Queen’s bath is one of the most dangerous areas on the Kauai north shore. A natural pool carved into a shelf of rocky lava, Queen’s Bath has the dubious honor of being one of the top Kauai drowning locations.
Unfortunately Queen’s Bath is very popular with tourists who either don’t understand—or disregard—posted signs and the concerns of locals. Pictures of Queens Bath in Kauai guide books almost invariably show the Bath when the ocean is calm. At such points Queen’s Bath looks like a natural giant bathtub: crystal clear, beautiful, and deceptively calm.
KauaiNorthShore Swells
To be fair, most guide books warn tourists of the dangers of Queen’s Bath, but the image of the calm, clear waters sticks in the mind long after the warning fades from memory.
Pictures of a calm Queen’s Bath are invariably taken during the summer, when the Kauai North Shore enjoys reasonably safe conditions. During the winter, the height of the Garden Island tourist season, the north shore swells begin. This is the peak time for Kauai surfing, with monster waves pounding the north shore. At such times Queen’s Bath doesn’t look like a bathtub—if you can even find the Bath in the surf it looks more like a blender.
This doesn’t mean that summer is a safe time to visit Queen’s Bath—far from it. In fact, the summer months can be even more dangerous. Calm water tempts people into the bath, but ocean conditions can change in an instant. One unusually large wave is enough to drag people out of the Bath and into the ocean proper, smashing them over and into the lava rock cliff that separate Queen’s Bath from the ocean. Miles from the nearest lifeguard facility, anyone in the ocean at Queen’s Bath is likely to become the next Kauai drowning victim.
Other Hazards
Getting to Queen’s Bath is often a hazard in and of itself. The trail down the shoreline is steep, unpaved, and exceptionally slippery during and after rain storms. Once on the shoreline—or more properly—the lava rock, you have to clamber over 200 yards of rough, sharp lava rock to reach the Bath.
The Bath itself can only be accessed by climbing down a steep lave rock drop of fifteen to twenty feet. More than one climber has fallen during this descent and suffered serious injuries.
Walking along unshielded lava rock in full sun is draining—people have suffered heat exhaustion and heart attacks getting to Queen’s Bath. Again, you’re a long way from help if you need medical attention.
It may look like quite a drop to the ocean, but don’t be fooled—Kauai north shore waves can be large enough to crest the drop as if it wasn’t there. Every year on Kauai drownings occur because people thought they were a safe distance from the ocean, only to be swept in by an unexpectedly large wave.
One other note on Queen’s Bath hazards. If you get into trouble out there, it’s not just your life that hangs in the balance. Kauai lifeguards and rescue workers are some of the best and bravest in the business. Their lives are put at risk whenever there’s an emergency at Queen’s Bath.
Alternatives to Queen’s Bath
There’s no argument—Queen’s Bath is a beautiful place. But this Kauai, the Garden Island. You’d be hard pressed to find anywhere on the island that isn’t beautiful. If you’re looking for crystal clear water on the Kauai north shore during the summer, try Kee beach (avoid Kee in the winter, when the giant Kauai north shore swells hit).
During the winter, ocean conditions are safer on the south shore of Kauai. Both Poipu beach and Salt Pond Beach Park are much safer locations for ocean play.
Please. Avoid Queen’s Bath. A Kauai beach vacation should be a lifelong memory—not the end of a life.
Michael McGrath - Michael McGrath began providing web content shortly after finishing his graduate degree in English at the University of Alberta. His broad ...
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