By: Craig Wheeler

I’ve been studying the season one opening, to try and find something. Perhaps this is common knowledge, but I was unaware of these details. Allow me to share this with you. The season one opening was filmed at the Ala Wai Yacht Club in Honolulu. I’ve studied the harbor using Google Earth and the opening of Gilligan’s Island. Please refer to the following pictures.

The yellow lines on the satellite image in Photo #1 above represents the pan shot from the show. In other words the yellow line on the left represents the first shot from the show, (Photo #2). Photo #3 represents where the yellow line is on the right.
Photo 2
Photo 3

Obviously, 40 years have passed between the opening shot of Gilligan’s Island and the satellite images. Two things have remained the same; the two buildings seen in Photo #2. They are both visible in the satellite image of Photo #1. The larger of the two buildings (the one in the foreground) is the Hawaii Yacht Club. This is also the building that the Minnow passes and where the American Flag is flying at half mast, due to the Kennedy assassination in Photo #4.
Photo 4

Photo #5 - a contemporary shot much like Photo #1
Photo 5

Photo #6 - The channel that the Minnow is sailing through is shown by the pink line in Photo #7
Photo 6
Photo 7

Photo #8 - The Minnow rounds the bend to open sea
Photo 8

I have tried to identify where the Minnow was docked. As you know, there is extra footage of this shown on the Pilot opening (Photo #10). Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate where the Minnow was docked. I cannot even locate the swimming pool that is seen (Photo #9). Since 40 years have passed, I can only assume that the area had undergone some renovation. Since we know what channel the Minnow was sailing through, it stands to reason that she was docked somewhere in that area.
Photo 9
Photo 10

To summarize, the season one opening from Gilligan’s Island was clearly shot in Honolulu, HI, in a harbor called Ala Wai Yacht Club, near Waikiki. The Minnow passes by the Hawaii Yacht Club, as she rounds the bend to open sea. Where the Minnow was docked is uncertain, as the contemporary satellite images from Google Earth do not match the footage shot some 40 years prior. Similarly, I have studied the season two opening footage and cannot determine where the Minnow was docked [in Marina Del Rey] in reference to satellite imagery, again, due to 40 year span.

Well, thanks for letting me ramble. Now you see what I do when I have extra time on my hands!

"Smooth Sailing"

Craig Wheeler