First trip to Kona, Diving with Big Island Divers - Blackwater Dive Questions

[tarponchik]

If you are traveling in the next 1-2 months, this is a very windy time of year. We were there in February 2022 and there was no diving the whole week we were on Kona (aside from sheltered shore dives) . I am glad we had other stuff planned- might have to keep flexible until the day/week of, unfortunately.

Have a malasada (or 10) for me! And DON'T dive or snorkel at Kehana beach...... some species you would probably rather never see.

KehEna? Why would anyone dive in Puna?

 

[Redfoot]

KehEna? Why would anyone dive in Puna?

It was a joke- Kehana is a nude beach in Pahoa!

 

[tarponchik]

It was a joke- Kehana is a nude beach in Pahoa!

I know this, however, regardless, Puna is not a diving destination.

 

[Redfoot]

Great, thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Volleyball]

One thing I'll add with managing expectations is I'm hoping things have improved and that whoever books a blackwater dive gets to dive. I'm 1 for 4 all since the pandemic with successfully having the blackwater dives go out as they otherwise got canceled due to not having enough people. The only successful dive was in Nov 2022, my most recent attempt didn't go out this past Sept. If one watches YT videos of blackwater diving, you get a pretty good sense of what to expect. It's a lot like a safety stop, for some that's their "zen" and others find it boring. We didn't have much variety as the same few species were appearing from beginning to end along with occasional long durations of no critters at all

 

[RVBldr]

Diving with Jack's, I've never had a blackwater cancelled due to lack of customers, but weather has caused at least one cancellation.