Automatic source timelineOahu and Kauai, HawaiiTimeline updated 21 Sept 2026

Mystery tarballs; Oahu and Kauai, Hawaii

NOAA initial notification: “USCG Sector Honolulu contacted the NOAA SSC to request a hindcast analysis of tarballs reported at two locations in Hawaii on June 9. Tarballs were reported at Makapuu Beach on Oahu at +21° 18' 34.20", -157° 39' 20.40". The time of notification was 1125 HST. The reported extent […]”[1]

Follow the timeline Latest included source reportOriginal sources (3)

Latest included source report

Posted 12 Jun 2009

Latest source report

“Update: The Coast Guard has received no additional reports of tarballs at any location since those initial reports June 9. On June 10 USCG Sector Honolulu sent teams out to search both locations and found no additional tarball areas. They did find a large bucket with a thick oil product near the tar balls picked up at Makapuu Beach on Oahu. As indicated in our hindcast […]” Current outcome is not independently verified by seahazards.[3]

NOAA report chronology

3 dated source records · 9 Jun 2009 to 12 Jun 2009
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NOAA incident record opened

Initial notification excerpt: “USCG Sector Honolulu contacted the NOAA SSC to request a hindcast analysis of tarballs reported at two locations in Hawaii on June 9. Tarballs were reported at Makapuu Beach on Oahu at +21° 18' 34.20", -157° 39' 20.40". The time of notification was 1125 HST. The reported extent of coverage was 300 yds X 5 ft of silver dollar size and larger tarballs. The reporting party also stated that the heat from the sun was liquefying the tarballs. Tarballs were also reported at Port Allen on the island of Kauai at +21° 53' 53.58", -159° 35' 16.86". The time of notification was 1200 HST. The reported coverage was 1 yd X 80 ft of tar balls with a silver sheen. USCG Sector Honolulu requested a hindcast […]”

NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track

Initial incident area only. Dates are NOAA postings, not a vessel track. Playback advances every 5 seconds.

Milestone 1 of 3: 9 Jun 2009. NOAA incident record opened. NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track

  1. NOAA incident record opened

    Initial notification excerpt: “USCG Sector Honolulu contacted the NOAA SSC to request a hindcast analysis of tarballs reported at two locations in Hawaii on June 9. Tarballs were reported at Makapuu Beach on Oahu at +21° 18' 34.20", -157° 39' 20.40". The time of notification was 1125 HST. The reported extent of coverage was 300 yds X 5 ft of silver dollar size and larger tarballs. The reporting party also stated that the heat from the sun was liquefying the tarballs. Tarballs were also reported at Port Allen on the island of Kauai at +21° 53' 53.58", -159° 35' 16.86". The time of notification was 1200 HST. The reported coverage was 1 yd X 80 ft of tar balls with a silver sheen. USCG Sector Honolulu requested a hindcast […]”

    NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track (21.309°, -157.656°)

    NOAA Office of Response and Restoration

  2. Initial Report

    Source report excerpt: “USCG Sector Honolulu contacted the NOAA SSC to request a hindcast analysis of tarballs reported at two locations in Hawaii on June 9. Tarballs were reported at Makapuu Beach on Oahu at +21° 18' 34.20", -157° 39' 20.40". The time of notification was 1125 HST. The reported extent of coverage was 300 yds X 5 ft of silver dollar size and larger tarballs. The reporting party also stated that the heat from the sun was liquefying the tarballs. Tarballs were also reported at Port Allen on the island of Kauai at +21° 53' 53.58", -159° 35' 16.86". The time of notification was 1200 HST. The reported coverage was 1 yd X 80 ft of tar balls with a silver sheen. USCG Sector Honolulu requested a hindcast […]”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive

  3. Situation update and final report

    Source report excerpt: “Update: The Coast Guard has received no additional reports of tarballs at any location since those initial reports June 9. On June 10 USCG Sector Honolulu sent teams out to search both locations and found no additional tarball areas. They did find a large bucket with a thick oil product near the tar balls picked up at Makapuu Beach on Oahu. As indicated in our hindcast analysis on Hotline, we do not believe the two tarball incidents are related.”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive
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Details in the record

Source record
NOAA IncidentNews 8032[1]
Dated source updates
2[2][3]

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Automatically assembled from NOAA's incident record and substantive Public Affairs or Situation Update posts. Dates are NOAA posting dates, which can differ from when events happened or original reports were published. Excerpts retain the source's wording and uncertainty. This account does not independently establish the cause, current outcome or safety of the area. NOAA coverage is selective; missing updates do not mean nothing happened. The map shows one approximate incident area, not a vessel track.

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Original sources

Timeline updated 21 Sept 2026. New reports and changes to this NOAA incident are incorporated automatically; this is not a live incident feed.

  1. 1.Mystery tarballs; Oahu and Kauai, Hawaii ↗NOAA Office of Response and Restoration · 9 Jun 2009
  2. 2.Initial Report ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 10 Jun 2009
  3. 3.Situation update and final report ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 12 Jun 2009

Related records in our archive

Original source text, preserved separately from this account.

NOAAORR-8032 NOAA response record
Mystery tarballs; Oahu and Kauai, Hawaii.
Oahu and Kauai, Hawaii.
1. USCG Sector Honolulu contacted the NOAA SSC to request a hindcast analysis of tarballs reported at two locations in Hawaii on June 9. Tarballs were reported at Makapuu Beach on Oahu at +21° 18' 34.20", -157° 39' 20.40". The time of notification was 1125 HST. The reported extent of coverage was 300 yds X 5 ft of silver dollar size and larger tarballs. The reporting party also stated that the heat from the sun was liquefying the tarballs. Tarballs were also reported at Port Allen on the island of Kauai at +21° 53' 53.58", -159° 35' 16.86". The time of notification was 1200 HST. The reported coverage was 1 yd X 80 ft of tar balls with a silver sheen. USCG Sector Honolulu requested a hindcast analysis and an assessment of the likelihood the two events are related.
2. THREAT: OIL. COMMODITY: TARBALLS.
3. POSITION 21.309N 157.656W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 8032: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/8032
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