Tour Vessel Grounded in Honolulu Harbor Amid High Surf Conditions

On Saturday, a tour vessel encountered trouble as it attempted to navigate into a small harbor in Honolulu amidst heavy surf conditions. The incident caused the boat to veer off course and ultimately run aground.

Early in the morning at around 0800 hours, the 75-foot passenger vessel known as Discovery was on its way to the Kewalo Basin, a small-craft harbor located southeast of the main Honolulu Harbor entrance. The area was experiencing unusually tall waves measuring between 10-12 feet, with a high surf advisory in place warning of hazardous conditions. Honolulu Ocean Safety later reported rescuing over 300 beachgoers from the waves throughout the day.

Despite the challenging conditions, the Discovery with only two crew members aboard, attempted to navigate through the narrow channel into the harbor.

Like a fishing boat crossing a bar, the vessel was caught by a wave, causing it to be lifted and carried forward. Subsequently, the boat veered sharply to starboard, ending up broadside to the breaking wave. This situation could have been life-threatening for a smaller vessel, but fortunately, the Discovery remained stable and did not capsize.

At approximately 0825, the Coast Guard received a distress call reporting that the Discovery had run aground on the reef just outside the harbor, losing propulsion in the process.

Due to shallow waters and rough surf, a Coast Guard response boat was unable to reach the site. However, jet ski crews from Honolulu Ocean Safety quickly arrived and confirmed that the crew members aboard the Discovery were unharmed.

Efforts to refloat the vessel were initiated later in the day with the arrival of a tug from Cates Marine. Unfortunately, the operation was unsuccessful as the boat’s deck cleats failed during the attempt.

Ultimately, the Discovery drifted towards a seawall near the harbor entrance, facilitating salvage and cleanup operations. By 2300 hours, all accessible diesel, oil, and batteries had been removed from the vessel without any reported pollution incidents.

An investigation into the cause of the grounding is currently underway by the Coast Guard, while state officials are overseeing the salvage operations. Cmdr. Daniel Brahan, Chief of Prevention at Coast Guard Sector Honolulu, emphasized the need for caution around the vessel during salvage efforts.