A warning to mariners has been issued by the Coast Guard about a large cement floating dock drifting in Hawaii waters — possibly debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami.
The dock, about 50 feet long by 30 feet wide, was last seen Wednesday about 15 miles north of Molokai.
Maui fishermen discovered the dock and brought it to the attention of government agencies.
One of the fishermen, who would not give his name, said based on the previous direction of ocean drift, the dock seemed to be headed in the direction of Windward Oahu.
The fisherman said by telephone the dock had Japanese writing on the deck and was identical to one found washed ashore in Oregon in June.
"I could tell it was tsunami debris," he said. "We could tell it was old."
The fisherman said he thought it was an abandoned fuel barge at first but realized it was a dock upon closer examination.
Coast Guard spokesman Robert Coster said the ocean periodically carries large debris — including containers, logs and partially sunken vessels — and marine warnings are issued to warn boaters.
"It’s not unusual to see large objects out at sea," he said.
He said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been notified and is trying to figure out where the dock might go.
Boaters who see large objects drifting in the ocean are asked to send an email to disasterdebris@noaa.
In a separate incident, state aquatic officials are investigating the origin of a large blue plastic container that may also be debris from the March 2011 tsunami.
The container was labeled with the name of a Japanese business whose factories were destroyed during the tsunami in Miyagi prefecture, scientists said.
The container was found Tuesday floating 150 yards offshore near Rabbit Island off Windward Oahu.
Scientist said the crabs and barnacles attached to the container were marine species common in the Pacific, and no invasive species were found attached to the container.
Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL
