Dive ops leave at 5:30AM are you serious???

[Gopherdown]

I like to photograph stuff and there won't be much light that early.

Choc - I've gone out several times from Kihei with almost all of the operators that halemanō lists. By the time the paperwork is done on the ramp and everyone's in the boat, the sun is up. Then there's the trip and the dive briefing at the site.

I have never had a morning dive where I could not shoot video or stills.

I live in Canada, so I'm very familiar with the drastic changes in day length including nigh-time darkness happening anywhere from 4PM to 11PM depending on the season. Hawaii, being a "touch" closer to the equator, has this thing to get used to of darkness coming quickly at 6:30 every night, but light coming quickly at 5:30 every morning.

When I stay in Lahaina, I don't have any problems getting up early for the trip to Kihei because it's worth it and the best boats are there. As StuartT said, my body clock's so maladjusted that added to the energy sapping of diving, I am dead tired by 8 and easily up by 4 for the first week I'm there. If you're up anyway, you might as well enjoy the only time the road is uncongested and drive down to Kihei - then plan lunch at the rib joint there, just to make up for any exercise you might have gotten on your dive.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Hawaii, being a "touch" closer to the equator, has this thing to get used to of darkness coming quickly at 6:30 every night, but light coming quickly at 5:30 every morning.

Today is the longest daylight day of the year, with a Honolulu Sunrise of 5:50 or 5:51 according to the first two hits from my Yahoo search of "sunrise sunset times." Last night I watered the yard until 8PM, because the high cloud colors from the 7:16 sunset kept "darkness" at bay even later than that.

Sunrise & Sunset for Honolulu, HI (United States)

That linked page allows you to look at a year of times pretty quickly. The other end of the spectrum is December 21st, with sunrise at 7:05 and sunset at 5:55.

September sunrises start at 6:15 on the 1st and end with 6:22 on the 30th, so if either B&B or Prodiver leave the ramp by 6-ish the sun is not up yet. Since Molokini is somewhat behind Haleakala (10,700' tall dormant volcano) from the sunrise, IMHO there is limited sunlight for 80' deep ambient photography when diving with the earliest boats, even today. I do know this from experience as I have worked as a guide for Prodiver.

When I conduct a Photography Safari to Molokini, I book a "2nd trip" with Prodiver (unless more than 6 guests sign up ). Typically 2nd trips only happen in the busy seasons, but if you have a few friends to dive with (3-5 friends) you could probably work something out.

For the past few years I have mostly gone to Molokini with Makena Coast, and they are definitely not in a hurry from what I have seen, plus they do not have the fastest boat, so I feel the 80' deep Molokini photography lighting with them is better than with any operator except Dive & Sea.

Dive & Sea is probably a real good choice for photographers, but I have not been out with them because I can't afford to pay for a seat (Thanks Eve & Steve ).

 

[Shaka Doug]

One of the slogans I occassionally use is: "Sleep In with Shaka Divers!"

I meet my clients at 9:00 am We try to dive during peak sunshine hours on the reef.

Early morning is a great time to be on the water when you're on a boat around here. It does get rough in the afternoon most days.

 

[Damselfish]

yep, the winds. The later you're out off Maui the more chance surface conditions will get exciting, ran into it a few times. Fun rides if you like that sort of thing but getting back on the boat can be tricky..

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

I can't speak about Maui, but some dive operators on Oahu have AM and PM charters. If Maui's the same, that might negate the need to be at the boat at the crack of dawn. No matter what, you can buy yourself a little more snooze-time if you have access to your own vehicle and aren't dependent on the shop for transportation to the boat (the shop might collect you from your hotel earlier than you'd like because of multiple hotel pick-ups, which, combined with heavy traffic, is very time consuming). Ask to meet at the boat...that might buy you an hour or two, if you're lucky.

Wind and weather conditions are good reasons why AM charters leave so early. I'm not a 'morning person' by any means, so I feel your pain. One doesn't always need to sacrifice sleep, though...at my LDS, morning charters tend to visit the deeper wrecks/sites, whereas the afternoon charters favor shallower sites, usually because there are open water students on the boat. I'm sure it varies from shop to shop, but it pays to be sure. If you favor shallower sites, for example, you'd be very happy on PM charters, and have the luxury of more shut-eye!

 

[Chocoholic]

One of the slogans I occassionally use is: "Sleep In with Shaka Divers!"

I meet my clients at 9:00 am We try to dive during peak sunshine hours on the reef.

Early morning is a great time to be on the water when you're on a boat around here. It does get rough in the afternoon most days.

Actually I have been planning on calling or emailing you, Shaka Doug, to set up shore diving and possibly (cross fingers***) a referral course for my hubby.

thanks everyone for the intel.

 

[DiveMaven]

I can't speak about Maui, but some dive operators on Oahu have AM and PM charters. If Maui's the same, that might negate the need to be at the boat at the crack of dawn. No matter what, you can buy yourself a little more snooze-time if you have access to your own vehicle and aren't dependent on the shop for transportation to the boat (the shop might collect you from your hotel earlier than you'd like because of multiple hotel pick-ups, which, combined with heavy traffic, is very time consuming). Ask to meet at the boat...that might buy you an hour or two, if you're lucky.

I don't believe there are ANY operators on Maui that provide transportation. You're required to meet the boat at the ramp.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I don't believe there are ANY operators on Maui that provide transportation. You're required to meet the boat at the ramp.

There are a few Maui boats that meet at the dive shop &/or at the slip, even Molokini boats. There are possibly some Maui operators who provide transportation,,,, for shore dives.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I can't speak about Maui, but some dive operators on Oahu have AM and PM charters.

This thread has a sway towards Molokini, because that is the only location the OP has mentioned wanting to dive. After 1:30 PM the typical trade chop between the Kihei boat ramp or Ma'alaea Harbor (2nd windiest in the US?) and the dive sites makes boat diving South Maui something for private boat owners only on rare flat days.

Lahaina Divers only has afternoon boats to close-by sites to Lahaina. If you want to go to Molokini, you'll pretty much have to do a morning charter.

Some Molokini operators go right back after the first early trip, if they have enough customers sign up. That is the real reason most operators go so early. There are probably only 8-ish days of the year that mid-day Molokini is not doable; underwater the vis might go down to "only" 80' but different things are happening than at O'dark:30. Every early boat could safely make that trip in 20 knot trades and 3-4' wind swell/chop.

I think the Molokini wind is worse in the Summer; South Maui really heats up and the hot air rises like a geyser; the trades get sucked over into the vacuum. You can find second trips to Molokini, in busy seasons, but they are still morning charters. :kiss2:

 

[Chocoholic]

Thanks all. I was mostly looking at Molokini because that's what I have read the most about. I am hoping to do other boat dives too, just not sure where. I am hoping to see lots of turtles, maybe a manta, dolphin or some sharks. I like seeing pretty coral but that doesn't sound like Hawaii diving to me (from what I've read) and lots of fish.

I loved Cozumel diving and I'm hoping I'll love Hawaiian diving too. I've dove a lot in Cabo area and I enjoy that, sounds kind of like Hawaii .... lots of fish and not much for corals? Does that sound about right? Except Cabo doesn't have good vis, and I am hoping Maui will.