Considering Diving Ni'ihau in September. Is it worth it?

[djmccarthy]

Hello, My wife and I will be on our 15th wedding anniversary in Hawaii this
September. She is not a diver so usually when I dive she is in a spa. I am
thinking of taking a day and diving Ni'ihau with Seasport Divers. Was wondering
if anyone has dove it before and if it is really "worth" taking a full day out
of the trip? I have three days of diving on the Big Island and then three in
Kauai, where I am thinking of doing the Ni'ihau trip. It is a time and money
question. Is it really worth it? I dove the back side of Molokini Crater a few
years ago and it was definitely worth it. So what about the Ni'ihau Dive? Anyone
out there have an opinion?

Thanks!
DJM

 

[diversteve]

Check with Seasport to be sure they're still going out there when you're there. The crossing becomes too rough in early autumn so the operators typically stop going there -

Ni’ihau trips are scheduled on Tuesdays and Fridays during the normally calmer time of year, which runs from late spring to early autumn.

Google Vertical Awareness to see what to expect.

The Manta night dive off Kona is one of the better dives my buddy did last summer. The one we want to do is the Black Water night dive - Pelagic Magic.

 

[djmccarthy]

Thanks diversteve. I did. They said they would still be going out. If I do it, it will be on the second Tuesday in September, so hopefully it is still early enough.

 

[djmccarthy]

Were you a submariner? If so, did we exchange a couple of years ago around my father being WWII and Korea Vet with the Sea Bees?

 

[djmccarthy]

Watched Utube Videos on it. Looks cool. Just trying to determine if it with a full day out of the trip. I am doing the Manta Ray Night Dive on the Big Island. My wife is going to snorkel it.

 

[Teamcasa]

I did it and without question, I'd go again. It was some of the most amazing diving I've ever done. So yes, go and have a great time. They do offer Nitrox (or at least they did), use it but watch your MOD, some of the dives can go really deep if you are not paying attention.

This is clearly an advanced dive. Make sure you have a solid handle on your buoyancy control and listen to the DM's. We watched as one diver, (from Germany) who was so fascinated by a monk seal that he followed the seal to the surface from 100' + snapping pictures all the way. He showed signs of being bent and sucked O2 all the way back to port but was able to walk off the boat with help. I never found out what happened to him after that.

I'm not trying to scare you, well maybe a little but I do want you to know that with the amazement you will clearly have, requires some skill and understanding.

 

[Hawkwood]

djmccarthy,

When are you in Kauai? We are going to be there 15 September to 22 September. Already booked the trip to Ni'ihau with Fathom Five on the 20th.

Bill

 

[djmccarthy]

Thanks Dave! I have over 100 logged dives, 70% beyond 60 ft. Appreciate the heads up though. By the time I go I should hopefully have finished up my Deco & Advance Nitrox Courses on the Tech side. Finishing my Asst. Instructor course this month. Been diving since 2007 but only got wet once last year because of having a surgery that put me out of commission for the entire New England Dive Season. Should be pretty wet by the time I go in September. BTW have you done the backside to Molokini Crater? How does it compare to that? I did Molokini a couple of years ago and it was awesome! Saw my first shark in the wild then at 127 feet. Let me know about the comparison and thanks again.

 

[djmccarthy]

He Bill. We are going to be in Hawaii August 31 - September 15. Looks like I'll just miss you. My flight back to NH departs at 9 pm on the 15th. I dove with Fathom Five five years ago. They were a good shop. Thought I'd try Seasport this time around. Bigger boats, for the Ni'ihau trip and they get great reviews.

 

[diversteve]

Were you a submariner? If so, did we exchange a couple of years ago around my father being WWII and Korea Vet with the Sea Bees?

Not me...