New Diver headed to Maui in July looking for some advice

Hey guys, I've lurked here for a good long while, and the tips and advice i gleaned were amazingly helpful as I went through my open water certification. I am really grateful to have access to such an amazing community!

Now, onto the help... I'm a new diver, with 10 dives so far. I am going on a family vacation to Maui in July with my in-laws (none of whom are divers). I have carved out 2 days that I can dive and am looking for some advice on where/ who to dive with. This will be the first time I haven't been diving with buddies from home whom I already know and trust.

I am looking at diving with NeverDry. The reviews I have read sound fantastic, and groups of < 4 people make me feel significantly more confident as a new diver. The only issue is that they specialize in shore dives. This is likely a once in a lifetime trip for me, and I want to make the most of it. Am I going to regret not doing a boat dive there?

I am also looking at doing my AOW certification with them there, as it seems like a lot of dives for very little $ and I want to continue improving my skills. My LDS recommended that I not do that, as 1: I would get more benefits out of Peak Performance Bouyancy after having a few more dives, & 2: I will want to just enjoy the dives while I am there.

Any thoughts, input or recommendations would be GREATLY appreciated!

Are you staying in South Maui? It's a pretty long drive (45mins.) to Kihei from West Maui if you're not.

Never heard of Never Dry but that doesn't mean much - there's a lot of smaller operators working on Maui.
Other choices for shore diving operators could be Maui Dreams Dive Co or Shaka Divers.

If you are staying in the Kihei area - you'll regret not going on a boat dive to Molokini - it's the signature dive in that area. B&B Scuba or Mike Severns would be good choices for boat operators for newer divers - both leave from the Kihei ramp nearby. All the boat operators put at least one - sometimes two DM's in the water per dive.

In case you're staying in West Maui, go with Lahaina Divers. They're set up for newer divers, have big stable boats and also do escorted shore dives in that area. They also run to both Molokini and the Cathedrals at Lanai - the other signature Maui dive. You could probably even boat dive in the morning and shore dive with someone in the afternoon if you wanted.

Tiny Bubbles is another shore dive operator only working out of West Maui. Tim gets good reviews.

If you're doing the tourist things, stay off the volcano/bike ride tours or the helicopter flights till the next day after diving - both are at elevation.

I am staying in West Maui - Lahaina to be more specific. I assume that Lahaina Divers would be the more convenient for the boat dive. We are doing the volcano/ bike ride, but I took some initiative and set it up for the first morning we are there so that I can dive on all the other days.

Any thoughts on the AOW certification vs dives for fun?

Thanks for the help!

You probably don't want to drive down to Kihei then. It's about 45mins even really early in the morning. And the Kihei boats leave between 5:00-6:30 to beat the tradewinds coming back from Molokini late morning. You're already getting up at the crack of dawn for the volcano ride - how many times do you want to do that while on vacation..LOL

There's also Extended Horizons in Lahaina - the other boat operator there. But they only go to Lanai. Smaller boat so slightly rougher crossing.

A third option is Maui Dive Shop but their boat is moored in Ma'alea Harbor - about 1/2 hr. drive south. It's a big boat but they feed all divers from all their shops onto it. Would be my 3rd choice - I dove with them once.

In July you might want to make reservations with before you go. Lahaina Divers has 2 big boats but can be crowded during peak vacation times - like July...

A good shore dive is Black Rock - not too difficult and fairly shallow. Often see interesting stuff there, turtles, the occasional shark etc. Kapalua Bay also but Kapalua Dive just closed so IDK who goes up there now. Probably Tiny Bubbles does.

I'd save AOW for later, just have fun for two days. It's really enjoyable diving just touring the reef looking for small critters - if you're focused on learning - and your DM/Instructor focused on you - both of you might miss things. A good guide on Maui finds things you'll miss. Most make an effort to do so and point them out for everyone also.

There are a number of good shore dives not far from Lahaina. See if you can hook up with a dive shop to hire a DM to guide you at the Mala Pier. It's my favorite dive on Maui, and it's a very appropriate dive for new divers. You can talk to Lahaina Divers; they are local.

Are you going to get any other dives in before your trip?

I'd look to shore dive one day and boat dive the other. Molokini crater dives would be fine for you.

I agree with TS&M that the Mala Pier is a very good dive. I did it off of a boat but that was really a waste as you can shore dive that easily. Plenty of turtles and white tip reef sharks.

Try posting in the Hawaii forum and see if you can pick up a buddy unless you feel you absolutely need a DM at this stage.

If I had only 2 days to dive and no access to a car, I'd book boat dives for both of them and go to Lanai and Molokini with Lahaina Divers. If I had access to a car, I'd drive down to Kihei and do 2 boat dives in the morning and a dive with Shaka Doug in the afternoon.

I wouldn't bother with my AOW with only 2 days of diving. I'd want to focus on relaxing and enjoying, not doing certification dives.

One thing that may help you is to know that all boat diving in Maui is done with dive guides. They are well used to singles showing up, so dives are considered "group dives" rather than "buddy dives."

Some operators, like Lahaina Divers, are geared toward the less experienced/newer diver and take a far more active role in monitoring their divers than other charter companies who are geared toward the more experienced diver.

Please also understand that diving Hawaii is FAR different than any other diving you'll likely ever do. Being in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the currents prevent anything from growing UP in the water column. I liken it to a desert in that the bottom may seem sparse and baren, but if you slow down, and know where and what to look for, there is life everywhere! That's why I strongly recommend diving with a guide to people new to diving Hawaii.

Hawaii is also special because of the amount of endemic marine life that you can ONLY see there. A great guide will be able to point out things you'll never see anywhere else in the world. There's also beauty in the lava formations and general topography that's uniquely Hawaii.

+1 for Lahaina Divers
They are great with newer divers. They send a boat out both morning and afternoon. They are easy to work with.
I would save the AOW for a while also. I like the idea of taking a class like Nav or PPB, but AOW might be better when you have more time.

I vote for the boat dives as well. A guided dive as a group will probably be more enjoyable for you. Also agree on waiting for the AOW for now. You're in AL, just head down to the Gulf and there are a lot of dive shops that would be happy to take your money and train you for your certification. I was actually a little stressed and worried just before my AOW, so why put any extra stress on yourself? In hindsight, it was perfectly fine and nothing to worry about, but my head was saying other things Go dive and enjoy yourself!!

I agree with your LDS - just go diving for a few days. Take the aow later. Use a dive shop near where you are staying. The best diving is on the South and West sides of the Island. If you are not staying either place, then research the closest to you. There are a number of excellent providers on the Island. Everyone has their favorite, which is usually the only one they ever have dived with. Have a great trip.
DivemasterDennis