Maui Shore Diving

[minamin13]

I am interested in doing some shore diving in Maui in May. Any recommendations on dive operators, and why? I am used to shore diving without a dive guide in Nor Cal. Obviously, a dive guide will point out interesting life, and will know where to go better than we will. Is it treacherous to go out on your own?

 

[diversteve]

[user]Shaka Doug[/user] gets good recommendations here. He has a shore dive operation - and dive bus - in South Maui.

In Kihei, Maui Dreams Dive Co is another operator for guided shore dives.

We've dove several sites in both West and South Maui with no problem. Parking was the only issue at a couple of them...

Some idea of what to expect: Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Maui, Hawaiian Islands

 

[H2ODoc]

We are in Maui now, and dove (dived?) with Shaka Doug and did some of our own shore dives. Without a doubt, we saw more with Shaka Doug than we would have on our own.

That being said, we had nice dives at Mala Wharf and Old Airport without a guide and did just fine. We just didn't probably know where to look for sharks, etc. Also - the entry at 5 Graves and the conditions made it very valuable to had Shaka Doug as our guide.

 

[TSandM]

There is a lot of shore diving you can do without a guide, although guides are always good at spotting the critters you would otherwise overlook. Ulua Beach, Polo Beach, Makena Landing, Old Airport and Honolua Beach are sites that are pretty easily dived on one's own. There is a book which I believe is called something like Maui Shore Dives, which has excellent directions to each site and descriptions of the entry/exit and navigation. If the surf is not up, the shore diving is pretty easy.

The Mala Wharf dive is my favorite Maui shore dive, but the legal entry is a bit tricky.

 

[minamin13]

Thanks for the recommendations. I might look into Shaka Doug, and the Maui Shore Diving book.

 

[Chocoholic]

we used Shaka Doug for shore dives and I was really happy that we did. I wouldn't even think of diving 5 Caves/Turtle Town without his info on how to do the shore entry. He found all sorts of things for us to look at and really helped my cousin who was very new to the sport.

 

[TSandM]

Also check out alohashoredivers.com, for information about shore diving sites. It was compiled by a formerly pretty active SB member, kidspot.

 

[minamin13]

Good to think about. I haven't been to Hawaii in more than a decade, and I don't remember what it is like to enter the water. Maybe it would be good to hire a dive guide. Thanks, Mina. Have there been any Tiger shark sightings? I've heard of people swimming off the Hawaii shore and getting killed. Then again, that might be like asking Californians if they've ever seen a Great White, and the answer would be no.

 

[diversteve]

Two easy beach entries are Old Airport Beach (north) and Wailea Beach (south). I'd want a guide for 5 Caves/Graves - both for the entry and to find the caves. Sheraton Black Rock looked like another easy beach entry - we saw it but didn't dive it.

There were Tigers spotted at Olawalu - in 2008. There's some discussion in the shorediving.com site review.

Someone (halemano?) recently posted here that they've not been seen at all lately.

Of course there's the Tiger(s) in the Maui Ocean Center...lol - For $200 you can dive with them.
Shark Dive Maui | Maui Ocean Centers Hawaiian Aquarium

 

[Gopherdown]

I did see a Tiger off the backwall of Molokini last Feb.

I did not consider myself "at risk" but instead, very privileged to see such a sight.