Diving in Kauai + certification ?

I have a trip coming up to Kauai during the last week of August.

I recently got my OW certification and Kauai will be my first dive after the OWD (Monterey, CA) . Got my certification via a SSI school.

I have emailed a couple dive shops (FF and Dive Kauai). Prices from both are approximately similar. Suggestions on either place?

I am looking to do a few shallow waters first (40'? ) to get comfortable before I go deeper. I would do at least 2 dives the first day at this depth.

This is what I am thinking in terms of a dive schedule & locations:

I arrive on a friday at about 3pm. Take rest with the family, and have some local fun. Stay local on saturday, see the place and some more beach laziness.

I'm staying in Kapaa, near the Courtyard Kauai. So I need to find something close by for the first day.

Sunday: 1st dive. I rather keep it shallow, and do a guided one on one with a DM / instructor.
8am dive or maybe 1pm dive ? Sheraton caverns, 2 tank dive. its a 40 minute drive.

Monday: 8 am or 1pm (depending on when I do my sunday dive)
Three fingers or Harbor Ledges?

Wednesday: Tunnels. Would this be ok for a newbie?

Friday: need suggestions for something on a different side? Maybe north shore?

I'm trying to make sure the following:
1. The dives are calm and mellow.
2. Little beach walk. So boat dive preferred. But small beach entries are ok.
3. One on one dives preferred for the first 2-4 dives. I want to get comfortable, and practice some of the skills. (Mask on / off, sharing air - this one I had freaked out in Monterey. I want to do it right and calmly).
4. Some place where the family can laze on the beach while I go diving.

Now, while I am there, I am thinking of getting a Nitrox certification done. Worthwhile? I do have a history asthma and have heard that nitrox is more comfortable. Should I get it done while there?

And Oh, I will be renting all gear (will be carrying my mask, fins, snorkel).

Thanks,

Mayur

I got certified in Monterey and did but a single dive on the North Coast before I went to Kauai the first time.

I took my AOW there with Fathom Five and was very impressed with their operation. I did both shore dives at Koloa Landing and boats dives on the Poipu coast.

I learned a lot, had a great time and have returned (and plan on re-returning) as a more experienced diver.

Many of their folks have become friends.

We've dove with Bubbles Below and Fathom Five. Of the two, we prefer FF and would recommend them.

There's not much diving near Kapaa, afaik all the boats leave from the harbor just west of the Poipu area. Or Port Allen if you're doing the west side with Bubbles Below. I may be wrong but I think Dive Kauai only does shore diving. I don't know anything else about them.

Seasport Divers also has a shop in Kapaa. Maybe do some guided local shore dives near Kapaa. I've heard Lydgate State Park is good for beginners and shallow.

Your family can laze on the beach at Poipu - it's one of the nicest (and busier) beaches on Kauai. Poipu Beach Resort Association Koloa Landing is just down the same road from Poipu Beach - a few minutes away. Meet a guide there from either Fathom Five or Seasport Divers - either is 5mins. away. At Koloa park on the side of the old boat ramp and walk down it into the water. It really can't get much closer. Maybe contact [user]AquamanKauai[/user], he guides there. A few other options: Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Kauai, Hawaiian Islands

Fast Lanes is a good boat dive within your skill set also. I dove with - and liked - Seasport. You might do their afternoon dives, they're more tailored to beginners and they will still group you by experience. They still do two tanks and you'll have your own DM for the newly certified group. They actually do their discover dives on that trip also if there is any. So it's shallower, slower paced diving.

For Tunnels maybe go with Fathom Five/Ocean Quest. OQ is their north shore operation that specializes in diving there. There's a woman that works there that's often mentioned as one of the best choices for a guided dive there. From Kapaa that's going to be about as long a drive north as Poipu is south. Take them up on their cart offer, it's a pretty good hike to the water. Go early for the best parking.

Thumbs up for Fathom Five at tunnels. My newbie daughter (16 yo) and I dove with them up there a few times in the beginning of July....very wel-organized and did a good job with new divers.

Here is a trip report from our experience:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ha...ort-north-shore-kauai-diving-fathom-five.html

Awesome, thanks.

Yeah, I will go with Fathom for the tunnels.

FF did say they do south shore too. So I might take them up on it. The only reason I prefer boat to shore is the walking and swimming back

Thoughts on the locations I put up and schedule? I'm fine with doing dives at Poipu. Afternoons work out fine since its a 45 min drive.

---------- Post added August 3rd, 2013 at 08:00 AM ----------

Nice video btw. Looking forward to a clear water die

I think I need to pick one of the two facilities and plan all with them. Or half and half. My local dive shop (thru whom I got certified) suggested Dive Kauai.

Thoughts on the locations I put up and schedule?

Click to expand...

I haven't dove the other two locations but Sheraton Caverns is the signature local Kauai dive.

Best thing to do is suggest the sites when asked but be open to alternatives. I've gone on several trips with a pre-conceived idea of the site I wanted based on reviews only to get talked into something entirely better. Sometimes the frequently reviewed dives are also the convenient ones for either the operator or the reviewer. Or the closest to the cruise dock.

The captain and DM will know which site(s) is/are best that day/time, depending upon conditions and diver experience.

From the east side you are 45 mins from both north shore and south shore.

Some great boat dive sites that I take newer divers to is Sheraton Caverns, Harbor Ledges and 3 Fingers. All three of these site range from 40-70 feet and have lots of creatures to see. Little to no currents and visibility is normally 40-60 feet.

On the north shore - Tunnels Beach - only 3 main companies dive it during the summer. Fathom Five, Kauai Down Under (Dive Kauai) and Water Sports Adventures. These companies dive here Mon-Fri and typically only morning trips - 8 am. With Fathom Five/Ocean Quest, myself and Jeanette are the two main instructors. Jeanette has been diving Tunnels for nearly 20 years, so she does know everything about this reef and where all the little critters are. This is my 6th summer diving tunnels. You will be in good hands with either one of us. Tunnels Beach is also one of my most favorite beaches to just relax on during the summer, so this would be a great place for the family to come and hangout with you.

With the question of Nitrox Certification - you can do this online at padi.com - when you arrive we will have you analize the tanks to find out with % of O2 you will be using (32% is the norm) and you will take the test (very simple cert). Nitrox can be very helpful as you dive more and travel the world. Some places you go there are shops that offer it for free and you can enjoy the benefits on all your dives.

I got my OW cert and did my first 20 or so dives on Kauai. Even as a newbie I didnt find any of the sites to be challenging at all.

I am handicapped (at the time I was certified I was still using my wheelchair if I had to go any real distance at all) and the shore dive at Kaloa Landing was very manageable even for me.

Personally I like to stick with one dive op. Multiple dives with one op allows me to to get to know them and vice versa, making for a much more relaxed pleasant experience. I would get a good handle on how many dives I was going to do and then, if it is a goodly number, try to negotiate a package deal with one op to save some money (boat dives aint cheap on Kauai). Once I did that I would let them know the sites I would really like to see while there and let them try to work the sites in based on the conditions that day.