Tank rental and shore diving?

[Aigtbootbp]

My simple and possibly even stupid question is do you have to dive with a guide on shore dives or can you just rent a tank and jump in?
Silly question I am sure but most of ocean diving has been in Cozumel (Guide required by law).
Still going to do a few boat dives but it might be fun to just walk in and swim around after a picnic lunch on the beach.

 

[Scott]

You can just rent and jump in.
I was on Maui a few months ago and dived off a boat one day. The rest of the week we used a guidebook and recomendations from others and dove from shore.
The advantage to a guide is they know the sites and where the marine life is.

 

[ReefHound]

Never mind, I saw your mention of Cozumel and replied about Cozumel.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

Sure you can. A dive shop will rent you tanks after seeing your C-card and so on. Just be sure to research the sites thoroughly - there's a shore-diving guide online, which you can not only Google readily, but is also frequently mentioned on this section of ScubaBoard. It's a great resource. A couple of the shore dives here on Oahu have pretty gnarly entry and exit points, and also require good knowledge of local water/wind/seasonal conditions to determine whether they can be dived safely. That's where a guide can come in handy (they can also show you the best spots, like swin-throughs, and point out critters you'll see nowhere else in the world). If you're here in the summer, the North Shore will be your playground, so focus on that section of your shore-diving guide.

 

[WetBoy101]

Which Island(s) are you planning to visit?

 

[Aigtbootbp]

Oahu, staying up near Hauula.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

If you're in Hauula, you're perfectly positioned to take advantage of the North Shore, assuming you're coming in the summer. Consider Shark's Cove, Firehouse, Three Tables, Waimea Bay, and Haleiwa Trench to start with. There are others, but they're the classic goodies. (Note that first four sites are located within the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District (see O`ahu - Pupukea), so there are fishing restrictions in effect, if you were thinking of doing a little hunting.) There are a couple of shore dives off the windward side of the island, like Kaaawa and even Laie Point, but windward conditions can be snotty and the visibility not so good. There is a dive shop on the windward side of the island (Kailua, but it's a fair schlep from Hauula) where you can rent tanks and weights, as well as a shop in the North Shore town of Haleiwa itself. The latter may make more sense from a logistical standpoint. Happy shore diving.

 

[Aigtbootbp]

Vinegarbiscuit.
Thanks! Your info is very helpful, I will be adding it to my notes that are going with us this Aug.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

Vinegarbiscuit.
Thanks! Your info is very helpful, I will be adding it to my notes that are going with us this Aug.

Any time. I know what it's like to be a visitor - there was so much I wish I'd known when we first moved here. I used to live quite near Hauula (we lived on Laie Point, which is a magical place - do make sure to drive to the end of the point and see it), so journeying from the windward side of the island to the North Shore for diving was what I did for several months straight.

 

[trailblazer1229]

Sure you can. A dive shop will rent you tanks after seeing your C-card and so on. Just be sure to research the sites thoroughly - there's a shore-diving guide online, which you can not only Google readily, but is also frequently mentioned on this section of ScubaBoard. It's a great resource. A couple of the shore dives here on Oahu have pretty gnarly entry and exit points, and also require good knowledge of local water/wind/seasonal conditions to determine whether they can be dived safely. That's where a guide can come in handy (they can also show you the best spots, like swin-throughs, and point out critters you'll see nowhere else in the world). If you're here in the summer, the North Shore will be your playground, so focus on that section of your shore-diving guide.

+1. Good rule of thumb is to look at the shore site and see if other divers are diving it. Ask other divers and tell them you are visiting. They will tell you conditions. Look at Surf News Network and it will give you an idea as to the wave heights and conditions. Local divers stopped a few people from going in last week when conditions were horrible and helped them take their gear off. They could have stood by and watch them get bashed against the rocks, but they didn't. Be aware of the currents and the water surge around the island. It is unlike any place I have been on earth.