Maui Diving and snorkeling staying in Wailea - recommendations?

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georgec02

Registered
Messages
23
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18
Location
San Francisco, CA
# of dives
50 - 99
Hi all,

Making it back to Maui after 10 years now with kids in tow.
Location: We're staying in Wailea. Couple of days at the Grand Wailea and then at condos (Ekahi Village?)

A couple of different questions:

DIVING
- any dive operators out of Kihea that don't dive Molokini? We did it last time and it was ok. I don't mind doing something closer to shore or any good wrecks? We dove B and B last time. Read about Severus and Robinson here also?
- from what Ive read here the shore diving is decent and read good things about Shaka divers (Doug?). Thought about doing a day with him and if it looks promising maybe renting gear and doing some on our own. Read that Maui Dive shop is decent for renting gear.
- how are the entries from shore (is there a lot of gear schlepping). Only shore dives we've done are the Northern California coast which usually requires a lot of walking and surging conditions.


SNORKELING
- have 6 year olds in tow and a wanted to try out snorkeling with them. They're comfortable in the water and good swimmers, but have never been far out in the ocean before.
- any good snorkeling from shore in a calm bay and not too long of a swim to see stuff? Probably would drag them out on boogie boards or something.
- otherwise thinking about paying for a snorkel charter. Any recommendations on a kid friendly operation that isn't a huge boat with 100 people on it?

Thank in advance.
 
I know something about both of your options...:wink:

Wailea Beach is a dive site. It's a pretty good dive, where it says "Dive Here" (Aerial) you're going to see about 40-50' - a little farther out maybe 70'. We saw a family of Puffers and a bunch of cornetfish. There's a Humu trigger out there unique to that site but we didn't see any. The south tower of the Grand Wailea is the big building on the left so an easy walk over: Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Wailea Beach of Maui, Hawaiian Islands

The Grand Wailea has an on-site dive operator - Five Star Scuba Wailea | Wailea Dive Services | Grand Wailea Scuba Diving or there's a Maui Dive Shop close by in the Shops at Wailea - pretty much just behind and north of the Grand Wailea. We've gotten tanks at Maui Dreams Dive Co. in Kihei also - they do scooter dives if that's of interest.

On a calm day though you could take the kids snorkeling along the rocks by the dive site at Wailea Beach.

The area from the Grand Wailea area on a nicer day - http://www.galttech.com/research/graphics3/grand-wailea-beach.jpg
Rougher day - see the waves breaking over the point - no snorkeling. http://weblog.bluedonkey.org/photos/wailea.jpg
I'd probably still dive it, just stay out a little farther. It's actually pretty deep almost immediately off the point.

Kihei dive boats go to Molokini - no one goes to Lana'i anymore - costs them too much in time/gas. Trilogy is an option for Molokini, Lanai or Ka'aanpali snorkels - they only take 40pax on their smaller boat and the kids might like sailing. Sail Trilogy - Discover Molokini

I've heard there's good shallow snorkeling to the right of the Kea Lani resort off Polo Beach. No personal exp. It's the next bay south of Wailea.

I've stayed at your other option - Wailea Ekahi. Be sure to locate the rental on the resort map - some are a pretty long walk down to the beach or the pools. If they don't say Lower Village, it's a hike. It's not apparent either but it really drops down to the beach from the farther end of the property - walking back up the hill is no fun. The Ekahi beachside pool is in the lower right: http://s3-media3.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/2znp1NLy37g3oBMajv1STA/l.jpg

The property is fenced/gated at the beach since it's Keawakapu public beach but it never seemed crowded. There could be shallow snorkeling there also - in places there's rocks in/above/below the water. Out towards the north end there's more but there's a big condo tower there so it's crowded. On the days we were on the beach, they didn't migrate south to "our" beach much which is pretty narrow out front.

hth,
 
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There is a good handful of OK shorediving sites around Wailea, and the schlepp is usually just a few yards and the entries from sandy beaches. You don't want to go in if the beach entry is anything but mellow - the sites are shallow and viz already so-so so wait for calm seas or take a boat to a deeper site.

You can find the sites listed prolly 10,000 times in this forum, or check shorediving.com or other resources. I like 5 Caves/Graves and Red Hill/Oneuli Beach. Maui Dive Shop used to publish a shorediving site guide. The guided dive option might be your best bet to maximize success w/o much effort.
 
Check out maui dreams for gear if you need it and buy a tank card. $40/ for 10 last time I was there. Ed robinsons wed charter(many times with Ed) goes to seldom dived sites. Their Tuesday (I think) 3 tank advanced charter has been good in the past for me too. I've found them to be accommodating to divers requests so if most of the group don't want Molokini then weather permitting they will go elsewhere. For Wailea shore dives makena landing (5 graves) is good. Also both ends of white rock beach have nice reefs. Wailea beach south end and ulua beach outer reef is nice too.
 
B&B have always done very well for us for rentals.

Ulua Beach is a nice place to dive, with a short walk to the entry. And there is reef to snorkel right off the beach.

Most of the entries are over sand. There can be surf and surge, but if the water appears calm, it will be underwater, too. If the surf is up, boat diving is a better option. But all the big operators go to Molokini, I'm afraid, if the weather permits it.
 
Come scooter diving with us! Its an experience that you wont forget. You may not want to ever just swim dive again. thats always an issue with most people. Maui Scooter Divers
 
Look into Maui Scuba Luv. I think they mostly shore dive, but they have scooters and they have a lot of experience. They are located down in the area you are staying.


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