We’re Flying Through Tropical Storm Lala. And Then There’s The Sharks

We’re scheduled to fly to Maui on Sunday, right in the window when Tropical Storm Lala could still be impacting the islands. We’re not doing it for the story, and we’re not trying to prove anything about traveling during a storm by any means. We have work to do on Maui next week, and if our flight is operating and conditions allow us to safely travel, we intend to be on it.

That has us watching Lala differently from the thousands of storm stories filling the news right now. We want to know what is actually changing for Hawaii travelers right now, because flights are already being canceled or adjusted, commercial harbors are tightening storm restrictions, and ships, including NCL’s Pride of America, which we’ve sailed twice, cut its Kauai stay short and left here yesterday to head back to Honolulu. And then there’s the sharks.

Sunday’s Hawaii flight is still on. Canada advises avoiding Hawaii for now.

We’re flying from Lihue to Kahului because BOH editors have work planned on Maui next week. As of Friday morning, we haven’t changed those plans, though Lala will obviously have something to say about what Sunday looks like, and that isn’t entirely clear yet.

Canada’s latest travel warning created some confusion of its own. A Government of Canada social media post urged travelers to “avoid non-essential travel to Hawaii” because of Lala, but Canada’s actual travel advisory is considerably more specific: it advises against non-essential travel to Hawaii County, where the storm is expected to have its greatest impact. That’s an important distinction when travelers are making decisions about completely different islands.

Hawaiian Airlines is canceling five Neighbor Island flights to and from Hilo beginning Friday afternoon and will suspend Hilo operations Saturday, affecting 23 scheduled flights. It is also canceling one Kahului-Honolulu flight Saturday and has issued a travel waiver for passengers flying Friday through Sunday.

Our question is simpler: will our flight operate, and what will conditions look like at Lihue and Kahului when it’s time to leave? If the flight is operating and conditions are appropriate, we’ll go. If that changes, so will our plans.

Airlines have issued travel waivers covering much of Hawaii, including Lihue and Kahului, and some Hawaii flights have already been canceled or reduced, particularly around the Big Island, which faces the storm first and most squarely. A waiver doesn’t mean a flight is canceled, however, and we’re not treating it that way for now.

Our question is simpler: will our flight operate, and what will conditions look like at Lihue and Kahului when it’s time to leave? If the flight is operating and conditions are appropriate, we’ll go. If that changes, so will our plans. Something tells us that you’re going to hear more about that.

We’ve lived through Hurricane Iniki on Kauai, so we’re not casual about Hawaii storms in any way. That experience also makes us less inclined to either minimize Lala or treat every forecast change as though the final outcome is already known.

NCL Pride of America left Kauai a day early.

While we’re watching our Sunday flight, we also watched one of the most familiar ships in Hawaii abandon its normal weekly routine, which rarely happens. We’ve sailed Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America twice and followed it for years. Its regular Hawaii itinerary normally ends with an overnight visit to Kauai at Nawiliwili before the ship returns to Honolulu Saturday morning.

This week, Pride of America arrived Thursday as planned but left the same evening, almost a full day early, so it could head back to Honolulu Harbor before tighter harbor restrictions took effect. Norwegian told passengers the ship would remain out to sea before returning Sunday for final disembarkation if everything goes as planned.

Passengers expecting their cruise to end Saturday were given the choice of leaving early in Honolulu Friday or remaining aboard until Sunday. That creates obvious problems for anyone with Saturday flights or other travel plans, and the next Pride of America sailing is also being delayed.

We’ve covered Pride through mechanical problems, Kauai itinerary changes, and the removal and planned return of its Napali Coast sail-by. Last year’s tsunami warning caused an even more abrupt disruption, as the ship had to leave Hilo while hundreds of passengers and crew were still ashore.

Hawaii ports are moving ships before Lala.

The Coast Guard has a step-by-step heavy-weather system for Hawaii’s commercial ports, with each condition tied to how soon gale-force winds are expected and what ships and harbor operators need to do before they arrive. As Lala approaches, those ports are moving through that sequence: at X-Ray, gale-force winds are expected within 48 hours, and larger vessels prepare to finish operations and depart. At Yankee, they’re expected within 24 hours and incoming traffic can be restricted. At Zulu, the port closes.

Pride of America’s move isn’t simply about protecting the ship. Hawaii’s commercial harbors are critical infrastructure, and large vessels need to be moved before high winds, surge and heavy seas put ships, piers and other harbor facilities at increased risk.

Norwegian Spirit has also changed its Hawaii plans, dropping scheduled calls at Hilo and Kona as it moved toward Honolulu ahead of deteriorating weather conditions.

Latest Hawaii shark numbers put Kaanapali in perspective.

Beat of Hawaii will be setting up shop at Kaanapali and, assuming the ocean settles down, we’ll both be swimming. That puts the shark part of this story unusually close to home too. DLNR has documented shark encounters in the Kaanapali area, including a 2021 incident at Kahekili Beach in which a swimmer was bitten by an estimated 8- to 10-foot tiger shark.

Maui also has more of the shallow-shelf habitat tiger sharks prefer than any other main Hawaiian island, and University of Hawaii research has found that the sharks frequently use coastal areas that overlap with popular swimming, surfing, and paddling spots.

None of that means shark encounters are common. DLNR says shark bites in Hawaii average only about three or four a year, despite our ten million visitors and the enormous number of people who enter the ocean here. We’ll take the precautions we normally do at Kaanapali, particularly if Lala leaves the water murky after heavy rain.

Lead Photo Credit: © Beat of Hawaii.

By Rob and Jeff, Beat of Hawaii.

Some of the most meaningful parts of Hawaii are the ones visitors walk right past without knowing they are there. We’ve spent nearly 20 years finding them firsthand for BOH as full-time Hawaii residents reporting on travel, culture, and island life, and telling you what they mean for your trip. Join us →