Maui in April..Need help planning!

[Cali_diver]

Ok I just found out that my close friend is getting married in Maui in April. I think we are staying in Kihei (or at least the same area). It will be my husband, my son and myself. Our vacations are usually diving intensive trips. Sleep eat dive etc. We like smaller operations.... I also like to use the same op for the whole trip. We prefer boat dives...but I might be tempted to schedule a day or two with doug just so I can meet the infamous man!!
I have seen recommendations for B&B, Mike Severns, and Ed Robinson.

I guess my questions are do they have nitrox?
Do any of them actually keep and clean your gear for you if you are diving consecutive days with them?
Do they take you to different sites if you are diving a whole week with them or are we going to have to do the crater everyday because others request it?

Lastly...I would love to pop over to Kona for a day or two. Is this feasible?

Thanks
Diana

 

[diversteve]

I guess my questions are do they have nitrox?

B&B and Severn's do. IDK about ERDA. B&B actually does gas blending.

Lastly...I would love to pop over to Kona for a day or two. Is this feasible?

The flight is to altitude so if you're going to be "diving intensively" you'd have to allow for that. So is Volcanoes Natl' Park if you plan to dive on Kona.

 

[Cali_diver]

Well I doubt if this trip will be all diving... It is just what we would rather be doing. It seems like most diving is done by 11am on Maui. Do the operators in Kihei go to Lanai?

I have always wanted to do the night manta dive on Kona. I already took the flight into consideration, I guess I was just wondering if the diving in Kona was worth the effort.

 

[pjhansman]

if you want to get over to the Cathedrals at Lanai, I would suggest you try Lahaina Divers. It's an early morning 45 minute drive from Kihei but well worth it.

 

[DiveMaven]

Ed Robinsons and Mike Severns also have nitrox available. Be aware that nitrox is very expensive, adding about $15 per tank and with most ops you're likely to run out of dive time before you run out of gas if you're good on air. Be aware too that most operations limit your bottom time, so you might ask when you call to potentially book dives. I know that Ed Robinsons is around 60 minutes, Makena Coast Charters is usually 45 minutes, and Dive & Sea is about 60 minutes as well.

Check on discounts for multiple days of diving. I know both Ed Robinson's and Lahaina Divers offer multiple booking discounts, but unsure of the others. As far as cleaning your gear, Ed Robinson's, Makena coast, and Dive & Sea all will rinse your gear after the charter. With Ed Robinson's you can leave you gear on the boat if you're diving consecutive days and everything will be clean and ready to go the next day when you arrive.

I believe all operators in South Maui are at least 12 pack boats, with the exception of Dive & Sea which runs a 6 pack on their boat rated for 12 divers. Makes for a very spacious boat deck! Dive & Sea will put more divers on the boat if there's a bigger group that books, but that's a rare occurance. The 12 packs divide their divers into 2 groups of 6, making for small dive groups in the water. Lahaina Divers will put 24 divers on their boats, dividing groups into 6-8 divers.

Kona's a tough one if you're only in Hawaii for a week. You could technically get a late afternoon flight so you can dive the morning the day before, do the Manta dive the next evening and fly back the morning after, but you'll be dealing with rental cars, hotels/resort hassles, packing, the time of flying, etc. It would eat a pretty big chunk out of a week.

 

[Tunaman68]

ProDiver is out of Kihei and runs a 6 pac fast boat. We have used them three years in a row and really enjoy the laid back and professional attitude. They let you dive your air, and we have always had dives around the 60 minute mark. They are accommodating for requesting varied sites (based on the level of divers on the boat) and we have had good luck with back wall, deep, and live boat drift diving with them. They leave at 6 and are back by 11:30 if not before. We also have been to Lanai and Molokai with Lahaina divers and really like their large comfy boats - they do use smaller tanks and seem to cap the dives at 45-60 mins, but for the crossing, they run the only boats that I'd feel comfortable on.

We saw a pelagic manta on the back of Molokini this trip, but really love the diving and especially the manta night dive in Kona. However, the big island is really big (lots of driving depending on where you stay), and IMHO a single diving day with two days for no fly and travel might be more than a 'relaxing' trip would call for.

Have Fun!!

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Don't overlook some excellent shore diving minutes South of Kihei. I recommend Ulua Bay and Five caves (also called Five graves). Maui Dive Shop has a big store in Kihei and will give you a free shore diving guide and rent you tanks, lead, a dive flag (important to use in Maui) and any other gear you need.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Linedog]

I think everybody needs to dive with Doug at least once in there life.

 

[MauiNightDives]

In my experience living here on Maui DiveMaven is right pretty on point about everything he mentioned. Might I also add though that Ed Robinson also offers dives that are for the more experienced divers like yourself.

Check out their web page Maui Diving & Snorkel Adventures

Check out the scuba section.. it will tell you all the types of dives and days they are offered.

-Justin

 

[StuartT]

In my experience living here on Maui DiveMaven is right pretty on point about everything he mentioned. Might I also add though that Ed Robinson also offers dives that are for the more experienced divers like yourself.

Check out their web page Maui Diving & Snorkel Adventures

Check out the scuba section.. it will tell you all the types of dives and days they are offered.

-Justin

FYI he is a she