Kaua'i Gallery

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bmorescuba

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Messages
411
Reaction score
495
Location
Baltimore, MD, USA
# of dives
500 - 999
I've finished working on the underwater pictures from my Kaua'i trip this past July. This was not a dive trip, but rather a trip on which I tried to do as much diving as the schedule would allow. Not going to write a big review, but I did all my dives with Fathom Five and they were awesome. I prefer shore diving, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to do the Ni'ihau trip. It was worth being violently sick for 2.5 hours coming back. I conferred with AquamanKauai from SB and he led the Ni'ihau trip (and did a fantastic job). Dive site breakdown:

Koloa Landing (2)
Tunnels (2)
Ni’ihau (3 - Vertical Awareness, Ni’ihau Arches, Neon Cave->Pyramid @ The Point)
Boat Dive (2 - Turtle Bluffs, Sheraton Caverns)

There were many species that were firsts for me, which is exciting. I love shooting macro, but this time I got my hands on a true wide angle lens and tried wide angle with 2 strobes for the first time. The results were very mixed - strobe positioning is much more tricky with wide angle. Even though I read about all the theory, there's nothing like getting out and practicing. Despite lots of terrible backscatter, there are at least a few WA shots that turned out OK. Diving with the highly endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal was a highlight, for sure.


Kauai Underwater Gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk2Y6afz


Enjoy (I know I did)
 
Were the Monk Seal shots taken at Ni’ihau? I'm headed to Kaui last week in October and would love to get some footage of them, but I think the seasonal weather will be an issue. Any advice for my visit to Kauai with Fathom Five, I have a two tank afternoon booked with them?

Thanks,

Adam D
 
Yep - all the Monk Seal shots were taken on the Ni'ihau trip. Our dives were actually around the smaller island of Lehua, but it was the Ni'ihau trip. You have to get up early, and the ride over is bumpy. The ride back is terrible (if you get sick on boats like me). But the Fathom Five captain was very good and did the best he could with the circumstances. We did 3 Ni'ihau dives and we saw multiple Monk Seals on each one. I did not see Monk Seals on any other dive and I think it's pretty uncommon. Maybe if you can dive the Napali Coast, which we didn't do.

I like the way Fathom Five ran their boat and shore dives. The boats are 6-packs, so small and less fussing around. I didn't feel constrained to beginner levels and I was able to go slow, which my preference. My only real advice is to confirm and then re-confirm your reservations and if you rent anything, double check on it. They had some new office staff that were still working out some logistics. But, then again, they won't be new by the time you go!

Here's my Monk Seal footage: Niihau Scuba Dives Hawaiian Monk Seal Footage 7/14 - YouTube
 
Nice Bandit Angelfish shot! What depth was this? I have yet to see one at recreational diving depths, but I haven't dived Kaua'i yet (only BI and Maui).
 
The Bandit Angelfish was somewhere around 60ft during the last dive of the Ni'ihau trip. I think the dive site was Neon Caves. There were two of them hanging out together near a ledge. Our guide emphasized that it was an uncommon sighting. I got 3 or 4 shots, but this was the only one in focus. What a great dive!
 
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