Best diving in hawaii?

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DirtyFrank

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I'm looking to make the trek over to hawaii and was wondering which island has the best diving. At the moment Maui is looking like the place. Any stories and experiences are appreciated. Thanks

-Phil
 
well, i lived in hawaii (Oahu) for a couple of month and joined a dive club (which was a PADI facility too). My instructors, who were all locals, always said that the Big Island (around Kona) had the best diving on the islands...
I've never been there though...

just a suggestion
 
can't compare islands as I have only been to big island-it is awesome though- great drop-offs into the deep blue yonder, manta ray dives, lots of fishies and turtles, and underwater lava tubes and volcanic formations-really great.
 
The board has a forum dedicated to Hawaii. I have taken the liberty of redirecting your thread there in the hopes it will receive a more adequate response.

This last trip report of mine should get you oriented. I'll be happy to attempt to answer any detailed questions that may arise from your reading:

You will not find many sites with much nice coral off any of the Hawaiian Islands ala the Caribbean. Mostly only small patches of relatively colorless stuff. Also, sparse sponge or vegetation for the most part. Look for relatively cool water temps, like 77 plus/minus 2 degrees, and modest viz, like 40-80'. Marine life is another matter altogether. Varieties of butteryflyfish, triggerfish, surgeon/doctorfish, etc. far out number those found in the Caribbean. Also, lots of turtles.

The Big Island has a wide variety of topography & excellent diving of the Kona coast. It is my first choice. Neat manta ray night dive -- the one at the now closed Kona Surf used to be almost guaranteed, but longer so. Action now is a bit north to Eel Garden Cove. Some excellent shops, including Dive Makai, Sandwich Isle Divers, Aloha Divers & Jack's Diving Locker, although these draw experienced divers. Don't miss Volcanoes National Park, rain forest outside of Hilo, or the coffee plantations. Roy's on Big Island, too. Have drinks at the Mauna Lani, near the Ritz-Carlton. Kevin Costner stayed in one of the 4,000 sq.' villas with a Mercedes sedan and valet while filming "Waterworld" -- you'll know why it ran so much over budget. If you're seriously interested in the Big Island, purchase "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed": by Andrew Doughty & Harriett Friedman .

For diving in general & shore diving in particular, check out web sites of Big Island Divers, Kona Coast Divers (but don't dive with this op) and Dick The Diver. Also do Phosphorescent Bay at night. Sharon's Place, Long Lava Tube, Hammerhead Point & Golden Arches also good. Be sure to do the "Toilet Bowl" -- really fun. My favorite shore dive & an easy one is Place of Refuge-you will find nice coral here. Eat at Cafe Pesto, Donatoni's and La Bourgoyne. You won't be sorry.

Maui would be my 2nd choice. Depends really on where you are staying because Maui is like two islands: south side which has Kehei, Weilea, and Makena - with some good shore diving and located close enough to the Molokini preserve. Diving out of West Maui, meaning Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kapalua, etc., usually indicates that the diving will be by boat and off to the island of Lanai, meaning Cathedrals #1 and #2, Monolith, Sergeant Major and even Turtle Haven. There is some shore diving that is available. Mike Severns has equipment and dives out of Kehei boat ramp and is the operation that has the greatest knowledge of Molokini - both he and his wife are biologists and have the definitive coffee table book. Out of Lahaina, the Mala Wharf, is Erik Stein's Extended Horizons and they also supply good equipment. Both of these are charters, and do not have stores. Lahaina Divers is a safe operation that caters to the walk-in trade and a good cattle boat op. Day trips to Lanai good, but Molokini Crater way over rated -- it's snorkel & scuba central & shows the wear & tear. Back side can be good, weather permitting, but is for experienced divers only due to depth, current & often rough surface conditions. Ed Robinson's also a very good dive op. On the north shore of Maui at Nakalele Point (where the lighthouse is) there is a wall which plummets over 120' straight down (might go more but that's as far as I've gone). I admit that it is a very tough climb down and then back up the lava cliffs, and that it is a very physical dive, but the wall is still there for the hardy (mountain-goat types). As to the coral situation, there are two very colorful areas with literally many (perhaps hundreds of) acres within easy shore diving distance. One is right along the road to Lahaina at Olawalu. The other is on the north side about 3 miles past Kapalua. It is a marine preserve called Honolua Bay. Purchase the small paperback for about $10, "Divers Guide to Maui." Eat at Roy's (creative pan-Asian cuisine & not inexpensive), Nicholina's, Sam Choy's, Longhi's (big splurge) & Stella's Blues Cafe (organic). If you're seriously interested in Maui, purchase "Maui Revealed" by Andrew Doughty & Harriett Friedman .

My 3rd choice, Kauai, is prettiest of the islands, and has one of the best shops, Bubbles Below located in Port Arthur. Linda Marsh, co-owner & DM, is the most knowledgeable & enthusiastic marine biologist I have met. Great educational lectures during surface intervals. On one trip she pulled out a box of crab claws & demonstrated what the features of the claws told one about the life of the particular species. She knows where the rare stuff is, like boarfish & Hawaiian morwong. Los of turtles at Sheraton Caves & Sheraton Tunnels. Do the 3 tank dive trip to Niihau if you are an experienced diver & they are running it (long boat ride & very weather dependent)--several spectacular walls that go down well over 200'.

Don't miss the Na Pali coast (featured in opening scenes of sequel to sequel of "Jurassic Park," "Lost World") in the far north, dinner at Roy's & A Pacific Cafe (both expensive but unique & worth it; creative pan-Asian cuisine), and a drink at sunset at the Princeville Hotel (talk about "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous"). Northern coast is rainiest, southern coast (Poipu) is sunniest. Can stay in middle around Kapaa & do both. Outrigger Resort is quite nice for the price, although beach is just so so. Think about doing a helicopter tour of the island if the weather is good -- worth the cost. Nice golf courses at Princeville & Marriott resorts. If you're seriously interested in Kauai, purchase "Kauai Revealed" by Andrew Doughty & Harriett Friedman.

A distant 4th both in terms of topside & diving is Oahu. If you go, you'll want to read the feature piece in the Oct '02 issue of Undercurrent http://www.undercurrent.org/.

Take adequate thermal protection. To dive at high season with any of the ops I mentioned, book well in advance.

Enjoy your trip.

DocVikingo
 
Big Island (Kona) and Maui are both good, I'd put Kona first.
 
After many trips and years of diving Maui I always use B&B Scuba for my boat trips. They are located in Kihei. Maui has wonderful shore diving spots. Night dives there are fantastic and an easy shallow night dive is the Mala Wharf in Lahaina.

I've never experienced water temps as cool as Doc mentioned and always just use a 3 mil shortie and I always use tropical gloves. During our last trip there in May water temps were 79-80 degrees.

A must do in my books is the backwall of Molokini. My favorite dives of all time took place there.

The dives off of Lanai called the cathedrals were good but a bit of a letdown after all the hype. The boat we went out on (not B&B, they don't go there) classified all divers according to experience. Most experienced first with 3 groups total. We were in the first group and enjoyed the dive, the second group mucked it up so bad in there that the 3rd group never got to enter. So they dove around the entrance.

Honolua Bay was mentioned and is one of my favorite spots. It's a shore dive but do not, I repeat not leave anything in your car that you want to own later in the day. We take only a debit card and drivers license with us to this spot. We take them diving with us. We leave the car windows rolled down. The lexus will always be broken into, well not always but they're more likely to be broken into. A tire iron will open up a locked trunk in a heartbeat. Beware of the thieves in that area but do as we do and enjoy your diving.

We did about a dozen dives in that local during our last trip.
 
Been going to Kona for the diving since 1991 and probably dove most of the sites North to South but as of yet have no desire to go dive any of the other islands. Kona Diving Rocks. Looking forward to our next trip in February.

montyb
 
Lived in Maui and now Big Isle. Kona side is way better than Maui anytime. Not sure where the low temp are coming from but I had 78 at 80 feet today. The surface was plain arse hot!
 
Lots of good info above. My extra 2 cents worth:

Most dive areas in Hawaii have strong surge and there isn't much in the way of soft sponges, gorgonians, sea fans, and other fragile plant life. Unlike Doc Vikingo, however, I've always seen lots of vibrant colored coral teeming with life.

The big island, being the newest lava, has a quite different look than the oldest island, Kaui, where the lava has been eroded and smoothed and there is a lot more algae.

If you can only go to one island, Maui has the advantage of having both the harsh hard lava and coral look at Molokini and Lanai, and the older sandy and algae look inshore near South Maui.

Molokini also offers true vertical walls on the backside, and the mature climax "center reef" in the protected inside area of the crater.
 

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