Lehua is a small, crescent-shaped island only 0.7 miles (1.1 km) north of Niʻihau. The uninhabited, 284-acre (1.15 km2) island is a tuff cone that is part of the extinct Niʻihau volcano.
Lehua Island is a Hawaiʻi State Seabird Sanctuary. As a sanctuary, many activities are prohibited on the island, but entry is not prohibited. Lehua provides habitat for at least 16 species of seabirds, as well as some non-native rats and European Rabbits.
When weather and wave conditions permit crossings from Kauaʻi, Lehua is a noted destination for snorkeling and scuba diving. It is also well known for its unusual geological formation dubbed "the keyhole". Located in one of the crescent's narrow arms, this is a tall, thin notch cut from one side, all the way through to the other side of the arm.
The United States Coast Guard maintains Lehua Rock Light on the highest point of the island, at a height of 704 feet (215 m).
References
- Department of Land and Natural Resources. (30 March 1981). Rules Regulating Wildlife Sanctuaries (PDF). In, Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules, § 13-125.
- Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. (29 September 1995). "Oʻahu, Niʻihau, and Kauaʻi". Volcano Watch.
- U.S. Coast Guard. (2005). U.S. Coast Guard Light List Nav Aid Reference.
- Lehua Island Ecosystem Restoration Project
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