Big Island News

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port set port condition Whiskey for Hawaii County, Tuesday afternoon.Commercial ports in Hawaii County are Hilo Harbor and Kawaihae Harbor of the Big Island.During Port heavy weather condition WHISKEY, gale force winds 39 mph are predicted to arrive within 72 hours. Both ports currently remain open to all commercial and recreational traffic.The public is reminded of these important safety messages:When hurricane or tropical storm force winds are present stay off the water. The Coast Guard’s search and rescue capabilities degrade as storm conditions strengthen.

Hurricane Lane, a powerful Category 3 storm, spun slowly north out of the Pacific toward Hawaii on Friday, causing torrential downpours and catastrophic flooding on the Big Island.The greatest threat from wind and rain shifted to Maui overnight and then to Oahu, the U.S. state's most populous island, through Friday, the National Weather Service said. Hurricane conditions were possible over Kauai into Saturday, according to forecasts.More than 2 feet (60 cm) of rain had already fallen on a few areas on the windward side of the Big Island…

The Coast Guard 14th District held a change of command ceremony bidding farewell to Rear Adm. Vincent B. Atkins and welcoming Rear Adm. Brian K. Penoyer, at Coast Guard Base Honolulu, Wednesday.Vice Adm. Fred M. Midgette, commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area presided over the ceremony.Penoyer has served as Atkins’ chief of staff since 2016, advising the district commander on all Coast Guard missions conducted in the central and south Pacific. He is a 2015 recipient of the Coast Guard’s Type I Incident Commander qualification…

Forecasters and public officials urged Floridians to prepare for potentially catastrophic flooding and damaging winds as Tropical Storm Hermine was expected to become a hurricane by the time it reached Florida's northern Gulf Coast on Thursday. A hurricane warning was in effect for the Florida panhandle from the Suwannee River to Mexico Beach as the strengthening storm was expected to sweep across northern parts of the state and then northeast along the Atlantic Coast, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory. The forecast of rough weather prompted Florida Governor Rick Scott to declare an emergency on Wednesday as many school districts along the Gulf Coast canceled after-school activities and ordered students to stay home on Thursday.

The Coast Guard and Hawaii County Fire Department are searching for a missing diver off Puako Beach, Big Island, Wednesday. Missing is 69-year-old Diana Wolking. Wolking was last seen wearing a black rash guard, black and white bikini bottom with a scuba tank and black fins. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point is currently searching along with the crew of USCGC Kittiwake. Hawaii County Fire Department is  searching with helicopter and rescue boat crews. An Urgent Marine Information Broadcast has been issued alerting mariners in the area to keep a sharp lookout and report any sightings to the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center. Watchstanders at Sector Honolulu received notification at 7:20 p.m.

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port continues to closely monitor the movement of Hurricane Ignacio and based on the storms current trajectory to the northwest it does not appear that the closure of commercial ports in the Hawaiian Islands will be necessary. As a precaution, the COTP has moved the ports of Hilo and Kawaihae on the Big Island and the ports of Kaunakakai and Kahului in Maui County to Condition X-Ray (III): The READINESS condition in which winds above 34 knots (39 mph) are expected within 48 hours. The Port Conditions of Kalaeloa and Honolulu on Oahu are Whiskey (IV): The ALERT condition in which winds above 34 knots (39 mph) are expected within 72 hours. There is no upgraded Port Condition set for Kauai at this time.

Hurricane Ignacio intensified as it blew across the Pacific on a route likely to bypass Hawaii on Saturday, said the Central Pacific Hurricane Center of the National Weather Service. With winds gusting up to 115 miles per hour (185 kmph), the hurricane centered 835 miles (1,344 km) southeast of Honolulu and 625 miles (1,006 km) south east of Hilo was moving northwest at 8 miles per hour (13 kmph), said center spokesman Neil Honda. "It just became a hurricane from a tropical storm," Honda said, noting the weather became fierce enough to be classified a hurricane at 5 a.m. Pacific on Saturday. "It will just pass by the islands," Honda said, noting it could blow by later on Saturday morning.

The Coast Guard is supporting the Hawaii County Fire Department in the search for a missing passenger from a grounded sailboat near Kaupuleu, Hawai'i, Sunday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Honolulu received notification at 6:36 a.m., of a flare sighting Saturday, from the Hawaii County Fire Department. The flares were later confirmed as having been fired by the crew of the 74-foot sailing vessel, Hawaii Aloha, who abandoned ship into a life raft. Four of the five boaters aboard the Hawaii Aloha were found in the life raft and rescued by the fire department. The vessel subsequently grounded and one crew member remains missing. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point and the Coast Guard Cutter Kittiwake…

Tropical Storm Ana strengthened into a hurricane on Friday and was moving in the direction of Hawaii but was not expected to make a direct hit on the islands, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It said Ana had maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour (120 kph) and was located 230 miles (365 km) south of Hilo on the Big Island. The center's storm tracking map showed Ana passing south of the Hawaiian islands. No hurricane has landed a direct hit on Hawaii since Iniki, a Category 4 storm that struck in September of 1992, killing six people and causing damages estimated at $2.4 billion. (Reporting by Sandra Maler in Washington; Editing by Jim Loney)

Nearly 13,000 people inhabit the four-by-two-kilometer Linqiu Island located about 7.5 nautical miles southwest of the Donggang on the main island of Taiwan. Primarily fishermen, the island’s population is very dependent on the ferry service to get to the larger center on the main island. Lingiu is also the only one of Taiwan’s smaller islands that has been formed by coral. Increasingly the fantastically shaped geographical forms and the excellent diving afforded by the coral has led to an increase in tourist visits.

The US Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Hawaii Pacific, has closed ports for Big Island, Maui County to include the islands of Molokai and Lanai, and Oahu to all traffic. According to a News Release issued, all cargo operations at these ports were to be secured by 6pm yesterday. Vessels transiting within the vicinity of the Hawaiian Island harbours are urged to seek sheltered waters until storm conditions subside and the Captain of the Port has deemed the ports safe to reopen. Once the storm has passed and the threat of severe weather has subsided, the Coast Guard, Army Corp of Engineers and State of Hawaii will jointly conduct surveys of channel blockage and prioritize steps to resume essential, then normal, vessel traffic.

Iselle weakens to tropical storm from hurricane; More than 1,200 people head to shelters. Some 5,000 without power. Hurricane Julio set to reach Hawaii on Monday. The center of Tropical Storm Iselle made landfall on Hawaii's Big Island on Friday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain, knocking down trees and causing power outages ahead of a more powerful storm gathering strength behind it. While Iselle weakened into a tropical storm before reaching the islands, it was being closely followed by Julio, a Category 3 hurricane set to reach the area as early as Sunday morning - although the latest forecasts showed it tracking just north of the archipelago.

The eye of Tropical Storm Iselle made landfall on Hawaii's Big Island on Friday with strong winds and heavy rain, the U.S. Central Pacific Hurricane Center said. The center said Iselle had weakened to a tropical storm as it moved over Hawaii. Iselle is being closely followed by Julio, a Category 3 hurricane set to reach Hawaii on Monday. (Reporting by Sandra Maler; Editing by Bill Trott)

As Hurricanes Iselle and Julio approach the Big Island of Hawai'i, Liquid Robotics’ Wave Glider, named Holoholo, is swimming near Kawaihae Harbor north of Kona, in the path of the storm. Not only is the glider navigating through the impending storm, it is also tweeting photos as it develops. Check out the latest photos and weather reports at https://twitter.com/Holoholo_WG. The waves are getting big! The Wave Glider Holololo is communicating via cellular network. If the hurricanes impact the cellular towers, Liquid Robotics may be offline. liquidr.com

Vigor Fab has delivered Harley Marine Services’ newest vessel, the 250’x70’x15’8” 'Iliuliuk Bay' (an Aleut name meaning Big Island). The deck barge is purpose-built to enhance quality of service provided to customers living and working in Alaska. Iliuliuk Bay is in transit to Dutch Harbor and will enter service on November 3rd. Her unique design provides a flexible workhorse that can easily switch between containers and other cargo to serve the diverse needs of Harley Marine’s customers. She will transport a wide variety of cargo between Dutch Harbor and neighboring islands.

NOAA’s Marine Debris Program provided $967,000 through its Restoration Center to support locally driven, community-based marine debris prevention and removal projects. Eleven groups across the country received funding to remove derelict fishing nets, litter, lumber, tires and other harmful marine debris from shorelines and coastal waters. “Marine debris plagues coastlines all over the country, and these communities have the expertise and motivation to address it,” said Nancy Wallace, Marine Debris Program director.

US Fab, a Vigor Industrial company, will soon begin construction on a 250’x70’x15’8” deck barge for Harley Marine Services at Vigor’s Swan Island shipyard in Portland, Oregon. This purpose built barge was designed by Jensen Maritime Consultants to transport a wide variety of cargo between Dutch Harbor and Akutan, Alaska with up to 3 runs per week. “Having the ability to collaborate with Jensen and Harley during the initial production design for this barge, will allow us to have maximum efficiency during construction,” said Bryan Nichols, Sales Manager at Vigor Industrial.

Sonardyne International has retrieved its first Pressure Inverted Echo Sounder (PIES) off the coast of Hawaii. This new sensor logging node is designed to accurately measure the average sound velocity through a column of water from the seabed to the sea surface. The information gathered will help oceanographers to better understand the dynamics of the ocean and atmosphere-ocean coupling. On September 24, the Sonardyne PIES was free-fall deployed into a 960-meter deep water channel close to the big island of Hawaii, and commanded to log average sound velocity readings every seven minutes.

United States Lines has launched a 1,212-passenger cruise ship, MS Patriot, newly emerged from a $21 million renovation and flying the U.S. flag recently departed for the first of its weekly cruises to five ports on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, and "Big Island" of Hawaii. New ship features include a Hawaiian Destination Learning Center, innovative children's and teen's activity centers, and upgraded conference and meeting facilities. Recently in a christening ceremony reflecting both the heritage of Hawaii and the spirit of America, Maggie Inouye, wife of Senator Daniel Inouye, officially dedicated the ship. A gala benefiting five Hawaiian charities was also held on board.

Hawaii Superferry and Austal USA last month signed an agreement that could result in new passenger-vehicle catamarans for Hawaiian waters to create a commercial high-speed interisland ferry service. Hawaii Superferry plans to use Austal USA-built, high-speed, RoRo vessels to create "Hawaii's Interisland Highway," with catamarans carrying passengers, vehicles and freight between Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island, beginning in 2006. Under the agreement, Hawaii Superferry plans to purchase two 340-ft. "For many years, I have envisioned 'a marine highway' for our islands, so I am pleased with the progress that Hawaii Superferry has made in creating an interisland ferry system that will serve Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island," said Senator Daniel K.

Hawaii Superferry signed a historic agreement with Austal USA that proposes bringing the world’s newest passenger-vehicle catamarans to Hawaiian waters for the development of a commercial high-speed interisland ferry service in Hawaii. Hawaii Superferry plans to use Austal USA-built, high-speed, roll-on/roll-off vessels to create “Hawaii’s Interisland Highway,” with state-of-the-art Austal USA catamarans carrying passengers, vehicles and freight between Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island, beginning in 2006. Under the agreement, Hawaii Superferry plans to purchase two 340-foot catamaran ferry vessels from Mobile, AL-based Austal USA for delivery during 2006-2008 under an exclusive, strategic relationship.

Inspectors with several federal and State of Hawaii agencies joined forces to enforce hazardous materials shipping requirements and standards in several key Hawaii ports. The U.S. Coast Guard helped organized the 2008 Multi Agency Strike Force Operation (MASFO 2008) on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island, Nov. 12-14. The MASFO focused attention on the enforcement of hazardous materials shipping requirements and shipping container material condition safety standards. The operation also helped foster partner agency interoperability…

Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard commander Capt. Gregory R. Thomas joined the Battleship Missouri Memorial in saluting its volunteers and supporters as the historic ship fully reopened to visitation following a multimillion-dollar drydocking project. A ukulele band from the Big Island of Hawaii's Waiakea Intermediate School performed at a ceremony in honor of the memorial's volunteers and supporters. The school group is staying aboard the 66-year-old iconic battleship all weekend as part in the memorial's overnight encampment program focusing on science…