Exploring the Wild Coast of Lana'i: Shipwrecks, Whales, and Dolphins

 

It is a real treat when the weather conditions allow us to get into kayaks and paddle around this old shipwreck.

The typical weather here in Hawaii has vanished, replaced by a staunch wind from the south. This makes our usual places to play a bit choppy and difficult. But, if you know where to look, it can open up some unusual spots that we don't usually get a chance to explore. One of these is shipwreck beach, off the north side of Lana'i.

Located in the north shore of the island means that shipwreck beach is exposed to the large north swells, and the funneling trade winds through the Pailolo Channel, between Maui and Molokai. It is these forces that sent the YOGN-42 up onto the shallow reef here in the first place. The YOGN-42 is a concrete gasoline barge built for the Navy in 1943. It was intentionally grounded after World War II as a cost-effective method to dispose of the vessel. This barge is often mistakenly referred to as a Liberty Ship, but it is actually a fuel tanker made of steel and concrete, which explains its durability and continued presence today.

The beach itself has been the site of numerous shipwrecks over the centuries. The earliest documented shipwreck occurred in 1824 when the British vessel Alderman Wood sank in the area. Two years later, the American ship London also met its end here, with rumors of valuable cargo remaining unrecovered.

In addition to the YOGN-42, there are other wrecks along the coastline, including the navy yard oiler YO-21, which was present at Pearl Harbor during the 1941 attack. These wrecks, along with ship timbers, anchors, and engines, are gradually becoming part of the reef ecosystem. Today's weather allowed us to explore the shipwreck both above and below the water. We got into kayaks for an up close look, sent out small boats for a more laid back adventure, and even got in the water for some snorkeling on the reef. The visibility was great and everyone was up for the adventure.

And the photos help immortalize the memories forever!

Photo of me, diving down on the expansive reef off Lana'i.

Kayaking out from the Safari Explorer. You can see the shipwreck off in the distance in the background.

Heading out from the mothership.

We made it to the wreck.

The visibility today was great. We could see forever in every direction.

Beautiful weather off shipwreck beach.

The southern facing side of the YOGN-42 shipwreck shows much more wearing because of the sun exposure.

It was a windy paddle to get here, but our group made it!

The size of the wreck is pretty awesome when you paddle right under it. This is where the rudder would have been attached.

I pulled this sea cucumber off the side of the wreck, so the guests could get a hands-on experience.

Holes in the shipwreck pockmark the rusty sides as we paddle around.

Huge opihi, or limpets, are living right on the sides of the shipwreck. These are a delicacy in Hawaii.

After paddling and snorkeling at the shipwreck, we went for a whale watch. January is a great time of year to be here for the humpbackwhales. We saw blows in every direction!

This was a young whale launching itself out of the water. It needs to build up muscle for its 3000 mile trek back up to Alaska with its mom.

Here, a female humpback whale says, "Come Hither", to some nearby males by flipping over on her back and slapping her pectoral fins on the water.

Finishing off the day with a beautiful fluke up dive from a humpback whale.

Bowriding dolphins provided a fun surprise as we headed towards our anchorage for the night.