Shark sighting prompts no-swimming advisory at Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Bay went under a no-swimming, no-ocean-activity advisory Sunday after Kaua‘i Ocean Safety Bureau officials reported a shark sighting fronting the Pavilion Tower. The shark was estimated at 6 to 7 feet long and was seen about 2:15 p.m.; no injuries were reported.

County officials said warning signs were posted right away and lifeguards would reassess the area later Monday afternoon. If there were no additional sightings, the bay was expected to reopen to ocean activities at 2:15 p.m. Monday, May 25. For anyone planning a beach day, the instruction was straightforward: do not assume the water is open just because the surf looks calm.

The closure carried immediate consequences for swimmers, snorkelers, surfers, paddlers, and families who had planned to use one of Kaua‘i’s busiest shoreline areas, especially on a holiday weekend. At Hanalei, even a short-lived advisory can alter kayak launches, surf sessions, and casual ocean use across the bay, from the nearshore shallows to the broader break.

Kaua‘i County told the public to ask any county lifeguard for current ocean-safety information or call the Ocean Safety Bureau at 808-241-4984. That warning fits the island’s broader ocean-safety approach, where advisories are issued quickly and reassessed as conditions change. The goal is to reduce risk before a second sighting or a close encounter turns a precaution into an injury.

Hawai‘i’s Department of Land and Natural Resources says about 40 shark species occur in Hawaiian waters, and about eight are relatively common in nearshore areas. Whitetip reef, sandbar, scalloped hammerhead, and occasionally tiger sharks are among the species most often encountered. The agency says tiger sharks are considered the most dangerous sharks in Hawaiian waters, though shark encounters remain infrequent, and its database records 364 known or suspected shark-bite incidents from 1778 to the present.

The recent history at Hanalei Bay shows why officials move quickly. On Nov. 5, 2025, a male resident surfing near the Pine Trees surf break was bitten on the legs and taken to Wilcox Medical Center. County officials posted “Shark Sighted” and “No Swimming” signs then, too, and notified the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Surfing remains the activity most associated with shark bites statewide, and the state says 21% of recorded cases involved no injury.