Surf: Excellent, swell-sucking reef that squeezes the best from a S-SW pulse and conjures up snappy left walls and tubes out in front of the harbour wall. Winter N can penetrate the narrow gap between Maui, Molokai and Lanai, producing high performance rights running the other way and the E trades groom both line-ups. Environment: The crowd is as consistent as the wave and lesser surfers should look towards the easier peaks to the south. Urchins and sharp coral. Surf: General: Because of island shadowing from Moloka'i, Lana'i and Kaho'olawe, searching for solid surf on the west coast of Maui can be an exercise in patience. But through a mix of manmade influence and geographical luck, Lahaina Harbor defies the norm all year long. On solid summer south swells, the northern end of the breakwater offers up long, grinding lefts that stand up and barrel. In the winter, north swells shoot the gap between Maui and Moloka'i and hit the southern end of the breakwater, forming a right-hander that is a mirror image of the left. As you can imagine, Lahaina Harbor is no secret -- it attracts a crowd, and often a talented one -- especially on small days. (Bigger swells should be left for more experienced surfers, as both the left and right are fast and break across shallow stretches of reef.) Tides: Medium Size: Chest high-2X overhead Wind: Calm or offshore from NNE to ESE, with NE straight offshore. Swell: Usually S to SW swells. The more rare, larger, winter swells from the North Pacific that get some energy in. Bottom: Reef Paddling: Not too bad, but currents can be bad during solid swells. Spot Rating: Depending on swell, it can offer either a great left or right with a barrel and staying open. Access: Easy, right off the breakwall at the harbor. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Very crowded on small to medium sized days, which it's in that range most of the time. Local Vibe: Moderate vibe in the water. Humility and kindess appreciated. Environment: OK most of the time, but harbor water is often suspect. Hazards: Reef. Harbor water is always suspect. Season: All year, but best in summer with swells from the S to SW. The more rare, larger wintertime WNW to NNE swells that can filter through the other islands and wrap in. Lots of shadowing by nearby islands.