Rick's Electronic Lighthouse Magazine

Lighthouses of Hawaii

All five of the major islands of Hawaii have lighthouses, but most are in remote locations that are difficult for the average tourist to visit.  Oahu is an exception in that several lighthouses are easy to visit.  Below is a sample from my spring 2006 trip to Oahu.

Diamond Head Lighthouse Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii Although the grounds to this lighthouse are closed to the public (the keeper's quarters is the home for the commandant of the 14th Coast Guard district), you can get  close up view of the lighthouse from the street along side.  Just head east out of downtown Waikiki and follow Diamond Head road along the coast.  This square pyramidal concrete tower was built in 1917 but the third order Fresnel lens dates back to the original tower built on this site in 1899.
	For a view of the lighthouse from the beach, continue east on Diamond Head Road to Diamond Head Beach Park and follow the trail down to the beach.
For a birds eye of the lighthouse, continue on Diamond Head Road and follow the signs to Diamond Head State Park.  The hike to the top of Diamond Head isn't easy - you start from the bottom of a volcanic crater and hike up to the top of the rim - about 1 mile with lots of steps, two tunnels and a spiral staircase.  The end of your hike is an almost 100 year old bunker that was the control center for gun batteries that once ringed the crater rim and provided protection to Honolulu (although they were never used in battle).  Along with an interesting hike, another reward is great views of the lighthouse, ocean, Honolulu and Waikiki.  This is a popular hike and can be hot hike at mid-day, so the best time of day to do this trip is early morning or afternoon to avoid the crowds and the heat.

Makapuu Point Lighthouse East Oahu, Hawaii Although a short tower at 46 feet, this lighthouse is over 400 feet above the ocean and has the largest lens (inside diameter of 8 1/2 feet) in use in a US lighthouse.  It was put into service in 1909 and the light is visible for up to 28 miles. When we visited, a wayside park was under construction that will better parking and a walkway to this lighthouse.  However, due to the construction we had to settle for a view as shown in this photo from Makapuu Beach Park. We also had a great nighttime view of the light while attending a luau at nearby Sea Life Park.

Aloha Tower  Aloha Tower Marketplace Honolulu, Hawaii Although no longer in use as an active lighthouse, this 184 foot tower is rich in history.  This tower was built in 1926 and welcomed tourists to Honolulu during the days of the steamer ships and clipper airplanes.  Although the light was removed 1970, this tower is the centerpiece for a modern shopping, dining and entertainment complex near the heart of downtown Honolulu.  I took this photo from aboard the Star of Honolulu during a whale watching cruise.  You also get a great view of Diamond Head Lighthouse from the water on this cruise.

	Lens from Makahuena Point Lighthouse Hawaii Maritime Center, Honolulu This lens was in the Makahuena Point Lighthouse on the southern most point of the island of Kauai from 1922 to 1983.  When the lighthouse was replaced with a modern pillar mounted light, the lens was rescued and placed in the Hawaii Maritime Center (beside the Aloha Tower Marketplace) in Honolulu.

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This web site is published just for fun as way to combine my hobbies of photography, computers, and lighthouses. Please feel free to download any photos for your personal use and enjoyment; however, any commercial use is prohibited without prior permission. Please send any comments to Rick Sturgill(rcsturgill@aol.com).
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