Maui Diving (including Lanai and Molokai) and Kauai

[AevnsGrandpa]

Good thread. Dove with Extended Horizons 5 years ago and did the Lanai trip and hit Cathedrals and Sharkfin. Was a lot of fun and a good outfit to dive with.

Heading back this November and want to do something different. When you are talking the dive at Molokai, was that on the back side, being a wall dive or in the basin?

Jeff

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Good thread. Dove with Extended Horizons 5 years ago and did the Lanai trip and hit Cathedrals and Sharkfin. Was a lot of fun and a good outfit to dive with.

Heading back this November and want to do something different. When you are talking the dive at Molokai, was that on the back side, being a wall dive or in the basin?

Jeff

Are you thinking Molokai or Molokini? The basin-and-wall-dive sounds like the collapsed crater at Molokini. I dove Molokini last couple of summers, and I think I like the wall dive better. The interior basin is mostly stuff you might see diving from shore. Off the wall, there's a chance of seeing some really cool pelagics. (A couple years ago on two consecutive wall dives we saw a spotted eagle ray and a manta ray.)

 

[Deinonych]

I stay in Kihei in a rental – it’s close to the boat ramp. Nothing wrong with the hotels if you enjoy paying 200/night and $35 for a cold or stale breakfast buffet buffet.

For south Maui scuba, I have used Ed Robinsons. Bird is a great captain and Francisco and Dave are great DMs.

$200/night? Where are these budget-friendly hotels in Maui?

100% agree on Ed Robinson's. My absolute favorite.

 

[mcohen1021]

Are you thinking Molokai or Molokini?

They definitely meant Molokini

$200/night? Where are these budget-friendly hotels in Maui?

100% agree on Ed Robinson's. My absolute favorite.

Well, I rented a condo in Kihei for about $100/night

 

[Richard_T]

In ‘09, I did my advanced cert. deep dive on the Molikini back wall and again for another dive with Prodiver Maui. They were excellent, as was the experience. I agree the crater side is not too different from other dive sites, but my then first opportunity to see sharks there, even if just whitetip reefs, made the crater special for me. I also did the Cathedrals at Lanai on that trip. They should not be missed, though the channel crossing made many woozy. It was with Lahaina Divers, who did a fine job of crossing and dives. I’m going back in August and looking forward to some divesite reunions and new adventures. Enjoy your trip!

 

[deeno]

+1 for Mike Severns. I read about Ed Robinson's, but they were booked and recommend I try Mike Severns. The DM's gave the most thorough briefing on fish behavoir and things we should look for than I've ever gotten by a long shot and it does make the dive better.

I went on the hammerhead dive with Lahaina divers. I recall the swell bring 5-7ft (the Hawaiian 5-7 is bigger than 5-7 back home) and the crew said we were lucky and got a good day. People had trouble getting back into the boat, but the crew was experienced which made a huge difference. It was diving out in the deep blue with no land features. I got a really good look at a hammerhead swimming beside us on the second dive and saw one further off the first. If you want to do something different this one will do it, otherwise I would go on one of their other dives - I like my tropical dives to be calm and have small things to look at (I'm boring, I know). Also other places in the world will have schools of hammerheads if hammerhead viewing is what you're after.

As for the backside of molokini, I have tried a couple times, but have never made it out there. The DM's told me they have to check conditions and that no dive operator should be guaranteeing they'll go out there.

 

[KauaiScuba]

I agree that Niihau has some of Hawaii's best diving, but getting there can be dependant on the weather. If the weather allows, GO! Explore Kauai Scuba, Fathom Five, Seasport, and Bubbles Below offer Niihau dive trips, all great dive shops!

If Niihau conditions don't allow a safe crossing, I recommend diving "Mana Crack" off the Na Pali Coast. I own "Explore Kauai Scuba" and we are offering almost daily trips up the coast. We are owner operated with a couple extra captains that have grown up cruising Na Pali Coast since diapers. We know that coast line inside and out. We leave from "Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor" which is the closest to Mana Crack and Niihau. Our surface intervals include checking out the coasts sea caves and steep cliff lines. I grew up with a geologist dad, so we don't just brief heavily on the amazing marine life, but also the geological history and how Mana Crack came to be. Mana Crack in the summer can offer some of the best visibility around Kauai. Since it's Hawaii's furthest offshore dive site, you consistently get 100+ feet of visibility. It does tend to be more on the advanced side due of currents. We keep our diver maximum at 6 divers, but on Mana, have been just taking 4 divers for the best experience.

Bubbles Below also dives Mana Crack. The new owner Clay is a really nice guy with a similar passion to Kauai diving, you can't go wrong! I worked for Fathom Five Divers for a handful of years and they're another 6 pack operator doing awesome south side dives and Niihau twice a week during the summer. Seasport Divers has the nicest boats but tend to take more divers, but still a great operation as well!