Posted on June 11, 2025
Dredging work began today to restore access to the lava-barricaded Pohoiki Boat Ramp, eight years after an eruption of Kilauea volcano rendered the structure unusable.
Hundreds of people gathered Monday for a community celebration and blessing at the top of the ramp, which by November is expected to be clear of an estimated 42,000 cubic yards of black sand and boulders. That’s about 22,000 full-sized pickup truck beds.
“This is a day of celebration to recognize the collaboration of the community, elected officials and (the Department of Land and Natural Resources) working together to support this project,” DLNR Chair Dawn Chang said Monday. “The Pohoiki Boat Ramp is a piko, or focal point for this community. Fishing is a huge part of the greater Puna community and commercial, recreational and subsistence fishers have been waiting patiently for this work to begin.”
Even before the 2018 eruption, Finn McCall, the head engineer with the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, made multiple visits to Pohoiki. Immediately after the eruption stopped, McCall continued making further visits to Pohoiki to shift the strategy in addressing ramp needs, according to the DLNR.
“Boy, this has been a long journey,” McCall said. “We tried looking at sites from Kapoho all the way to Kalapana. Sand and boulders continued to fill the entire bay, but once that stopped, we began focusing on restoring the Pohoiki ramp.”
The state had hoped for more federal support to approve removal of most of the volcanic debris in Pohoiki Bay, but FEMA was only able to approve restoration of the boat ramp entrance channel.
Then it took dogged efforts by state lawmakers from the district to convince the rest of the Legislature that opening the Pohoiki Boat Ramp was the top priority for people in the district, according to the DLNR.
Chang on Monday singled out the efforts of state Sen. Joy San Buenaventura and state Rep. Greggor Ilagan in getting $5.4 million of state funding for the dredging.
The total project cost came in at $9.28 million, which means the $2.9 million shortfall is being covered by the DLNR’s Boating Special Fund, which derives its revenues almost entirely from boating user fees.
“We needed people to understand how much it cost in fuel just to bring all our boats from the Wailoa Small Boat Harbor in Hilo, the nearest boating facility, out to Puna to they could fish to feed and support their families,” San Buenaventura said during the blessing ceremony.
San Buenaventura and Ilagan often pointed out it was akin to only having one small boat ramp for all of Oahu.
According to the DLNR, Chang fielded letter after letter, comment after comment from upset and frustrated fishers, some of whom had to give up their generational livelihoods of fishing because it became too expensive. Family members with lineal connections to the coastline were not able to fish, either. She and every single speaker singled out the community for not giving up and pushing to have Pohoiki restored.
As did the consulting company and contractor hired to do the work.
“This has been one of the most eye-opening, humbling projects I’ve ever worked on,” said Kyle Kaneshiro of Limtiaco Consulting. “The community made everything so easy. This is not an easy project, but the community got everyone together.”
Guy DiBartolo from Goodfellows Bros. Inc., added, “I’ve been to many ground blessings and ceremonies. This one for me, stands out as something unique and special, seeing the community’s involvement over many months and years.”
For many people, like DLNR First Deputy Ryan Kanaka‘ole, Pohoiki stirs up fond childhood memories.
“Summertime for me was coming down here, making the two-hour drive each way from Kaʻu with my father to dive, surf or just relax. This day makes me remember my dad. He didn’t have a house, but he had a car, and I’ll never forget those days spent at Pohoiki.”
The contractor has nine months to complete the project but expects to be finished in November, according to the DLNR.
State Rep. Greggor Ilagan, center, and state Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, right, participate Monday in a blessing ceremony at the Pohoiki Boat Ramp (DLNR photo).
The Pohoiki Boat Ramp in 2018 (DLNR photo).
Efforts to remove lava blocking the Pohoiki Boat Ramp should be completed this year (DLNR photo).
