Watch: Passenger Boat Runs Aground, Nearly Flips In Heavy Surf Off Honolulu

A large 75-foot passenger boat ran aground in high surf off Honolulu’s Kewalo Basin Harbor on Saturday morning.

The vessel, named Discovery, is operated by Atlantis Adventures as a shuttle to ferry passengers to and from the Waikiki submarine dive site. It became stranded about 60 feet outside the harbor entrance at around 8:25 a.m., when ocean swells were at their peak and the tide was at its lowest. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed two crew members were aboard at the time, and both escaped without injury.

According to the vessel’s operator, two large waves hit the stern of the Discovery, disrupting its course. The boat then lost propulsion after it grounded. The Coast Guard said there were no mechanical failures before the incident.

Surf photographer Ramon Brockington, who was filming body surfers near a spot known as Panic Point, said the boat appeared to be trying to get ahead of a breaking wave but didn’t have enough power. He said the wave lifted the vessel, causing the captain to lose steering control.

The swell then pushed the boat into very shallow water, in some areas only two feet deep, before it leaned heavily to one side and began “surfing” toward shore. Brockington described it as unlike anything he had seen before, comparing it to a giant surfboard being picked up and tossed across the beach.

The #USCG is monitoring an aground passenger vessel, the Discovery, approximately 60 feet outside Kewalo Basin Harbor with 2 people on board. The captain plans to refloat at high tide; no pollution has been reported. #hawaii pic.twitter.com/b0xojhoSvw

— U.S. Coast Guard Oceania (@USCGOceania) August 9, 2025

The vessel eventually drifted against a concrete wall along the shore.

Coast Guard watchstanders deployed a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Station Honolulu, but shallow waters and rough sea conditions prevented it from reaching the vessel. Jet ski crews from Honolulu Ocean Safety confirmed the crew members were safe.

By late Saturday night, emergency response teams from the Pacific Environmental Corporation (PENCO) had removed 2,275 gallons of diesel fuel, 36 gallons of hydraulic oil, and all accessible batteries from the boat to prevent pollution.

Salvage work began around 6:25 p.m. Saturday, with Cates Marine Services and the tugboat Miki’oi attaching tow lines to the vessel. However, the effort was halted when the cleats on the boat failed under strain. The Discovery is now secured to the seawall at Kewalo Basin while officials wait for the next high tide to attempt removal.

Atlantis Adventures confirmed that the Discovery is Coast Guard certified, regularly inspected, and operated by trained, licensed captains. The company said it is working with regulatory agencies to have the boat removed, towed back to its pier, and fully inspected before returning it to service.

References: independent, abcnews

Source: Maritime Shipping News