Diving In Kauai This December, any suggestions?

Hi,
I will be Diving in Kauai for the first time this December and I am looking for recommendations for shops and dive sites. I have dove in Kona a few times and loved it, dove with Jack's Diving Locker. Does anyone know if there are any good shore dives in Kauai or is it all boat diving? I figure I will be able to get out about 5 times without the wife giving me too much grief Thanks for your help.

I highly recommend Fathom Five, in Old Koloa Town, for both boat and shore diving.

That time of year, your diving will all be on the south side of the island. There are a number of good boat diving spots and the shore diving at Koloa Landing is very good. Lots of neat endemic critters.

That said, there are no "avoid" dive ops there and, in summer, you have additional boat diving on Ni'iahau and additional shore diving at Tunnels on the north side.

Aloha from the island,

Excited for you and your upcoming trip to Kauai! I think you'll find the differences between diving on the Big Island and Kauai pretty exciting. The ecology is quite different and many critters rare to one - are quite common on the other. Kona certainly boasts some unreal visibility with her deep water just off shore along with some great big critter encounters. Flame Angels, male Whitleys boxfish, and Garden eels for example are seen with some frequency on the Big Island and "almost" unheard of here on Kauai. While my Big Island knowledge came from one years experience on the Kona Aggressor, I can help you with extensive information on diving Kauai as it's been my home for the better part of 15 years.

The best diving in my opinion is in the Poipu area (at least during the winter months). Fantastic sites like Sheraton Caverns (#1 requested dive on the island), Turtle Bluffs (Whitetip reef sharks, octopus, large morays), and Brenneckes Ledge (Black corals, numerous inverts including great nudi's) are just minutes away.

The must must must do shore dive is Koloa Landing! I simply love this dive with all it's fantastic critters. Turtles, octopus, endemic Green Lionfish, nudibranchs, Devil and Leaf Scorpions, rare Freckled snake eels, and currently 3 species of frogfish! It's a shallow and relatively protected bay in the 15-50ft range with average depths around 30-35. Oh, and I carelessly forgot to mention the site has the AMAZING Dragon Morays as well! Access is easy and many divers do multiple days of guided dives there due to its' ease, critter intensive nature, and long bottom times.

Kauai diving on the whole is a little more rugged that diving the overly protected Kona Coast and dive planning should be done a little more carefully in my opinion. Perhaps better stated I would say that there can be great dividends paid to choosing dive sites, dive times and days with a little guidance. That can be done easily when you're here with the right assistance and I'd be happy to help with that further.

Kauai is the only island where the primary diving is not on the leeward side. This means that you are out in the wind all the time. At times the winds are light or at least moderate and morning boat dives are changed little. Afternoons can however become quite limited - as can mornings when the winds are 15-20+. If mother nature is offering some options it's best to choose boat days that are less than 20mph winds. The trade wind pattern is NE is flow and peaks generally in the early afternoon. Light and variable winds or winds from the North make diving ideal though those days aren't as commonly experience.

Dec is also an unreal time to be here to experience the Humpback Whales around Kauai. You'll likely see them daily and get to hear the singing males on you dives.

Well, I hope this basic information helps you out just a little. While I personally guide now with Fathom Five I can help you with information as it pertains to any of the shops here. Additionally if I can help you with information that's non-diving - I'm happy to do that as well. I frequently mail out guide books for people to borrow while planning there trip if that would help. Otherwise feel free to send me a personal message with any questions you may have.

Have a fantastic weekend and happy dive planning
A

AquamanKauai pretty much covered it all. We have some very nice diving here during December. There will be a good chance that you will get to hear the Humpback Whales singing during your dives.

My recommendation is to request AquamanKauai (Anthony) at Fathom Five or me at SeaSport Divers. Diving with an instructor that has a vast knowledge of the dive sites and underwater sea creatures is your best option for great diving while you are here.

Please send AquamanKauai or myself any questions you have. Either one of us can provide you great information.

Aloha from Kauai,
Congratulations on your upcoming trip to Kauai. I spend a lot of time in the water here and would be happy diving exclusively here for the rest of my life. The shore dive at Koloa landing is worth checking out and there are dozens of dive sites off the South shore that are loaded with beautiful surprises and amazing volcanic topography. I have been impressed with all the dive operations out here and you should have a great time with any one of them. Everyone is very professional about their work, safety and fun. I would personally recommend Garden Isle Divers for a charter or two out of Port Allen. They are a small family run company that specializes in private charters and will keep their customer to divemaster ratio at a six to one max.

Every time I see a Kauai post I recommend Bubbles Below. Not the nicest boat I have ever been on, but Linda and crew were among the best operators I have ever had the pleasure of diving with, knowlegeable, friendly, and never in a rush. You can dive to your air or ndl and the crew is super!

Jeff

Seasport Divers is my top pick. Great boat and crew.
Seasport Divers - Koloa - Reviews of Seasport Divers - TripAdvisor