Maui Shore Diving

[MauiScubaSteve]

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

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

No matter what I typed before; what I'd like to be remembered for is this; "to my knowledge, in Maui County, since summer '07 (more than a year before the "claimed '08 Olowalu tiger shark sighting" on shorediving.com) the only scuba diver posted picture of a tiger shark seen while scuba diving is from an Extended Horizons blue water drift dive; no pictures or video, no proof.

Here is a web page with up to date information regarding Hawaii shark incidents; I don't believe there are any scuba incidents.

Recent Incidents

This article is in yesterday's Maui News;

Storms bring debris and sharks - Mauinews.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Visitor's Information - The Maui News

...murky water conditions found near stream mouths are known to be frequented by sharks.

 

[vashon]

Just returned to Nor Cal from Maui; had great dives, no guide, including 5 graves, Mala Ramp and Ahihi (go early) among others for our party of six, including my 16 year old daughter and her friend. Enter 5 Graves at Makena beach (super easy) and spend a few leisurely minutes kicking out to the 2nd or 3rd house from the point, go down and stay close to the rocks as you head out, you'll find bubble cave and another and than at point toilet bowl cave swim through, we found white tips in each and turtles in 2 of 3. Good structure, swim throughs, turtles 70 to 100 yards off first point, too. Mala Wharf cool structure--don't forget your flag--turtles, frogfish, eagle rays. At Ahihi (super easy entry, if parking close is tough, drop gear and park 100 yards away) we kicked out 15 minutes to where the reef meets the sand at about 45 feet, planted our flag; turtle cleaning station, tons of fish, from there worked south and then back in a bit closer to shore. Recommend B&B in Kihei--great gear, good advice good prices.

 

[Gopherdown]

No matter what I typed before; what I'd like to be remembered for is this; "to my knowledge, in Maui County, since summer '07 (more than a year before the "claimed '08 Olowalu tiger shark sighting" on shorediving.com) the only scuba diver posted picture of a tiger shark seen while scuba diving is from an Extended Horizons blue water drift dive; no pictures or video, no proof.

Had I had a camera, you would have a photo, although I don't see how that would constitute your level of proof. If I had taken a photo from my perspective, it would show a shark in a background of blue water. Perhaps you are experienced enough to identify that blue water as Maui water (that would impress me). Otherwise it's just a picture of a shark and could be as dubious as you suspect my account is.

I guess I could have asked him to hold up a current issue of the Maui news with the date visible.

Failing that and failing actually having you on the trip, I'll just have to go with the experience of the employees of Mike Severns Diving and their expertise. If Warren says it's a Tiger shark - I believe him. I'm from the prairies. As far as I know it could have been a tuna in a shark suit.

If Warren and I and the rest of the party all see the same thing, that's good enough corroboration for me. I'll put his professional standards against your required anonymous blue water photo anytime.

Then again, I don't have a photo of the dive party or Warren or Andy from that day. Perhaps that dive didn't happen and they don't exist. Now we're going down that "tree falling in the forest" path and we all know that there is now way out of that spiral.

 

[minamin13]

I am unfamiliar with the law on the dive flag. Where do I get one? How do I use it? How does it stay with me as I swim to different areas?

 

[Charlie99]

The law is that you need to use one. You can rent the dive flag (which comes with a float and a line and plastic line holder) at pretty much any place you rent tanks. Maui Dive Shop, for example, can supply flags and on the release form for renting tanks you initial a paragraph saying that you have been informed of the dive flag requirements.

You can keep the dive flag more or less above you by towing the float it is attached to.

Shaka Doug is one of the few truly conscientious divers around, and he tows the dive flag with him for the duration of the dive.

Many instructors/guides just enter the water with the flag; tie it off somewhere near the entry/exit point; do the dive w/o a flag, and retrieve it as they return to the entry/exit point.

I'm one level less conscientious, don't use a flag, and carry a signal tube that I can send to the surface from 20' depth, if needed. I was chased down by lifeguards on the Kamaole 3 beach one time and told to get a flag, but in 300 or so Maui shore dives, have so far avoided the dreaded DLNR (Dept of Land and Natural Resources, ie Fish and Game Wardens) that sometimes enforce the law.

 

[StuartT]

I am unfamiliar with the law on the dive flag. Where do I get one? How do I use it? How does it stay with me as I swim to different areas?

You have to have a dive flag for shore diving in Maui. The other thing I would add is the law is you have to resurface within 100 feet of your flag if you choose to leave it weighted on the botom while you do your dive as opposed to towing it with you for the whole dive. Of course this is only practical if you plan to return to the same entry point. When we do 5 graves we prefer the entry at Makena landing. Kick out to the point and leave our flag in the sand just off the reef. Then on return we know if we follow the reef we will easily find the flag on the way back. Have used Maui dreams in Kehei for tank, weight, and flag rental and are very reasonable. Have also heard good things about B&B scuba but no personal experience with them.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Plenty of divers would laugh at the statement that you have to have a flag for shore diving Maui; If you do not use a flag there is some risk you might be fined.

If I were coming out of the water without a flag and saw a DLNR Officer on shore I would start loudly asking everyone in the area if they saw "who stole my flag!" :shocked2:

At Mala one time I saw a kayaker stop and free dive down to untie my flag and take it, while I was more than 100 feet away, on the surface over the dive site with a clueless vacation diver. Luckily the kayaker was launching/landing from the same location as us, so I got the flag back and got to vent on the clueless vacation kayaker.

Amendments to HAR Chapters 13-240, 13-243, 13-245 and 13-256

§13-245-9 Diver's flag.

(a) A "diver's flag" as defined by rule and measuring not less than twelve inches by twelve inches shall be required to be displayed on the surface of the water by any person or group of persons engaged in free diving or SCUBA diving.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a diver's flag measuring not less than twelve inches by twelve inches, shall be displayed on the highest point of the main structure of a non-motorized vessel that is sixteen feet or less in length overall in order to provide unobstructed view of the diver's flag from all directions when diving from the vessel.

(c) Notwithstanding subsection (a), in addition to the "Alpha flag" required by the United States Coast Guard, i.e., a blue flag with a white horizontal strip running from the upper left side to the lower left side, a diver's flag measuring not less than twenty inches by twenty-four inches, shall be displayed on the highest point of the main structure of any motorized or non-motorized vessel that is greater than sixteen feet in length overall in order to provide unobstructed view of the diver's flag from all directions when diving from the vessel.

(d) No person shall engage in free diving or SCUBA diving, or display a diver's flag, in a manner that shall unreasonably or unnecessarily interfere with vessels or with free and proper navigation of the waterways of the State.

(e) Except in cases of emergencies, free diving, swimming, or SCUBA diving within navigation channels shall be prohibited.

(f) All vessels shall be prohibited from approaching within one hundred feet of a displayed diver's flag or within fifty feet of a displayed diver's flag on navigable streams, except within marked navigation channels. Vessels approaching a displayed diver's flag to conduct SCUBA, snorkeling, or free diving activities within the one hundred foot or fifty foot restricted area shall be allowed to do so provided that the vessel approaches at a speed of slow-no-wake.

(g) Vessels navigating through marked navigation channels are exempt from the distance restriction described in subsection (f) but shall proceed at a speed of slow-no-wake through the navigation channel when a diver's flag is displayed adjacent to the navigation channel.

(h) The diver's flag shall be displayed only when free diving or SCUBA diving is in progress, and its display in a water area when no diving is in progress in that area shall constitute a violation of these rules.

(i) There shall be no subsurface distance restrictions from a dive flag, however, except in cases of emergencies, free divers or SCUBA divers shall be prohibited from surfacing more than one hundred feet away from the diver's flag in the ocean waters of the State and fifty feet in navigable streams.

(j) Authorized representatives of the department and life saving personnel are exempt from the distance restrictions of subsection (f) when performing functions related to their duties.

(k) Anyone violating any provision of this section shall be subject to fines and penalties as provided in sections 200-14, 200-14.5, and 200-25, HRS.

The first two underlined sections should be kept in mind when diving Mala Wharf. I have heard that multiple fines were issued to some divers through the holidays.

The other two underlined sections are relevant for most other shore sites. County Beach Parks and State Beach Parks are the only places I have heard of divers being warned/fined.

 

[H2ODoc]

If I were coming out of the water without a flag and saw a DLNR Officer on shore I would start loudly asking everyone in the area if they saw "who stole my flag!"

 

[WoodyLompoc]

Locals, please correct me if I am wrong: Shouldn’t the poster be looking at the West Maui sites in May? Can’t the South Maui sites start becoming a bit difficult as summer approaches? (You may want to use Shaka Doug for the South this time of the year, in case the conditions are less than optimal.)

Here are a couple of links for sites to check out:
Maui Dive Site and Area Map
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Maui, Hawaiian Islands

Maui Dive Shop also has a free mag in their shops with sites and descriptions. It is easy to pick one up and it is handy to have a printed list of the sites.

For a flag:
Vinyl Inflatable Flag with Float (DF67)
add a $3 spool of line from Home Depot and you are all set.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Summer south swells are nothing like winter north swells. Hawaii is relatively close to the storms crossing from Siberia to Alaska, compared to the similar storms near Antarctica. There are a few swells through the summer that drop vis in siltier areas, but there can be more than a month between bad vis events.

I have had perfect South Maui conditions on every day of the year; just not in the same year.