Maui dives for photographer

[Tzetsin]

Hello folks, I know you get these "where should I dive" type posts all the time, but this one might be a little different.

I have recently gotten myself a housing for my camera and have spent quite some time in the Philippines enjoying it. It looks like I might be getting a couple weeks off work and was thinking about jetting off to Maui for some more time with the camera underwater.

I'm not looking to hit up a bunch of "dive sites" or "must see" places at all, my desire is simply to hang out, maybe 10 or so dives in the SAME location, preferably shore diving so that I can explore the area and its life. I need to be comfortable sitting for as long as I need to, to get the shot I want, and I need a dive buddy that can find things for me to shoot.

In the Phils, I typically dive with a young fella that lives there. He's got a great eye for finding anything and usually he's got something interesting for me to shoot before I'm finished with the previous one. This makes my dives very profitable, and I'm looking for something like this when I get there.

So what I'm asking I guess, is for advice on how to get this, when I'm in Maui. In the Phils, I'm an unofficial local, so its pretty relaxed. But in Maui, i'm just another tourist.

Any thoughts would be appreciated,

Jason

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Olawalu is a shallow site accessible from shore with the prettiest coral on the island, in my opinion, and a great place for pictures. Its a few miles south of Lahaina on the west side. The excellent visibility at Molokini crater makes it a good place for photos, and worth the pricey 2 tank boat excursion. Another shore dive site with good potential for photos is 5 caves, just south of Waialea. If you want a "sure thing for white tip reef sharks, Mala pier is the place, from boat or shore.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Tzetsin]

Thanks for the info dennis.

Are these places youve mentioned good for "solo" ( meaning 1 pair no group) diving? Im not going there for the sites, or to see any particular spieces, I just want to get in the water and shoot what I find. I need time to do that though, so groups are out of the question. I wont even waste my time with them.

Honestly, just a guide, some rental gear and a good shore location would keep me busy for a week or two and make me a really happy camper.

 

[uwxplorer]

Honolua Bay is a great, safe shore dive.
Mala ramp is awesome too.

 

[TSandM]

Where are you going to be staying? That makes a lot of difference.

For the Kihei/Wailea area, I'd recommend either Ulua or Polo Beach. Polo has some beautiful, healthy corals in very shallow water off the right-hand side of the beach as you face the sea. Makena Landing is a nice, protected entry, and right out at the end of the swim to the point you can find a lot of pretty corals and a whole bunch of small critters. (I found an octopus there the last time we dove it.)

Mala is my absolutely hands-down favorite shore dive on Maui. Not only does it harbor a ton of life, the structure makes for dramatic photography. And if you go out with Lahaina Divers and do it at night, it's a complete zoo. The legal shore entry is painstaking.

 

[Tzetsin]

This mala place sounds good. What do you mean its a zoo though? A lot of people there? Govt regulations to get in? Ive never dove in the states before.

Im not sure where we re staying yet. I was hoping to get an idea were I was going to dive so I could get a place close by.

 

[TSandM]

It's a zoo in terms of the number and diversity of animals you'll find there!

 

[Tzetsin]

It's a zoo in terms of the number and diversity of animals you'll find there!

Ah, this sounds great.

Now to find a dive buddy lol... Im going with my wife, but she just can't be convinced on the whole dive thing. I have to give her credit... she did try diving a couple times, but just cant get comfortable under water. This leaves me buddyless though

 

[uwxplorer]

The legal shore entry is painstaking.

Translation: the sandy part of the beach is pretty narrow and rapidly changes to medium size pebbles. If you are heavily loaded with photo gear, you could slip and fall...in the water. The bottom line is that with decent booties, there is no access problem whatsoever. I would not bother paying for a boat trip for that dive, unless it is by night, maybe.
There are restrooms nearby though, which is nice. Same at Honolua Bay, BTW (entry and restrooms).

 

[TSandM]

Well, the times I've done the legal entry from shore, there were a ton of small coral heads that we couldn't see very well in the surf, and slammed our shins into from time to time. It was a very slow process going forward. The entry across the channel from the marina is easy, but it isn't legal.