Just moved to Honolulu! Getting the lay of the land.

[fuzzybabybunny]

I just came from the cold waters of northern California. I've dove Shark's Cove with a friend. I'd like to find a shore dive with:

1. Awesome amounts of life - I was actually expecting a lot more life and color coming to Hawaii... I guess there's more of that stuff in the untouched outer islands?

and/or

2. Deep dives. Shark's Cove was ~40ft. Anything 100ft+? Wall dives? Canyons?

and/or

3. Caverns - not really narrow technical caves, but are there any huge underwater caverns?

 

[Lumin]

1. Awesome amounts of life - I was actually expecting a lot more life and color coming to Hawaii... I guess there's more of that stuff in the untouched outer islands?

Oahu in general is a pretty sad spot when it comes to life, most places looks like they have been bulldozed by hordes of tourists who have no respect of the wildlife.
it is for sure prettier on the other less touristy islands, it is however a bit different than other places (such as thailand for instance) as lava rocks and kart like sediments offer many hiding spots for the wildlife. My favorite nature spots do however all reside on Big Island.

2. Deep dives. Shark's Cove was ~40ft. Anything 100ft+? Wall dives? Canyons?

Plenty of deep spots, but I would say that many of those spots are boat dives unless you got a DPV with some range. However browsing some sea maps will give you some ideas of potential spots that is in the area you want.

3. Caverns - not really narrow technical caves, but are there any huge underwater caverns?

Sharks cove has plenty of caverns (if you keep going right as you enter the water from the beach), and some of them goes quite far before they become really constricted. Do however keep the halocline in mind that some of the more remote caverns got, the viz easily gets from stellar to 0ft.
On the west side there is also Makaha caverns, but you would need a boat or a long range DPV for that spot.
Then there is the cavern on the Hawaii Kai/Koko side, there is also a lobster cave there, again pretty much a boat dive.

 

[scottitheduck]

Haleiwa Trench gets deep...... 95 feet and is an easy shore dive when surf is down. Otherwise, Firehouse and Three tables have some impressive structures if you get deep enough and have the right dive guide. Been diving everyday for 7 years on Oahu and still find new critters!

G