Sand Island

It's a man made barrier. It was built in the 40's by depositing dredged sand 
and coral on a shallow reef. Today it's 500 acres, it houses 
the Matson and SeaLand piers, a US Coast Guard station, an industrial park, 
a sewage treatment plant, a University of Hawai'i marine education facility 
and the Sand Island State Recreational Area. 

It was extensively used by the military during WWII for coastal defense. 
Today, bunkers and lookout towers stand deserted and appear 
totally out of place among acres of grassy park land. Long white beaches 
extend around the tip of the island and are never crowded. Park benches 
and giant trees provide shady areas to watch the sunset or the ships 
sail in and out of the busy harbor.
 


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