East Island is a low-lying, uninhabited island located within the French Frigate Shoals, a crescent-shaped atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Situated approximately northwest of Honolulu, the island is composed primarily of sand and gravel and is part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Once measuring about in length and in width, it covered an area of roughly before much of it was washed away by Hurricane Walaka in 2018. Despite this loss, a reduced form of the island remains and continues to serve an important ecological function as one of the principal nesting sites in Hawaii for the green sea turtle, supporting over half of all nests within the French Frigate Shoals, and as a pupping and haul-out site for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. It also provides habitat for multiple ground-nesting seabird species, including albatrosses, shearwaters, and terns.
The island has a limited record of human use. It was surveyed during the American Tanager Expedition in the 1920s and was later used intermittently by the United States Navy for aerial reconnaissance and seaplane operations. During World War II, it was selected as the site of a Coast Guard Long-Range Navigation (LORAN) station, a radio-based navigation system used to determine a vessel or aircraft's position. The station operated from 1944 until its decommissioning in 1952. East Island was included in the Hawaiian Islands Bird Reservation in 1909, bringing it under United States federal protection and placing it within the Territory of Hawaii, though it had not been part of the former Kingdom of Hawaii. Since the closure of the LORAN station, the island has remained uninhabited and has been the focus of scientific research and conservation related to its wildlife populations.
In October 2018, East Island was struck directly by Hurricane Walaka, a Category 4 storm that passed over the atoll. The storm surge and wave action caused severe erosion, reducing the island to a narrow sandbar approximately long. Although initially believed to have been permanently lost, satellite imagery and field observations in subsequent years revealed partial recovery. By 2024, natural sediment transport had restored roughly 60 percent of East Island's former land area, and wildlife, including nesting turtles and monk seals, had begun to reoccupy the site in significant numbers.
History
Although there is no evidence of extensive human activity or permanent settlement on East Island, the surrounding French Frigate Shoals have a documented history of maritime exploration. The islands was first recorded by Europeans in 1786, when French explorer Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse, narrowly avoided wrecking his ships on the reefs and subsequently charted part of the southeastern portion. Throughout the 19th century, the shoals became known for maritime hazards. The whaling ship Two Brothers was wrecked near Shark Island, another nearby island within the shoals, in 1823 and several other vessels—including the South Seaman, Modern Times, and Wanderer—were lost on the reefs in 1859.
That year, the United States formally claimed the French Frigate Shoals under the Guano Islands Act. Lieutenant John M. Brooke of the U.S. Navy took possession of the atoll on 14 January 1859 aboard Fenimore Cooper. Although guano extraction was considered, it was ultimately deemed impractical. East Island, occasionally referred to during this period as "Turtle Island", remained under U.S. jurisdiction and was included in the Hawaiian Islands Bird Reservation in 1909. However, it remained largely unexamined and unoccupied until the early 20th century.
East Island was first surveyed in detail during the Tanager Expedition of 1923 and 1924. The US Navy minesweeper Quail conducted aerial photography of the surrounding shoals in 1932. A temporary encampment was established on the island in 1935 to support naval maneuvers, and in 1936 the US Navy's Wright set up a base to facilitate a month-long series of seaplane operations. During World War II, East Island was selected as the site of a U.S. Coast Guard Long-Range Navigation (LORAN) station. Construction began in July 1944, and the facility operated from November of that year until October 1952. After its military use ended, the island became increasingly important for ecological monitoring and conservation. By the 1980s, East Island was recognized as a pupping site for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, and by the late 20th century, it had become one of the most significant nesting sites for green sea turtles in the Hawaiian Islands, with over 500 nests recorded in 1997.
LORAN station During World War II, East Island was chosen as the site for a U.S. Coast Guard Long-Range Navigation (LORAN) station. Construction began in early July 1944 but was delayed by adverse weather and the need to buoy the approaches due to extensive surrounding shoals. Cargo was ultimately landed using a large enclosed barge towed from Honolulu by a Navy vessel, supplemented by shuttle trips between Tern Island and East Island using LCM craft. By July 2, the water infrastructure was complete, including a 5,000-gallon storage tank and a water distillation system. The next day, work began on erecting a 120-foot vertical radiator antenna constructed from 20-foot steel sections and stabilized with guy wires. By the end of July, all major camp facilities were in place, including the foundations and steel frames for huts, and 85 percent of the LORAN system was installed.
The station became operational in November 1944 and remained active until October 1952. At its completion, the facility consisted of 13 buildings, including barracks, a mess hall, generator and radio huts, water tanks, and a distillation shed. It sustained damage during the April 1946 tsunami and was temporarily evacuated in August 1950 due to a typhoon warning.
2018 hurricane and partial submergence
In early October 2018, East Island was significantly impacted by Hurricane Walaka, a Category 4 storm that passed directly over the French Frigate Shoals. The storm produced a strong surge that caused substantial coastal erosion. As a result, the majority of East Island's landmass was washed away, leaving only a small strip of sand above sea level.
The event was characterized in media reports as the "sinking" or destruction of the island, although the process was primarily one of overwash and sediment displacement rather than complete submersion. Satellite imagery confirmed that the island's pre-existing footprint was almost completely destroyed. The loss of land concerned conservationists due to the island's ecological importance, particularly for nesting green sea turtles and pupping monk seals.
Post-storm recovery Following its destruction by Hurricane Walaka in October 2018, researchers observed that parts of the island remained above water and had begun to stabilize by 2023. This allowed limited field access for scientific study, although operations were based from nearby Tern Island due to the reduced land area on East Island itself. In 2024, Honolulu Civil Beat reported East Island had partially reemerged and recovered approximately 60% of its pre-storm land area. Although it remains low-lying and vulnerable to future overwash, its reappearance has been noted by researchers as an indicator of limited natural recovery within a changing climate system. Prior to the storm, East Island had existed for an estimated 2,200 years.
Geography
East Island is part of the French Frigate Shoals, a crescent-shaped atoll located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, approximately northwest of Honolulu. Prior to 2018, the island measured about in length and in width, covering an area of roughly . Composed primarily of unconsolidated sand and gravel, it rose only a few feet above sea level, making it particularly vulnerable to overwash, erosion, and storm-related degradation.
A 2013 study using satellite imagery and photogrammetric elevation data found East Island had a mean elevation of and a maximum elevation of around . The island supported sparse vegetation, with less than 1% of its surface covered in shrubs and the remainder divided among vine/ground cover, bare ground, and beach habitat. These low-lying conditions made East Island especially susceptible to climate change impacts, including sea-level rise and increased storm intensity.
Ecological significance
East Island and the surrounding islets of French Frigate Shoals supported a diverse and ecologically important array of wildlife, particularly species reliant on terrestrial habitat for critical life stages. Prior to its loss in 2018, the island provided one of the largest areas of nesting habitat in the atoll for ground-nesting seabirds, including several species of albatrosses, shearwaters, and terns. It also served as a key nesting site for Hawaiian green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), supporting some of the highest annual nesting densities in the region. In addition, East Island and nearby islets were vital to the endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi), providing pupping and resting areas for what was once the species' largest subpopulation. The loss of East Island due to Hurricane Walaka significantly reduced the available habitat for these species, resulting in measurable impacts on nesting success, pup survival, and long-term population viability.
Prior to its loss in 2018, East Island had a relatively high mean elevation of approximately above mean high water and was projected to experience only limited habitat loss under sea-level rise scenarios. A projected rise of was expected to result in a reduction of just 3.6 percent of the island's total land area, mostly affecting beach zones. However, these projections were overtaken by the effects of Hurricane Walaka, which eroded most of the island, resulting in extensive habitat loss far beyond earlier expectations.
Following the 2018 destruction of most of East Island by Hurricane Walaka, researchers expressed uncertainty about how wildlife would respond to the loss of habitat. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientist Charles Littnan, green sea turtles may attempt to nest on other nearby islands in subsequent seasons. However, there remains the possibility that East Island could gradually reaccumulate sand and partially reform. In satellite imagery taken after the storm, some Hawaiian monk seals were already observed hauling out on the remaining 150-foot stretch of sand, suggesting that wildlife may begin to reoccupy the site despite its diminished size.
Hawaiian monk seals East Island and other islets within the French Frigate Shoals support a significant portion of the Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi) population, with the atoll once hosting the largest subpopulation in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). Monk seals depend on a terrestrial habitat for resting, parturition and nursing, and East Island was among the most frequently used pupping sites due to its sandy terrain and proximity to shallow and protected waters. Alongside Trig Island, it served as a primary birth location until both were lost in 2018. The disappearance of these islets contributed to a marked decline in pup survival. Whereas seal pups at other NWHI sites typically experience a survival rate of around 95 percent from birth to weaning, the rate at French Frigate Shoals dropped to 57 percent in 2018. This decline has been attributed primarily to predation by Galapagos sharks (Carcharhinus galapagensis), which began frequenting the shallows adjacent to eroding islets, and to drowning caused by storm-driven inundation of low-lying birth sites.