Pe'ahi (Jaws) Alert Guide

Hawaii, USA · part of the Pe'ahi (Jaws) spot guide

The Pauwela buoy sits about 15 kilometres off the same shore and is the standard Jaws gauge, so a live-observation alert is a trustworthy trigger — though tow crews often want the forecast lead time too. The height below is buoy significant height; breaking faces run several times larger, so the threshold is deliberately high.

The forecaster's checklist

1. 1.Watch for a strong, slow Aleutian or Gulf-of-Alaska low with a long fetch aimed at Hawaii.
2. 2.Demand a north-northwest direction, roughly 330° to 010°, aligned with the ridge.
3. 3.Insist on long period — 16 seconds at a minimum, ideally 18 to 22, which is what drives the ridge refraction.
4. 4.Use the relay: the offshore buoy 51101 shows the swell hours early, then confirm at 51205 (Pauwela) off Maui.
5. 5.Read the giant-makeable tell on 51205 — around 18 to 20 ft of significant height at 18 to 20 seconds from the north-northwest means 40-to-60-foot faces — and cross-check for a light or offshore wind before green-lighting; never go on swell alone.

Local winds & tide

Best wind: light or offshore with a southerly component grooms the giants — from 140° to 220° (SE–SW).

Pe’ahi works across all tides — the reef is deep enough that tide has little effect on quality.

Dial it in