Kauai dive sites

[shadowr69]

Just wndered if anyone could recommend locations for diving off the island of Kauai.
I'll be on the east side staying over in Kapaa for my stay.

I'll be there for a short time(10/9 - 10/13) and would only have 1-2 days to dive so I want to make em count! From what I've read, the best bet is going to be going to the south side of the island for all day diving so I'll be most likely on that side...

Thanks,
Mark

 

[-=>Larry<=-]

Just wndered if anyone could recommend locations for diving off the island of Kauai.
I'll be on the east side staying over in Kapaa for my stay.

I'll be there for a short time(10/9 - 10/13) and would only have 1-2 days to dive so I want to make em count! From what I've read, the best bet is going to be going to the south side of the island for all day diving so I'll be most likely on that side...

Thanks,
Mark

From Kapaa, it's pretty even whether you head south or North - To the North, about 60 minutes is one of the best shore dives - Tunnels - and to the South, about 45 minutes - my other favorite shore diving place, Koloa Landing.
All the boat dives leave from about 60 minutes south - Port ??? {arthur?]

With two days - I'd book a boat dive on one and then head to Tunnels for the other.

Enjoy!

 

[BDub]

I had a fantastic dive at Koloa Landing. Very easy site, and wasn't expecting much as evidently a lot of ow classes are done there. We did a dusk/night dive there and was very impressed. Lot's of life and some cool topography as well. Make sure when you enter, you go to the right. That's where all the good stuff was.

We were there in February and wanted to do Tunnels (we were staying in Princeville), but there was way to much surf. Not sure if Tunnels will be doable or not in October, but from everything I've heard, it's a 'must do' if you're able to.

Larry's right, Kapaa is very centrally located between Princeville (north...Tunnels) and Poipu (south...Koloa, Sheraton Caves, and msot of the boat dive spots).

 

[shadowr69]

Thanks for the advice, now to plan with the group of people
I know I should have asked before, but any recommendations on dive shops?

I'm bringing limited gear.(mask/snorkel, reg, comp, 3mil suit, booties) I figured I could get the rest there.

-Mark

 

[BDub]

We used Sea Sport Divers, but we only did shore diving while we were there and only needed to rent tanks. They do have a shop within a mile of Koloa Landing which is nice, and they also have another shop in Kapaa. Fathom Five and Bubbles Below come highly recommended for boat dives. One suggestion...make sure you have plenty of O-rings in your save a dive kit. The O-rigs on every tank we rented were in horrible shape and leaked every time.

 

[-=>Larry<=-]

We used Sea Sport Divers, but we only did shore diving while we were there and only needed to rent tanks. They do have a shop within a mile of Koloa Landing which is nice, and they also have another shop in Kapaa.

My son spent the summer DM'ing for Sacred Seas - Which I highly reccomend as I spent a month working with Julie also. They do shore dives in both locations and, even though it's not really challenging as a dive - They know where all the good stuff is! [Awesome eco-lecture!] We also used the Kapaa Sea Sport for our fills - say Hi from Jieh and Larry [Jieh's dad] when/if you visit either.

The boat dives listed above are well reccomended - I used Mana Divers when I did a week in the south, and enjoyed it quite a bit, but it seems nobody else on the board has,

Enjoy!