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Captain Cook Monument
Located within the West Region on Kauai
Captain Cook Monument in Waimea
On January 20, 1778, Captain James Cook sailed into Waimea Bay and became the first European to make contact with the Hawaiian Islands. A statue in downtown Waimea marks the approximate landing spot.
The Monument
The statue is a replica of the original that stands in Whitby, England, the port where Cook trained as a seaman. The British government gifted it to the town of Waimea. It is a modest monument near the water, depicting Cook in his captain's uniform.
A plaque provides basic historical context. The whole stop takes five minutes unless you want to read and reflect on the significance of first contact between Europeans and Hawaiians.
Cook's Story in Hawaii
Cook named the archipelago the "Sandwich Islands" after his patron, the Earl of Sandwich. After his initial landing at Waimea, he sailed on to explore the other Hawaiian islands. He returned to the Big Island in 1779, where a dispute over a stolen boat escalated into a fatal confrontation at Kealakekua Bay.
The legacy of Cook's arrival is complicated. First contact brought trade goods and new technologies, but also introduced diseases that devastated the Native Hawaiian population in the decades that followed.
While You're in Waimea
The monument is in downtown Waimea, right off Highway 50. A handful of plate-lunch counters and food trucks in town make it an easy meal stop. From here, it is a short drive to Russian Fort Elisabeth and the Menehune Ditch. Most visitors stop in Waimea on their way up to Waimea Canyon, so you can hit all four in a single morning. Waimea is also a smart place to gas up before the drive — you won't find a station on the way up the canyon.
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Dry conditions on Oʻahu today, with breezy wind in exposed areas. Drier weather continues through Wednesday as moisture clears out.
A medium-sized northwest swell will bring elevated surf to north and west-facing shores tonight through Sunday morning—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. Winds remain breezy through Sunday, easing slightly Monday and Tuesday before picking up again Wednesday. A Small Craft Advisory is active through Monday morning for most coastal waters due to wind and sea state. Scattered showers arrive Thursday into Friday.
South and west shore beaches work well through Sunday for calmer conditions. North shore is worth watching tonight and Sunday morning if you're drawn to bigger waves.
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Skies are drying out across Maui today through Wednesday as moisture clears. Winds will be noticeably breezy, especially in exposed and terrain-favored spots.
North and west-facing shores will see elevated surf tonight into Sunday morning as a medium-sized northwest swell moves in—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Monday morning for coastal waters due to wind and sea conditions. Winds ease slightly late Monday and Tuesday, then strengthen again Wednesday. The next chance of scattered showers arrives Thursday through Friday.
If you're heading to the beach, south and west shores are your best bet through Sunday. North shore is worth watching tonight and Sunday morning if you're into bigger waves.
0:000:53
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Mostly clear and dry today on the Big Island, with noticeably breezy winds in exposed areas and terrain-favored spots. That breeze continues through Sunday.
North and west-facing shores will see elevated surf tonight into Sunday morning as a medium-sized northwest swell arrives—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. South shores stay small. A Small Craft Advisory covers most coastal waters through Monday morning due to wind and sea conditions. Winds ease slightly late Monday and Tuesday, then pick up again Wednesday. Scattered showers arrive statewide Thursday to Friday.
Head to the south and west shores for beach and snorkeling through Sunday. If bigger waves interest you, the north shore has surf to watch tonight into Sunday morning.
0:000:49
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Drier air is moving in through Wednesday. Winds will be noticeably breezy, especially in exposed areas.
Tonight into Sunday morning, a medium-sized northwest swell will push elevated surf onto the north and west shores—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Monday morning for coastal waters due to wind and sea state. Winds ease slightly late Monday and Tuesday, then pick up again Wednesday. Scattered showers arrive Thursday or Friday.
Hit the south and west shores for swimming and snorkeling through Sunday. If you want to watch big waves, the north shore is worth a look tonight into Sunday morning.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out
