Kona Advice, Please

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Kicker1866

Contributor
Messages
165
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Location
Denham Springs Louisiana USA
# of dives
200 - 499
Wife and I are headed to Hawaii next year in June. I know it is way early, but I am curious about some things. We are going to dedicate one day to diving. I have decided on Kona and Jack's Dive Locker. My questions are as follows:

1. Water temp? - I normally dive the northern Gulf of Mexico and Cozumel. So I am usually in 80+ degree water. What is the water temp in Kona during June?

2. Suit or no-suit? - Normally I dive with just shorts and a LavaCore Shirt...wife is good with a shorty. DO we need full suits? Rash Guards? Any reason why my regular dive attire is a bad idea in this environment?

3. Boat Dive or Advanced Dive? - Looks like Jack's offers a couple options. I am a Master Diver and would likely get bored on a beginner dive. Wife is not as experienced as I, but handles herself well in the water. Should I opt for the Advanced Dive ( seems like you see cooler stuff) or is it not much different than a basic dive.

Any other advice to make the day enjoyable is appreciated.
 
Historically high 70's in June - Kailua-Kona Sea Temperature June Average, United States | Sea Temperatures

I'm a boardshorts/t-shirt diver also. Here's an idea of the entries you'll face if you don't boat dive instead - Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: The Big Island, Hawaiian Islands

Wait till 200 spinner dolphins show up. I doubt you'll be bored even on an "easier" dive. Oftenseen at sites a little south of Kona.

The other must-do dive there - one of the Top 50 in the World on some lists - is the Manta Night dive. Jack's does it. Manta Night Dive Kona | Manta Snorkel | Jack's Diving Locker Their website really doesn't do it justice, google it for some videos. Here's one I like:
 
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Jack's is great. We did both regular boat dives and advanced dives. Ask to be in Keller's group and you'll have a good time for sure. I have to say the Manta night dive is one of the most incredible dives I have ever done. You do a dive before and after sunset.
 
We've been to the Big Island three times over the past year and a half, and pursued diving multiple days with several different dive shops. I'm heavily into the underwater photography thing so our trips are geared to multiple dive days.

If you're only going to dive one day, I'm not sure you'd find just doing a regular multiple tank dive day that boring. I guess it really depends upon what you enjoy doing and seeing on dives.

Others' experience may vary, but all of the dive operations I've used on the Big Island do similar dive profiles. Divers typically traverse reefs starting at the mooring ball, and moving across and down the reef into deeper water (typically 90'-110'). The traverse brings divers back up and across the reef to the mooring ball. Personally, I get pretty bored as depth increases because the number of potential photographic subjects typically declines. The dive ops seem to make an effort to group divers by experience and skill level.

Our last two trips were in late June/early July. Water temps were in the mid-70's. My 5 mil suit kept me toasty. This said, I've seen a wide range of dive wear. It's ranged from skinny girls diving in bikinis to local dive guides who were wearing 7/8 mil semi-dry full suits with hoods.

Kona Diving Company is a good outfit. During our most recent trip, I scheduled a four dive day (two morning tanks and two tank night manta dive) with Jack's. Unfortunately, I tore-up one of my hands pretty good and had to cancel diving with Jack's. The ER doc and my wife refused to let me dive after my injury. Jack's has a good reputation and I have a lot of friends who use Jack's exclusively when they dive the Big Island. When we return to the Big Island, I'll schedule some dives with Jack's.

The night manta dive is truly amazing. I started scheduling it at least twice each time I visit the Big Island. Weather can result in cancellations of the dive. If plankton doesn't show-up at the dive site neither do the mantas. It's the ocean and stuff happens. Scheduling the dive once on the front end and once on the tail end of my trip has ensured that I'll see mantas.

If you dive with any of the larger dive ops in Kona, expect to dive with a crowd. The companies run good sized boats and they book lots of divers. This doesn't bother me much, but some divers squawk about the 'cattle boat' thing.

-AZTinman
 
We went to Kona in April. I'm a shorts and t-shirt diver in the Caribbean. I was a little cold. I took a 3MM wet suit. I wore it and was fine. My wife was fine in her swimsuit (no wet suit). We used Kona Dive Company. It was a good time. I echo everyone else on here: Do the manta ray night dive.
 
I have been to Kona 3 times. We mostly shore dive, so can not suggest a boat.

The Manta night dive is very much worth doing.
 
Like the others have said the water is in the upper 70s in June and you probably will be fine if doing just a couple of dives in a shorty but if you intend to do the Manta Night Dive you might get cold without a full suit as you are sitting on the bottom as the Mantas fly over head.

As far as advanced dives most of the dive sites are best seen up to 60 ft.

Mahalo
konahonudivers.com
 
we had reservations with Jacks dive locker to do the Manta Ray dive, but their website reported no shows and the site up North with Blue wilderness was at least having one or two mantas show. So we canceled Jacks and drove the 10 minutes to Puako boat ramp. We were very lucky that day, we saw 3 mantas. Most of the evening we only had two and actually that was better. With only the two mantas, they come really really close to your light. The 7 of us all got in a circle around a big light in the middle. We all had flash lights, so the mantas came so close they actually bumped you unless you backed up when they came for the plankton at your light. Also, the northern site is in 15 feet of water versus 30 feet at the southern site, so with 6 snorkelers above us and only 15 feet of water, we had a true Manta experience. When we had 3 mantas, they did not come as close. It was by far the best day of our vacation.
 
Enjoyed Jack's as they had plenty to offer and good people working for them. Couple of things to add to the conversation.

Not sure where the "advanced dive" goes that's different than regular dives, but diving where you're going is different than what you're used to. Being a volcanic island, you won't see colorful coral or a reef system, but unique formations. And as diversteve mentioned, you might be lucky enough to have 200 dolphins swim by. One of my top experiences. Had about 6 break away and swim toward me (have picture or link to picture somewhere here on SB.)

Another great experience, as mentioned by a few already, is the manta ray night dive/snorkel. We did it as a snorkel as we had 2 non divers in our group. It really is amazing. If I were to do it again, I would still do it as a snorkel as the divers just sit on the bottom. Guess it depends on if you want to see the mantas swimming up or down to you.

Enjoy your trip.
 
I used Kona Dive Company so can't comment on Jacks.
Friend of mine dives lavacore most of the year, he lives on the island.
Manta dive is definitely worth it. Also, check out the long range dive option if your operator offers it. however, I did not find the local diving off of boats boring and I have more than 1000 dives. they do a pretty good job of separating the experienced from the inexperienced.
 

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