KAILUA-KONA Kawaihae Harbor-North is closed indefinitely following damage caused by high surf that battered north- and west-facing shores over the New Years holiday.
KAILUA-KONA — Kawaihae Harbor-North is closed indefinitely following damage caused by high surf that battered west-facing shores over the New Year’s holiday.
The surf damaged the small boat harbor’s entire loading dock and breached a large section of the breakwater, DLNR Spokesman Dan Dennison said Friday morning. Wave heights of 8 to 10 feet had been forecast by Honolulu-based National Weather Service forecasters through early Wednesday.
“The jetty was severely damaged and the surf knocked down a section which is approximately 40 (feet) across,” Dennison said via email.
The dock has been deemed neither safe nor usable and will need to be replaced, he added.
“Engineers are determining the feasibility of putting in a new dock or if the jetty would need to be repaired first. A jetty repair will cost millions of dollars and a study and estimated cost for the jetty repairs are underway,” he said. “The facility will no longer be able to be used as a small boat harbor until it is repaired.”
All vessels have been moved to either Kawaihae Harbor-South or Honokohau Harbor in North Kona.
In the interim, boaters can use the new launch ramp at Kawaihae Harbor-South that was recently completed.
“Boaters can use that ramp immediately,” Dennison said.
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