Landmark· Hawaii (Big Island)· Hawaii
Kawaihae Commercial Harbor
20° 2.2′ N · 155° 49.7′ W
The Big Island's second deep-water commercial port, built inside a long breakwater on the Kohala coast and busy with inter-island barges, tugs and military supply craft. The NOAA Kawaihae tide gauge (station 1617433) sits on the wharf here and is the reference station for the north Kona and Kohala coast.
Practical
Coordinate is the OpenStreetMap position of the Kawaihae water-level monitoring station on the wharf. Noonsite warns to keep clear of the tugs and Army supply boats that constantly ply the harbor. Use NOAA CO-OPS station 1617433 (Kawaihae) for tide predictions; the range is small (around 2 ft). The commercial harbor is a state DOT Harbors facility; the recreational moorings and small boat basins are DLNR DOBOR. The Kawaihae boat launch ramp is at the north end of the harbor area. Coast Pilot (October 2026): entrance channel marked by a 120 degree lighted range and lighted and unlighted buoys; Kawaihae Light (20-02.48N 155-49.97W) is a 34-ft white pyramidal concrete tower on the northwest side of town. Pilotage is compulsory for foreign vessels; the pilot boat NININI works VHF 12 and boards 1.5 nm WNW of the entrance. DOT Harbors office (808) 882-6213, 61-3651 Kawaihae Road. Pier 2 carries petroleum and aggregate; a military landing-craft ramp is at the southwest end. There are no tugs in the harbor. Strong north current off Keahole and Makolea Points passes offshore here, and there is practically no current in the harbor.
Best for
Tide reference and a sense of the working harbor
Nearby
- Kawaihae Marketplace and Da Fish House0.1 NM away
- Kohala Burger & Taco (Kawaihae)0.1 NM away
- Seafood Bar (Kawaihae)0.1 NM away
- Kawaihae Commercial Harbor Anchorage0.2 NM away
- Kohala Divers (Kawaihae)0.2 NM away
- Kawaihae Harbor (North and South Small Boat Harbors)0.5 NM away
- Pelekane and Hale o Kapuni Shark Heiau0.6 NM away
- Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site0.7 NM away