2-3 years, then look into it. But seriously, learn as much as you can about what you're considering doing. Here's some video footage of 42' outrigger canoes on the Molokai channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWD5x8RY2Yg Check out the swell around 1:57 and again around 2:07. The conditions on the channel can vary wildly... and the distance is nothing to take lightly. What you're talking about is something that definitely needs an escort boat, and a boat drive that knows the channel and the seas.