Waikīkī Beach is one of the most visited areas of Hawaii, and with that comes both beach erosion and the need for periodic sand replenishment; the most recent of which is underway, right now.  It’s a pretty interesting process, doesn’t encroach on the surfers or beachgoers, and I can watch the whole thing go down from my lanai.

Simply put, 20,000 cubic yards of marine sand are currently being hydraulically dredged from offshore, then pumped through a submerged 3,200-foot pipe (as a sand water slurry), to a basin that’s been formed by sand dikes where the slurry is dewatered and screened with anything larger than 1 inch in diameter removed to ensure that only fine sand is being used.  Once the dewatering has concluded, the sand is loaded into dump trucks and hauled down the beach, to what’s known as Royal Hawaiian Beach.

The process began with the mobilization of the equipment, and a blessing (see video, below).  Two weeks later, the sand recovery stage began, with the dredging and pumping taking place on weekdays, through the end of March.  Toward the beginning of March, with the first half of the sand dewatered, it will begin to be trucked to Royal Hawaiian Beach (seven days a week from 8am until noon), where it will be placed, and the beach reshaped.  This will continue, with the latter half of the sand being dewatered in March and being placed in April.  May will see the demobilization of the equipment and clean-up, with the project expected to be completed in June. 

This 2021 project—officially Waikīkī Beach Maintenance Project: Phase II—by the Waikīkī Beach Special Improvement District Association (WBSIDA) in close partnership with the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), is a continuation of 2012’s Waikīkī Beach Maintenance Project; which, at a cost of $2.9 million, was funded by a joint public partnership that included major contributions from the State of Hawai’i Restoration Fund, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and Kyo-ya Resorts (owners of The Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort; the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa; the Sheraton Waikiki; and the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani; in addition to the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, and San Francisco’s historic Palace Hotel).  The 2012 project recovered, pumped, dewatered, and placed 24,000 cubic yards of sand along the high traffic section of Waikīkī Beach that runs from the Royal Hawaiian to the Moana Surfrider, with the goal of increasing the beach’s width by an average of 37 feet.

Meanwhile, from a completely self-centered perspective, I applaud any beautification project that does its thing without getting in the way of my vacation or views; so, I say “Bravo!” to the WBSIDA and DLNR and can’t wait to come back when it’s all done!  As the Hawaiian saying goes: Ho’Omau ‘O Waikīkī Kahiki, which loosely translates to Waikīkī Beach Renews Itself.  Aloha, y'all!

Waikīkī Beach Maintenance Project: Phase II
Waikīkī Beach, Honolulu, O’ahu, Hawai’i
Click HERE for info

Get into it!
#Hawaii