Oahu and Big Island

[Latitude 59]

Did a shore dive to Makaha caverns on Oahu early AM, gorgeous lighting in there. Went back there on boat dive, so many things to look at didn't want to swim! Did one shore dive at Shark's Cove but was a total pain walking down fully geared up hauling camera gear, literally stepping over people on towels as beach was jammed to find waters edge. Was afraid I'd trip and kill someone with tank. Did boat dives with Bruces charters. Boat jammed and guides would not allow buddy teams to go off on their own and were not sensitive to photographers who require more than 1 second to set up a shot. Mostly tried to swim folks out of air. Was not impressed!! A nice change of creatures from usual Caribbean ones.

On Big Island dove with Kona Honu - a manta less night dive - totally skunked. Black water dive I loved, only 3 divers plus guide. I was first one in, dropped to 45 ft, faced the current and using 3 lights was able to immediately start picking out the creatures. Like looking directly into blinding snowstorm and focusing on one flake to see what it is as it gets closer. A bit of vertigo when others flashed lights towards my eyes following creatures they found but overcame it. Wished I could have stayed down a couple more hours as everything was different!!! Back to harbor after 1AM.

Did a few more dives with Kona Honu and much better guides than Bruces. Good briefing on creatures we might encounter. Topography boring but many creatures if alert. All staff pleasant and try to go the extra mile to assure everyone has a good time.

Shore dove Place of Refuge which was great to park, gear up and fall right into water. Boring topography but tons of life in every nook and cranny and white tip shark. Stayed at Kona Coast Resort condo and would recommend them. If I went back would do much more shore diving.

Of note, asked Kona Honu for shore diving maps and wasn't provided much. Went to Jack's Diving Locker (happened to be driving by) and they had great map and directions to sites, local scoop.

 

[divermike1011]

Huh, sorry you had a bad experience with Cap'n Bruce. As a dive guide I have only had pleasurable experiences when I've taken divers on their boat.

Michael

 

[Daiika]

I also dove with Capt. Bruce many times. I like the free food and drinks. I understand why they don't let buddy groups go off on their own. Maybe if they know you (dive experience). I've seen buddy groups surface 200 yards down current of the boat. Photographers and tour divers have different priorities, this is a problem everywhere.

 

[Latitude 59]

Sorry, don't choose my charters based on food and drink supplied, although a nice touch, I usually bring my own. I understand the op is trying to keep everyone safe and respect this. I did discuss in advance with the guide our group of 5 priorities which was to go slow and enjoy and shoot photos, 4 photogs in group and one more joined our group and was whole hearted in agreement to just cruise and see what popped up. Guide was signaled several times underwater to slow down, put it in cruise control. Didn't happen. I like watching creature interactions underwater. Underwater in my opinion is not the place to argue with a guide or cause problems for anyone so turned off camera and swam along. I believe in safety #1. None of the guides with Captain Bruce asked experience level, priorities of anyone, it was up to the client to speak up directly.

Kona Honu guides, on the other hand were relaxed swimmers, pointed out rare things, and as long as we were visible, they were happy, made for happy campers on everyone's part.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

Shark's Cove can be a tricky walk in full rig, especially once you get down toward the water. There are only limited sandy patches for other visitors to sit, so you can't help but get in each other's way. People are usually fairly good-natured about giving you a bit of room, though, especially if the diver also makes a token effort to lumber out of the way with a nod and a smile. I prefer diving a Al63 or smaller when I'm doing shore dives like that. It's much easier, and given the shallow depths there, you can still get a good hour of bottom time from your tank without sucking it dry and giving the fill station staff at the dive shop a coronary. If you return to Oahu and feel like diving the North Shore again, neighboring Firehouse and Three Tables have less-crowded entry points, although the former still entails a clamber or two over some rocks.

I've only dived once off of Captain Bruce's, and it sure can get pretty cosy. That, together with the fact that they see a lot of once-every-five-years divers, makes them cagey about giving folks an awful lot of latitude unless they know you pretty well.

I envy your diving the Big Island. Haven't done it yet, but can't wait.

 

[Daiika]

Latitude59, if you had 4 photographers in a group I would think that will dictate the priority. Nice and slow...maybe cover only half the distance planned. Hope your future dives turn out better for you.

 

[Sortsol]

Capt Bruce's boat is by far my favorite to dive off on the West Side. Next time use Kaimana Divers Kaimana Divers: SCUBA Diving in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, Waikiki with Gabe or one of his crew as guide...they are some of the most easygoing guides I've found. I bring my camera everytime and rarely have to push it faster than I want to. Bruce's uses multiple Dive Ops so you can dive the boat with the food, towels and warm water shower and still get the calm easygoing dive you're looking for! (I will say that I've never heard anyone complain on the boat about Bruce's guides either though.)

 

[divermike1011]

The unwritten, but largely followed rule of guided dives on Oahu is to never let divers do their own thing. My personal philosophy is that you are an adult and a certified diver and therefore can do your own thing. While I enjoy guiding people about and showing them stuff I certainly am no photog and am generally pretty relaxed about proficient divers doing what they find pleasurable to do. If you prove yourself to be a danger to yourself (and especially if you prove to be a danger to me) I will babysit you, but I don't like doing that because I don't paid nearly enough. I find treating people as competent adults leads to them enjoying themselves more, getting a better dive experience and this leads to them re-booking with the shop I take them out from and, mostly, better tips. See also why I don't make people all surface at the same time -- if you have air, NDL time, and aren't a spaz you are going to get your money's worth out of your dive when you go with me.

Sorry for the rant, but I hate the trend out here to treat certified scuba divers as if they are retarded children running with scissors.

Michael