The only ferry service in Hawaii just ran into more serious trouble. On Monday, a distress call summoned the Coast Guard to respond to the Maui-Lanai Passenger Ferry (aka Expeditions Five), which ran aground near the Maalaea Harbor entrance where it was preparing for the morning sail to Lanai. The incident occurred very early in the day, and it was still dark out.
The ferry is critical in providing transport and especially medical care for Lanai residents. It also serves to shuttle first responders between islands. Last year, Maui County had even discussed purchasing the ferry because of its importance.
Salvage efforts on the boat were to begin today at maximum tide but got delayed by weather until Thursday. Then, more bad news was announced: after the vessel is removed from the reef, it will need to be towed to Honolulu for repairs. Hawaii DLNR reported that the salvage operation of removal and re-floating is the exclusive responsibility of Expeditions.
The 55-foot ferry had three crew members on board. When the Coast Guard arrived from Station Maui, they found the boat was “hard aground.” The crew was able to drop anchor, which prevented the boat from going further ashore. Fortunately, the boat’s hull remained intact, and it isn’t clear that any of the diesel fuel onboard (up to 250 gallons) has escaped.
Service recently resumed following the Lahaina fire.
The Expeditions-operated Maui-Lanai Ferry resumed its services following the fire. That came after efforts by the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) cleared the ferry dock at the Maalaea Small Boat Harbor. It had been strewn with fire ash and debris.
The ferry had long-operated between Lahaina’s small boat harbor and Lanai’s Manele small boat harbor. After the fire, the service was disrupted due to other burned and sunken vessels and debris in the water at Lahaina. DLNR said at that time, “We had nearly 100 vessels moored in the Lahaina Small Boat Harbor before the fire, and now only seven are above water.”
The reinstated service currently operates from Maalaea to Manele.
The ferry dock at Lahaina was one of the only structures to withstand the flames. U.S. Coast Guard, however, said that it will take time to restore the ferry docking capability there. Until then, the service will instead operate from Maalaea.
Updated Maui-Lanai ferry schedule.
It isn’t clear yet if another vessel will take the place of Expeditions Five. Their online calendar shows sailings resuming on January 25. Last month, the ferry increased its service to two round trips daily, seven days a week. It departs Maalaea at 6:30 am and 3:30 pm. In the other direction, it departs Manele at 9:30 am and 5:30 pm. You can make reservations online. The price is $30 per adult and $20 per child.
The ferry previously operated up to five times daily.
The Lanai Ferry ran up to five times daily across the Au’au Channel on a comfortable 1-hour ride. We always recall sitting under the Maui Banyan Tree, waiting for the ferry to arrive. The ferry is a swift and comfortable alternative to flying. Oh, and did we say fun!
So, how did the grounding happen?
That isn’t yet clear. We can say that Expeditions has provided reliable, affordable transportation between Maui and Lanai for three decades. Our experiences have always been professional, and you find many residents and visitors onboard at the Au’au Channel crossing. The vessels are United States Coast Guard certified. More information will follow.
Have you taken the Maui-Lanai Ferry?
I’m starting to think that Pele is madder than all get out! Maui can’t catch a break. 💔
Probably since the 1950’s or even before, all kinds of tourist related businesses, including the hotels, tour boats, etc. and the tourists had free reign to over run and trash the islands and the surrounding waters. Yes this has happened all over the world. Now the Hawaiian people/government hopefully has the momentum to make all parties responsible and set a positive example for the rest of the world. In the next year or two we will see if greed or responsibility wins.