Best option for Lanai Cathedral trip?

[Mustang29]

We will be in Kaanapali for a week in July, and are planning a trip out to Lanai to dive the cathedrals.
I have been looking at all the dive operators that make that trip, but just can't make up my mind who to book the trip with.
I had almost settled on Lahaina Divers, but after talking with one of the dive conns from my LDS I have steered away from them.

We are looking for a smaller operation, max of 12 to 14 on the boat. I'm not interested in a cattleboat.
I don't want an operation that brings everyone to the surface when the first person runs out of gas, although that person will likely be me.
I don't want an operation that gives you small tanks, or short fills.
Quality of gear is not an issue, I will have my own, and the other 2 in our party will have rental gear for the week & will use it rather than using the boat gear.

This is the only boat dive we can afford to take while we are there & want to make sure it is with the right operator.

We will be mostly shore diving on the west side while we are on Maui. With a day or maybe 2 on south Maui with Shaka Doug.

Thanks in advance for your opinions and suggestions.

 

[diversteve]

Extended Horizons - Scuba Dive Lanai with Extended Horizons - Leading Eco Dive Company on Maui - Lahaina, Hawaii

 

[fisheater]

Extended Horizons meets all you criteria.

Max is two groups of six. More experienced group goes into the Cathedral first. You ascend when your low on air. Full fills on aluminum 80s.

Plus, it's a well-run operation, with very knowledgeable DMs.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Don't write off Lahaina Divers just yet. They have very nice boats, and it is a ways across the channel to Lanai. Their price is competitive, and chances are you will not have a crowd larger than you state- 12 or 14. Debbie and I have been diving with Lahaina Divers for years, and we have chosen them over other operators after diving with several. While other operators may do as nice a trip, you should not dismiss Lahaina divers based upon the statements of your local dive con. I recommend Lahaina Divers to people every week, and I have not had bad feedback from anyone.
DivemasterDennis

 

[DiveMaven]

Lahaina Divers definitely has the deluxe boats for the sometimes rough crossing to Lanai, and they do a good job taking care of their customers, however based on everything the OP described they were looking for, Extended Horizons is the best choice IMO.

 

[altaskier]

I don't have experience with both Extended Horizons and Lahaina Divers, but I was very happy with EH. Also check out Tiny Bubbles for guided shore dives in the Ka'anapali area - Tim is great.

 

[Mustang29]

I don't have experience with both Extended Horizons and Lahaina Divers, but I was very happy with EH. Also check out Tiny Bubbles for guided shore dives in the Ka'anapali area - Tim is great.

Yep, been out with Tim in the past on an intro dive, they were the in-house dive operators at the resort we have the timeshare in.

 

[Tunaman68]

We like LD for the big boats, and the fact that they group on board by experience. We have not had the experience of being 'rushed' through the dive. On the sites we've done at Lanai, we have always been allowed to remain in the water even after our 'group' has gone up. They usually make us ascend when the last group is headed back up, but as they split the boat into several teams, the last batch us usually headed out at around the one hour mark. The boats are big and comfy and don't feel overly crowded. It's not like a Cozumel 6 pack, but I've been in some weather coming back across the channel that made me glad I was on a twin hull with some bulk!! We're going out with them for the third year in a row, and are excited to head to Molokai for hammerheads this year!!

We're there June 29 to July 9 - maybe see you there?

T

 

[BSOD]

I've been out with LD a dozen+ times, and EH once - which was based on the number of recommendations I'd read here. I did not enjoy my experience with EH.

The EH boat is a lot smaller, and when full (12 divers?), it's very cramped; you're pretty much shoulder to shoulder with the others, and one group of 6 needs to move to the bow in order to make space for the other group to gear up. Also, being a smaller (and thus lower) boat, you can get drenched on the way back from Lanai when the water gets choppier later in the day. It would've been nice to know that before changing out of my wetsuit, then getting a bucket's worth of water dumped on me every 20 seconds or so the majority of the ride back. Yes, I understand conditions can be variable, but I didn't realize that much water would be coming over the railing. Since then, I've started carrying a rain jacket in my dive bag. It may have just been an off day, but that in particular was quite unpleasant. I also still had a bunch of air left when the guide wanted me to ascend with the others. I understand now (a few years later, a few dives wiser) that they're on a somewhat tight schedule like most (all?) other boats, and it's bad form to be toodling around excessively while everyone else is waiting on the boat (I did surface when they asked), but it seemed to counter all the reviews saying you could dive your own air.

On the plus side, the guides were nice and enthusiastic at pointing things out before, during, and after the dive; I like how they use biodiesel; and their rental Atomic regs were nice and easy to breathe through (never knew there was that much of a difference with second stages). I'm not trying to badmouth EH, but just conveying my experience which seems to be a fluke based on the number of positive reviews they have.

People look down on LD for being cattle boats, but the trips I've had with them never felt crowded - perhaps it's just been luck. I wanna say on average, there were 14ish guests most trips. There's plenty of room to move about the boat, including plenty of covered space for when it's raining/etc. Ascend when you or your buddy is low on air, and some of the dives (Mala pier) were often "just be back onboard by hh:mm". Most of the guides were personable, and I've generally had a pleasant time.

 

[Mustang29]

We're there June 29 to July 9 - maybe see you there?

T

I will just miss you, we fly in on the 17th of july.