In an
archipelago like the
Hawaiian Islands the water between
islands is typically called a ''
channel'' or ''passage''. Described here are the channels between the islands of
Hawaii, arranged from south to north.
Alenuihāhā Channel
The 'Alenuihāhā' separates the island of
Hawaii and the island of
Maui. The maximum depth of this channel is 6100 feet (1900 m).
Alalākeiki Channel
The Alalakeiki Channel separates the islands of
Kahoʻolawe and
Maui.
Kealaikahiki Channel
Ke ala i kahiki channel is the channel between
Lānai and
Kahoolawe. It literally means "the road to
Tahiti"; if one takes a bearing off of Kealaikahiki point while in the channel and heads directly straight, one arrives in Tahiti. In practice, however, Polynesian navigators probably did not quite ply a straight route to Tahiti.
Auau Channel
The 'Auau Channel' is one of the most protected areas of ocean in the Hawaiian Islands, lying between
Lānai and Maui. The channel is also protected by
Molokai to the north, and Kahoolawe to the south. The depth of the channel reaches 108 feet (33 m). The middle of the channel off Maui was known as '
Lāhainā Roads' in the days of whaling ships. Lahaina Roads had also been an alternate anchorage to the main U.S. Pacific Fleet base at Pearl Harbor. In the planning for the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese had hoped that the Pacific Fleet still utilized Lahaina as an anchorage as ships sunk in the deep water there would have been unrecoverable. Fortunately, Laihina was not utilized, and the bulk of the fleet remained moored in Pearl Harbor. Because the water there is relatively shallow (hence the wooden-fin modifications added to Japanese torpedoes) all ships sunk, save USS ARIZONA (BB-39) and USS OKLAHOMA (BB-37), were raised, repaired, and were returned to active duty.
Auau channel is a whale-watching center in the Hawaiian Islands.
Humpback whales migrate approximately 3,500 miles (5600 km) from
Alaskan waters each autumn and spend the northern hemisphere winter months in the protected waters of the channel.
Palilolo Channel
The 'Palilolo Channel' separates the islands of 'Molokai' and 'Maui'.
Kalohi Channel
The 'Kalohi Channel' is the stretch of water separating
Lānai and
Molokai. Depth of water in this channel is about 260 feet (79 m). This is one of the less treacherous channels between islands in the archipelago, although strong winds and choppy sea conditions are frequent. 'Kalolohia beach' on the Lānai coast is also known as "Shipwreck Beach" because of a wreck on the
reef there.
Kaiwi Channel
The 'Kaiwi Channel' separates the islands of
Oahu and Molokai. Maximum depth is 2300 feet (701 m). There are annual paddleboarding and outrigger canoe paddling contests which traverse this channel.
Ka'ie'iewawae Channel
Kaulakahi Channel ==
The Kaulakahi Channel separates the islands of
Niihau and
Kauaʻi.
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