Need recommendation for Maui diving

[x2ego]

My wife and I are going to Mauii in October and staying for a week or so. I have so many things planned not the least of which is a day or two of diving. Since there are so many options, I thought I'd get some feedback on the best dive operators. I like small groups and multiple dives if possible. Do tell the good, bad, and ugly.

Thanks

 

[DiveMaven]

If you want to boat dive, dive out of Kihei and go with either Ed Robinsons, B&B, or Mike Severns for dives to S. Maui and Molokini crater. If you're looking for 3-tank dives, Ed Robinsons does them 3 days a week and Mike Severns does it once a week (I believe). You can't go wrong with any of these 3 operators IMO.

If you're looking for shore diving, try Shaka Doug or Maui Dreams. You can also go to the Hawaii O'Hana section of ScubaBoard and try to hook up with one of the locals like Kidspot.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi x2ego,

For openers, highly recommended for the visitor to Maui is Andrew Doughty & Harriett Friedman's "Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook, Second Edition" (http://www.amazon.com/Maui-Revealed...ef=sr_1_4/104-0319764-0037541?ie=UTF8&s=books)

For diving, Maui is my 2nd choice after the Big Island (Kona). On Maui it depends really on where you are staying because Maui is like 2 islands (http://www.bestofhawaii.com/maps/maui_map.shtml) 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 (http://www.mikesevernsdiving.com/) 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 (http://www.scubadivemaui.com/) and they also supply good equipment. Both of these are charters, and do not have stores. Lahaina Divers (http://www.lahainadivers.com/) is a safe operation that caters to the walk-in trade and a good cattle boat op. Day trips to Lanai good, but IMHO Molokini Crater on the front side is 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 (http://www.mauiscuba.com/erd1.htm) is a very popular dive op. Although I've found them a bit of a cattle op, they are professional & want you thave fun. On the north shore of Maui at Nakalele Point (where the lighthouse is) there is a wall which plummets over 130' straight down (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 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 "The Diver's Guide to Maui" either locally or thru Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0961477504/104-0319764-0037541?v=glance&n=283155).

Get you started?

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[jasondcrawford]

Me and my wife were there in June and dove with Ed Robinsons. We are beginning divers, but they did a GREAT job of assisting us in any way possible. There were several Dive-Masters on board... one for about every 4 divers at the time. If you didn't want, you didn't have to follow them, but having never been there, we followed him around and he pointed out just about everything we had ever hoped to see. We dove a wreck (St. Anthony's) with at least a half-dozen turtles living on it... saw eels and the DM was even able to find/point out the elusive frog-fish for us... great experience. After the first dive, they asked if there anything we didn't see that we really wanted to, and then we went to Molokini (since we were beginners, we did the crater and not the wall... if you ask them in advance they can put together a wall group for you). Once again, the DM was great... spending all of his time underwater searching the reef overhangs for white-tipped sharks while we all just played. Once he found a couple sharks, he brought us over to them so we could all see. After the experience I had, I definately wouldn't hesitate in using them again. One other thing... their boat left about an hour before most of the other dive-shops.... calmer water and less crowded diving (for the first dive at least)

Notes: If you're able, make sure to dive Molokini's back wall.. it's supposed to be great.

 

[Charlie59]

Must do Molokoni back wall and Lanai. Ditto for the dive operations listed by DiveMaven.

It is rough diving in paradise.

Sorry, but the avitar is from Kona.

 

[TSandM]

We have dived with Ed Robinson, B&B, and Mike Severns, and have had good experiences with all. My favorite was Mike Severns, because of the marine biology knowledge on the boat -- but I have to say we were lucky. We had about ten or twelve divers on the boat, and four or five of them had degrees in marine biology! They were all experienced and capable divers, and that DOES make a trip more fun.

There is excellent shore diving on Maui as well. We've done a number of dives in the Kihei area (Ulua Beach and Ahihi Bay are two good ones), as well as a couple in the Lahaina region. I particularly like the Mala boat ramp dive. Honolua Bay, further north, is also a lovely dive.

Contact kidspot when you are close to time to go -- he's Scubaboard's local guide for Maui, and a great guy and a lovely diver. He'll give you more pointers, and it's not hard to twist his arm into going for a dive or two . . .

 

[kidspot]

There are really no "ugly" ops on the island ... for that matter there are few ops that even get a "bad" rating with any regularity ... so your'e pretty safe. For the best write up I've seen of the local ops see http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=2003813&postcount=48

if you're up for some shore diving drop me a PM when you're heading this way and we'll see about getting in a dive together.

Aloha, Tim

 

[Scottri]

I like Ed Robinson, Mike Severns and Extended Horizons. I always stay in Kehei so I usually dive with one of the operators that leave from the Kehei boat ramp. The back wall of Molokini is a great dive, Shark Condos is a really cool dive but it's deep so it's not for newer divers. Shore diving is really good in Maui. I like Ulua Beach for a nice easy dive. 5 Graves is fun too but the entry can be rough.

 

[tankboygreg]

I dove with Mike Severn's three days in a row last May. The boat holds 12 and they dive in groups of 6. They do two tank morning dives. During the three days I dove with them we dove at least one dive on Molokini's backwall. They provide a great pre-dive briefing on what you can expect to see each dive and then they proceed to show you. Diving with them over three days allowed me to meet almost all their staff and they are great group -very friendly, very knowledgeable, and very helpful.

You can't beat the Maui Hill for convenience in getting to the Kihei boat ramp--it's right across the street. Another plus is the condo's are very spacious with large lanais.

BTW, my avatar is from Maui.

 

[KrisB]

I've had some not-so-great experiences with Ed Robinson's... not the least of which is the managements response to my safety and marine conservation concerns.

Do you know what part of the island you're staying on yet? Regardless, send me a PM with your contact and we'll see if we can hook up for a couple shore dives -- I'll be on-island as of Sep 12!