Best Dive Sites & Operators- Oahu

[ScubaAruba]

Aloha...
First time Hawaii visitors, but die hard divers heading to Oahu the end of April. We are staying at the Marriott Ko Olina Resort- looking for a reputable dive company in that area. We will have a rental car so getting to a dive shop shouldn't be a problem. What are some of the best sites we should try to get in while we are there? Shore dives? My husband is a DM and ok with whatever dives - I'm looking for good photography sites and love to see turtles. :blinking:

Since this is our first trip to Oahu (9 full days) we know there is lots to see on the island- land and sea so we plan to dive 2 or 3 days (prob 2 tank dives) early in our stay. That said the question is; to bring or not bring our full set of gear? (Mask, Snorkel & Dive computer are easy to pack). Our vacations normally are 80% diving so bringing our own gear is a given. Do most places only have 3mm shorties? My husband calls me "Scuba Princess" and I live up to the name when it comes to staying warm, a full 3mm is a must for me sometimes layered with a shortie... (high maintenance I know). So...opinions on rental gear in Oahu would be helpful.

Thanks!

 

[Dr. Lecter]

You'll want to look at diving out of Waianae, particularly Mahaka caverns if you like turtles (Waikiki's Turtle Canyon is also unsurprisingly full of em), but there's also the Mahi wreck and Black Rock out that way. Electric beach would be a good shore dive from that area, too. Ko Olina has nice lagoons and reefs outside them, but I understand them to be pretty pissy about scuba in/around/through their lagoons and nearby shore entry points are few and unpleasantly sharp/rocky.

North shore, including Sharks's cove and Three Tables, may be divable by the end of April. South/townside has several wrecks (Sea Tiger, YO-257/San Pedro, and some nearby planes) and a mess of reef dives. Hawaii Kai has the Corsair and a couple LCUs for wrecks, plus the awesome Spitting Caves and Sea Cave areas between Hawaii Kai and Haunama Bay.

I suggest dropping Gabe at Kaimana a line, he'll be able to tell you more and either tailor dives to your schedule or tell you who else can.

Re: gear, I'd bring it all. I have not been impressed with the quality of anyone's rental gear here (with one unnamed exception, it's all been safe, just not nice), and dive computers are often either an extra rental or not offered at all.

 

[808SUBDVR]

The westside dives are some of my favorite, especially since i live so close to the ko'olina area. The Mahi ship wreck usually has at least a dozen eagle rays hanging out above the deck of the ship and the makaha caverns have had sharks around them every dive i have done there.

 

[ScubaAruba]

Thanks for the info.
Where would be the best place for us to rent tanks and weights if we want to shore dive- or would you rent based on the area you are shore diving? The bulk of our shore diving has been in Grand Cayman & Bonaire can anyone compare what we are used to in those places to what we will encounter in Oahu? My vision of Hawaii is much rougher surf than most places we've been, just trying to prepare myself

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Oean Legends (located outside Honolulu towards the airport) will rent both air and nitrox AL80s, and if you're really lucky/ask nicely you might get one with a pro valve (if DIN's your thing). Island Divers (Hawaii Kai) rents air and I think nitrox, and has (not sure if they rent them) AL100s available...same deal re: maybe being able to get a DIN-friendly valve. If you've rented tanks and want to get them filled on the West side, there's a guy who runs an air-only fill shop out of a metal box/shop set up in the Waianae boat harbor...it's new, and I think the hours are around 730-2. There may be somewhere closer to Ko Olina to rent tanks, too, but I'm not based out that way and am less familiar with the options.

I'll let someone else compare/contrast Oahu surf with what's the norm where you've been before. Suffice to say that by the end of April things are calming down here, but it's a good idea to find a local surf conditions report website and check it for the area you're going just before you go there.

 

[scottitheduck]

Good call Dr. Lector.....

Steve has done a great job getting Air up and running...... He has full filling capabilities and is out of the Waianae Boat Harbor. Give him a call or drop by:

Steve: (808) 722 3613 or steveatair@yahoo.com

 

[Steve@AIR]

Thank for the plug guys... My Shop at the Waianae Boat Harbor is Full service... I have airfills as well as all rental gear and gear is in really good shape.. AIR 808-722-3613 or email me steveatair@yahoo.com

 

[Barrod]

Steve@air - just sent you an email. Need some advice hopefully schedule a trip out with you.