Top shore dives on Oahu?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

swimmer_spe

Contributor
Messages
637
Reaction score
99
Location
Sudbury, Ontario
# of dives
50 - 99
I have dove Three Tables, Sharks Cove and Hanauma Bay.

What would you suggest for the top shore dive sites on Oahu in the winter?
 
I have one spot, but it's pretty much snorkeling only (maybe 15-20 feet in the deep spots) - the Waikiki MLCD. Go to Queen's beach in front of the zoo, go out towards the wall on the right past the swim buoys, and follow the reef edge around toward Diamond Head. It's VERY shallow on entry, vis is only decent on the outside and is abysmal if there is any surf. A flag is a very good idea. LOTS of fish, and the only place I see lots of 'omilu (bluefin trevally) and barracuda. Look out for morays as well. The reef edge is uncovered during some low tides so the only real entry and exit is toward that wall, unless you swim all the way around and re-enter at the Sans Souci channel.

This is kinda my secret spot, lots of people snorkel on the inside but very few go check the outside. It's walking distance from pretty much all the hotels, which is a plus.

Another area is Kahe Point on the leeward side. A flag is very important here as tour boats visit the area frequently, as well as many fisherman of all stripes. You can go out from the beach and head South along the shallow reef, or otherwise there are various areas that are at a better scuba depth offshore. If you google it, there are several good websites which give you more detailed shore diving info. The reef is VERY healthy compared to Waikiki (which is mostly dead), but unfortunately the fish are not as impressive - if it's good to eat, it's been fished off the reef. Lots of sergeant majors, black triggers, manybar goatfish, and butterfly fish, but not many surgeonfish, parrotfish, or predators.

Otherwise, I would say the South shore is calmest at this time of year. North will be mostly off-limits, leeward (west) and windward (east) variable. Check the surf reports before going out for sure.

**Quick edit/reminder - the Waikiki MLCD is a Marine Life Conservation District, like Three Tables or Hanauma. No fishing of any kind.
 
Last edited:
I'll add Halona to the list, so long as you check the surf report for Sandy's and don't mind a steep hike up and down to the beach. The wall to the right outside the cove is pretty great; mind the surge near the narrower cracks, however, as you can find yourself traveling many feet horizontally quite suddenly. Going left out of the cove is not the best idea, and you definitely want to stay out of the cave that leads to the blow hole :wink:

Hanauma Bay, once you're past the buoys marking the cables, is also pretty nice reef in the 30'-50' range. Much past that and you may as well be swimming over a desert as you follow the cables waaaaay out to sea, though supposedly there's a biplane wreck out there around 150'-160'. Bring cash for the tram up/down the hill.
 
i like the corsair wreck...cool garden eels and the sound of whales during the dive is awesome.
 
Electric Beach was a very pretty dive.
 
https://maps.google.com/maps?safe=o...ei=6CGNUqTKFMGRiALZqYDgCw&sqi=2&ved=0CJABELYD

For Halona, there's a parking lot area just Northeast of the cove itself; as you face out to sea the cove is on your right. Getting down is fairly obviously a hike on a very short, steep trail just off the turn-in for the parking lot.

Hanauma Bay is something you can Google on your own re: directions, hours, fees, rules, etc.
 
https://maps.google.com/maps?safe=o...ei=6CGNUqTKFMGRiALZqYDgCw&sqi=2&ved=0CJABELYD

For Halona, there's a parking lot area just Northeast of the cove itself; as you face out to sea the cove is on your right. Getting down is fairly obviously a hike on a very short, steep trail just off the turn-in for the parking lot.

Hanauma Bay is something you can Google on your own re: directions, hours, fees, rules, etc.

I have dove at Hanauma Bay.

Thank you for the link.
 
Go towards Wainae and stay on road until it ends in Yokohama Bay ( Kaewauli Beach) the best beach on Oahu that you never heard of. Go down to beach and you will see this big rock with " Pray for Sex" spray painted on it. The reef has a ledge that goes out about 25 feet. The water is about 20 feet deep at the jump off. You pass Electric Beach on the way out about 8 miles back.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom