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Tour Boat Rides the Waves and Runs Aground off Honolulu

Discovery
Courtesy USCG

Published Aug 10, 2025 11:40 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

On Saturday, a tour vessel was swept sideways by heavy surf while attempting to transit into a small harbor in Honolulu, sending the boat off course and causing it to ground.

At about 0800 hours Saturday morning, the 75-foot passenger vessel Discovery was inbound for the Kewalo Basin, a small-craft harbor about 1,500 yards southeast of the main Honolulu Harbor entrance. Unusually tall waves of 10-12 feet were rolling towards the beach, and a high surf advisory was in effect, indicating hazardous conditions for the unprepared. (Honolulu Ocean Safety later reported that it rescued more than 300 beachgoers from the waves over the course of the day.) 

In these conditions, Discovery - which had only two crewmembers aboard, and no passengers - attempted to make the run through the narrow channel into the harbor. 

Like a fishing boat trying to cross a bar, Discovery got overtaken by a wave, which lifted it and carried it forward. The vessel then veered sharply to starboard and ended up broadside-to as the wave broke - a life-threatening outcome for a smaller vessel. Luckily, the Discovery was large and stable enough that it did not capsize. 

At about 0825, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu received a report that Discovery had gone aground on the reef, just 60 feet outside of the harbor. The vessel lost propulsion in the grounding, the master reported. 

A USCG response boat could not reach the site because of the shallow water and rough surf, but jet ski crews from Honolulu Ocean Safety soon arrived on scene to respond. They found that the master and crewmember aboard Discovery were uninjured. 

At about 1825 hours, a tug from Cates Marine arrived on scene and tried to pull the Discovery off the reef. The boat's deck cleats failed, and the operation was halted. 

Discovery eventually drifted up against a nearby seawall near the harbor entrance, enabling salvage and cleanup. By 2300 hours Saturday, response crews had removed all of the vessel's accessible diesel, oil and batteries. No pollution was reported. 

The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the grounding, and state officials are overseeing the vessel’s salvage. “The safe removal of a large, grounded vessel is a complex undertaking that requires careful coordination and planning,” said Cmdr. Daniel Brahan, Chief of Prevention, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. “We ask that beachgoers and boaters keep a safe distance from the Discovery as salvage operations continue.”