A month in Hawaii ...

[honeybee616]

Hi there Scubaboard ...i am spending two weeks in Oahu (19th may to 2nd june) then two weeks in The Big Island (2nd june to 19th June)...i will be diving for approximately 5 days on each island. I am a padi rescue diver with approx 300 dives and dive regularly ..im currently in mexico having spent five months here. Im from the uk !...i love wreck diving in particular and see that all??? the wreck diving is on oahu ???...if any one has recommendations for dive sites and dive operators i would luv to hear them...and if anyone is interested in diving with me ...please give me a shout x
sally

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I've not gone diving on either, just snorkeling. It's kind of "touristy" but I've heard the manta dive at night off Kona (can't recall which resort) is fun. Lights underwater seem to bring the rays in. The snorkeling at and near "Two-Step" was pretty nice, though the beach entry might be tricky with SCUBA gear.

Take a day out of the water and make sure to check out Volcano National Park on the big island. If you can, go in at night and you can see the glow from the caldera at the visitor's center. Not sure on the elevation change, though, so you might want to follow the rule for flying when you go up there.

I'm guessing the locals will have serious inside knowledge about the best dive sites. It's 4:30 am there now, so I bet you'll get a flood of response in the next 6-18 hours!

 

[KathyV]

...Take a day out of the water and make sure to check out Volcano National Park on the big island. If you can, go in at night and you can see the glow from the caldera at the visitor's center. Not sure on the elevation change, though, so you might want to follow the rule for flying when you go up there.

You mean the volcano that is currently erupting? It has been declared a federal disaster area and has resulted in loads of people being evacuated and extensive property damage, so I am not sure how much volcano sightseeing is going on right now!

 

[covediver]

Kona Diving Company on the big island. Simply the best operator from my experience. Do their two tank manta dive. Definitely worth it. They also do a night reef dive (which I hear is good) or some longer range dives.
Covediver's Log: Manta Madness.

Be advised, if you are going to go to the other side of the island to look at Volcanoes National Park (closed right now because of volcanic activity) check your residual nitrogen as there are minimum times between diving and going over to the other side of the island due to altitude gains, depending on which route you take.

Oahu does have wrecks. one of the operators there does a "wreck week" this time of year.

 

[Mrs. B]

Sea Tiger Oahu
YO
Corsair Hawaii Kai (WW2 bomber)
I second the manta dive Kona
(I think it is usally far enough away from volcano when the lava is flowing)

 

[covediver]

Sea Tiger Oahu
YO
Corsair Hawaii Kai (WW2 bomber)
I second the manta dive Kona
(I think it is usally far enough away from volcano when the lava is flowing)

yes, the lava is flowing on the other side of the island. From the number of messages I get on the subject, Kona is open for business and trying to make sure people don't stay away.

 

[Mrs. B]

When I lived there we would like to watch the lava hit the water. There is this diver that photographs it too, I forget his name.

Personally, I do not think I would go with this guy he is kind of a mess

 

[Seaweed Doc]

You mean the volcano that is currently erupting? It has been declared a federal disaster area and has resulted in loads of people being evacuated and extensive property damage, so I am not sure how much volcano sightseeing is going on right now!

That's the one! I hadn't realized they'd closed most of the park due to risk of a steam explosion. The property damage is way to the east, well outside park boundaries. When I read about it, I assumed the explosive risk was closer to where the property damage was, but it makes sense it could blow through the main caldera in the park. It looks like the main caldera I was talking about is venting steam as well. Could be a little TOO exciting. I'm surprised they closed the park but haven't evacuated the town of Volcano.

A few years ago we were hiking all through the park at a time when there was active lava flow within park boundaries, but not as massive as what's going on now. (It was possible to hike cross-country over old flows to see it, but it was a substantial trek that would tie up a whole day and you'd need to pack in a lot of water given the conditions.)

That does raise another risk question, though. I've heard "vog" (volcanic smog) can be a problem for folks who are sensitive (e.g., asthma or other lung issues). The State is concerned about sulfur dioxide in particular. If it were me, I'd stay on the Kona side.

 

[KathyV]

We saw lava flowing underwater when we dived from the Kona Aggressor years ago and it was a dramatic sight! I still remember talking to a couple that lived in Honolulu and told us that they planned to move to the Big Island "because it was so much cheaper than Oahu!" All I could think was "yeah, but there's an active volcano here, no wonder it's cheaper!"

We loved diving in Hawaii and I would like to go back someday, and the night dive with Mantas was a special experience.

 

[tarponchik]

Since trade winds prevail over the Big Island, especially in the summer, vog spreads across the island to the Kona coast, typically covering the area from Puako in the N to Miloli'i in the S. There are some websites that report current vog conditions, like this one.