We Tried It: Ke‘alohi Surf’s LED Stand-Up Paddleboard Tour
Nightlife never looked so bright on O‘ahu’s North Shore.
Photo: Courtesy of Ke‘alohi Surf
While scrolling my Instagram feed, an eye-catching post made me pause: glowing paddleboards floating under the iconic 100-year-old Rainbow Bridge in Hale‘iwa. I have done my fair share of SUP in the past but never seen anything like this. I had to try it! My husband and 7-year-old son were a little more hesitant, but I convinced them to join me on an adventurous family night.
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We live in town, and I can honestly say I’ve never been in Hale‘iwa at night. Normally, we’ll do a beach day and lunch on the North Shore, then drive back home. This time is different. As we drive into the charming town in the early evening on a Saturday, everyone else is driving out. The normally bustling boutiques, surf shops and shave ice stands are also closing up.
We meet our tour guide Martin at 6:15 p.m. at Hale‘iwa Beach Park, right across the street from the Beach House restaurant. A couple visiting from Atlanta has driven up from Waikīkī for the tour as well. The LED stand-up paddleboards are already set up on the sand, and they’re glowing. After four years of development, Ke‘alohi Surf owners Franco Martinangeli and Luis Real have patented their design with lights built into the underside of the board.
Photo: Courtesy of Ke‘alohi Surf
To capture this illuminated coolness factor in all its glory, they’ve arranged for a professional photographer to tag along on all tours and snap stunning photos and drone footage, available for purchase ($99). Our photographer, Yasuo, takes some group photos on the sand first, then revs up his drone to follow us down the river. Waterproof phone cases are also available to borrow so you can take POV shots on your own.
Photo: Courtesy of Ke‘alohi Surf
First things first, we’re all offered life jackets. Then Martin leads us through a short safety briefing and paddling lesson but wastes no time in getting us out on the water. My son, Duke, opts to ride sitting down on the front of Martin’s board, so he’ll have less of a chance of falling into the water (smart boy!). Due to the abnormal onshore winds, the first 10 minutes of paddling in Waialua Bay are choppy. Martin suggests we also stay seated until we reach the calm water of the ‘Anahulu River.
Photo: Courtesy of Ke‘alohi Surf
As we paddle under the historic double arches of the Rainbow Bridge, the sky glows orange and pink with the sunset. Feeling warmed-up and confident in my paddling, I slowly stand up on the board. It definitely tests my balance but feels good. However, it doesn’t go so well for one of the visitors from Georgia, who falls off his board twice while trying to stand up. Luckily, the water is warm and shallow.
Photo: Courtesy of Ke‘alohi Surf
Then we spot honu (Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles)—some right under our boards—as they swim up the river to sleep for the night. Martin explains that they like to doze under the roots of the vegetation along the river to hide from predators, and we can identify females by their shorter tails. I count about 15 honu during our tour, many very large. Since the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle is a protected species, we shouldn’t chase them but instead give them space to swim on their way.
By now, the sky has turned from purple to black and is littered with stars. Fewer city lights on the North Shore make for great stargazing. I recognize Orion’s Belt by its telltale three stars in a diagonal line—not something I normally see surrounded by the bright lights of Honolulu.
Photo: Courtesy of Ke‘alohi Surf
After about 30 minutes, we turn around and head back the way we came. The river is calm, quiet and peaceful. Our new friends from the South suggest the atmosphere gives “bayou vibes” the way the trees and vines hang over the water with the stillness of the air and the rustic docks built right along the river.
When we reach the ocean, the atmosphere changes. We once again fight the onshore winds and waves, but in the darkness, it seems even more daunting. I overhear the woman from Georgia say, “This is wild!” Fortunately, it’s just a short paddle to shore, and Martin helps us each disembark gracefully without falling in. In total, we were on the water for a little more than an hour.
Photo: Courtesy of Ke‘alohi Surf
After one more photo session with Yasuo, we rinse off in the beach park shower, then hop in our car feeling exhilarated but tired and a little chilly. We know we’ll be sore, and proud, in the morning. The next day, the professional photos and videos arrive in my email inbox, so we can relive the experience again and post it to Instagram.
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Tips
- Since you’ll be paddling in the dark in an unfamiliar environment, I don’t recommend this for your very first paddleboarding experience.
- Keiki are welcome to paddle their own LED stand-up paddleboards or sit tandem on the tour guide’s board, depending on their height, weight and skill level.
- Fair warning—you will get wet, even if you don’t fall off the board. I wore yoga attire, but swimsuits and rash guards are great too.
- Be flexible. For safety reasons, the tour may be cancelled due to high surf, wind or rain.
- Heads-up: While there is a beach shower, there’s no convenient place to change clothes or use the restroom at the tour location.
- Bring towels and sweatshirts to warm up afterwards.
Tours offered daily at sunset (varies based on the time of the year) and depart from Hale‘iwa Beach Park, $134 per person with kama‘āina discount code HM10, plus $99 for the optional photo and drone footage package, (808) 475-6477, kealohisurf.com, @kealohisurf
