Chris Owen’s Own Account of the Maui to Molokai Paddle, Done with Son C.J, 13.
After paddling over 50 miles from the Big Island to la perouse Maui, then paddling 18.5 miles from Honolua Bay Maui to shipwreck beach in Lanai, I was joined by my 13 year old son C.J for the third leg of the trip; Maui to Molokai. For our warm-up we participated in the Honolua surf co Maui paddle board championships on the 23rd of July. C.J took second in the 17 and under division and I took 1st in the 40 to 49 unlimited division. This race was 9.5 miles long from Maliko gulch to Kahalui boat harbor.
On July 25Th at 1:30 pm C.J and I started our paddle from a small cove on the North tip of Honolua Bay. This channel known as the Pailolo channel proved to live up to it’s name, which means “slapped-silly”. With the winds at a northeast direction at 15 knots, I knew we were in for a rough ride. I wanted to make the paddle as easy as possible for C.J. That meant doing the shortest course possible which was 8.5 miles. The first 4 miles we paddled North towards Holawa Pt. C.J paddled like a bull as we were being broadsided by the 3 to 6 foot open ocean. I tried to stay right beside my son, however C.J preferred that I paddle in front so he could follow me.
After about 4 miles C.J began to get frustrated with the conditions. So we both turned downwind to a more westerly direction, that way we could ride some waves to make the crossing funner and easier on him. C.J was able to switch to knee paddling and started catching some long rides on waves with a huge smile on his face. C.J switched from knee paddling to prone paddling with the knowledge and confidence of a waterman. As we approached the 2 mile mark of Molokai, C.J and I hit a terrible current pulling us to the northeast and we got pailolo-ed. C.J began to fill it by then, but he fought like a champion.
As we neared the shore at Waialua we got blown past the channel and had to come in through the surf that was still a quarter mile out. C.J tried to catch a couple of the waves in the break, but instead he got rolled by them. C.J managed to hang on. At that point I knew he had to get to the shore right away because after paddling all that way and wiping out, it takes a lot out of you mentally and physically. So instead of going in were the cameras were, which was to far north down the beach. I signaled for the camera crew to come to us.
Then C.J and I continued our final strokes to shore. When C.J finally made it to shore he wasn’t too happy about getting wiped out in the surf. After he caught his breath and realized what he had just accomplished, a big smile came on C.J face and he raised his arms in victory. This open ocean paddle that was 8.5 miles took 2.5 hours. The Maui Paddleboard Championships was 9.5 miles, that took C.J 1 hour 42 minutes. C.J could be the youngest paddler to solo paddle from one Hawaiian island to another. We have researched and we have not discovered anyone younger.
As far as all my paddles that I have done, this is the greatest paddle so far, because it was important for me to cross the Pailolo channel in my quest to link the Hawaiian Island chain. This paddle was all about C.J, because he is part of the next generation of watermen and I as his father am very proud.
by Chris Owens