1st time Scuba Diving. South Maui? B&B - best choice?

[Asian Guy frm OC]

My girlfriend and I will be in Maui on Monday (April 21st) for a week and we would like to go scuba diving while we are there. Neither of us have ever gone scuba diving, so I was looking around to see which Dive Shops would best accommodate us. I was reading around the forums and it seems like B&B gets great reviews. So I'm leaning more towards them. Anyone have any other suggestions?? I will be staying at the Wailea Marriott, so I'll be in that vicinity. I have never been to Maui, so any help would be great! Also, anyone have any suggestions on where the best/cheapest store would be to rent snorkel gear for a week? Any good suggestions would be all helpful. Thanks a lot guys!!

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

You can rent snorkel gear from B&B. They have good prices! I have seen them do many many intro dives (no prior diving experience) and everyone was really happy after the dives! I'm sure they will take care of you! The other dive boats who only take experienced divers send the newbies to B&B... Can't go wrong!!

Sean

 

[Asian Guy frm OC]

Thanks for the advice... Greatly appreciated.

 

[Peter Guy]

B & B does is a very professional outfit. You won't go wrong with them.

 

[divebri]

First, they're a great boat, great operation, gear, and employees. You can't go wrong with Brad and Blesi and their other instructors.

Second, they're in the water the earliest and out of the water the earliest. You have all day to lay around after that.

Third, they're the closest to where you're staying, just a short drive, maybe ten minutes, tops. Get directions, but you basically make a left at the first four-way stop after the shops at Wailea, follow the road around to the right, and look for the Kihei boat ramp on the left, where the ocean is. then when you're done, go load up on beverages and snacks in Kihei before you go back to the hotel so you don't get hosed for a 4 dollar diet pepsi in a 6-ounce glass.

Tell Brad and Blesi Divebri from Arizona said hi, I'll be seeing them in two months if I can find airline tickets for less than a car

Good luck - it's a blast, and you'll be addicted after your first dives.

 

[KrisB]

Personally, I'd suggest doing your first dive from the shore, or at least trying it in the pool first.

Having taken divers on both, I can tell you that there are so many more issues that come into play when we drop into 40' of water, rather than walking in until we're in 6'. If there is *any* apprehension, it is much easier to overcome on a shore dive.

Now, I haven't seen how B&B does it, however the other boat operations that take intros here (Makena Coast and Maui Diamond) usually end up with much shorter dives (25 minutes) for the intro divers than when the same instructors take the divers from shore (45+ minutes), simply because of the way the skills portion needs to be done (under PADI standards, you have to do the skills with each diver, one diver underwater at a time when you're on a descent line -- whereas all the divers can do them together when you're in shallow water).

The best part about doing it from shore first -- if you decide to do a boat dive after that, the boat instructor can choose to not do the skills with you again and just take you on the dive -- and you'll get a bit more value that way.

 

[Asian Guy frm OC]

Thanks for all the great information. For shore diving, who would be the best to contact?

 

[Charlie99]

I'd recommend Welcome to SHAKA DIVERS Web Site! for shore dives, B&B for boat dives.

A lot of people do a discover scuba dive or two, and then decide to get certified. Both B&B and Shaka Doug can both the Discover Scuba dives for non-certified divers and do the certification class you need for diving by yourselves.

 

[KrisB]

Thanks for all the great information. For shore diving, who would be the best to contact?

Well, my first suggestion is to talk to the concierge at your hotel -- a year ago, the Wailea Marriott was doing the pool portion of the Discover Scuba Diving (intro dive) for free for hotel guests and only charging if you do the ocean part.

Next, it becomes a toss-up. I'd be more than willing to take you out diving, or you could contact Maui Dreams Dive Co. (Maui Dreams Dive Co ).

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Conditions were 5-10 feet today... Good thing you didn't do a shore dive today!!

Molokini is the jewel of Maui.. If you miss it you'll regret it!

Also B&B includes gear rental in the price of the boat... Sorta can't beat the price or the experience... I'm diving Molokini tomorrow... I doubt anyone is going shore diving!!

Sean