Waikiki Beach

From Openwaterpedia
Waikīkī aerial photo
Waikīkī aerial photo
Start of the Waikiki Roughwater Swim at Sans Souci Beach
Maui Jim South Shore Classic race course near Diamond Head volcano on Oahu in Hawaii
Ryan Saunders and Taylor Ritenberg won the 2013 Possibly Annual Hawaiian Christmas Looong Distance Invitational Rough-H2O Swim on Oahu, Hawaii

Waikiki Beach (Waikīkī) is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī Bay and is a famed open water swimming and marine sports location. Waikīkī, which means Spurting Water in Hawaiian language, is a neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii in the City and County of Honolulu on the south shore of the island of Oahu in Hawaii.

Waikīkī Beach is site of the annual Waikiki Roughwater Swim, the well-known 2.4-mile open water race held annually on Labor Day every September and numerous other open water swimming competitions and marine sports events including the men's Molokaʻi Hoe and the women's Na Wahine O Ke Kai, the Molokai to Oʻahu Canoe Race.

Swimming Culture

Local swimmers daily swim at different locations throughout Waikiki Beach, from Kaimana Beach under the shadows of the Diamond Head volcano to the calm waters in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The coral reef lining Waikiki Bay provides endless scenes of marine beauty for swimmers fortunate enough to swim in these warm, clear waters.

Members of various triathlon clubs and the Waikiki Swim Club gather at Kaimana Beach or the Hilton Hawaiian Village on the weekends to go on short, medium and long training swims.

Water Temperature and Water Conditions

The waters of Waikiki can be very rough with pounding surf or glassy flat on a windless day. The conditions are always changing and care should be taken, especially under rough water conditions. Currents can be quite strong, especially beyond the coral reef. The depth of the water can be quite shallow around the coral reefs, especially with the ocean swells.

Etymology

The name Waikīkī means spouting fresh water in the Hawaiian language, for springs and streams that fed wetlands that once separated Waikīkī from the interior.

Geography

The neighborhood extends from the Ala Wai Canal (a channel dug to drain former wetlands) on the west and north, to Diamond Head, Hawaii on the east. Waikīkī Beach is noted for its views of the Diamond Head tuff cone, its usually warm and cloud-free climate and its surf break.

The Waikīkī skyline is dotted with an abundance of both high-rises and resort hotels. The beach is actually fairly short, with half of it marked off for surfers. For some distance into the ocean the water is quite shallow, although there are numerous rocks on the bottom. As with most ocean beaches the waves can have some force, particularly on windy days. The surf at Waikīkī is known for its long rolling break, making it ideal for long boarding, tandem surfing and open water swimmers.

History

A statue of Duke Kahanamoku, a local Hawaiian credited with popularizing the sport of surfing, stands tall at the heart of Waikiki Beach. The area was a retreat for Hawaiian royalty in the 1800s who enjoyed surfing there on early forms of longboards.

A few small hotels opened in the 1880s. In 1893, Greek-American George Lycurgus leased the guest house of Allen Herbert and renamed it the "Sans Souci" (French for "without care") creating one of the first beach resorts. Later that year Robert Louis Stevenson stayed at the resort; subsequently it became a popular destination for tourists from the mainland.

Today, the area is filled with hotels like the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Halekulani Hotel, the Hyatt Regency Waikīkī, the Waikiki Hotel, and historic hotels dating back to the early 20th century (such as the Moana Surfrider Hotel and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The beach hosts many events a year, including surf competitions, open water swims, outdoor performances, hula dancing and outrigger canoe races.

Beach erosion

Over time, Waikīkī beach has had problems with erosion, leading to the construction of groins and beach replenishment projects. For example, in the 1920s and 1930s sand was imported from Manhattan Beach, California via ship and barge to Waikīkī. Importing stopped in the 1970s. Officials are looking for ways to sustain the existing sand by eliminating loss due to tide flow. Subject to permits, a partial restoration is schedule for early 2011. The proposed project would import sand from nearby shoals and would widen the long beach between the Royal Hawaiian Hotel concrete groin and the Kūhiō Beach crib wall. The project will restore the beach to its 1985 shoreline.

Government Services

The Honolulu Police Department operates the Waikiki Substation. The Hawaii State Public Library System operates the Waikiki Public Library at 400 Kapahulu Avenue. The City & County of Honolulu operates the Honolulu Zoo.

In Popular Culture

Waikiki and Hawaiian culture are celebrated in the song "Holiday in Waikiki" by The Kinks on their 1966 album Face to Face.

About the Waikiki Roughwater Swim

About Waikiki Beach

World's Best Open Water Swimming Towns

Waikiki Beach in Honolulu was selected as one of the World's Best Open Water Swimming Towns by the World Open Water Swimming Association in 2017.

External links

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