2 x Molokini or add Lanai?

[michael p]

83 1/2 hours to Maui and counting! My wife and I are taking our first trip and I can't wait!

My non-diving wife has gratiously agreed to sleep in 2 mornings while I try out some boat dives, and maybe a shore dive on Friday. Thanks to all the great input on this board I've booked a Saturday morning trip with B&B. The drive from Kahana at o-dark-30 will be a bear, but hey, it will be 10 AM Cincinnati time, right?

Now for my the tough question. I've read great things about Lanai, in addition to Molokini. As a newly certified OW diver, should day 2 (Monday) be a repeat dive to Molokini with B&B, or a Lanai dive with Extended Horizons?

Secondly, what say you about rental equipment? Is it better to rent equipment from one place for shore diving and shlep it between boat dives, or just rent equipment at each dive company? This time of year, is a shorty enough, or is a full wetsuit recommended?

Any dive buddies in the Lahaina area?

Make that 83 hours........

Al / Kidspot, love your posts on B&B. Keep it up!

 

[kidspot]

As much fun as diving Molokini is I'd say do the Lanai cathedrals one day - I've only been there once, but would love to return.

Today B&B had to cancel going to the crater due to high winds, BUT the alternate site had a whale that stayed with the divers for a good portion of the dive circling around the divers 6 times I was told ... and today I couldn't dive because of a prior commitment The moral of the story... Sometimes it's worth going somewhere other than Molokini

 

[Cacia]

you have the whales ? We have not seen them over here, that I know of.

Yes, Lanai is nice at shark's fin too...

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I've done Lanai a couple of times. It was fine but since I've done Molokini a couple of zillion times and my next time out will be back to Molokini you know how I stand on it.

If Molokini was blown out I can only imagine how the crossing to Lanai must have been.

 

[Cacia]

I thought Lanai would be more protected? Oh...but further south, yes? Tougher getting back..to Lahaina. I tell you, the wind is howling at my house.

Very gusty, up to about 50, I 'd say. Can't even ride the bike, it blows me all over.

take your wife to David Paul's or Kimos..

 

[kidspot]

I've been hearing the whales, but I've not seen any yet - then again we get a lot more of them than Oahu does... I think they say 85% of the entire humpback population hangs out between Maui, Kahoolawe and Lanai... even the whales know that Maui is No Ka Oi

Really windy over here today too - though very small waves considering, but LOTS of "chop" so I wouldn't want to do the Lanai trip today.

 

[KrisB]

There was one question that you asked that I don't think anyone has touched on: rental gear.

Personally, I like diving with gear I know. If I didn't own my own gear, I'd be renting it from one shop for my entire stay, because at that point, I hopefully become somewhat familiar with it. It's not that there's big differences, but you never know exactly what you're going to get on the boats -- one might have primo gear (like Scuba Shack, that rotates their boat rentals every month), whereas another might have extremely dated gear that looks older than your grandfather.

Of course, YMMV, and I'm sure someone else will tell you to save your money and just get it on the boats, or in the morning when you go shore diving.

 

[DiveMaven]

I'd definitely say do a dive at Lanai, especially if you only have 2 charters on your vacation. Personally, I think the Cathedrals are fabulous dives and I plan at least one charter to Lanai (usually 2) when we're on Maui.

I agree with Kris, if you're shore diving too and renting gear for that, you might as well rent some gear for a week (or however long) and be familiar with it on all your dives. It'll probably make your dives more enjoyable than having to spend the first dive just getting familiar with the gear.

As far as exposure protection, I wouldn't consider anything less than a full wetsuit for diving in Hawaii. The water is going to be about 76 degrees, which sounds like 5mm temperatures to me!! Use the 76 degrees as your guide to decide how thick of a suit you'll need.

Have a GREAT trip!! We'll be on Maui in less than 2 weeks, and I can't wait.

 

[michael p]

This board ROCKS! thanks for all the great info. Looks like Lanai next Monday.
I've read that it gets windy in winter, but it sounds like it's exceptional right now. 50 mph! WOW.
I'm glad to hear that the whales have arrived. Whale watching is #1 on my better half's list. Any suggestions as to a tour? I've currently got a reservation on PWF. Comments?

The countdown continues..............

 

[kidspot]

I was very pleased with PWF tour. The downside is that the way there boat is built you really feel the wave action, so make sure it's a calm day or take your bonine (if your not diving later that day that is )

They are the ones who do most of the tours for local school field trips, and they keep it very educational.

You "might" get a better whale watch diving, but that's pretty rare.

Aloha, Tim