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FYI, there's a company on Oahu that's doing this too. Not sure if there's a difference between what you'd see on the Big Island vs here, but either way it's cool. These kind of animals have been observed for years by local fishermen, who put out lights at night to attract plankton which, in...

A wise move if you want to do any sort of diving! As noted, Hana is a scuba-free zone. There is some good snorkeling in the area but it's probably difficult to do in the winter. But, don't write it off completely. Your wife is correct in that Hana is a place of tranquility & natural beauty -...

Unless the noose is specifically prohibited by the published fishing regs, it's legal. As it stands, the regulations only state that the lobster must be landed intact, and cannot be speared or otherwise injured. This also means that, if you catch one, you can't remove the tail before you get...

Don't think that nooses are illegal, but I've never heard of anybody using them. Most people just grab them by hand. Personally I wouldn't use one, since in my imagination it might mess up the eggs if you catch a pregnant female by mistake. Obviously there's no law against diving with a...

No, the back wall is real, and it's an amazing dive. The best thing about it is its monumental scale - it goes straight down from the surface to 300+ feet, with big chunks sticking out, cracks with critters inside, etc. There are other places in Hawaii where you can dive on similar structures...

The question is, did you specifically ask to dive the back wall when you booked your trip? And, if so, did they tell you that they'd take you there? If not, it's OK to be disappointed but the dive shop might be getting a bad rap. There are plenty of great dive spots in Hawaii, and no boat can...

No offense, but I've been to Molokini before, and I thought the inside of the crater was great. The back wall is cool and different, but I couldn't say that it's "better" than the inside. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, I suppose. If you're going to go on a boat...

Not quite. The law that's currently in the process would significantly restrict commercial and recreational aquarium collecting (but not ban it) and outlaw the use of spears & scuba (in West Hawaii). Unless something changes this will probably go into effect before the end of the year. Since...

Off topic, but usually puffers aren't injured just by puffing up under normal circumstances. What's really dangerous is if you take the puffer out of the water the wrong way, it will try to puff but will swallow air instead of water. Often they can't spit out all the air and end up with a...

Well, the "conch shells" you'd find for sale on Maui are not local - either they are large helmet shells (Cassis cornuta) imported from the Philippines, or queen conchs imported from the Caribbean. Kind of puts a damper on the whole thing, doesn't it? Helmet shells (the closest thing we have...

The trick is, diving on Oahu usually depends on the conditions. Each side of the island is exposed to different types of weather, which is probably the most important factor in your enjoyment of the trip. This changes from day to day. So, your best bet is, when you come, to ask the dive shop...

Universal Manufacturers in Kalihi is very good: Universal Manufacturers However, as with most machine shops they may be more expensive than it's worth. If all you're trying to do is drill two holes in your backplate (and don't need a whole lot of precision) a regular electric drill should...

Curious - why Hanauma Bay? The problem with Hanauma is that, while it's a beautiful place, it's not the easiest place for scuba diving. You have to hike down a long hill carrying your gear, and once in the water it's a bit of a swim before you get to the nice part of the reef. A better idea...

Call Island Hydrostatics (239-8990) if you need hydro. He's the best on the island hands down. If you just need a couple of vips, going to the hydro place is more trouble than it's worth. Just call whatever dive shop is closest.

I met Scott once, and know some of the people he was diving with... He seemed like a nice guy and pretty level-headed. Thank God he's OK and hopefully he learned a few lessons from this ordeal. The real problem here is that nobody should have been diving in the conditions they went out in...

Any of the dive shops here will be happy to rent tanks. They're all affordable and have pretty good service - mostly it depends what part of the island you're staying on (or where you plan to dive). The main thing you should be concerned about is how convenient it will be to pick them up &...

Franko's maps are fun, but not completely accurate when it comes to some details. For instance, I remember the Oahu map listed "angler's reef" in Maunalua Bay as a shore dive, which it absolutely isn't. That was a few years ago so maybe the newer editions are better. However, that aside it's...

The same day as that sighting, I saw what I thought was the tail of an adult humpback on the North Shore of Oahu. I figured it was too early so I thought it was just my imagination, but after hearing the news report it might really have been a whale.

Hmm - fishermen (including aquarium collectors) have often reported coral damage and other resource violations. Often, we run into exactly the same problems as the Kohala Divers lady did. It's in everybody's best interest (including fishermen) to keep the reef healthy, both by acting...

The security zone that's usually enforced is in a circle 1500 yards radius from the channel buoys.