Kauai, Where do I dive?

[reelappraiser]

I am going to Kauai the first part of August 08' and wanted to do atleast two dives maybe a three tank dive. I would consider my skill level intermidate.

Jeff Pitts

 

[ScubaAndDreams]

This needs to go in the main O'hana forum. Sorry, I don't have any experience with Kauai.

 

[mjcoussens]

If the weather holds up through August, skip Kauai and take one of the charters out to ni'ihau. I'm pretty sure Bubbles Below, Fathom Five, and Seasports all run boats out there. It's a little pricey, but some of the best diving that my wife and I have ever done anywhere.

Matt

 

[REFLECTIONPOOL]

I go to Kauai every year (sometimes summer/sometimes winter). I think a lot will depend on your interests. As a second consideration - Niihau CAN BE pretty advanced diving. I've been there on days with no currents all day as well as days with ripping "Holy Cow" currents all day. Most of the dive shops ask for a dive minimum (logged dives) or a previous day diving. It a spot where the best dives are in my opinion the drifts which usually require the ability for divers to do a free descent and free ascent. Anyway, as it get closer and you select a dive shop just contact them directly and they'll advise you on your Niihau descision. I've been with all three major dive companies on there Niihau trips and all were great. If the option is open I would go with Fathom Five personally as they have kinda treated us like family over the years. Last year they did not run but I believe they are re-designing one of their boats and getting brand new engines specifically for Niihau this upcoming year. If not, Hans and Andrew are great with Sea Sports too. I am biased towards south Kauai and Fathom from many many dives with them - but I would tell you NOT to write off dives on the south side. True, Niihau is argued to be the best diving in all of Hawaii but it just doesnt fit everyones interests and skill level. You GOTTA have good sea legs for this journey for one thing! South Kauai is LOADED with world class Sea Turtle dives that are incredible. It's also great for nudibranchs, Frogfish, scorpionfish, endemic butterfly and angelfish, white tip reef sharks, garden variety inverts, numerous species of moray eels, octopus etc... great great reef critters for days.

Niihau on the other hand is big scale diving in my opinion. I find it hard to ever look down at the reef with all the BIG BLUE around! Grand drop offs, wonderful walls and the lava tubes - HOLY COW! One was best described as an underwater airplane hanger it is so huge. Big critters like giant trevally, eagle rays, grey reef sharks, and AMAZING AMAZING MONK SEALS are very common. I've been lucky to also see a lagerhead turtle with our favorite island Divemaster (Anthony) when he worked with Bubbles Below. I followed him in the years since as he was able to produce humpback whales for us on our first trip with Fathom Five. He then got Mantas our last Niihau trip! He has tried to convince us that it has all been simply luck - but we believe there's something more to it. He and the other DM's with Fathom have all been great to us. In all all honesty I have to say all the DM's and captains we've ever dove with on the island have all treated us very well. It also interesting to see how the companies all seem to work together there. Well, PM me if you have anything else I can help with. My suggestion is to do 2 days of diving if you're planning 1, and 3 days if you are planning 2.... and ....ok, you get the idea?

Best wishes from those of us also planning our next Kauai visit

 

[H2ODog]

I was there a bit over a year ago and dove with Fathom Five and had a good time. Don't know much about the other operators though.