October 6, 1903 Tsunami: Hawaii, United States

As the English Ship Ormsery approached the western shore of Hawaii Island at 8:00 p.m., crewmen noticed whirling currents and "the sea to appear to churn as if might springs were acting under the water surface". The ship felt a shock like a tidal wave coming from the shore and was turned with the stern forward. The agitation continued until at least 6:00 a.m. on the 6th. The next day on October 6, the Mauna Loa volcano ejected a column of smoke and possibly a lava flow. The cause was probably a series of eddies generated in the wake of the Island of Hawaii by prevailing eastern currents. There are reports of choppy seas in the area at least through October 11.

The English ship "Ormsri" approaching the western shore of Hawaii Island noticed the temperature rose markedly. The ship felt a shock like a tidal wave coming from the shore and was turned with the stern forward. On October 6, the Mauna Loa volcano ejected a column of smoke; lava possibly issued. [As is correctly noted in the compendia compiled at Honolulu, this was apparently not a tsunami but a seaquake or convection currents] (Reference #415).