Posted on: Tuesday, October 8, 2002

Second buoy eases entry to harbor

By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

Crew members of the Coast Guard cutter Kukui lower a second lighted buoy off Kalaeloa Harbor — a last step in establishing a waterway capable of supporting commercial traffic, including nighttime navigation. U.S. Coast Guard

Nighttime navigation into Kalaeloa Harbor — the state's second-busiest behind Honolulu Harbor — is expected to improve with new lighting and the placement yesterday of a second large, lighted buoy.

The Coast Guard ship Kukui used a crane to install an 8-foot-tall, 26-foot-diameter buoy attached to a 12,500-pound ocean-floor base.

The new lighting is visible from five miles at sea, compared with three miles previously. With two buoys now in place, an improved gateway to the harbor has been created, officials said.

"It marks the channel a little bit more as a runway," said Lt. Bryan Bender, executive officer on the Kukui.

Harbor officials said nighttime navigation had been a problem through the 450-foot-wide channel.

"It's an economic benefit," said Craig Fukuda, acting harbor master for Honolulu, Kalaeloa and Kewalo harbors. "Right now the largest vessels, if they want to leave at night, they can't, and if they come in at night, they can't (enter the harbor)."

Fukuda said the cargo vessel port pilots would have to familiarize themselves with the new lighting to benefit from it.

The Kalaeloa anchorage — also known as Barbers Point harbor — can accommodate 720-foot Enterprise-class cargo ships. The port handles dry-bulk materials such as coal, cement and scrap metal, as well as Tesoro and Chevron tankers, officials said.

In the last two months, the Coast Guard has improved lighting on four fixed navigation aids on pilings sunk into the ocean floor. Officials said the buoy cost about $12,000.

"The navigation of the waterway is definitely better, and the ability to bring ships in and out of the harbor has been improved," Bender said. "Hopefully it's one of the starting points for an improved flow of commerce for Barbers Point."

Plans are being made to dredge Kalaeloa to make it a deep-draft harbor.