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The 75-foot Atlantis Adventures shuttle boat Discovery remains grounded against Kewalo Basin Harbor's seawall Monday evening, after weekend salvage attempts were thwarted by mounting water intrusion into the vessel's engine room. The boat ran aground Saturday morning during peak high surf conditions that have battered Oahu's south shores since Thursday.
According to KHON2, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Chief of Prevention Daniel Brahan explained that "currently, we have more water intrusion to the engine room, so all salvage operations have been put on pause." The Discovery, which normally ferries passengers to Atlantis Adventures' submarine tour operations, was operating without passengers when the incident occurred around 8 a.m. Saturday.
Environmental Concerns Addressed
Coast Guard officials reported significant fuel removal efforts to prevent environmental damage. Personnel removed 2,275 gallons of diesel and 36 gallons of hydraulic fluid from the vessel. Pacific Environmental Corporation also extracted eight marine batteries at 11 p.m. Saturday. According to Honolulu Star-Advertiser, no pollution or sheening has been reported.
KHON2 reported that Atlantis Adventures confirmed "There were no passengers aboard the Discovery shuttle boat when it ran aground this morning" and "The two experienced crewmembers aboard the shuttle boat were not injured."
Complex Salvage Challenges
Chief Brahan outlined the technical difficulties facing salvage crews. "There was some damage to rudders, shafting, underneath the water line we knew there was some damage there, just more water ingress in that compartment," he told KHON2. He added that the situation "is compounded by the fact that there is a reef here, it is difficult to get tugs here."
Initial salvage efforts began Saturday evening when Cates Marine Services and the tugboat Miki'oi secured lines to the Discovery. However, during attempts to tow the vessel off the reef, the cleats failed to hold, forcing the operation to halt.
High Surf Context
The grounding occurred amid dangerous surf conditions that have kept Honolulu Ocean Safety busy. A high surf advisory for Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island was initiated Thursday, Aug. 7, and extended until at least 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11. The extended high surf warning resulted in over 500 rescues and 10,000 preventative actions by Ocean Safety personnel over the weekend.
The incident highlights ongoing challenges marine operators face during Hawaii's unpredictable high surf conditions. Similar groundings have occurred in recent years, including a 41-foot boat that grounded near Makapuu Beach Park in 2019, and rough conditions in 2023 that affected salvage operations for the grounded luxury yacht Nakoa at Honolua Bay on Maui.
Corporate Response
Atlantis Adventures emphasized its commitment to environmental protection and safety in its response. The company told KHON2 that it is "taking the necessary time to conduct additional inspections of the entire vessel to ensure it is in proper condition for when it's moved to avoid causing harm to the marine environment." The company has been operating submarines worldwide for over 38 years and has completed over 580,000 dives carrying over 18 million passengers.
Coast Guard officials noted that their investigation has found no indication of mechanical or electrical failure. The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation are overseeing the vessel's salvage, with Commander Brahan asking that "beachgoers and boaters keep a safe distance from the Discovery as salvage operations continue."
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