Aloha... New to the board and looking for dive buddies

[DiveNFly808]

Howzit?

I've been on Oahu for about 4 years, but I didn't start diving until about six months ago. At that time I was in the Navy. I got out this week and my ship is on its way to the gulf. I suddenly realized its taking the few dive buddies I have here with it. My father is a diver in the Pacific NW and suggested I check this out. He posts under the name "Fireboat57".

I'm going stir crazy because I can't afford to do guided boat dives every time, and I want to get back in the water. Please help!

Dave

 

[chepar]

Howzit?

I'm going stir crazy because I can't afford to do guided boat dives every time, and I want to get back in the water. Please help!

Dave

Dave-

I suggest you look into joining a dive club or two - that's the best way to meet a lot of divers - and Hawaii does have a lot! A benefit of a dive club is the scheduled club dives - even if your regular buddy isn't able to make it, you'll have plenty of others to choose from.

The days of the free organized dive clubs seem to be past. However, if you want to do affordable boat dives, you'll probably have to join one as the regular non-club cost of a 2 tank boat dive is anywhere between $80 - $100, gear rental (if needed) not included.

Right now I belong to 3 dive clubs, but I'm letting one membership drop this year. The best deal I've found so far is Breeze dive club. It costs $24 per year membership, and they have a club dive scheduled once or twice a month on Sundays. These dives are 2 tank boat dives and are $35. (Yes, you read that right). Only thing is all the dives are out of Hawaii Kai - but for $35 - I can live with that. Also what is great is if you have a group of 4, you can specially "charter" your own boat for a couple dives at the dive club price, schedule permitting. Also have a yearly summer BBQ/shore dive. The club members are really friendly and a lot of fun.

I also belong to Island Divers - used to be a free dive club but this year began a $75 yearly membership fee. What's great about Island Divers is they have a club dive (mostly boat dives) scheduled every weekend. They dive from all shores, so it's not limited to just one area. Dive club price on the dives is $48 if you need tanks. They also do dive club trips - every year they hit Palau, a couple of neighbor island trips and this year they've also scheduled one to the Marshall Islands, I think. Summer shore dive BBQs also.

During the summer (starting around May) my buddies and I usually shore dive at the North Shore - we save the boat diving for late fall, winter and spring. I know there are some people that shore dive year 'round - but if the shore diving's not easy, I don't want to do it.

Maybe someone else will chime in on shore diving this time of year - otherwise it will be a couple months for me. If you want more info on the dive clubs, let me know.

 

[bluemagoo]

Are you still in active status or a DoD contractor/employee with privileges or a sponsor? Best bet for you is to contact the SeaLancers http://www.sealancers.org/ They've been around since before dirt. They have a limit on non-active duty members but can help steer you elsewhere.

Even tho' they're based at Hickam and you're a squidy, they pretty much accept all eligible comers -- including Marines and assuming you bathe regularly (just jokin'!!) .

 

[chepar]

Are you still in active status or a DoD contractor/employee with privileges or a sponsor? Best bet for you is to contact the SeaLancers http://www.sealancers.org/ They've been around since before dirt. They have a limit on non-active duty members but can help steer you elsewhere.

Yeah, I thought of Sea Lancers too - but I'm not sure about membership for someone who's out. They have been around a long time.

 

[bluemagoo]

Yeah, I thought of Sea Lancers too - but I'm not sure about membership for someone who's out. They have been around a long time.

You mentioned the Breeze club. Is that the same shop which is just off of Kapahulu? I stopped by a couple times to price some stuff; nice enough people but I got the impression that it worked through hotel concierge/contracts. It didn't feel like a "regular" LDS in which walk-in customers was normal. Same with Sunshine Scuba.

 

[Fireboat57]

DivenFly808 is still in until Cinco de Mayo I think. I'd dive more with him, but it just creeps me out if the water gets over 50 degrees and you can see more than 20 feet.

One of the largest clubs here in the Puget Sound seems to be the ScubaBoard club (free), there are dives going on all of the time. I guess I figured that you guys out there in the warm water world did stuff like that too, so I pointed him in the direction of your forum.

Hope you get wet soon Dave

-Toby

 

[chepar]

You mentioned the Breeze club. Is that the same shop which is just off of Kapahulu? I stopped by a couple times to price some stuff; nice enough people but I got the impression that it worked through hotel concierge/contracts. It didn't feel like a "regular" LDS in which walk-in customers was normal. Same with Sunshine Scuba.

I think a good bit of their business is as you described - and geared more towards the Japanese tourist market. They do have a shop in Kapahulu, as well as one in Hawaii Kai. I don't know if they still have one in Waikiki.

From what I've seen - they do offer some gear in the shops - but not like a "regular" LDS or with as much variety. They run their own boats - so I think their operation is more of a dive charter operator, with a small slice of "dive shop" thrown in.

The club members are all local residents, though - what I like best is usually they limit the number of divers to 6. Oftentimes there are only 4 - and we have the whole boat to ourselves. Dive sites are loosely planned, but often we decide on something else, which is nice. Other diveclubs I belong to often put their regular customers on the "club" dives, so the trip is more structured as far as time schedule and dive sites.

 

[cediver]

Aloha,
I've been on the island for a little over a month now and have yet to hit the water. I'm looking for a couple dive buds, seeing as how I just got out of the Navy myself back in November and am now a full time student I can't afford the boat dives either. I'm looking to do some shore dives. As for dive clubs, my wife is still in the military so I signed on with the dive club at Schofield last week ($7 a month with unlimited air fills on your tanks and a 10% discount on rentals) but other than that I can't speak intelligently on other dive clubs in the area. Try shorediving.com for all the shore diving sites around oahu.

Casey

 

[kidspot]

Welcome to the board -

I won't be much help since I'm on Maui, but drop me a line when you come on over this way...

Aloha, Tim