Maui shore dives for newbies

[Top_Shot_ar15]

Long time browser , first time poster . Family will be in Maui the first week of August and looking for some easy shore dives for a couple of newbies . My son (17) and I were recently certified , I have a few drift dives in Cozumel under my belt, my son just has his 4 open water dives from his certification. Both of us are SSI certified and we will be staying at the Kapalua Villas on the west side, just east of Kaelekii Point.

Looking in particular for a couple of areas the rest of the family could snorkel ( avid snorkelers) where my son and I could dive with them , these spots have surfaced ( pun intended) during my research which are near our resort.

• Honolua Bay
• Mokule'ia
• Kapalua Bay
• Black Rock
• Ulua Beach
• Kahekili Beach ( Old Airport)

• I would be bringing my own gear ( minus tanks and weights)
  
• my son would need to rent

We plan on doing at least 1 two tank dive with a dive shop to get acclimated to the area and gain experience then would like to venture out on our own later in the week. Really looking at Shaka Divers who seem to be the resident experts on shore dives ( if you haven't seen their YouTube parody , it's a must). We might also entertain a boat dive as my son has yet to experience this , but I want to make sure he is ready , so the Molokini crater may be out on this trip which I am fine with. I would hate to be on a boat with avid divers and we are the lowest common denominator holding others back.

So a couple of questions:

• Is it feasible for us to shore dive on our own / after a " refresher " shore with a local shop?
  
• Are the places mentioned above good snorkel areas for the family while my son and I get some bottom time?
• I need to do research on local rules and regs ( have a dive flag, entry points, etc) , any help there is appreciated.
• Any local dive shops that can help us with this next adventure ..

Appreciate any and all feedback along with any other recommended dive sites with nice beaches the family and I could enjoy for the day, we are willing to travel if needed.

Thank you all in advance for any and all comments, support on this sight is AMAZING! I will continue to search the threads as well, lots of great info!

 

[JamesBon92007]

I looks like you already did some research and I would second Ulua beach for both snorkeling and SCUBA. I also found Kamaole Beach III to be fairly good with lots of parking and restrooms etc. The other locations I have not been to. I used Scuba Shack in Kihei and was very satisfied both with their dive boat and their shop but that was a few years ago. Not only did Scuba Shack provide me with what I needed at reasonable prices but they also suggested dive sites and gave me valuable information about local conditions. If you don't already know the Trade Winds come up in the early afternoon so your best time to dive is the mornings. On Scuba Shack's dive boat all you needed to bring was your swim suit--they provided everything else. I'd ask to make sure they still do that.

You will need to rent/bring a diver's flag float as it is required on Maui. I just tied it to a rock and retrieved it on my way back in. Make sure you can identify it because everyone else does the same thing Get there early (6:00 am) at Ulua to get a good parking space and before the newbies stir up the sand and ruin the visibility. If you ask me they should have permanent diver's flags at Ulua so everyone wouldn't have to bring one.

Here's a link for the Ulua Beach webcam:

Wailea Beach, Maui Webcam | Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui

I can't seem to get it to work but the path from the parking lot will bring you down by the rocky area. Entrance will be obvious, just to the LEFT of the rocks. Swim out and turn right and you'll be on the reef. I think there is another reef further out which might show up on Google Earth.

 

[Top_Shot_ar15]

Also , would a 3mm shorty do the trick or bring my 3mm full wetsuit? I dove Cozumel with my shorty and was perfectly fine .

Thank you JamesBon, very helpful info ..

 

[JamesBon92007]

Also , would a 3mm shorty do the trick or bring my 3mm full wetsuit? I dove Cozumel with my shorty and was perfectly fine .

Thank you JamesBon, very helpful info ..

I wore a 3 mm full suit and was there in November. I think the water temps are very similar to Cozumel. I don't usually get cold easily so a shorty would probably have been fine but I like the full suit for protection. My 2.5 is so easy to put on and off and it takes up so little room in my luggage there is no reason not to bring it. I did get a bit too warm in Costa Rica though.

When I went to Kona last year I got a little bit chilled while wearing a 2.5 mm full suit on the Manta Ray Night Dive but you are not moving around much. If you get the chance that is a "Not to be Missed" dive.

PLEASE NOTE: I wrote "right" and should have written "left" on the entry at Ulua. I just changed it on my other post. This is what happens when you get old.

 

[Altamira]

Check out Mile Marker 14 south of Lahaina for a turtle cleaning station and good coral. Easy entry and exit, and fairly shallow diving.

 

[JamesBon92007]

Check out Mile Marker 14 south of Lahaina for a turtle cleaning station and good coral. Easy entry and exit, and fairly shallow diving.

Is that, by any chance, near a campgound/picnic area? I stopped along the road heading from Lahaina to Kihei at a picnic area and there were a lot of turtles very close to shore.

 

[Altamira]

Yes, there was a small picnic area there, and turtle cleaning station is nestled between a couple of well developed coral ridge fingers with sandy bottom betweem the fingers. The water was very shallow at entry and made for a very easy access. We did a scooter dive there with Tiny Bubbles, and it was one of our most memorable dives. We wound up there because the entry to the old airport site was a bit rough, and MM14 was like a table top.

 

[Top_Shot_ar15]

Thank you Altamira, I will add it to the list , seem ps right up our alley. Shallow dive, lots of bottom time, and good place to see wildlife .

 

[JamesBon92007]

That's interesting that they also have an "old airport" on Maui. On Hawai'i the "old airport" is the site of the Manta dive only in this case I think they moved the airport due to a lava flow.

Altamira: Thanks for the info on the turtle station location. I'll have to dive there the next time I'm on Maui. Did you find that you needed scooters to do the turtle station dive?

And to Top_Shot_ar15: you can hire a guide to show you the reefs (shore diving) but personally I think it would be a waste of money, at least at the sites I mentioned.

 

[Altamira]

Scooter not required, but sure was fun!