North-West Hawaiian Island Chain

Watched a cool PBS show... mostly about diving the far North-West Hawaiian Island Chain/Reefs... huge fish... live table-corals, etc... great diving footage.

Can anyone take us there?... you need permission because it's a national wildlife refuge =/

Jean-Michael Cousteau -- "Voyage to Kure"

Next showing is Apr 12, 8pm... PBS Channel 10.
And, then again, Apr 16, 6pm

http://tv.yahoo.com/tvpdb;_ylt=AqA6...309&chname=KHETOC&progutn=1144908000&.intl=us

You would have to charter a fairly substantial support vessel to get there - and probably arrange it from Honolulu. The waters are open to divers - landfall might be problematical due to refuge status but more so because of sheer logistics - no harbors or piers. The waters are well-charted - there are no unmarked surprises there like you find sometimes in Asian waters. There are lots of fisherman and lobster guys up there roaming up there, so you won't be alone.
Take everything, including a portable dive chamber, because there are no resupply points and any medical/diving emergencies would require a CH-53 medevac from Hickam AFB with inflight refueling probably required.
It's been done before - after all, people charter Russian Antonov cargo jets for to fly their racing yachts to LA for the TransPac.
All it takes is a well-oiled checkbook.

I thought it was now closed to all but scientific research? Not even sailing or diving allowed. I could be wrong, it happened once before

It is not closed but there are no support services open. A private vessel is okay. Actually commercial fisherman are still allowed up there which is stupid. This is the spawning ground for many of our pelagics (I THINK).