How is Kauai in September?

[nwflyboy]

Me and the wife are thinking about a trip to Kauai next September, but were wondering if that's a good time to go.

We've been to Hawaii before (dove some of the better known sites on Maui and the big island), but it's been quite a few years, and we've never been to Kauai. Due to work schedules and other factors, we only have a couple of limited windows each year to get away for more than a week - in May and September. We've already got plans for May, so I'm looking for a reasonable destination for a September trip with diving plus other stuff. Of course, September is prime hurricane season from Baja across the Caribbean, so we will probably stay away from there. I was thinking Hawaii would be a safer bet weather-wise. We're on the US west coast, so Hawaii is an easy, direct flight for us.

We're fairly experienced divers, but (we know) we're very, very spoiled (our last trip was to Raja Ampat, which we loved, no surprise there). We know we won't get the same kind of rich, pristine environment teeming with fish there in Kauai, but as long as we get some nice dives (reasonably healthy marine environment, interesting underwater topography), decent weather plus some nice topside experiences, we will be fine. We're interested in seeing topside Kauai, too.

How is the weather in September? Crowds? Is that the busy/hi/low/shoulder season? I assume that it's not a particularly busy time, with kids back in school - true? Rough seas?

What are the chances of getting to do Ni’ihau in September? I know this is seasonal, but am unsure of when the season ends. It sounds like a must-dive if you're there, so I'd hate to miss it.

Any whales to be seen at this time of year? Anything else good/bad we should know about?

Thanks for any tips.

 

[yogibeanie]

I dove Kauai in late September this year. I thought it was great. I went with Fathom Five. The dive masters said we got to go to some sites they normally never do because there were no currents. They said that time of the year when the weather changes can be calmer seas. Also, the water is the warmest it gets. Kauai has a larger percentage of endemic Hawaiian fish and I saw more unusual critters there than on the Big Island.

I also took the Ni’ihau trip. The captain said there was only one other day this season that they had better weather and seas on the trip. They said prepare to get wet on the trip back and we didn't even get splashed. It was worth it because on the third dive a monk seal hung out the whole time and would swim by a lot. We also got close encounters with dolphins and spotted eagle rays.

Also, if like to try boogie boarding or surfing, the waves were great for that in September.

 

[nwflyboy]

Bumping this old thread to (hopefully) get additional responses.

How's Kauai in September?

Any additional opinions/reports/things to be aware of on the weather/dive conditions for Kauai in September? Chances of doing the Ni’ihau trip at that time of year (and how the conditions might be)?

Thanks!