Beach· Niihau· Hawaii
Niihau Beachcombing and Glass Floats
21° 56.7′ N · 160° 8.4′ W
Because almost nobody lands on Niihau, its beaches collect Pacific flotsam untouched - the place in Hawaii to find Japanese glass fishing floats.
Practical
Noodle's Notes: the author found glass floats on three of five visits, more than sixty in about an hour and a half on his first visit at Keawanui Beach, and cruisers reported four more there in 2020; Pacific Cup cruising notes report sixty in a little over an hour. Shells for Niihau lei wash up mainly in winter (Wikipedia). Stay below the vegetation line - the beach is public, the land behind it is private; leave if residents ask, without argument. Coordinate: USGS GNIS 'Keawanui Beach'. Hawaiian monk seals haul out here; keep at least 50 ft away. Access: Niihau is privately owned and residents may tell you to leave; the beaches up to the vegetation line and the surrounding waters are public (Pacific Cup cruising notes; Noodle's Notes). Stay below the vegetation line, do not go inland, and if residents appear, the guide's author recommends simply returning to the boat.
Best for
Beachcombing for glass floats
Season
Summer landings; calm days
Nearby
- Niihau Leeward Anchorages1.4 NM away
- Kaununui Anchorage (Niihau)1.6 NM away
- Niihau (Private Island, Public Waters)2.3 NM away
- Puukole Point Anchorage (Niihau)4.3 NM away
- Niihau Hawaiian Monk Seals4.5 NM away
- Kii Landing Anchorage (Niihau East)4.9 NM away
- Lehua Island Seabird Sanctuary5.1 NM away
- Lehua Crater Dive5.2 NM away