Anchorage· Hawaii (Big Island)· Hawaii

Hilo Bay Anchorage (Lee of the Breakwater)

19° 43.9′ N · 155° 4.2′ W · approximate

The open water inside the 1.9-mile Hilo breakwater on Blonde Reef - since Radio Bay closed to visitors this is where most arriving cruisers drop the hook, with Coconut Island, Liliuokalani Gardens and the Wailoa River dinghy run close by.

Practical

Coordinate is approximate: placed in the bay west of Kaulainaiwi Island, the area the Coast Pilot recommends ('good anchorage west of Kaulainaiwi Island in depths of 25 to 35 feet over good holding ground'); plot your spot on the chart. Latitude 38 (2020) reports holding from poor (hardpan and rock) to patchy mud near the breakwater, exposure to the trades and afternoon sea breeze, more surge than Radio Bay, weaker dinghy security, and at least one boat lost here in recent years. Hilo Bay is subject to heavy surge especially from October to mid-April (Coast Pilot). This water is administered by DLNR DOBOR, not DOT; Latitude 38 reported DLNR fees of $10 per person per day plus a vessel-size charge and stricter insurance requirements (2020 - verify locally). Cruisers reported to Noodle's Notes that they anchored here, took the dinghy into the Wailoa River under the bridge and tied to trees in the park. After heavy rain the Wailoa and Wailuku river outflows set north through the inner harbor. A large fleet of small fishing boats works the outer bay - keep a lookout. Tsunami: Hilo Bay focuses tsunamis (1946 and 1960 killed 159-173 and 61 people); put to sea on any warning. Insurance: boats 26 ft and over in state waters must carry at least $100,000 removal-and-salvage cover (HRS 200-13.5, since March 2020), and any DOBOR mooring permit needs $500,000 liability naming the State as additional insured. Fuel by jerry jug from Kalanianaole Street or Kamehameha Avenue stations; laundry, propane and hospital are listed as separate entries.

Hilo Bay Anchorage (Lee of the Breakwater)

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