East Island (Hawaii)

East Island is a low-lying island in the French Frigate Shoals, part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, located approximately 550 miles (890 km) northwest of Honolulu. Formerly measuring around 11 acres (45,000 m²) in area, the island was about one-half mile (800 m) long and 400 feet (120 m) wide prior to 2018. Following the passage of Hurricane Walaka that year, the island was largely eroded, leaving a remaining above-water sandbar approximately 150 feet (46 m) in length. However, East Island began to naturally reform following the storm and, by 2024, had regained approximately 60% of its pre-storm size.

Composed primarily of sand and gravel, East Island is part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. It served as a significant habitat for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi) and green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). The French Frigate Shoals account for 96% of green sea turtle nesting in Hawaii, with East Island supporting over half of those nests. The island has been described by researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a critical nesting site for the species.