Disturbing rumour about making Shark's Cove off-limits to divers

[vinegarbiscuit]

At a meeting of dive shop professionals on Oahu a couple of days ago, I believe news broke about an intent to make Shark's Cove off-limits to divers. Seems that surfers have been complaining that dive operators and students take up too much parking (especially operators' vans and the like). Or something like that. In any event, I was very surprised to that surfers objected to divers' presence there, as Shark's Cove isn't exactly a surfer's hotspot during the summer months.

I'm posting this to inquire if anyone has more information. If what I've heard is wrong, please correct me. I would delighted to be wrong, as I love diving at Shark's Cove (as well as the neighboring Firehouse and Three Tables sites). I've seen student divers and seasoned sages alike emerging from Shark's Cove, grinning from ear to ear...it truly is an amazing area to dive, and I would hate for it to be declared off-limits. If, on the other hand, what I've heard is true, there must be a way for Oahu's divers to make their displeasure known and persuade the authorit-ehs to let us keep diving there.

 

[bluemagoo]

Might this be related to the 2004 flap over the Pupukea Village proposal? Environ Assessment report

 

[scubadrewvideo]

Funny thing about the parking issue.
I have conducted a surveyof divers over the last 2 summers and 60 to 70% of the divers at the cove on any given day are recreational divers diving on their own... not paying for a commercial dive service. The dive shop vans just look big and are noticed easier. The divers that arrive in the morning and take up 2 spaces per vehicle with 3 to 4 vehicles per group are more responsible for the parking issues than are the dive shops. I do not count the Dive Oahu club dive as a commercial operation...however, many complaints have been due to that large truck and crowd on Saturdays and Sundays.
I have heard no official word of limiting diving activities at Sharks Cove, but I will let you know if I do.
ScubaDrew

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

Thanks so much for the link. At first glance (and the second and third glance, come to think of it), this looks dreadful. A proposal to build 53 commercial establishments that will "harmonize with the rural character of the North Shore"? What a load of twaddle.

I have no idea if the rumors I've heard are related to the Pupukea Village proposal. I would think that having divers, snorkelers, and their families at Shark's Cove would be beneficial to a proposal like Pupukea Village, since it entails the construction of shops and perhaps a food court?

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

Funny thing about the parking issue.
I have conducted a surveyof divers over the last 2 summers and 60 to 70% of the divers at the cove on any given day are recreational divers diving on their own... not paying for a commercial dive service. The dive shop vans just look big and are noticed easier. The divers that arrive in the morning and take up 2 spaces per vehicle with 3 to 4 vehicles per group are more responsible for the parking issues than are the dive shops. I do not count the Dive Oahu club dive as a commercial operation...however, many complaints have been due to that large truck and crowd on Saturdays and Sundays.
I have heard no official word of limiting diving activities at Sharks Cove, but I will let you know if I do.
ScubaDrew

I would be among the 60%-70% of the divers you mentioned...we live 20-minutes from Shark's Cove and frequently have friends meet us at the house so we can carpool to SC using only one or two vehicles. Parking is really limited there in the first place, and since it's unlikely we can find spaces next to each other, we consolidate gear and vehicles as much as we can. For folk coming from further-flung places, I guess that's not always an option...we're lucky in that regard. I have noticed that some cars take up more room than absolutely necessary, but there's little one can do about that, I guess. I had no idea that the Dive Oahu truck and crowd on Saturdays and Sundays was the focus of complaints - why is that?

Yes, please do let me know if you hear anything official about limiting diving activities at Sharks Cove - much appreciated.

 

[bluemagoo]

Access to Hanauma Bay became limited to "preserve" it. Perhaps the same is being murmured for SC which I believe is 2nd in popularity.

Best to be patient for more facts.

 

[scubadrewvideo]

The use of the marine park by divers has been the subject of controversy for some time. There is an opinion out there that believes if fishing and hunting are banned,then so should diving and snorkeling. So when those folks see a large commercial truck (like the Dive Oahu truck) it is an easy target for criticism. Also the divers (recreational and commercial ops) tend to take up large sections of the wall more than anything else, which is also a highly visible aspect of divers at the cove,so between the vans and the wall, it looks like divers have taken over the whole place..its an easy assumption to make...however it is an incorrect one.
The truth is, more and more people are visiting the MLCD each year. Our conservation group is working on monitoring the park usage, so we have data available when the issues come about in future discussions.

 

[sea nmf]

Well, whenever I dive Shark's Cove, I know I'm stepping over people who are there (and laying out their towels, etc) to snorkel. It is in one or more Hawaii books as the best place on the island to snorkel. I'm not sure if they would be included in the "diving ban" if there was one.

Whenever I speak to snorkelers who park at Firehouse that ask about Shark's Cove, I always tell them that Three Tables is actually as good or better snorkeling with a much, much better beach and entry.

Drew, have you surveyed the snorkelers at all?

 

[DiveWestOahu]

and don't forget,,, some people just need to complain about anything

 

[rockjock3]

Access to Hanauma Bay became limited to "preserve" it. Perhaps the same is being murmured for SC which I believe is 2nd in popularity.

Best to be patient for more facts.

Only for commercial dive ops, but I have seen a few of them there lately, so I don't know if they are giving some kind of limited permits now.