Cruising to Hawaii (December)

[Birmbear]

So I'm off with my wife on a cruise to Hawaii in December on the Golden Princess. We'll be stopping for about 12 hours each in Hilo, Honolulu, Kauai, and Lahaina. Oh yea, we'll also be stopping in Ensenada on the way back.

Anyway, I'm a new open water diver and I'd like to dive in Hawaii while we're there. My wife won't dive but she would maybe like to snorkel. I'd really appreciate any pointers, suggestions, warnings you may have to offer to us. A big plus would be if you might know of a place where Bevy can snorkel while I'm off diving.

TIA,
__Birm

[scottitheduck]

Aloha from Oahu,

Lots of great ways to see Oahu. I might suggest an afternoon charter to two shallow sites. Your wife could snorkel while you were diving..... drop me a line sometime and we can chat.

Mahalo,

G

[DiveMaven]

If you post your times in port, it'll help everyone figure out what recommendations to make.

[aascubagirl]

Aloha and congrats on your certification!

When you make it to Kauai...I think working out a boat dive will be tough as the check-in times usually conflict with when you arrive and also the amount of time you are on the island so I would recommend getting in a one- or two-tank shore dive to save on time and wear and tear. But don't worry about getting short-changed as Kauai has some fantastic shore diving options! Plus, there is some really great snorkeling for your wife just minutes from the south shore dive sites. If you would like, I would be happy to PM you some more detailed info on choices...otherwise, happy diving to you!

[LeadTurn_SD]

Hilo in December can be beautiful and sunny, or rain and wind. The weather will be a coin toss that time of year, and will change day-to-day.

The dives in Hilo are shore dives, and since Hilo is on the windward side, conditions can be rough if the trades are blowing. Best to plan topside activities for Hilo in the winter time, and look into diving on the other islands (Kona would be a totally different story, but you are not stopping there apparently).

Good luck, and enjoy your trip!

[Birmbear]

Hi All...thanks for taking the time to respond to me. Really 'preciate it.

Scottitheduck & Scubagirl: I've PM'd each of you.

Leadturn: I just checked, and it looks like we'll be in Hilo after all. As far as shore dives go...that's fine with me. I've got exactly 6 dives logged, and while I've dived (dove?) off a boat, a shore dive is still an adventure at my experience level. As for changeable weather, I live in a small town outside of Seattle, WA. We're used to changing weather....rain is just like home cooking to us.

DiveMaven: Here are my planned dates 'n times...

Hilo 15 Dec 0700-1900
Honolulu 16 Dec 0700-2300
Kauai 17 Dec 0800-1700
Lahaina 18 Dec 0700 - 1900

Thanks again, guys.
__Birm

[TudorMatt]

There are a lot of great shore dives in Lahaina area as well. Let me know if you would like some more info. Good Luck and enjoy your vacation!

[DiveMaven]

If you decide to shore dive on Maui, you'll definitely need to rent a car. Your only other option is to do an afternoon charter with Lahaina Divers since they are the only boat to go out of Lahaina Harbor and boats and shop are walking distance from where your tender drops you (boats are right next to it actually). If you rent a car, there are a lot of good choices for shore diving all over the island.

Wouldn't say that an afternoon charter with Lahaina Divers is the "best" choice of diving on the island, but since you're a newbie diver, at least you'd know that they will take excellent care of you and safety would be top notch. They have excellent rental gear, you'd have a really good time, and being right before winter break, the boat likely won't be even close to full.

I would really recommend that since you've never been diving in Hawaii that you seriously look at doing your dives guided instead of going off on your own. Hawaii has such different creatures and topography from anywhere else that an experienced guide can point stuff out that you'd never see on your own as a first timer.

If you're going to rent a car, consider hooking up with Shaka Doug for a shore dive in S. Maui. He has an outstanding reputation and will take GOOD care of you.

[LeadTurn_SD]

Hi All...thanks for taking the time to respond to me. Really 'preciate it.

Scottitheduck & Scubagirl: I've PM'd each of you.

Leadturn: I just checked, and it looks like we'll be in Hilo after all. As far as shore dives go...that's fine with me. I've got exactly 6 dives logged, and while I've dived (dove?) off a boat, a shore dive is still an adventure at my experience level. As for changeable weather, I live in a small town outside of Seattle, WA. We're used to changing weather....rain is just like home cooking to us.

DiveMaven: Here are my planned dates 'n times...

Hilo 15 Dec 0700-1900
Honolulu 16 Dec 0700-2300
Kauai 17 Dec 0800-1700
Lahaina 18 Dec 0700 - 1900

Thanks again, guys.
__Birm

In Hilo the cruise ships actually dock. The pier is about 1.5 miles from downtown Hilo (where the dive shop is), and about the same distance in the opposite direction is a good shore dive location called Leleiwi. This can be an very nice, calm shore dive with a very short swim to the reef, about 60 -80' viz, and swarms of large and tame turtles, or it can be a miserable 10' of viz with lots of surge and moderate surface current. These two extremes in dive conditions can occur in the same 24 hour period (going from good to bad that is... once the viz drops, it may take a few days of nice weather to let the water clear up). The entry/exit at Leleiwi is from a low lava rock shelf, about 2 feet above the water. The water is too shallow to giant-stride, so you sort of sit on the edge of the lava rock and sort of "skooch/fall forward" into a chest-deep pool. Getting out is sort of a step/climb/crawl up the lava shelf.

So as much as I love living & diving in Hilo (yep, I'm biased ), with your brief stop in Hilo I think trying to arrange a dive here is too much of a gamble and you'd have more fun going up to see the volcano, and diving on the other islands.

Have fun!