Hawaii's Iconic Hōlei Sea Arch Collapses Into the Pacific After 550 Years

A lava rock that had stood for centuries in the Pacific Ocean was no match for Hurricane Nolo. Read on for the details of why an ancient sea rock collapsed into the ocean recently.

Hurricane Nolo Brings Down Ancient Sea Arch

The Hōlei Sea Arch towered 90 feet high as it stretched into the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Despite standing in place for 550 years, the arch finally met its demise when Hurricane Nolo skirted past the Hawaiian Islands at the end of September.

The iconic lava rock arch was standing firm on Wednesday, September 23, according to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park officials. The park then closed for a few days to prepare for Hurricane Nolo as the storm inched closer to the Big Island. By the time that the park reopened on Sunday, September 23, the arch had collapsed into the water.

The Hōlei Sea Arch was formed about 550 years ago from ancient lava flows. Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands flocked to the park and the viewing area of the famous arch. However, now the viewing zone just looks out into the waters of the Pacific.

Sea Arch Has Been Battered in Recent Years

Photos shared by Hawaii Volcanoes National Park show the arch prior to its collapse compared to how the coastline has changed since it broke apart into the water. Park officials confirmed that the arch has shown signs of distress for several years. For instance, the 2018 eruption of the Kilauea volcano and the resulting new summit crater triggered the cliffs surrounding the arch.

Just two years later, in early 2020, park officials were forced to close the original viewing area near the arch after new cracks were observed. A few months later, the park constructed a safer viewing area located at a farther distance from the arch and the dangerous stretch of coastline.

Later that same year, Tropical Storm Darby sliced off a chunk of the supportive rock located on the lower part of the arch. This further compromised the stability of the already delicate arch, versus the changed coastline after the arch disappeared.

New photos and video show visitors attempting to approach the closed portion of the national park where the arch once towered into the sky. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park issued a statement saying that  "Visitors are required to stay out of closed areas and away from cliff edges which are unstable and can collapse without warning." The park warned that people who enter the closed areas are putting themselves and rescue crews in danger.

Nolo was the fourth tropical weather event to impact Hawaii in about six weeks, coming on the heels of Hurricane Lala, Tropical Storm Moke, and Hurricane Lowell. The state was still recovering from the other three storms when Nolo hit. The supercharged tropical weather season in this part of the Pacific is being blamed on an intensifying El Niño climate phase.

Nolo ushered in heavy rain, high winds, and rough surf to the islands as it passed to the south and southwest of the state. The storm peaked at a Category 4 strength on September 27. The Big Island bore the brunt of Nolo's wrath, with many parts of the region picking up more than a foot of rain.

In addition to the onslaught of tropical storms and hurricanes, the island has also seen at least eight Kilauea volcanic eruptions over the last few months. All of these natural disasters have kept local officials on their toes.

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