Maui dive dilemma!

[TeqP]

I will be going to Maui on Sept 2 with my non-diving wife. I picked the last vacation to Lembeh And got to dive plenty on that trip. This year she selected the location and the activities for us to do. I managed to get her to agree to one day for me to dive!

I would like to get recommendations for the Maui experts on the Must-Do dives around Maui. I will be diving by myself so will need a dive guide if shore dives are the best option. I would like to get 2-3 dives that day. In searching I have read that Molokini is nice as well as the backside of the Molokini (conditions permitting of course), also some have gone to Lanai and say that’s great.

So if you had only one day to dive in Maui, what where would you go diving?

Also, if there are any locals that would like to have a SoCal Dive buddy for a couple of dives in early September, please let me know!

Thanks for the replies,
Phil

 

[StuartT]

Myself and 2 dive buddies will be on Maui Sept 7-14 diving on the 8th-13th everyday if you want to buddy up with us. We will be in Wailea and doing a lot of shore diving all over the Island and have booked the 3 tank adventure with Ed Robinsons for Friday the 10th out of the Kehei boat launch.

Stuart

 

[muddiver]

The small boats, like Ed Robonsons and Mike Severns, make half day runs to Molokini with a stop somewhere shallower on the way back. Good way to get some really clear diving in.

I did a trip on a snorkle sail that stopped at, I think it's was, Mala wharf. There is rubble from the original concrete dock on the bottom on the south side of the boat channel with all kinds of cool stuff. I have heard it can be murky if there is any west swell. We hit it on a day with amazing clarity. We also stopped off Olawalu where the sand bottom is at 30' to 35' and the reefs are fantastic, if the water is clear.

 

[diversteve]

If you really want to do diverse diving during your one day, do the 3-tank with Robinson's. My buddy's trip started at Shark Condos off Molokini, they came back to the Carthaginian for turtles and then Ed himself took them to a near-shore site where they dove with Mantas at dusk.

If you want to shoredive, there's Shaka Doug. Welcome to SHAKA DIVERS Web Site!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

The small boats, like Ed Robonsons and Mike Severns, make half day runs to Molokini with a stop somewhere shallower on the way back. Good way to get some really clear diving in.

The small boats are Prodiver and Sundance III (Dive and Sea Maui), which are both big enough to work as 12 passenger boats but limit trips to 6 divers.

Medium size boats are the 12-13 passenger type, like ER and MS above, and there are more of that size boat than any other in Maui waters.

Even the big boats (24 passenger?) here do half day runs, to Molokini and elsewhere.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

If you really want to do diverse diving during your one day, do the 3-tank with Robinson's. My buddy's trip started at Shark Condos off Molokini, they came back to the Carthaginian for turtles and then Ed himself took them to a near-shore site where they dove with Mantas at dusk.

My understanding is that the 3-tank (or 3-dive Wed) departs at the normal morning time, and then there is a dusk/night trip.

Are you saying your buddy went on an afternoon 3-tank?

 

[TeqP]

Myself and 2 dive buddies will be on Maui Sept 7-14 diving on the 8th-13th everyday if you want to buddy up with us. We will be in Wailea and doing a lot of shore diving all over the Island and have booked the 3 tank adventure with Ed Robinsons for Friday the 10th out of the Kehei boat launch.

Stuart - thank you very much for the offer to dive with you and your buddies. Unfortunately I will be there from Sept 2 taking off on the 8th, so will just miss being able to dive with you.

Thank you to the rest for the information and suggested options. I am still debating on whether shore dive or boat dives are the way to go. I have read some dive reports with great shore diving (using Shaka Doug) and also boat dives to Lanai and Molokini with great dives.

I'm just trying to get the biggest bang for my 1 day of diving in Maui. Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[mainediver8169]

My wife and I just returned from Maui we dove with Maui Dreams and did our AOW they are a good outfit the gear is decent and everything is forward no hidden cost, unlike other shops that had very low prices but by the time you got all the things you "Needed" you were 200 bucks over. They do trips out to molokini most days on a excellently ran boat and usually small group like 12 or so, other boats we saw of the same size had nearly 18 people that I counted, check out what they have it may fit your time. We also did a two tank shore dive at two nice spots with shaka divers very interesting very laid back and he will do three tanks in a day and give you a great price I think it was 79 bucks for the two tanks. For the price Shaka divers is definitly the way to go all gear is included and for 40 bucks you can get a pretty nice dvd with video and pictures of your dive. He also his number is 808-250-1234 Tell him Harvey and Didi sent you. He also is very informative and just very cool to dive with. So if you want to do a boat dive I would recommend Maui Dreams Dive Shop, otherwise I say Shaka Doug Corbin is the way to go and I think you can get a three tank dive with him for just around the price of a two tank boat dive maybe a bit less. Have fun

 

[Elysian]

If I were you I'd do a morning boat dive on Molokini or Lanai (both great) followed by a night shore dive with Shaka Doug.

 

[diversteve]

My understanding is that the 3-tank (or 3-dive Wed) departs at the normal morning time, and then there is a dusk/night trip.

Are you saying your buddy went on an afternoon 3-tank?

- I wasn't there.