Small boat recs for Big Island next two weeks?

[WVDiver]

Could not open the links for the manta or blackwater diving on my iPhone--it said page not found. Will try later. Thanks for all of the advice!

I can't get them to work either by clicking the link. But if you copy and paste it into your browser they seem to work fine........

 

[gaila]

Thanks! I don't think the Blackwater dive is right for me, but looking forward to the mantas!

 

[spoolin01]

Thanks Steve! Do most of the dive boats go out of Honokohau or the small boat harbor in Kona? We are staying at the Mauna Lani and while we will drive to get to the best spots if necessary, it is good to know what is close by for those days we will have limited time. There will be at least one morning where I will need to be back at the hotel at noon the latest, so that might be a shore dive day if it will take me 45 minutes in traffic to get to or from the boat.

Without looking at a map I can't be 100% sure, but I'd say it takes about 20 minutes to get to the harbor from the Mauna Lani - there's little in the way of development in between and it's fast road.

Shore diving for experienced divers is a fine alternative on the Big Island. Many of the shore dive sites are as good as any of the boat sites - plus the benefits of not being led. I guess I should also say that so far as I know of, there aren't as many good shore sites on that stretch of the island as down from the harbor south, though Puako can be fabulous, and a couple north of there are decent as well.

 

[slingshot]

It took us just over 30 minutes to get to Honokohau from the Mauna Lani resort. The road is pretty straight, and posted at 55mph, but you are only as fast as the slowest guy in front of you as passing on that road can be a bit hairy. Heading further south into town has gotten a lot better since the road widening project.