Friday, August 28, 2026
Welcome to the annual 9.6 mile swim race across the Au’au Channel, Club Lanai to Kaanapali
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What is the Maui Channel Swim?
The Maui Channel Swim is a 9.6-mile open-water relay race across the Au'au Channel between the Hawaiian islands of Lanai and Maui. It is known as one of the world's premier distance open-water swims, featuring challenging conditions, marine life, and a team-based relay format with rotating swimmers across 6-person teams, or done as a solo swim. Established in 1972, the Maui Channel Swim attracts competitive long-distance swimmers from all over the world seeking a unique ocean challenge. The Maui Channel Swim is a prestigious event for serious open-water swimmers, testing endurance and teamwork in the beautiful but demanding Hawaiian ocean environment. To qualify for the Maui Channel Swim, you need to be an experienced open-water swimmer, typically 18+, with proven endurance (e.g., 1 mile in under 30 mins), demonstrate consistent training (long swims, cold water practice), preferably have a USAS/USMS/FINA registration, and join a 6-person relay team (or solo), with a boat captain and a safety officer (spotter), all while adhering to strict rules on attire (goggles/swimsuit only, no wetsuits) and finishing within the 6-hour time limit for official recognition. Please read and sign your Waiver Form when filling out your Registration. Swimmers will hire a boat on their own, see the Boating Information section. The boats typically meet on Maui in the early moring of the race, and travel over to the Island of Lanai, where the race begins at 8:00 AM. 6-person teams on individual escort boats rotate swimmers in successive 30 minute legs, then switch to 10 minute legs until the finish line is reached at Kaanapali Beach, Maui. Teams typically complete the swim anywhere from 3 - 7 hours later depending upon sea conditions.
About the Au'au Channel and Forecast
In August, the Au‘au Channel is at its most "tropical." While the winter is defined by whales and north swells, August is defined by heat, consistent trade winds, and the peak of hurricane season.
You can typically expect for the Au‘au Channel in August to be dominated by the Northeast Trade Winds. Because the channel is sheltered by West Maui, it remains one of the calmest passages in Hawaii, but it is not always "lake-like." Winds are typically light in the early morning (5–10 knots). By 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM, the trade winds "fill in," often reaching 15–20 knots. The summer swell usually comes from the south (generated by winter storms in the Southern Hemisphere). These south swells rarely penetrate deep into the Au‘au Channel but can cause larger surf at the southern entrances near Mā‘alaea or Lāna‘i’s southern cliffs. Water tempurature ranges a comfortable 79° F - 82°F. With fewer large swells stirring up the sandy bottom, visibility in August is often spectacular, frequently exceeding 100 feet in the middle of the channel and along the Lāna‘i coastline. The Channel Swim is typically held on Labor Day weekend; however, this year on August 28 because of the forecast of possible Box Jelly Fish in the Hawaiian waters Labor Day weekend. Box Jelly Fish typically appear 8-12 days after the Full Moon, which will be August 27, 2026. On August 28, the tide will be dropping at the start (8:00 AM) of the swim, with a Low Tide of +0.34' at 9:06 AM, dropping tides in the area produce typically a northbound current. And a High Tide of +2.25' at 3:45 PM will typically produce a southbound current during the "Flood" in this area.
You can typically expect for the Au‘au Channel in August to be dominated by the Northeast Trade Winds. Because the channel is sheltered by West Maui, it remains one of the calmest passages in Hawaii, but it is not always "lake-like." Winds are typically light in the early morning (5–10 knots). By 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM, the trade winds "fill in," often reaching 15–20 knots. The summer swell usually comes from the south (generated by winter storms in the Southern Hemisphere). These south swells rarely penetrate deep into the Au‘au Channel but can cause larger surf at the southern entrances near Mā‘alaea or Lāna‘i’s southern cliffs. Water tempurature ranges a comfortable 79° F - 82°F. With fewer large swells stirring up the sandy bottom, visibility in August is often spectacular, frequently exceeding 100 feet in the middle of the channel and along the Lāna‘i coastline. The Channel Swim is typically held on Labor Day weekend; however, this year on August 28 because of the forecast of possible Box Jelly Fish in the Hawaiian waters Labor Day weekend. Box Jelly Fish typically appear 8-12 days after the Full Moon, which will be August 27, 2026. On August 28, the tide will be dropping at the start (8:00 AM) of the swim, with a Low Tide of +0.34' at 9:06 AM, dropping tides in the area produce typically a northbound current. And a High Tide of +2.25' at 3:45 PM will typically produce a southbound current during the "Flood" in this area.