Kauai diving

[Chocoholic]

Hullo all, We will be in Kauai for the first week of July. I can't wait!
I am hoping to dive at least two days, and really hoping I can go to Ni'ihau. I was just wondering which company has the most stable boat to do the crossing on?
We will be staying in Lihue, so how long of a drive will it be from Lihue to Koloa in the early AM?
I am also trying to figure out how to do this with my hubby a non-diver. I am considering renting another car for the one day so that I can drive from Lihue to Koloa to dive all day and he can have the other car to do whatever for the day...

 

[diversteve]

IDK about most stable but Seasport takes their Pro 48' to Ni'ihau (12 divers max)
Fathom Five has a 35' Force. (6 divers max)

I think I'd go with the Pro 48'...

Seasport Divers - Scuba Diving
Welcome to Fathom Five Divers Ocean Quest Watersports

so how long of a drive will it be from Lihue to Koloa in the early AM?

1/2 hr? It's 15miles from Lihue to Koloa.

Lihue Airport To Poipu - The drive takes 20 to 25 minutes. As you leave the airport there will be a traffic light, you may turn left and follow the signs to Poipu. A more direct route is to keep going straight. You’ll be on Ahukini Road. At the next traffic light, when the road ends, turn left. Follow this road, which turns into Kaumualii Hwy (#50) taking you through Lihue and out of town heading southwest, towards Waimea. The turn to Koloa and Poipu will be about 7 miles from Lihue where there will be a sign directing. The turn is the entrance to the magnificent tunnel of trees on Maluhia Road. In Koloa, follow the signs to Poipu. If driving during the late afternoon, you may encounter heavy traffic in Lihue, which frees up once past the Kauai Community College.

If you go with Seasport - check-in is 6AM at their Poipu shop.

Looks like it would cost about $45 each way by cab: http://www.ponotaxi.com/ Taxi rates are set at $3.00/mile.

 

[Chocoholic]

Thank you for the info. I have been reading more about the Niihau dives and I am really stoked.

 

[diversteve]

Have you seen these two videos?

Diving the island of Ni'ihau, Hawaii - July 2009 - YouTube
Niihau - YouTube - I'm pretty sure this is off Seasports boat - I've been on it. Unfortunately not there...:depressed:

 

[Byte Me]

Seasport was awesome. I'll for sure dive with them again. We were there last August and had a blast. My wife is a non-diver and she hung around the hotel the day I went to Niihau. You can get cell service so he could drop you off and you can call him when you get back. It's early in the day, and a long day, but its SO worth it. Next time I'm doing it twice. Koloa landing was nice, lots of critters - I did it guided and found a LOT more stuff. The Seasport boat dives were also all very nice. Capt Andy was great as were all of the staff at Seasport. We stayed at the Marriott on Nawiliwili bay and it took me about 20-30 minutes one way depending on traffic. I took her to Roy's after getting back from Niihau as a "treat" for being alone all day. I was almost falling asleep in my soup, but that was yummy as well! Very jealous - those Niihau dives are all in the top 5 dives ever for me!!

While the other boats may take less people, the Seasport boat is very well appointed, beach chairs to sit on and be comfy for the ride back and forth, the 12 people on my trip were split into two groups each with their own DM so you still felt like you were in a small boat. It's more of a day of adventure with Seasport as opposed to a "race" back and forth. We ran into a pod of dolphin and did some informative "touring" around Niihau which really made the trip more rich. Awesome day!

 

[Chocoholic]

Thank you again. I don't know why I didn't think to look for videos on youtube, excellent. I can't wait, I hope to see a monk seal, an eagle ray, dolphins, and sharks, oh my!!