kauai_diver
Guest
Went over to an area called "Vertical Awareness" on the south side of Lehua Rock off Kauai. Lehua is a small horseshoe shaped rock about a 1/4 mile north of the island of Niihau and 17 miles across the channel from Kauai. I live here(since85) but have never gotten out there till recently.
Went Tuesday(7/31/01) on my buddies boat that he is Captain of, the Blue Dolphin. We went outta Port Allen on Kauai, and after a tour up the Napali Coast for the tourist, we headed across the channel to the backside of Lehua Rock. We anchored on a shelf that is average 30-40 feet deep. Lots of fish and Hawaiian Monk Seals in this area. The seals will come right up to you, they hope you have fish so they can steal them! The snorkelers hang on the shelf and the diving group go out to the wall, known as Vertical Awareness.
The wall starts at about 40 feet and is a shear vertical drop to 211 feet. I dropped down to 120' while the tour group leveled at 80feet. Swam underneath them at 120' for about 2 minutes then came up to 80 feet and got back with the tour group. Even from the 80 foot point, the bottom(at 211 feet) was amazingly clear. Saw a few 3-4 foot Black tip sharks, the Monk Seals but no rays. As usual, lots of reef fish all up and down the wall.
Very nice place to dive. Coming back across the channel was a little rough as the seas had picked up and the winds were a steady 25-30 kt trades. Makes for a high P-P-R(person to puke ratio). Overall very fun place to dive and lots of nice coral, fish and the wall really puts things into perspective. If you are coming to Kauai, I highly recommend this dive, it is alot of fun.
Okay now the shameless plug for my buddies boat company
Blue Dolphin Charters, Kauai, Hawaii
808-742-6731.......
Went Tuesday(7/31/01) on my buddies boat that he is Captain of, the Blue Dolphin. We went outta Port Allen on Kauai, and after a tour up the Napali Coast for the tourist, we headed across the channel to the backside of Lehua Rock. We anchored on a shelf that is average 30-40 feet deep. Lots of fish and Hawaiian Monk Seals in this area. The seals will come right up to you, they hope you have fish so they can steal them! The snorkelers hang on the shelf and the diving group go out to the wall, known as Vertical Awareness.
The wall starts at about 40 feet and is a shear vertical drop to 211 feet. I dropped down to 120' while the tour group leveled at 80feet. Swam underneath them at 120' for about 2 minutes then came up to 80 feet and got back with the tour group. Even from the 80 foot point, the bottom(at 211 feet) was amazingly clear. Saw a few 3-4 foot Black tip sharks, the Monk Seals but no rays. As usual, lots of reef fish all up and down the wall.
Very nice place to dive. Coming back across the channel was a little rough as the seas had picked up and the winds were a steady 25-30 kt trades. Makes for a high P-P-R(person to puke ratio). Overall very fun place to dive and lots of nice coral, fish and the wall really puts things into perspective. If you are coming to Kauai, I highly recommend this dive, it is alot of fun.
Okay now the shameless plug for my buddies boat company
Blue Dolphin Charters, Kauai, Hawaii
808-742-6731.......
