Spills · other
China walls, oahu
Mystery Sheen, Southeast Oahu, Hawaii; China Walls, Oahu · NOAAORR-9949
- issued
- 2019-08-07 00:00Z
- status
- cancelled 2019-08-21 00:00Z
- self-cancels
- 2019-08-21 00:00Z
- authority
- NOAA OR&R
- sea
- North Pacific Ocean
- position
- 21.258, -157.708
- source
- incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z
Original warning text
Mystery Sheen, Southeast Oahu, Hawaii; China Walls, Oahu. China Walls, Oahu. 1. On August 7, 2019, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu contacted the NOAA SSC to request support related to a mystery sheen reported off the China Walls and Spitting Cave area near Hawaii Kai on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii. The sheen was reported to USCG as approximately 1 mile long and 20 meters wide, appearing orange/brown in color and looking like emulsified oil. USCG requested an assessment of whether the sheen, if confirmed to be oil, could potentially impact nearby shorelines. A verbal trajectory was provided. After investigation, USCG determined the sheen was of biological origin. 2. THREAT: OTHER. 3. POSITION 21.258N 157.707W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 9949: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/9949
This area · spills & pollution incidents
70 within 180 nm since 1984 · 2 in the last 12 months · 0 in force now
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- On may 19, 2026, the noaa scientific support coordinator (ssc) for oceania was notified of a diesel…2026-05-19
- On march 27, 2026, the noaa scientific support coordinator (ssc) for oceania was notified by the U.S2026-03-30
- Coast guard (uscg) sector honolulu notified the scientific support coordinator (ssc) that a grotto tour boat…2025-08-26
- Passenger ship aground outside kewalo basin harbor; honolulu, hawaii2025-08-09
- In january, uscg sector honolulu contacted the pacific islands ssc to request assistance facilitating…2024-01-15
- On january 10, uscg sector honolulu contacted the pacific islands ssc to request assistance facilitating…2024-01-10
Season · when spills & pollution incidents happen here
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month of issue, all years in the archive
Timeline · 2 messages since 2019-08-07 · closed 2019-10-01
- China walls, oahu this message2019-08-07 → 2019-08-21
- On september 17, 2019, the uscg sector honolulu reports that a 41-foot longliner was on fire approximately 6…2019-09-17 → 2019-10-01
joined by proximity
Nearby now · within 120 nm
Nothing else in force within 120 nm.
Worldwide now
8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all
Spills
Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents →
Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.