HONOLULU — The Coast Guard Captain of the Port opened the Hawaii County ports Thursday morning and cargo operations have resumed.
Tropical Storm Madeline is expected to continue to move west and degrade. Vessel and facility operators are recommended to exercise caution when maneuvering in the ports as there may be fields of debris present.
The reopening of the Hawaii County port is to ensure the flow of goods and services prior to the arrival of Hurricane Lester.
The Coast Guard will continue to broadcast Notice to Mariners and post Marine Safety Information Bulletins on http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=lnmDistrict®ion=14 to notify the future closing of ports and any special conditions.
Coast Guard urges boaters to exercise extreme caution with the arrival of Hurricane Lester over the weekend.
Mariners should secure their boats and boating equipment. Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to protected marinas where they will be less likely to break free of their moorings or to be otherwise damaged. Smaller boats should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding and is protected for high winds. Regardless of location, all loose items aboard vessels should be secured or removed.
Visitors to Hawaii should heed all warnings from lifeguards and public health and safety officials. Although weather conditions may appear favorable, rip tides and high surf may impact beaches far in advance of the actual storm. Even the best swimmers can fall victim to strong storm-generated waves and currents. Swimmers are urged to stay clear of beaches until local officials say the water is safe. Near-shore waters may become contaminated due to runoff up to several days following a storm.
A PDF version of the Hawai'i Boater's Hurricane and Tsunami Safety Manual can be found at the following link: http://seagrant.noaa.gov/SeaGrantSearch/TabId/526/ArtMID/3568/ArticleID/....
For more information on hurricane preparedness, visit the National Hurricane Center's Web page at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/.