Diamond Head Lighthouse Is Getting a Makeover

Here’s one for our Hawaii sailors, or anyone planning on going there. The US Coast Guard is undertaking a “long-term” maintenance project at Diamond Head Lighthouse, Honolulu. Many sailors have used the Diamond Head Lighthouse not only for navigation purposes, but also as a marker for racers to indicate the finish of the 2,225-mile Transpacific Yacht Race.

The project is commencing this month and will focus on repairing aging concrete and replacing railings, decks, ladders, windows and frames.

During construction, the lighthouse tower will be temporarily covered with scaffolding and sheeting as a safety measure. A temporary aid-to-navigation light will be installed on the lighthouse for the duration of the construction project. The project is anticipated to be completed in spring 2027.

Eleven years earlier, in June 1906, the first Transpacific Yacht Race (also known as the Transpac) set off from Point Fermin, Los Angeles, headed for the Diamond Head finish line. Since then hundreds of mariners — Transpac racers and cruisers alike — have used the light as a guide on their approach to Hawaii.

The next Transpac is scheduled to start in July 2027; it’s unlikely the maintenance work will be finished early. But hopefully the temporary navigation light will do its job well and assist all finishers as they approach the Diamond Head finish line at the completion of their 2,225-mile race.